Empire (1977 video game)

Empire

Company type	Video game
Industry	Computer wargames
Founded	1977
Founder	Walter Bright
Products	Empire (video game series)

Empire is a turn-based computer wargame released in 1977, characterized by straightforward gameplay mechanics. Originally devised by Walter Bright in 1971, the game drew inspiration from war cinema and board games such as Battle of Britain and Risk. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, it was adapted to numerous platforms. Commercial editions like Empire: Wargame of the Century enhanced the initial text-based interface by incorporating simple graphical elements.

Gameplay

At the outset, the game generates a random map displayed on a square grid, typically consisting of islands and urban centers. Each participant starts with control over a single city and has limited visibility around it due to a fog of war. Cities produce military units—infantry, aircraft, and naval vessels—over multiple turns, with infantry being the quickest to assemble. Players use their units to explore within restricted sight ranges, locate neutral cities, and seize them to increase their production capabilities.

As players expand their territory by capturing additional cities, they gain the ability to assign some to manufacture more sophisticated forces such as battleships. The primary objective is to dominate all cities on the map, including those held by AI adversaries.

History and development

Walter Bright initially designed Empire as a board wargame influenced by titles like Risk, Stratego, and the film Battle of Britain. Finding traditional play tedious, he transitioned the concept into a computer game to provide a CPU opponent. The earliest digital iteration was coded in BASIC before being rewritten in FORTRAN in 1977 for the PDP-10 at Caltech. The game gained popularity among students; however, Bright's first commercial release in assembly language for the Heathkit H11 sold only two copies.

The FORTRAN source code was widely copied without authorization, leading to numerous adaptations and ports. Herb Jacobs and Dave Mitton ported it to VAX/VMS under pseudonyms "DeNobili and Paulson" and submitted it to DECUS; Digital Equipment Corporation included this version with VMS distributions. In 1984, Bob Norby converted this DECUS edition into PC shareware. Later, in 1987, Chuck Simmons redeveloped it in C using UNIX curses for compatibility with various terminals; this version is maintained by Eric S. Raymond.

By 1996, Computer Gaming World ranked Empire eighth among all computer games released up to that point, with wargame columnist Terry Coleman placing it second only to Panzer General in the computer wargame category.

Empire: Wargame of the Century

Bright reprogrammed the game in C for the IBM PC. Initially expecting modest sales, he announced it in January 1984's BYTE Magazine "Software Received" section, which generated unexpectedly high demand. After negotiating with several software firms, he licensed it to Interstel. Mark Baldwin joined as coauthor to redesign and adapt the game for commercial audiences. Starting around 1987, Empire: Wargame of the Century was released on platforms including Atari ST, Amiga, Commodore 64, Apple II, Macintosh, and MS-DOS.

Empire Deluxe

In the early 1990s, Mark Baldwin collaborated with Bob Rakowsky to redevelop the title as Empire Deluxe, targeting DOS, Mac OS, and Windows. Released in 1993 by New World Computing, this edition preserved Interstel’s core gameplay while introducing a beginner-friendly mode alongside an advanced mode featuring new unit types such as Bombers and Armor units. It also supported larger maps up to 200×200 squares.

The same year saw the launch of an expansion pack titled Empire Deluxe Scenarios, which provided tools for scenario statistics and map creation—including a random map generator absent from the original Deluxe—as well as patches for DOS and Windows versions. It included 37 scenarios crafted by notable figures like Will Wright, Jerry Pournelle, and others involved in its development.

In 1993, Computer Gaming World recommended Empire Deluxe as essential for dedicated strategy enthusiasts. A contemporary review awarded it four out of five stars despite minor issues. The game achieved considerable acclaim and was listed among Gamespy's Greatest Games of All Time. It received a 4/5 star rating in Dragon issue #195. In 1994, PC Gamer US ranked it as the 35th greatest computer game ever made, praising its elegant design and virtually limitless replay value.

The expansion pack was recognized by Computer Gaming World for delivering significant additional content appreciated by fans.

Killer Bee Software

During the winter of 2002, Mark Kinkead of Killer Bee Software secured the rights to Empire Deluxe from its original creators, Mark Baldwin and Bob Rakowsky. The following year, he introduced Empire Deluxe Internet Edition (EDIE) for Windows, which was essentially a direct adaptation of the 1993 original code, featuring only slight modifications such as an expanded map dimension (255×255) but without altering the core gameplay mechanics. In 2004, Killer Bee released an "Enhanced" edition that incorporated new units and gameplay rules, including artillery, engineers, and orbital units. The company further broadened its offerings by launching versions compatible with Windows, Android, and iOS platforms.

Sequel

In 1995, New World Computing published Empire II: The Art of War, marking a transition from turn-based strategy to turn-based tactical gameplay. This sequel eliminated empire management and unit production elements while introducing more intricate battle mechanics such as morale effects and detailed damage modeling. Its campaigns encompassed a wide array of historical and fictional scenarios. Additionally, the game editor was enhanced to empower users to design custom maps, campaigns, and units complete with personalized graphics and sound effects.

Legacy

Walter Bright’s Classic Empire website offers modern ports and accessible source code versions compatible with various PC operating systems. The game Strategic Conquest, although unrelated to Bright’s work, draws inspiration from the Empire series.

Sid Meier has acknowledged Empire as a foundational influence on his acclaimed Civilization series.

External links

• Walter Bright's Empire website
• EDEE Publisher Page – Killer Bee Software
• MS-DOS edition of Empire available at Abandonware: Empire: Wargame of the Century, port developed by Bob Norby. [1]
• Source code for Empire on the PDP-11