description Maze War Overview
Maze War emerged from a 1973 development program at NASA Ames involving high school students. Initially designed for two computers, the game evolved through expansions by MIT programmers utilizing PDP-10 mainframes and ARPANET connectivity. Subsequent iterations incorporated features like eight players and a level editor, leading to significant student engagement.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
info Maze War Specifications
| Country | United States |
| Year | 1974 |
help Maze War FAQ
Why is Maze War important in FPS history?
Guinness World Records recognizes Maze War as the first first-person shooter, developed in 1973 at NASA Ames. It combined a first-person 3D maze with shooting between players. [Guinness World Records](https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/95409-first-first-person-shooter-fps-videogame)
Who created Maze War?
The original NASA version was made by high school students Steve Colley, Greg Thompson, and Howard Palmer. Their work began on the Imlac PDS-1 during a NASA Ames study program in 1973. [Maze history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maze_%281973_video_game%29)
How did Maze War become a multiplayer game?
The early version linked two computers, and Greg Thompson later brought it to MIT. Thompson and Dave Lebling expanded it into an eight-player version using a PDP-10 and PDS-1 terminals, with later versions playable over ARPANET. [Maze history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maze_%281973_video_game%29)
What did players actually do in Maze War?
Players moved through a first-person 3D maze, searched for opponents, and shot them. Later versions added scoring, a top-down map view, and a level editor on systems including the PDP-10 and Imlac PDS-1. [Maze history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maze_%281973_video_game%29)
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