James Introcaso recently wrote a blog post titled, "We Can Do Better Than Boxed Text", where he outlines the benefits and drawbacks of boxed text.
This has raised the question, who started it and how long has boxed text been with us?
I have reviewed the earliest published adventures but have not yet found boxed text. Those included:
- (1975) The first published D&D scenario of all time: the Blackmoor supplement for the "Temple of the Frog"
- (1976) The first standalone D&D module of all time: Palace of the Vampire Queen
- (1978) The first module printed with the first edition of the basic D&D set: In Search of the Unknown
- (1978) The first standalone module published by TSR G1: Steading of the Hill Giant Chief.
- (1979) The second module included in the D&D basic set: The Keep on the Borderlands
None of these have boxed text, which seems to suggest that it didn't arrive until after 1979.
What was the first published adventure (module or periodical) in D&D history to use boxed text?