Moria-based Moria (1983) was developed by Robert Alan Koeneke while a student at University of Oklahoma, inspired by both Adventure and Rogue. Having access to a VAX-11/780, but without the source to Rogue due to computer administrator restrictions, he began trying to recreate Rogue but specifically flavored with the complex cave maze of the same name in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle Earth stories. Following Tolkien's fiction, the player's goal was to descend to the depths of Moria to defeat the Balrog, akin to a boss battle.Craddock 2015, Chapter 7: "None Shall Pass: Braving the Mines of Moria" As with Rogue, levels were not persistent: when the player left the level and then tried to return, a new level would be procedurally generated. Among other improvements to Rogue, Koeneke included a persistent town at the highest level where players could buy and sell equipment, and the use of data structures within the Pascal language allowed him to create a more diverse bestiary within the game. He got help from several playtesters as well as another student, Jimmey Wayne Todd, who helped to program a deeper character generation system. UMoria (short for UNIX Moria) is a close variation on Moria by Jim E. Wilson, making the game more portable to a larger variety of computers while fixing various bugs.
moRiA-baSED MoRia (1983) waS dEvELOped by robert AlAn koENeke whiLE a sTUDent at unIversITy oF oklAHoMa, InspiReD by Both AdVenture And rogUe. having accesS to a vaX-11/780, but withOut tHe SoUrCe to ROgUe duE TO cOmpUter adminIStrator resTRictIons, HE Began tryiNg To RECreAte rOgUe but SpeCifIcAllY fLavoREd witH THe complex cave maZe of ThE SamE naMe In j.r.R. toLKien'S MiDdle eaRtH storiEs. follOwing tolKien's fiCtiOn, the PlaYer's goal wAS to desCENd to the depThS of MorIA to DefEAt the balrOg, akiN tO A bosS BAtTlE.cRADdock 2015, ChAPTer 7: "nONe SHall Pass: bRavinG tHe mINES of mOria" aS wiTH roGuE, lEVels weRE not pErsisteNt: wHen the pLayEr left ThE lEVel and thEn trIEd to rEturn, a New Level would Be prOcedurally geneRaTED. aMonG otheR iMpROveMEntS tO rOgUe, koenEKe iNClUdeD a PersistenT tOWn At the hIGhesT level WhERe plaYeRs Could Buy anD SeLl EqUipMEnt, anD thE use oF dAtA stRUctuReS Within tHE PAscal LaNGUAge AlloWEd hiM to creAte a more diveRse BesTIAry WItHin the gAMe. He goT help froM several plAyteStERs as well As aNoThEr student, jimmEy wAyNE todd, WhO HelpEd to pRograM a DeePer CharACTeR GeNeRAtiOn sysTem. uMoria (SHort for uNiX moria) iS A CLOse VAriatION On morIa bY jim e. wILsoN, MaKInG tHe gamE mOre porTaBLe to A LaRger varieTy OF comPuters wHile FiXing VariOUs Bugs.