Wayout is a 3D first-person perspectivevideo game programmed by Paul Allen Edelstein, originally published for the Atari 8-bit computers in 1982. It was released for the Apple II and Commodore 64 in 1983. Wayout is among the first maze games to offer full 360 degree 3D perspective and movement, and its graphics were considered state-of-the-art upon its release. There were many pseudo-3D maze games at the time, but they used a fixed perspective and limited the player to four orientations. Capture the Flag was published as a follow-up in 1983. It has similar graphics to Wayout, but allows two players to compete at once with a split-screen view, and adds dynamic music.
Gameplay
The game can be played with either a joystick, paddles or the keyboard, allowing the player to move forward and turn left or right. The player is trapped inside one of 26 mazes and must find the exit with the use of a compass and a map-making kit. The game automatically maps the areas you explore and records how many movement units the player uses up, saving the best scores to the game disk. There is also a computer controlled opponent called the "Cleptangle" who appears as a spinning rectangular form which moves around the maze and will render the player's compass and mapmaker useless by 'stealing' them if it comes into contact with the player. In addition, there is a 'wind' within each maze, which blows in a constant direction, and is visualised by the presence of 'Fireflies'. The 'wind' can sometimes be too strong for the player to push against, but it can also help the player locate the exit of the maze. In the lower portion of the screen is a top-down, 2D view of the maze the player inhabits, and draws itself as you move around, in a very similar way to the automap feature which became prevalent in many later first-person shooters such as Doom.
Reception
Creative Computing magazine in 1983 described Wayout as "deliciously addictive"; although the reviewer, Chris Vogeli, admits to being initially frustrated until he realised the exit could be anywhere on the map, and not just at the edge. Antic's David Duberman wrote in 1983, "The graphics that appear before you as you move through the maze are more life-like and dramatic than I have ever seen. The 3-D animation... makes this game the last word in alternate-reality simulation". Softline in 1983 stated that Wayout "features smooth-scrolling, truly three-dimensional mazes... to torture your mind... not recommended for vertigo sufferers". Allen Doum reviewed the game for Computer Gaming World, and stated that "Wayout has the best "attract mode" I've ever seen. The programactually solves the INTRO maze, while demonstrating all game features except the reference points." Wayout was described in 1983 as having "superb 3-D graphics" by Electronic Fun with Computers & Games, but was criticised for the lack of variety in the colours of each maze, which could lead the player to become "very disoriented". Ahoy!s reviewer stated that "Maze games generally leave me cold. To my surprise, I found Wayout a complete delight" and superior to Tunnel Runner and Escape from the Mindmaster. He concluded, "Maze game fans—pounce on this one".
