Question: While A Dark Room was originally published in mid 2013, how far back do Online text-based role-playing game date?

Context paragraphs:
A Dark Room: A Dark Room is an open-source software role-playing text-based game originally published in mid 2013 for web browsers by Doublespeak Games.  Later that year it was released in the App Store for iOS devices.  In 2014 a prequel entitled "The Ensign", which provided more insight into the world and its characters, was released for iOS.

Candy Box!: Candy Box!  is a 2013 independent incremental browser video game.  The game was developed by a then-19-year-old French student using the pseudonym "aniwey" and released in April 2013.  "Candy Box!"  is an online text-based role-playing game and features ASCII art in lieu of traditional artwork.

JediMUD: JediMUD is a MUD, an online text-based role-playing game, one of the longest-running of its kind.  It has been open to the public since August 28, 1992 and is based on the CircleMUD derivative of the DikuMUD code-base.

Online text-based role-playing game: An online text-based role playing game is a role-playing game played online using a solely text-based interface.  Online text-based role playing games date to 1978, with the creation of "MUD1", which began the MUD heritage that culminates in today's MMORPGs.  Some online-text based role playing games are video games, but some are organized and played entirely by humans through text-based communication.  Over the years, games have used TELNET, internet forums, IRC, email and social networking websites as their media.

Ereal: Ereal is the fictional sun god in the online text-based role-playing game "The Eternal City".  Ereal is worshiped throughout the fictitious setting of Midlight, where the game takes place.

Play-by-post role-playing game: A play-by-post role-playing game (or sim) is an online text-based role-playing game in which players interact with each other and a predefined environment via text.  It is a subset of the online role-playing community which caters to both gamers and creative writers.  Play-by-post games may be based on other role-playing games, non-game fiction including books, television and movies, or original settings.  This activity is closely related to both interactive fiction and collaborative writing.  Compared to other roleplaying game formats, this type tends to have the loosest rulesets.

AVATAR (MUD): A.V.A.T.A.R. MUD is a free, online, massively multiplayer, fantasy, text-based role-playing game (or MUD), set in a real-time virtual environment.  It combines elements of role-playing games, hack and slash style computer games, adventure games and social gaming.

AmberMUSH: AmberMUSH, sometimes abbreviated as Amber or AM, was a MUSH — a kind of online text-based role-playing game — based on "The Chronicles of Amber" by Roger Zelazny and, to some extent, the "Amber Diceless Roleplaying Game".  Founded in 1992 by Jennifer "Jasra" Smith and several associates, it operated until 2009, remaining online for 17 years.

TinyMUCK: TinyMUCK or, more broadly, a MUCK, is a type of user-extendable online text-based role-playing game, designed for role playing and social interaction.  Backronyms like "Multi-User Chat/Created/Computer/Character/Carnal Kingdom" and "Multi-User Construction Kit" are sometimes cited, but are not the actual origin of the term; "muck" is simply a play on the term MUD.

Torn (online game): Torn, previously known as "Torn City" before the change to "TORN", is a free, online text-based massive multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) created by British online gaming entrepreneur Joe Chedburn.  The game was launched in 2003.  In 2010, over 24,000 people played daily, and over 1 million accounts existed in total.  "Torn" is a virtual world based around gang violence.  Like many RPGs, players start at the bottom of the ladder and make their way to the top by earning experience points.  The game focuses on crimes and player versus player combat as a way of earning XP or experience points.

Supporting paragraphs: A Dark Room Online text-based role-playing game
Answer: 1978