Chris Miller
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« on: March 23, 2009, 12:11:01 PM » |
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Interactive fiction, often abbreviated IF, describes software simulating environments in which players use text commands to control characters and influence the environment. Works in this form can be understood as literary narratives and as video games. In common usage, the word refers to text adventures, a type of adventure game where the entire interface is text only. The term is sometimes used to encompass the entirety of the medium, but is also sometimes used to distinguish games produced by the interactive fiction community from those created by games companies. It can also be used to distinguish the more modern style of such works, focusing on narrative and not necessarily falling into the adventure game genre at all, from the more traditional focus on puzzles. More expansive definitions of interactive fiction may refer to all adventure games, including wholly graphical adventures such as Myst. Some of you will know that I'm a fan of interactive fiction games. I'm been getting into them again recently, partially because I find them relaxing and intellectually interesting, partially because I'd like to write one. I'm curious to know if: - Do any of you guys play these anymore? If not, why? if so, what do you look for in a good IF game?
- If we were to put together a game based on The Secret Lair, would anyone like to help playtest it?
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Nycteris
Minister of Secrets and Subterfuge
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« Reply #1 on: March 23, 2009, 12:21:19 PM » |
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I haven't played any for a couple of years, but I do enjoy them.
I also thought I would make one, and actually bought the hardcopy of the Inform user's manual, which immediately switched to a new rev, of course, making the book semi-useless. Curses. (incidentally Curses was a great IF game that I couldn't beat.)
I enjoyed the fact that I could get these games to play on my old Palm pilot. Probably that feature made them more appealing, since they didn't have to compete with things on the home PC like Steam.
I would try to playtest, sure, she says, without comprehending how many hours that would take.
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Mad Science does NOT require good penmanship.
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NukeHavoc
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« Reply #2 on: March 24, 2009, 08:13:23 AM » |
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I used to play these all the time as a kid, but sort of fell out of them as an adult. I still have Zork loaded on my Mac as a widget and fiddle with it on occasion, but for the most part I don't play them.
Looking back, I think interactive fiction helped lead me down the road to Game Mastering; between IF and "Choose Your Own Adventure" books I got the bug to start creating my own worlds, and once I did that there was no looking back.
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Chris Miller
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There's no minute like the last one.
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« Reply #3 on: March 24, 2009, 08:27:58 AM » |
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I still have Zork loaded on my Mac as a widget and fiddle with it on occasion, but for the most part I don't play them.
There is a Zork widget? I can haz URL? I also concur with your idea that CYOA and Zork leads to Game Mastering. For me, those were the second stage...the first was reading a lot of Greek mythology while I was in Catholic grade school. |
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Nycteris
Minister of Secrets and Subterfuge
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Posts: 96
Of course I'm sane! What?
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« Reply #4 on: March 24, 2009, 10:13:19 AM » |
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You can also play Zork here via browser: https://thcnet.net/zork/index.phpIf you were going to write IF, what system/language would you use? |
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« Last Edit: March 24, 2009, 10:15:31 AM by Nycteris »
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Nycteris
Minister of Secrets and Subterfuge
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Posts: 96
Of course I'm sane! What?
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« Reply #6 on: March 25, 2009, 06:11:40 AM » |
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What is the benefit of the widget over the browser-based?
(Just curious.)
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Mad Science does NOT require good penmanship.
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Kris Johnson
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« Reply #7 on: March 25, 2009, 07:01:49 AM » |
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What is the benefit of the widget over the browser-based?
(Just curious.)
It's a Mac thing. It's not that you wouldn't understand, it's that they don't want you to understand. Please ignore the man behind the curtain; he's only there to make you think it's not just another P.C. [/snark] |
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Chris Miller
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Posts: 93
There's no minute like the last one.
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« Reply #8 on: March 25, 2009, 08:53:58 AM » |
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Oh, Johnson. The envy just pours off of you.
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NukeHavoc
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« Reply #9 on: March 25, 2009, 05:11:51 PM » |
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There's also this: Legends of Zork http://www.legendsofzork.com/It's going to be a web-based Zork game. Exactly how that's going to play out, I have no idea, but here's a blurb from the press release: LegendsofZork.com will provide online gamers with a persistent online adventure, playable from any Internet browser. Players take up the role of a recently laid-off salesman and part-time loot-gatherer, as he explores the Great Underground Empire. Designed to provide gamers with a casual MMO game they can play on their laptop, desktop or Apple iPhone (in school, work or on the bus), there’s nothing to download, just go to www.legendsofzork.comI'm intrigued. |
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jczorkmid
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« Reply #10 on: March 30, 2009, 10:59:17 AM » |
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I also thought I would make one, and actually bought the hardcopy of the Inform user's manual, which immediately switched to a new rev, of course, making the book semi-useless. That's a great book! Especially pages 320, 322 and 552. Those are my faves. |
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Nycteris
Minister of Secrets and Subterfuge
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Of course I'm sane! What?
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« Reply #11 on: March 31, 2009, 04:52:45 PM » |
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Oh? Ok now I will have to find that book and look those pages up...
Off to the dusty attic.
... Oooh I get it now. There's some Jason Penney guy mentioned on that page.
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Mad Science does NOT require good penmanship.
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Chris Miller
Dread Lord
Overlord
Minion
Karma: +2/-1
Posts: 93
There's no minute like the last one.
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« Reply #12 on: March 31, 2009, 05:49:44 PM » |
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Oooh I get it now. There's some Jason Penney guy mentioned on that page.
Hack. |
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jczorkmid
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« Reply #13 on: April 01, 2009, 03:58:14 AM » |
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Hack.
Possibly, but you going to hold that against him? |
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