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DESIGN-DRIVEN APPROACHES TOWARD MORE EXPRESSIVE STORYGAMES a Dissertation Submitted in Partial Satisfaction of the Requirements for the Degree Of
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA CRUZ CHANGEFUL TALES: DESIGN-DRIVEN APPROACHES TOWARD MORE EXPRESSIVE STORYGAMES A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in COMPUTER SCIENCE by Aaron A. Reed June 2017 The Dissertation of Aaron A. Reed is approved: Noah Wardrip-Fruin, Chair Michael Mateas Michael Chemers Dean Tyrus Miller Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies Copyright c by Aaron A. Reed 2017 Table of Contents List of Figures viii List of Tables xii Abstract xiii Acknowledgments xv Introduction 1 1 Framework 15 1.1 Vocabulary . 15 1.1.1 Foundational terms . 15 1.1.2 Storygames . 18 1.1.2.1 Adventure as prototypical storygame . 19 1.1.2.2 What Isn't a Storygame? . 21 1.1.3 Expressive Input . 24 1.1.4 Why Fiction? . 27 1.2 A Framework for Storygame Discussion . 30 1.2.1 The Slipperiness of Genre . 30 1.2.2 Inputs, Events, and Actions . 31 1.2.3 Mechanics and Dynamics . 32 1.2.4 Operational Logics . 33 1.2.5 Narrative Mechanics . 34 1.2.6 Narrative Logics . 36 1.2.7 The Choice Graph: A Standard Narrative Logic . 38 2 The Adventure Game: An Existing Storygame Mode 44 2.1 Definition . 46 2.2 Eureka Stories . 56 2.3 The Adventure Triangle and its Flaws . 60 2.3.1 Instability . 65 iii 2.4 Blue Lacuna ................................. 66 2.5 Three Design Solutions . 69 2.5.1 The Witness ............................. 70 2.5.2 Firewatch ............................... 78 2.5.3 Her Story ............................... 86 2.6 A Technological Fix? . -
The New Zork Times by Brief but Savage Downpour
® “All the Gnus Weather: Thic fog, followed That Fit, We Print” The New Zork Times by brief but savage downpour. VOL. 4. .No. 2 —SUMMER 1985— INTERFERON EDITION New Release: A Mind Forever Voyaging A Mind Forever Voyaging, the first were to be introduced. While you're advanced-level Science Fiction story busy exploring the future, the scien- from Infocom, is for true text- tists and programmers who created adventure buffs. Why? Because it you are honing and perfecting the has more locations to visit (several simulation's parameters. Thus, as the hundred), more things to do, more story progresses, you can travel responses, and a large vocabulary further and further in time, watching (1800+ words) than any of our previ- Rockvil prosper as the Plan ously released products. succeeds, or perish as it fails. Only The story takes place in 21st- you can tell on what course the century Rockvil, South Dakota. The country sets itself by adopting the United States of North America has Plan. fallen prey to incredibly high unem- While there are several puzzles to ployment and crime rates. Political keep players on their toes, designer indiffererence, perhaps caused by Steve Meretzky (author of Planetfall backward educational systems or and Sorcerer, and co-author of The diminishing national resources, has Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) Items from Dr. Perleman’s desk are contained in every A Mind Forever swept the nation. Exploiting this op- concentrated more on immersing the Voyaging package. portunity, Senator Richard Ryder has player in a vast, highly detailed, develop (sic) the Plan for a Renewed realistic world; a vision of the National Purpose, stressing patriot- destiny of mankind. -
14. Riddle Machines: the History and Nature of Interactive Fiction
Nick Montfort Riddle Machines: The History and Nature of Interactive Fiction 14. Riddle Machines: The History and Nature of Interactive Fiction Nick Montfort Introduction The genre that has also been labeled "text adventure" and "text game" is stereotypically thought to offer dungeons, dragons, and the ability for readers to choose their own adventure. While there may be dragons here, interactive fiction (abbreviated "IF") also offers utopias, revenge plays, horrors, parables, intrigues, and codework, and pieces in this form resound with and rework Gilgamesh, Shakespeare, and Eliot as well as Tolkien. The reader types in phrases to participate in a dialogue with the system, commanding a character with writing. Beneath this surface conversation, and determining what the computer narrates, there is the machinery of a simulated world, capable of drawing the reader into imagining new perspectives and understanding strange systems. Interactive fiction works can be challenging for literary readers, even those interested in other sorts of electronic literature, because of the text-based interface and because of the way in which these works require detailed exploration, mapping, and solution. Works in this form are often less visually rewarding, and the rewards they do offer are only attained with time and effort. But text-based interactive fiction has provided some of the most the intricate and compelling literary simulations yet developed. Understanding how interactive fiction works, and how it has developed over the past three decades, is an essential part of the puzzle of literary computing. Characteristics of interactive fiction Formally, a work of interactive fiction (often called a "game," even if it does not exhibit the typical qualities of a game) is an interactive computer program. -
A Selected List of Interactive Text Adventures
Michigan Reading Journal Volume 22 Issue 4 Article 9 July 1989 A Selected List of Interactive Text Adventures Kent Layton Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/mrj Recommended Citation Layton, Kent (1989) "A Selected List of Interactive Text Adventures," Michigan Reading Journal: Vol. 22 : Iss. 4 , Article 9. Available at: https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/mrj/vol22/iss4/9 This Other is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@GVSU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Michigan Reading Journal by an authorized editor of ScholarWorks@GVSU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A Selected List of Interactive Text Adventures Compiled by Kent Layton INFOCOM. 35 Wheeler Street, Cambridge, MA 02138. A Mind Forever Voyaging, Ballyhoo, Battletech, Crescent Hawk, Cutthroats, Deadline, Enchanter, Journey, Infidel, Moonmist, Planetfall, Seastalker, Shogun, Sorcerer, Spellbreaker, Starcross,, Suspect, Suspended, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, The Witness, Wishbringer, Zork I, Zork II, Zork Ill, and Zork Zero. SCHOLASTIC, INC. 2931 E. McCarty Street, P.O. Box 7502, Jefferson City, MO 65102. An Oval Office Odyssey, Captains of the China Trade, Cosmic Hero, Crickety Manor, Escape from Antcatraz, Haunted Channels, History Mystery, Malice and Wonderland, MicroAgent of the Body Guard, Quest for the Pole, Robot Rescue, Safari, The Funhouse Caper, The Frogs and the Fables, The Great Frankfurter, The Myths of Olympus, The Wizard of Darkling Wood, Tickets to America, Voyage to See What's on the Bottom, and Wagons West. (Available through Microzine and Microzine Jr. subscriptions.) SIERRA ON-LINE. Empire State Building, Suite 1101, 350 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10118. -
IF Theory Reader
IF Theory Reader edited by Kevin Jackson-Mead J. Robinson Wheeler > Transcript On Press Boston, MA All authors of articles in this book retain their own copyrights. Neither the editors nor the publisher make any copyright claims. Version 1, March 2011. Version 2, April 2011. Please send corrections to [email protected]. Contents Preface Crimes Against Mimesis 1 Roger S. G. Sorolla Theory Toward a Theory of Interactive Fiction 25 Nick Montfort Characterizing, If Not Defining, Interactive Fiction 59 Andrew Plotkin not that you may remember time: Interactive Fiction, Stream-of-Consciousness Writing, and Free Will 67 Mark Silcox 2 Brief Dada Angels 89 Ryan Stevens, writing as Rybread Celsius Object Relations 91 Graham Nelson IF as Argument 101 Duncan Stevens The Success of Genre in Interactive Fiction 111 Neil Yorke-Smith Parser at the Threshold: Lovecraftian Horror in Interactive Fiction 129 Michael Gentry Distinguishing Between Game Design and Analysis: One View 135 Gareth Rees Natural Language, Semantic Analysis, and Interactive Fiction 141 Graham Nelson Afterword: Five Years Later 189 Graham Nelson Craft Challenges of a Broad Geography 203 Emily Short Thinking Into the Box: On the Use and Deployment of Puzzles 229 Jon Ingold PC Personality and Motivations 249 Duncan Stevens Landscape and Character in IF 261 Paul O’Brian Hint Development for IF 279 Lucian Smith Descriptions Constructed 291 Stephen Granade Mapping the Tale: Scene Description in IF 299 J. Robinson Wheeler Repetition of Text in Interactive Fiction 317 Jason Dyer NPC Dialogue Writing 325 Robb Sherwin NPC Conversation Systems 331 Emily Short History 10 Years of IF: 1994–2004 359 Duncan Stevens The Evolution of Short Works: From Sprawling Cave Crawls to Tiny Experiments 369 Stephen Granade History of Italian IF 379 Francesco Cordella Racontons une histoire ensemble: History and Characteristics of French IF 389 Hugo Labrande Preface This is a book for which people in the interactive fiction community have been waiting for quite some time. -
The Status Line
Meet Mike’s Important Dream Date Reader Poll See page 7 The Status Line See page 6 Volume VI Number 1 Formerly The New Zork Times Winter/Spring 1987 Douglas Adams' Bureaucracy Not very long ago, Douglas Adams It's a sad story, one that's replayed (who is, as everyone knows, the best- every day for millions of people selling author of that zany interactive worldwide. Of course, it's not always story The Hitchhiker's Guide to the a bank at fault. Sometimes it's the Galaxy™) moved from one apartment postal service, or the telephone com- in London to another. He dutifully pany, or an airline, or the govern- notified everyone of his new address, ment. All of us, at one time or including his bank. In fact, he person- another, feel persecuted by a bureauc- ally went to the bank and filled out a racy. What can be done? change-of-address form. Only Douglas Adams would exact Soon after, Douglas found that he such sweet revenge. He retaliated by was unable to use his credit card. He writing Bureaucracy™, a hilarious discovered that the card had been interactive journey through masses of invalidated by the bank. Apparently, red tape. the bank had sent a new card to his You begin Bureaucracy in your old address. spiffy new apartment. You're going to For weeks, Douglas tried to get the Paris this very afternoon for a combi- bank to acknowledge his change-of- nation training seminar and vacation, address form. He talked to bank offi- so you'll need to leave as soon as you cials, and filled out new forms, and get the money order your boss has applied for another credit card, but mailed you. -
Spellbreaker™ Is Here!
11 All the Gnus Weather: State of the That Fit, We Print" atmosphere VOL. IV. .. No. 4 - FALL 1985 - INTERFLUVIAL EDITION SPELLBREAKER™ IS HERE! The Exciting Conclusion to the Enchanter® Trilogy In a world founded on magic, master has been turned into an sorcerers rule the land, creating amphibian! All, that is, but the spells needed to do everything yourself . and a shadowy cloak from making bread to taming ed figure who slips quietly out wild animals. Your position as a the door. leader of the Circle of Enchanters Thus begins Spellbreaker,. ·the has earned you respect from all riveting conclusion to lnfocom's others :in the kingdom. Enchanter series (including En But now a crisis has fallen. chanter and Sorcerer'") and the Magic itself seems to be failing. final chapter in the story of a Spells go strangely awry or cease magician's rise from novice to to work altogether. The populace mage. is becoming restive, and rum Spellbreaker was written by blings are heard concerning Dave Lebling, co-author of the Enchanters. A great conclave is held, con Marathon: p. 2 vening all the guildmasters in the land. One by one, they step for Zork® trilogy and Enchanter and A Froboz.z. Magic Magic Equipment Catalog, an Enchanter's Guild pin, and six ward, describing the devastating author of StGicrosSE' and Suspect'!' Enchanter trading cards are included in eveiy Spellbreaker package. effects of the diminished magic. According to Lebling, "You don't Beer tastes like grue bathwater, have to have played the other breaker also contains technical while crackerjacks will find their pastries are thick and greasy, games in our fantasy series in innovations, such as allowing skills tested by the most huntsmen are unable to control order to enjoy this one, although you to add some words to the challenging puzzles ever con wild beasts. -
The Status Line Fall 1986
Vol. V/No. 4 —Fall 1986— Glamour Edition Soon To Be A Major Interactive Story… HOLLYWOOD HIJINX Who can forget those wonderful Herman would team up together to childhood summers spent with play games in the garden or help your Aunt Hildegarde and Uncle Aunt Hildegarde with her dinner Buddy Burbank? Uncle Buddy was parties. There was also the time he a Hollywood mogul, Aunt Hilde- got sick in the top bunk when you garde his loving (and very rich) were sleeping in the bottom one. wife. They had no children of their Or the time he tripped you on the own, but you and your cousins beach stairs and you fell and got a were always welcome at their bloody nose. But you were able to sprawling Malibu estate. forgive and forget in the name of The house itself was loads of cousinly love. fun. There was the luxurious Well, those days are all behind movie theater, the gaudy round you. Uncle Buddy has been dead satin-covered bed, the gold-plated for several years, and now Aunt bathroom faucets in the shape of Hildegarde has passed away, too. Aunt Hildegarde and Uncle Buddy would be proud of the Oscars, and the goofy props from It seems like the end of an era — Hollywood Hijinx package. old Buddy Burbank movies. And until you learn that you've inher- the grounds had everything from a ited the entire estate. There's just private beach to a hedge maze, one quirky stipulation: you can where you usually managed to get only claim your booty if you find Breakthrough In lost. -
The Inform Designer's Manual
Cited Works of Interactive Fiction The following bibliography includes only those works cited in the text of this book: it makes no claim to completeness or even balance. An index entry is followed by designer's name, publisher or organisation (if any) and date of first substantial version. The following denote formats: ZM for Z-Machine, L9 for Level 9's A-code, AGT for the Adventure Game Toolkit run-time, TADS for TADS run-time and SA for Scott Adams's format. Games in each of these formats can be played on most modern computers. Scott Adams, ``Quill''-written and Cambridge University games can all be mechanically translated to Inform and then recompiled as ZM. The symbol marks that the game can be downloaded from ftp.gmd.de, though for early games} sometimes only in source code format. Sa1 and Sa2 indicate that a playable demonstration can be found on Infocom's first or second sampler game, each of which is . Most Infocom games are widely available in remarkably inexpensive packages} marketed by Activision. The `Zork' trilogy has often been freely downloadable from Activision web sites to promote the ``Infocom'' brand, as has `Zork: The Undiscovered Underground'. `Abenteuer', 264. German translation of `Advent' by Toni Arnold (1998). ZM } `Acheton', 3, 113 ex8, 348, 353, 399. David Seal, Jonathan Thackray with Jonathan Partington, Cambridge University and later Acornsoft, Topologika (1978--9). `Advent', 2, 47, 48, 62, 75, 86, 95, 99, 102, 105, 113 ex8, 114, 121, 124, 126, 142, 146, 147, 151, 159, 159, 179, 220, 221, 243, 264, 312 ex125, 344, 370, 377, 385, 386, 390, 393, 394, 396, 398, 403, 404, 509 an125. -
The Status Line See Page 10 Volume VI Number 3 Formerly the New Zork Times Fall 1987 Peril & Passion in Plundered Hearts
Three classic VisiClues: No titles revisited marker needed See page 6 The Status Line See page 10 Volume VI Number 3 Formerly The New Zork Times Fall 1987 Peril & passion in Plundered Hearts “Infocom’s first romance does the genre proud. Play- You are a beautiful young woman, the daughter of a ing Plundered Hearts was like opening a romance nobleman. You receive news of your beloved father novel and walking inside.” from M. Jean Lafond, who claims to be his dearest —Judith C. friend. Lafond is the governor of St. Sinistra, the tiny tropical isle where your father moved after the death “The main character may be a woman, but I found of your mother. Lafond sends the tidings that spur you Plundered Hearts every bit as challenging and exhila- across the Atlantic: Papa is deathly ill, and needs your rating as other Infocom stories. I can’t think of a bet- loving care to keep him alive. You set out aboard the ter way to exercise my imagination.” Lafond Deux, one of the governor’s ships that just —Andrew I. happens to be in port.. “I love this! This is the most vivid and evocative Info- Falcon, captain of the pirates. com game I’ve seen yet.” As Plundered Hearts begins, just two nights from —Mrs. Thomas E. the end of the hitherto uneventful voyage, the thunder and lightning of cannon fire disturb your slumber— “I was a little afraid that I wouldn’t like the game at pirates! Within minutes you are face to face with the first, being male and playing it as a female, but once notorious Falcon, captain of the pirates. -
Infocom-Passport
r. r• oo oo oo o oVis~ oo c o o o ,.. ~ " "' r r " £nr'.;C;,/£n~ 0 0 0 0 0 v..n,,..n,A.(.;;,,.+i " " .. .F11fiftS/~1J.h'tts ~ ~ : ~ r r, 0 11'W ·1:.~ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 •J"'o· 15 n=il~ "es 0 r rr Oo o o o o O o 0 co c r rr. oo o o o o o oo 0 c .. rr r e co o O oo o o o oo ""PASSPORT NUMBER The Secreti of State NUMERO DU PASSEPORT of the United Pro ucts oflnfocom hereby requests I whom it may concern to permit the intraspatial citizm named ·n to pass FOR YOUR PROTECTION PLEASE FILL IN THE NAMES ND ADDRESSES BELOW. without delay or hi ance through the mysteries, the sci-fi's, the ventures, the fantasies BEARER'S ADDRESS IN REALITY- ADRESSE DU TITULAIRE EN REALITE ...__ ________ and the business Ids of lnfocom, NAME-NOM ______-+-- ___ SEX-SEXE ___ and in of need, BIRTHPLACE-LIEU DE NAISSANCE---1--------- to give all lawful a· and protection. SIGNATURE OF BEARER- IN CASE OF INTERACTIVE DEATH ACCIDENT OR DISAPPEARANCE NOTIFY THE NEAREST INFOCOM IPLOMATIC OR CONSULAR OFFICE NAMED BELOW: EN CAS DE DECES INTERACTIF, D' AC IDENT OU DE DISPARITION, PRIERE YOU HOLD IN YOUR HANDS he official lnfocom document D' AVISER LE SERVICE DIPLOMATIQ E OU CONSULAIRE D'INFOCOM LE that certifies the identity, if not he destination, of all lnfocom PLUS PROCHE, NOMMEE Cl-DESSO products, in particular, interact' e fiction. Just what is interac NAME- tive fiction? It's a whole new un verse. -
Temporary Zork Zero Manual
I N S T R U C T I O N M A N U A L If you've never played Infocom's interactive fiction before, you should read this entire instruction manual. If you're an experienced TABLE OF CONTENTS Infocom player, just read Section I: About Zork Zero. Section I: About Zork Zero Preface to the Story 2 Hints 2 Mapping 3 Graphical Puzzles 3 If You Have a Mouse 3 Function Keys 3 Special Commands 4 Sample Transcript and Map 6 About the Author 9 Section II: About Infocom's Interactive Fiction An Overview: 10 What is interactive fiction? Starting and Stopping 10 ! "Booting up" ! Saving and restoring ! Quitting and restarting Communicating with Infocom's Interactive 11 Fiction ! Basic sentences ! Complex sentences ! Talking to characters in the story Tips for Novices 13 Eleven useful pointers about interactive fiction Common Complaints 14 We're Never Satisfied 15 If You Have Technical Problems 15 Copyright and Warranty Information 15 Quick Reference Guide 16 This briefly describes the most important things to know about interactive fiction. Instruction Manual 1 In fact, as you begin your desperate quest to find the relics of the SECTION I: Empire you need to stop the Curse, your only company is the court ABOUT ZORK ZERO jester, who spins rhymes for your amusement. Always appearing when you least expect him, the jester will confront you with riddles and games, spring some deadly tricks, and give you helpful nudges in the Preface to the Story right direction. And throughout, he seems to be laughing at some More than 90 years have passed since the great wizard Megaboz cast tremendous joke which you can't begin to fathom..