Amoral Behaviour in IF


19 Jun 1995 20:00:38 -0300

Thought I'd throw my two cents (or cent and a half, I am Canadian) in the
ring. I think the poster who talked about IF being simply logic puzzles
with some story around them (well, he didn't say that, but it's my post so
I'll say what I want. pbbbttt 8->) hit the nail on the head. Dungeon
started us all down the path and the Zorks' propogated it and no IF since
has really changed much. I think all widespread IF has so far been simply
that...logic puzzles with story built around it (note the adjective
widespread, I have used/played IF that wasn't like that, but it wasn't
widely available to the general public). We all try to add something
different, a new tone, a new plot, etc. but it's all the same.

My other point, however, deals with this sudden realization: what's to
stop us from making a fun IF that requires moral behaviour? Really, it
would actually add to the puzzles. You have to get by the troll in the
caves and you have to do it without killing him. For that matter, you
have to get to the caves without trespassing first. You'd probably have
to give a warning in the beginning, so your players don't go kill the
troll, but it would be challenging. Especially challenging because all of
the IF players so far would have to change their mindset.

However, having said the above, I wonder if our current tools would allow
us to make such a fun IF. You would need extremely fleshed out NPCs to
allow more interaction. If you can't use that sword, you're going to
think of a hundred different ways to get around the Troll. And I, as a
dutiful IF programmer, had better allow you to do most of those hundred
different things.

Well, enough thoughts for now, let's see where this takes us, 8->

Jean Duteau
Currently working on Revenge!

--
My brain is too full to come up with some measly paltry humourous  
signature.