Draft of "INFORM Games List", Comments required


7 Dec 1995 01:09:27 GMT

GAME LIST
A Non-Interactive List of Inform Games
No Copyright (c) Brendon Wyber 1995.
Release 1 / 951206 / "First Ever Draft"

This document is in DRAFT and is not even close to completion. Contact me
for rumours, information, corrections, or a comment about your game.

email me at brendon@caverock.co.nz
or b.wyber@csc.canterbury.ac.nz

CONTENTS
Part One - Preample
Part Two - Summary
Part Three - Released Games As Data Files Only
Part Four - The 1995 IF Competition
Part Five - Games Released With Source Code
Part Six - Games In Development

=============================================================================
PART ONE - PREAMPLE
=============================================================================

While reading the Whizzard's TADS game list I thought "H'mm, I wish
someone would do one of these for Inform games." Then it occured to me
that I could be that someone and tada! this list was born.

At the moment this is a draft and very unofficial and yet to be beta
tested. It also needs a much better introduction than this twoddle,
presumably something about what Inform is and where to get it.

This list has been compiled from the games I have downloaded from ftp.gmd.de
recently, so it has a very limited source of information. Please feel
free to mail me corrections and additions. In fact I insist. Also I would
like any notes on some up and coming projects you are working on.

Note, that this does not include code fragments and other stuff. Just
actual full games, although the distinction is fuzzy. I included "Toyshop"
but not "Through the Looking Glass" (the previous had a scoring mechanism).

=============================================================================
PART TWO - SUMMARY
=============================================================================

Below is a brief summary of games included in this list.

Title - Product Title
Z - Z Version
Rel - Release Number
In - Inform build number
Lib - Library Version
#Ob - Number of objects in game
#Dic - Number of dictionary entrys
Kb - Size of data file

Title__________________________ Z Rel SN____ In__ Lib_ #Ob #Dic Kb____
RELEASED GAMES AS DATA FILES ONLY
Curses 5 16 951024 1600 5/12 502 1348 259072
Theatre 5 2 951203 1502 5/12 396 922 185856
Jigsaw 8 2 951110 1600 6/1 511 1756 303616
Jigsaw_Game 5 2 951110 1600 6/1 511 1756 262144
Jigsaw_Footnote 5 2 951110 1600 6/1 16 294 62976
Christminster 5 3 951107 1502 5/12 394 1272 228352
The Path To Fortune 8 1 951109 1502 5/11 526 1047 326656
1995 IF COMPETITION ENTRIES
All Quiet of the Library Front 5 1 950829 1502 5/11 58 446 55296
The Magic Toyshop 5 1 950726 1502 5/11 61 433 71680
Detective 5 101 950814 1502 5/11 78 313 70144
Mind Detective 5 2 950830 1502 5/11 55 417 81408
Tube Trouble 5 0 950831 1502 5/11 42 354 50176
A Change in the Weather 5 3 950803 1405 5/8 70 434 92672
RELEASED GAMES WITH SOURCE CODE
Adventure 5 2 258 713 93184
Balances 3 2 Given values 100 459 68096
Toyshop 5 1 as compiled 61 396 51200
Freefall 5 1 under 1502/a 4 0 3584
Adventure Land 5 1 library 5/12 98 411 55296
Odieus's Quest... 5 1 83 469 62464
Paperchase 5 1 70 435 60416

=============================================================================
PART THREE - RELEASED GAMES AS DATA FILES ONLY
=============================================================================

Sadly, there are not enough inform games yet to start organising them in
terms of genre so I have organised them in the way they were released.
The following games were just released in the binary z-machine format.
The other sections will list the competition entries and games that were
released with source code.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Title: Curses
Author: Graham Nelson
Where: ftp://ftp.gmd.de/if-archive/games/infocom/curses.z5

CURSES
An Interactive Diversion
Copyright (c) 1993, 1994, 1995 by Graham Nelson.
Release 16 / Serial number 951024 / Inform v1600 Library 5/12

As "Curses" opens, you're hunting about in the attic of your family home,
looking for a tatty old map of Paris (you're going on holiday tomorrow) and
generally trying to avoid all the packing. Aunt Jemima is potting daisies
and sulking; the attics are full of endless distractions and secrets; Greek
myths, horoscopes, sixth-century politics, a less than altogether helpful
demon, a mysterious bomb plot, photography, ritual, poetry and a dream or
two all get in your way; and somehow you keep being reminded of your family
through the ages, and all its Curses...

...could it be that even you are Cursed?
(Author's Blurb)

Curses was the first inform game, and considered by many to be the finest
piece of Interactive Fiction written outside of Infocom. If you haven't
played it, why are you reading this? Download it now!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Title: Theatre
Author: Brendon J Wyber
Where: ftp://ftp.gmd.de/if-archive/games/infocom/theatre.z5

THEATRE
An Interactive Night of Horror.
Written by Brendon Wyber and Graham Nelson.
Copyright (c) 1995 by Cave Rock Software Ltd. All rights reserved.

The actual game THEATRE was designed by Brendon Wyber.
Theatre Release 2 (Serial Number 951203 / Build 1062).
You are playing THEATRE on Interpreter 12 Version B.
THEATRE was written using the Inform compiler by Graham Nelson.
Inform Compiler v1502 (Library Release Number 5/12 / Serial number 951024).

Your job as a real estate agent brings you into contact with many old
buildings, but none are quite like the old theatre that has stood deserted
for almost thirty years. After visiting it with some prospective buyers,
you discover that you have left your pager behind. You quickly stop off
there, on your way out for the evening, to pick it up. However, at night,
you soon learn, the theatre's denizens are more than just rats and
spiders.

Now you find yourself trapped in a world of secrets and of shadows, while
a century-old evil awakens to hatch her nefarious plans. In order to
survive the horror and insanity, you must use all your wits and cunning,
and, to escape, you must solve the dark secret of the THEATRE!
(Author's Blurb)

<<Really cool game, but I could be accused of being biased>> :-)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Title: Christminster
Author: Gareth Rees
Where: ftp://ftp.gmd.de/if-archive/games/infocom/christminster.z5

CHRISTMINSTER
An Interactive Conspiracy by Gareth Rees.

Please type "help licence" for details about the absence of warranty and
about how you may distribute "Christminster". Type "help" for instructions.
Release 3 / Serial number 951107 / Inform v1502 Library 5/12

<<Gareth, Can you mail me an author's blurb>>

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Title: Jigsaw
Author: Graham Nelson
Where: ftp://ftp.gmd.de/if-archive/games/infocom/Jigsaw.z8 ..or..
ftp://ftp.gmd.de/if-archive/games/infocom/Jigsaw_Game.z5
and ftp://ftp.gmd.de/if-archive/games/infocom/Jigsaw_Footnotes.z5

JIGSAW
An Interactive History
Copyright (c) 1995 by Graham Nelson
Release 2 / Serial number 951110 / Inform v1600 Library 6/1

<<Hmm, A blurb would be handy here too>>

Note there are two versions of this game. One version is a single file in
the unofficial Version 8 of the Z-Machine. The second version consists of
two files, in the more common version 5 format.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Title: The Path to Forture
(Vol. 1 of "The Windhall Chronocles")
Author: Jeff Cassidy / C.E. Forman
Where: ftp://ftp.gmd.de/if-archive/games/infocom/windhal1.z8

"The Path to Fortune"
Volume One of "The Windhall Chronicles"
Designed by Jeff Cassidy
Written by Jeff Cassidy and C.E. Forman
Programmed by C.E. Forman, using Unix Inform 5.5
Copyright (C) 1995 by Jeff Cassidy and C.E. Forman. All rights reserved.
(Type HELP for instructions and registration info.)
Release 1 / Serial number 951109 / Inform v1502 Library 5/11

<<Hmm, yet another blurb needed. Did anyone keep all those announcements?>>

=============================================================================
PART FOUR - THE 1995 IF COMPETITION ENTRIES
=============================================================================

The following games were submitted into the 1995 Interactive Fiction
competition run from the usenet group's rec.arts.int-fiction and
rec.games.int-fiction. They are separated into a little group because
they were smaller and generally considered to be solvable in a couple of
hours.

<<Could someone send me the final placings>>
<<I really haven't played these games so excuse me if the comment are
incorrect>>

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Title: All Quiet of the Library Front
Author: Michael S. Phillips
Where: ftp://ftp.gmd.de/if-archive/games/competition95/library.z5

ALL QUIET ON THE LIBRARY FRONT
An Interactive Vignette
Release 1 / Serial number 950829 / Inform v1502 Library 5/11

You play a student, who must find an obscure library book from the college
library.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Title: The Magic Toyshop
Author: Gareth Rees
Where: ftp://ftp.gmd.de/if-archive/games/competition95/toyshop.z5

THE MAGIC TOYSHOP
A fun game for all the family
by Gareth Rees
New players should type "help"
Release 1 / Serial number 950726 / Inform v1502 Library 5/11

A one-location style game, where you play someone who has entered a toystore
and plays against the shop assistant in a series of puzzle/games.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Title: The Mind Electric
Author: Jason Dyer
Where: ftp://ftp.gmd.de/if-archive/games/competition95/mindelec.z5

The Mind Electric
An Interactive Vision
Copyright 1995 by Jason Dyer
Type INFO for game information
Release 2 / Serial number 950830 / Inform v1502 Library 5/11

Set in an unusual cyber/virtual reality background, you play a
disembodied consciousness trapped in an electron prison of the mind.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Title: "Detective"
Author: C.E. Forman
Where: ftp://ftp.gmd.de/if-archive/games/competition95/mst3k1.z5

"Detective"
An Interactive MiSTing
By C.E. Forman (ceforma@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu)
Created using Unix Inform 5.5
Original AGT version by Matt Barringer
Release 101 / Serial number 950814 / Inform v1502 Library 5/11

C.E. Forman immortalises the work of Matt Barringer, showing just how well
a simple adventure system like AGT can be use to create truly memorable
interactive fiction.
<<Er, heavy sarcasm>>

Although the concept of this work may upset some, I found this genuinely
funny. This is a re-write of a rather poor game written long ago with
some witty and deliciously cruel comments by a hidden reviewers. Based
off a MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATRE 3000 TV show.

Was released with the source code and several documentation files.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Title: Tube Trouble
Author: Richard Tucker
Where: ftp://ftp.gmd.de/if-archive/games/competition95/tube.z5

TUBE TROUBLE

by Richard Tucker, 1995.
First-timers should type "info".
Release 0 / Serial number 950831 / Inform v1502 Library 5/11

You play someone stuck in an undergrand subway system. You start off
needing to find something to eat.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Title: A Change in the Weather
Author: Andrew Plotkin
Where: ftp://ftp.gmd.de/if-archive/games/competition95/weather.z5

A CHANGE IN THE WEATHER
An Interactive Short Story
Copyright 1995 by Andrew Plotkin. Please copy and play freely.
(First-time players should type "about".)
Release 3 / Serial number 950803 / Inform v1405 Library 5/8

Quite a popular game, where you play someone who is caught in a sudden
country storm. You must protect a bridge from being destroyed.

=============================================================================
PART FIVE - GAMES RELEASED WITH SOURCE CODE
=============================================================================

I have given games released in source code form (instead of as z-machine
binaries) a separate category of their own. Generally speaking these
games are usually smaller, are conversions of existing games in a
different format, or contain programming examples.

One that are released without source are meant to be played only, while these
ones can be enjoyed from a programming aspect as well, and give beginners
of inform good guides on how to do things with inform.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Title: Adventure
Author: Crowther and Woods, David Baggett, Graham Nelson
ftp://ftp.gmd.de/if-archive/games/source/inform/advent.inf

Graham's inform port of David Baggett's TADS reconstruction of the
original adventure game that started it all.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Title: Balances
Author: Graham Nelson
ftp://ftp.gmd.de/if-archive/games/source/inform/balances.inf

Graham's homage to Infocom's Enchanter trilogy.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Title: Toyshop
Author: Graham Nelson
ftp://ftp.gmd.de/if-archive/games/source/inform/toyshop.inf

Stuck in a toy store, you must find 5 fun things to do before you leave.
More a coding example.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Title: Freefall
Author: Andrew Plotkin
ftp://ftp.gmd.de/if-archive/games/source/inform/freefall.inf

A clever example of the Z-Machine being used for something it wasn't
intended to do.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Title: AdventureLand
Author: Scott Adams
ftp://ftp.gmd.de/if-archive/games/source/inform/adventur.inf

A port of Scott Adam's classic AdventureLand game.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Title: Odieus's Quest for the Magic Slingshot
Author: David Malmberg and Teo Kwang Liak
ftp://ftp.gmd.de/if-archive/games/source/inform/odieus.inf

A port of an AGT game. Also this game was ported to TADS so it seems be
intended as a comparism between the two system.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Title: Paperchase
Author: Chris Skapura
ftp://ftp.gmd.de/if-archive/games/source/inform/paperchase.inf

A port of as game originally listed in a BASIC TSR-80 magazine.

=============================================================================
PART SIX - GAMES IN DEVELOPMENT
=============================================================================

This is the bit that everybody seems to enjoy. The rumour mill. What is
up and coming. If you are planning/writing a game in inform, please mail
me and tell me about it.

Please note, what you see in here may be totally wrong. Don't believe
anything.

<<All right this section is quite empty at the moment, send in some
comments>>

Working Title: A SHALLOW GRAVE TO PONDER ON
Author: Brendon Wyber (author of THEATRE and maintainer of this list)
Comment: Rescue your loved one from the land of death. Love conquers all but
can it overcome death itself?
Anticipated Release Date: My entry in the IF contest for next year.

=============================================================================

Well, thats it at the moment. Don't forget to mail me for changes corrections
and the like, remember this is the very first draft, suggestions would be
nice. Also if you don't like my comments/descriptions please send me a
better one. I have tried to keep the as neutral as possible. But it is
hard often to write a quick comment about a game that you haven't played.