Legendary Interactive Fiction writer Andrew Plotkin joins Gil and Emma to talk about text-based stories that players can participate in. We explore the form's history and unique strengths, and discuss what good writing can bring to a game's experience.
Interactive Fiction platforms mentioned in this episode:
Inform Twine ChoiceScript InkCheck out some of Andrew's IF work:
Shade Spider & Web Hadean LandsOther video games mentioned in this episode:
Colossal Cave Adventure Zork Donut County 80 Days Heaven's Vault Galatea AI Dungeon No Man's SkyBoard games and analog IF mentioned in this episode:
Werewolf 7th Continent 1,001 Odysseys Choose Your Own Adventure™ books Meanwhile Fighting Fantasy books Leanna Fled the Cranberry BogIf you would like to explore the world of IF, a good place to start is the Interactive Fiction Database - it's like the BGG of IF!
Some good games to start with (this is hardly an authoritative list):
9:05 - You can easily play this in one sitting, and in most cases, you will want to immediately play again when you finish it the first time. Photopia - This is a spectacularly well-written game, but it can bring up some intense emotions. The Uncle Who Works for Nintendo - A fun horror game. Howling Dogs - This is a work by Porpentine, whom Gil has raved about several times on the show and this episode. Be sure to find both endings. Counterfeit Monkey - A fairly long game by Emily Short built around some remarkably brilliant word-manipulation mechanisms. You will likely need to use an emulator if you want to save your game and use the game's graphical map.Enjoy exploring the IF rabbit hole!
GameTek Classic 152 - Spoilsport
Ludology Episode 152 - The Better Angels Of Our Nature
GameTek Classic 151 - Risk
Ludology Episode 151 - High Definition
GameTek Classic 150 - VirZoom
Ludology Episode 150 - Mike Drop
GameTek Classic 149 - Procedural Narrative Generation
Ludology Episode 149 - Blast From The Past
GameTek Classic 148 - Teamwork
Ludology Episode 148 - Half-Baked
GameTek Classic 147 - Estimating
Ludology Episode 147 - Listen Up!
GameTek Classic 146 - Betrayal
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GameTek Classic 145 - Red vs Blue
Ludology Episode 145 - Six Ways From Sunday
GameTek Classic 144 - Singular They
Ludology Episode 144 - The Edge of Seventeen
GameTek Classic 143 - Nash Equilibrium
Ludology Episode 143 - Two Players! Three Players! Four Players! Bwahahah!
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