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Subject: 
Re: Text-based Adventures
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.off-topic.fun
Date: 
Wed, 21 Jan 2004 18:08:07 GMT
Viewed: 
3491 times
  
In lugnet.off-topic.fun, Chris Phillips wrote:
> 
> Ah, Colossal Cave Adventure.  Still one of the greatest computer games of all
> time.  Back in the days before frame rates and polygon counts dictated what made
> a "good" game.  Back when most of the action happened in the mind's eye.
> 
> If you're thinking about writing an adventure game, you might want to check out
> the original:  (Warning- may be highly addictive!)
> 
>   http://www.rickadams.org/adventure/e_downloads.html
> 
> This site has a lot of info about the origins of the game, maps, playing tips,
> and downloads (many with source code) for the original classic.  Many adventure
> games sprouted in the early days of the computer revolution, but the Zork
> trilogy is one of the few that maintained the feel of the original.  Forget
> graphical adventure unless you're doing another Myst.
> 
> When designing a game of your own, devise good puzzles that must be solved in
> order to explore further.  Leave subtle clues carefully.  And inject humor
> wherever possible.  A good game design predicts the many ways an adventurer
> might try to do the wrong thing, and allows them to do it.  (In the original,
> you can eat the food or drink the water, but that's not what you need them for.)
> 
> One unwritten rule about adventure games is the "one object one use" rule.  For
> example, if you find a ring of keys, there is usually only one place where you
> need to use it.  I have always thought that this "rule" needed to be broken, but
> in a very non-obvious way.  Not: "oh, another locked door, I'll just whip out
> the key ring again" but as "I already used the jar to carry water, now I smash
> it on the floor so the barefoot elves can't follow me into the maze..."
> 
> Good luck, and let us know how you make out!
> 
> - Chris.

Thanks for the input, guys.  I'll keep those tips in mind.  I've had only
limited experience directly related to TBG's, but I think I can use some of my
Starship and CCA experience (URLs, respectively:
http://www.valyance.com/starship
http://www.classic-castle.com/events/classic_game/home.html).

Thanks especially for that last suggestion, Chris.  It's such a clever way to
make the player think, yet so obvious once you think about it.  I'll search for
ways to especially include this one ;-)

And perhaps add a signature location/item/character to my games.  Hmmm...a
Cheese Bonus?

Andrew



Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Text-based Adventures
 
(...) Ah, Colossal Cave Adventure. Still one of the greatest computer games of all time. Back in the days before frame rates and polygon counts dictated what made a "good" game. Back when most of the action happened in the mind's eye. If you're (...) (23 years ago, 21-Jan-04, to lugnet.off-topic.fun)

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