Red's ICY COLD Adventure [WIP IF/TA]

[Minnow]

Hey guys.

So I've been working on this new project. It's a pokemon themed text adventure, or interactive fiction if you prefer.

I recently became enamored with interactive fiction and found Inform 7. I decided to have a learning experience writing an adventure about Red exploring Seafoam Islands.

I've not had much done so far; there's kind of a steep learning curve. But what I have completed I'm proud of. I figure now that I've learned quite a bit about the programming language, it'll be easier going from here. I expect to keep working on it for as long as it takes to finish.

So, here's the download link for what I've got so far. When I progress more it would be really great if people wanted to help me playtest it or whatever, but for now it's just a taste. You'll also need an interpreter to run the program if you don't have one already. I recommend Demona.

Thanks much, and here's kind of a list of my progress and stuff:

Finished:
-mapping all of seafoam
-fleshing out most of the above-ground
-setting up a bunch of initial story-stuff
-the beginnings of the first puzzle

Up Next:
-finishing the first puzzle
-moving on underground

Goals:
-combat system, this will be difficult, but by the time it comes that I would want to implement it hopefully I'll know enough code to at least create a rudimentary one
-strength/boulder puzzle fully realized
-make it fun to play
-get articuno at the end, woo

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now that that's out of the way, let me tell you about Inform 7. It's a pretty cool program/language. It's funny because I've realized that it's a programming language that likes to pretend it's not one. The source code is readable as pure grammatical english, but not just any grammatical english will work when actually writing it. No, that would be too easy.

It's fun though; trying to get the system to do what you want it to is somewhat of a puzzle in itself.

One of the most enjoyable things I've found about working on this is that it's really a pure mix of creative writing and game-making and programming. You need all three. Without good writing, it's relatively boring (usually) and the story is not so fleshed out. Without good game-making skills, you end up with shitty puzzles and bad gameplay. And without programming you can't get anything done, and without good programming you can't get anything done efficiently and glitchlessly.

I encourage anyone to try their own hand if this interests them. Inform has really good documentation and it's not too hard to get started.

Anyway.

...try out my game, plox?

 

[Furiianda]

Hi!
Totally interested to test but the program doesn't work on my computer.
Looked through the error log Demona gave me and it said "System.BadImageFormatException" along with a bunch of numbers (I can run it again if you're interested in them).
My guess is that it's something to do with running windows 7 64-bit, which causes most of my random problems trying to get programs to run...
If it runs on windows XP though, I can try it on my old computer in the other room. If not (if you're running something else?) maybe I can use a mac (OSX 6.whateveritis) at school to test it on my lunch break... uh.
Anyway totally going to test it on my old computer now! Shabam!

If there's anything you could do to make it run on my ordinary computer, and others like it, that'd be lovely and convenient, but I understand if you can't!

 

[Minnow]

Uh, well. I don't really know what to say to that. I've never had that problem.

There are, however, plenty of interpreters you could use. Try another one, maybe?

 

[Furiianda]

Sure! I'll do that.
Works fine on the other computer with Demona. I feel so retro playing a text game. But considering how long it took to start up I should probably try the others...
(Real feedback: coming soon! oh yeah, and I'm disappointed that you can't eat your hat)

EDIT: Yes, "Windows Frotz" works. First (second?) one you linked hooray! If anyone else has my problem they can try that I guess!
EDIT:

Spoiler

I can't even look at Pikachu >: I am sad. Seriously what do I say?! [Look at] rodent, yellow, creature, yellow rodent, yellow creature, small yellow creature, pikachu, pika, pika pi, none of them work ;~; I mean it seems the obvious choice but. bloorgh

I don't really know if that's what I should be trying to do, or if you just overlooked it as something unimportant, but I think it'd be good to be able to examine that.

 

[Minnow]

uh, are you using [look at] or [examine]? I don't think look at will work, but examine (or just x) should.

Don't get your hopes up too much, though. It just says a sentence or two decribing him. My next goal is to get you to interact with him and use moves and stuff, though, so soon there'll be something interesting there.

Btw, so far you cant go in the cave yet; as I said this is just the beginning.

 

[Furiianda]

Ahh, okay, that explains it.
Was using look/look at, since it's the first thing that occurred to me... I guess?
I look forward to the cave! I'm not normally big on caves but when it's in text it's totally cool. (Unless you're going to have one of those "all the rooms look the same! go memorise 30 directions to take in the right order" puzzles) (:

 

[Phoenixsong]

Bahahaha yes finally someone else who thinks more Pokémon/fanrelated/etc. related text adventures are an awesome idea! I'm not the only one! Just got through writing a whole blog post about this, too, heh.

I do not have the time to test this now but I will definitely give it a look as soon as possible! In the meantime, have you considered trying to release it as a website? One of the reasons I decided to start working with Inform (not that I've actually started any actual projects just yet; still planning) over TADS or what have you was because it lets you release with Parchment or Quixe, and so let people play in-browser without having to worry about interpreters not working... or having to download them in the first place (since I was figuring on most people not wanting to bother downloading an entire interpreter to try just one game they're probably unfamiliar with). You could probably just grab some simple free webhosting and throw a Quixe version out there, so people can just click the link and play instead.

If anyone else is looking at downloading an interpreter, personally I prefer Gargoyle, the third one Minnow linked. There's a full table with a lot of other options here, though, for example if you're using a Mac or Linux (though I also use Gargoyle on Linux fwiw). Inform 7 makes games in either the Zcode or Glulx formats; Minnow's file is Zcode, it looks like, so you'd want one of those interpreters to start, although something like Gargoyle will also play Glulx games and several others. I was planning on doing some of mine in Glulx, for example.

Oh, and do let me know when you get around to looking at that combat system. Most of my current project ideas are more story- or puzzle-based and so that's not something I'd need right away anyway, but I have been mulling over the idea of throwing a simple one at some point, maybe even eventually releasing it as an extension if I can actually do it right. I don't think I could offer any coherent help/advice right now--you've probably done more actual programming than I have at this point--but I'd definitely like to hear your ideas!

This sounds really cool and it is awesome to find someone else who is interested in writing IF! Good luck with this! :D

 

[Minnow]

(Unless you're going to have one of those "all the rooms look the same! go memorise 30 directions to take in the right order" puzzles) (:

Don't worry about that. I took specific care to carefully lay out the entire cave, and as true to the games as possible, with the strength-boulders and everything.

have you considered trying to release it as a website?

I knew that Inform had that capability, but for some reason I think I just thought, 'Oh, that's cool. But too bad I don't have a website derp'...

You're right, though; probably I'll do that.

Oh, and do let me know when you get around to looking at that combat system. Most of my current project ideas are more story- or puzzle-based and so that's not something I'd need right away anyway, but I have been mulling over the idea of throwing a simple one at some point, maybe even eventually releasing it as an extension if I can actually do it right. I don't think I could offer any coherent help/advice right now--you've probably done more actual programming than I have at this point--but I'd definitely like to hear your ideas!

When I had originally been thinking about it, I'd just really been thinking about it as relatively scripted scenes that happen to be battles and maybe you can affect the outcome depending on what you do, but now that I think about it, I think it wouldn't be outlandish to actually create a rudimentary actual battle system, so I'll at least try to accomplish that eventually.

Thanks, guys, for taking interest.