Rising From Time's Ashes:
The Best Free Interactive Fiction Of The Century
Collected by Michael Feir, Editor of Audyssey

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Contents:
Introduction
Playing The Games
Inform Games
Tads Games
Parting Thoughts

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Introduction:

Hello, reader, and welcome to this collection of the best freely
available interactive fiction as of December, 1999. Once known as text
adventures, this genre of game has changed as drastically as its name
over the past thirty years. In the beginning, complex treasure hunts
ruled the day. The focus was on the puzzles and challenges. Since that
time, the importance of plot and story has slightly surpassed that of
puzzles. As Graham Nelson so aptly puts it: "An adventure game is a
crossword at war with a narrative." [Graham Nelson, The Craft of
Adventure]

For the past ten years, I have been an avid fan of interactive fiction.
It is a perfect blend of my interests in literature and computer games.
Due to its purely textual nature, this kind of game was one of the
first forms of computerised entertainment to be accessible to the
blind. With the advent of speech and Braille access to Windows, it has
once again become the first easily accessible entertainment for blind
people using the Windows operating system. Since speech and Braille
access to computers became obtainable by individuals, interactive
fiction has been the most widely known and popular form of accessible
entertainment. The Audyssey magazine covers all kinds of computer games
accessible to blind people. Despite a growing variety of these,
interactive fiction still constitutes the bulk of what is discussed.
Everyone seems to be eagerly anticipating that next great puzzle-filled
story to emerge from the ingenious imaginations of authors.

This file is your guide to the many other files which comprise this
collection. Much is left for you to discover, so be certain to look
through the "documentation" and other directories for items not covered
here. For example, there are many articles and other interesting texts
in the "For the Curious" directory. Throughout this file, you'll find
plus-signs. These have been placed to serve as a means of quickly
moving through the file to what you want to find. Two plus-signs
indicate the beginning of a new section of this file. For instance, two
such symbols precede this section. A single plus-sign separates
sub-sections. Each game description is considered a sub-section, so it
is easy to quickly browse through them and find games of interest to
you. Any game which contains subject matter that may be unsuitable for
children and/or offensive will have two asterisks before its title.
Parents, teachers, and others concerned may wish to remove these games
from installed copies of this collection which children may have access
to. They should be aware, however, that these games can easily be
downloaded from the Internet by anyone who knows where they are.

Should you wish to remove parts of or all of this collection from your
hard drive, all you have to do is delete the items you want to get rid
of. No special uninstallation is required. If you want to get rid of
the whole collection, just delete the "time's ashes" folder and any
shortcuts you might have made to the Winfrotz and Wintads interpreters.
The compressed self-extracting file containing this collection requires
nine MB of disk space. When fully installed, the entire collection of
games, interpreters, and files takes up sixteen MB. This may increase
if you maintain a lot of saved game positions.

This collection of interactive fiction games, related files, and other
information, is the result of ten years of personal experience with
interactive fiction, as well as insights gained through editing the
Audyssey magazine over the past three years. To determine the "best"
freely available interactive fiction, I examined several factors:
Obviously, my own enjoyment and experience with these games played the
most crucial role in deciding which games to include. In general, I
look at games holistically. Puzzles must fit well into the game's
atmosphere or story. Games which do not attain this must demonstrate
their worthiness in other ways. Other than personal experience, I also
looked at what reviewers thought of the games included. SPAG and
XYZZYnews have long been the two best magazines on the Internet
covering interactive fiction. Reviews in these publications are
generally well-written and thoughtful. Other indices I used were the
annual XYZZY Awards and IF competition. Although I used the results of
these to help decide which games to include, I have not allowed my
selection to be constrained by how games fared based on the awards or
the competition. This is especially true regarding competition entries,
where I have included games which received lower rankings than others
that I chose not to include. It is important that players be aware that
this collection does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the
interactive fiction community at large concerning which games are the
"best of the century". Although I consulted a vast amount of resources
in constructing the collection, I do not always subscribe to their
views on what constitutes the "best" interactive fiction. The activity
and interest a game generates is also a measure of its quality. The
newsgroup rec.games.int-fiction is where players discuss these games
fairly informally. Having been a member of this newsgroup for well over
two years, I have taken notice of games which inspired high numbers of
articles. While there aren't enough hours in a day to read all of the
articles posted to this newsgroup, I have read enough to gain insight
into the general prevailing opinions of a game's merits or lack
thereof.

As with literature, there are some authors of interactive fiction who
choose to examine the darker sides of life and human nature. Others
have written their games as a means of provoking thought on issues
important to them. People have a tendency to assume that games are
written purely to entertain. While some clearly are, others have been
devised to teach lessons. Chess, for example, was used to teach
medieval strategy. Often, children's stories are also written to teach
a moral. Since interactive fiction is a blending of game and book, it
is important that players and others be aware of these motivations.
When selecting games for including in this collection, I have done so
mostly on the basis of quality. Morality has steered me away from works
which are made purely for sadistic pleasure. There are certainly a lot
of smaller games out there written only for perverse gratification. To
be included, the author must have told a good story and/or created an
emmersive environment for players to explore. This rules out a lot of
the short and dirty games. The author must also have included puzzles
which are fair, fitting, and/or particularly innovative. Some of the
darker works of interactive fiction have sparked quite a lot of
controversy. If this is the case, the game's description will explain
this to a degree. The game's title will also be preceded with a pair of
asterisks.

With the ending of the century only months away, it occurred to me that
a good opportunity existed to promote the awareness of this wonderful
medium for entertainment and expression. Interactive fiction has been
around for nearly three decades, and many excellent pieces have been
released during that time. As with all art forms, there are far more
works done by dabblers than by the more thoughtful and skilled
artisans. This collection offers the would-be player a wide variety of
works which have stood the test of time and/or proved their quality in
other ways. The first-time player may be certain that he/she is
starting with games free of bugs and inattention to detail. All games
have been around long enough for their authors to correct any initial
shortfalls.

All games in this collection are absolutely free. there are no strings
attached. Games and information in this collection were obtained via
the Internet, and can be found at:

ftp.gmd.de

Look in the /if-archive section. Not being a skilled programmer, I
cannot contribute games to the interactive fiction community. However,
as a long-time player and fan of the genre, and as editor of the
Audyssey magazine, I can use my skills to educate the public about and
promote interactive fiction. By doing this, I hope to increase the size
of the interactive fiction community and thereby encourage more authors
to share their dreams with us. Neither I nor those who distribute this
collection glean any financial profit by doing so. Authors have written
these games to be freely enjoyed. I hope the information I have placed
in this and other files will aid you in better understanding and
enjoying the games.

This collection was also made for the MSC Extras CD for clients of
Microcomputer Science Centre. This company offers solutions for people
who cannot normally access computers due to various disabilities. They
wanted a collection of free games which could be accessed by all and
could be played in the Microsoft Windows environment. Since interactive
fiction games have no time limitations, don't require fast reflexes or
co-ordination, and are not graphical in nature, they are accessible to
all regardless of disability. Many thanks to the folks at MSC for
providing the initial inspiration, time, and drive space to begin
construction of this collection. Over the course of working on this
project, my own goals and criteria have changed. This is particularly
the case regarding the more controversial games included. When I
expanded the scope of the collection to include these, it was a
decision arrived at later in the collections development. While the
final result might be less suited to their purposes than originally
planned, I hope that both they and you who read this find my warnings
and the double-asterisk indicators placed in front of the descriptions
of such games to be a good compromise.

It is hoped that these games will serve not only as pure entertainment,
but also as a painless way for people to become familiar with their
access technology through using it to play. For years, it has been
noticed that people who play computer games are more skilled and
comfortable with computers. Because they are busy having fun, they do
not think of the learning process as a chore. Rather, it is perceived
as a means to further enjoyment.

The games in this collection are written with two powerful systems
called Inform and Tads. The Inform system is based on the Z code used
by Infocom, a company which used to make interactive fiction. The Z
stands for Zork. Zork was Infocom's most famous universe. The Zork
trilogy were the first commercially available computerised adventure
games of this type. As an advertising ploy for the new graphical Zork
games, the older text-based trilogy has been released into the public
domain. These three famous games are also included in this collection.
Neither Infocom nor the games in this collection dealt strictly with
fantasy or dungeons. Infocom made stories ranging from romances to
comedies, to science fiction and mysteries. I have chosen the best
games which I have been fortunate enough to find using the Inform and
Tads systems. Note that I did not create these games. All I have done
is to construct a collection of games and related information. If you
need help while inside a game, most of the games in this collection
have built-in help and instructions. You need only type help, followed
by the enter key, to access a game's help system if it has one. Some
games, such as theatre, offer hints to solving puzzles. Others merely
offer playing instructions. Those games which do not come with built-in
help often come with files containing instructions and hints. Help in
Tads games is somewhat more sparse in nature. The majority of Tads
games contain minimal to no built-in help. This includes most of the
Adventions collection of games which comprise a part of this
collection. If all else fails, many of the games are accompanied with
solution files with a .sol extension after their names. You can find
all such solution files in the folder called "solutions". These files
can be read from any text viewing program or word processor, and are
simply ASCII files, also known as DOS files. These solutions should not
be resorted to unless you find yourself completely stuck. The fun of
these games lies in solving their puzzles and plots yourself. These
games need not be played completely alone. Try playing them with a
group of friends. An alternative to this approach is to form
competitions and see who can solve the game first. The fact that these
games are free should by no means suggest a lack of quality in them. As
I said before, these games are the best I've found, and all of them can
easily be compared to the works of Infocom. The authors have written
them for their own interest for others to enjoy, and have sometimes
taken as long as two years to write their games. You'll find each game
a richly detailed universe unto itself.

Below, you'll find Instructions on how to install and use Winfrotz and
Wintads. These are the Windows-based interpreters needed to play Tads
and Inform games. They are provided in this collection in
self-extracting files found in the same folder as this file. You'll
find the actual games in the "inform games" and "tads games" folders
respectively. There are thirty-four Inform games and sixteen Tads games
included, making a total of fifty games. Finally, all documentation for
games, with the exception of solution files, will be found in the
"documentation" folder. For descriptions of each game found in this
collection, see the "Inform Games" and "Tads Games" sections found
later in this file.

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Playing The Games:


Within a game of interactive fiction, you must solve the mysteries and
determine how the plot unfolds. The computer will describe your
surroundings and inform you of the results of your actions. By typing
in your commands in the form of sentences or phrases, you tell the
computer what you want your character to do. For example, you might
type:

Open the door
Turn on the light
Take the sword

Instead of sentences, commands can be abbreviated to as little as two
words. It's up to you. While the games have differing abilities to
understand your input, they will, as a rule, be able to understand
fairly natural sentences.

One of the benefits of the Windows platforms is that applications
written for them use standard methods of interface. You'll be happy to
know that the same similarities existing between such popular
applications as Microsoft Word, Corel's WordPerfect, etc, are present
in the two interpreters used to play the games in this collection.
These interpreters, (Winfrotz and Wintads), are very similar programs.
The major difference is that each is used to play games written in a
different development language. Players need not be too concerned with
this beyond recognising that games with a .gam extension require
Wintads, and games with .dat, .z5, and .z8 extensions require Winfrotz
to be played. The most major difference between games written in the
two languages was alluded to earlier. Tads games in general offer less
help to players, and tend not to have as large vocabularies. The Inform
system seems to produce better-built games with more features present.
This is likely more a product in the higher learning curve required to
write Inform games than authors of Tads games had to follow. Players
will doubtless refer to the solutions for Tads games more frequently
than for Inform games. As this collection demonstrates, in the right
hands, both systems can produce spectacular results.

In the main folder of this collection, you will find the Winfrotz and
Wintads interpreters provided in self-extracting files. These files are
called winfrotzr53.exe and wintads132.exe. Assuming that you are
installing the collection onto the C: drive, you should merely have to
run the two files above and accept the default settings regarding
folders to install the interpreters into. The interpreters and all of
their accompanying files will be deposited in the "inform games" and
"tads games" folders.

You can run Winfrotz and Wintads from the "run" dialogue box, from
Windows Explorer, or by creating shortcuts to place in your menus or on
your desktop. Instructions on how to do these things are provided in
the extensive on-line help which comes with the Windows operating
systems.

Once you are in Winfrotz or Wintads, use them like any other Windows
application. Pull-down menus will give you access to the various
options. Jaws users or Windows-Eyes users can access these by using the
"alt" key.

Users of Jaws For Windows should set their screen echo to "all" by
using the insert-s key combination while playing games. When you need
to access Winfrotz or Wintads menus which are not part of the games,
set the screen echo to "highlighted". Often, the help within games will
tell you to press "n" or "p" to go to the next or previous topics.
Instead of doing this, the arrow keys should be used since these will
read out the topics you move to. The notes above may also be useful to
people using other access technology.

++
Inform Games:



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Ballerina102.z8
Not Just An Ordinary Ballerina: An Interactive Seasonal Shopping Emergency

It's Christmas Eve, and your daughter just informed you that she wants
Santa to bring her this year's impossible-to-find fad of a ballerina
doll. As the parent of this child, you must help the jolly old fellow
achieve this by "recovering" the doll from a rather odd shopping
centre. To do this, you will face untold perils, perform acts of
dubious morality, and confront a vast array of puzzles of varying
complexity. The security guard must be fooled. A less than cheerful elf
must be dealt with. Even Santa himself must be pressed into service.
The author concedes right off the bat that this game is a victory of
the puzzle over all else. The shopping centre is riddled with them.
Don't even bother suspending your disbelief. It'll fall off the hook
before a light on a Christmas tree can blink. While Mr. Aikin has
written this game purely as an entertainment, it also has the effect of
forcing the player to confront just how overly commercialised Christmas
has become in this modern age. If anyone plays the game without being
convinced of this, they may rest assured that nothing else will have a
ghost of a chance to change their minds.

This game is the latest large piece of Inform-based interactive fiction
to be released. Not enough time has elapsed for it to have been
reviewed in either SPAG or XYZZYnews, and I certainly haven't had time
to delve very deeply into it. Not Just An Ordinary Ballerina is
included in this collection primarily due to the game's excellent
quality as noted by newsgroup members. Aikin's thorough beta-testing
and quick release of a second version did much to persuade me that the
game is free enough from bugs to be safely included. It features an
absolutely unsurpassed variety of built-in help. Hints are available
for all puzzles, and a walkthrough is also included. Instructions for
beginners are more than adequate. The scoring system has been devised
to take the seeking of help into account, so only the most stubborn and
ingenious of players will be able to get the highest possible score.
Puzzles range from the easy to the brain-blastingly difficult. The
non-linear nature of the game means that there is no progression of
difficulty for players. I found this out the hard way, and am currently
stuck near the beginning of the game after around an hour and a half of
serious play.

As I indicated earlier, the newsgroup responded quite favorably to this
very large and complex game. Especially praised were the game's
excellent help system and variety of puzzles. People were quite
thoroughly drawn into this game and commented extensively on loss of
sleep and the like as a result. Its timely appearance was also remarked
on. Coverage of this game would doubtless have been far more extensive
than it has been to this point had the Interactive Fiction competition
not been dominating the attention of the majority of players at the
time of its release. Not Just An Ordinary Ballerina provides ample
material for analysis which it is certain to receive in the future.

+
winter.z5
Winter Wonderland

This winner of the 1999 IF competition puts you in the role of a poor
young girl. It is Solstice Eve, but you cannot share in the good cheer
enjoyed by other villagers. Your brother is very ill, and there is
little your family can do to comfort him. Going into town to beg for a
candle to put on your family's tree, you come upon a wonderful slice of
luck while in the local tavern. This enables you to buy a gift for your
brother. On your way home, however, the weather turns nasty. You become
lost in a blizzard and find yourself in a realm of tree-sprites,
dwarves, and other fanciful folk of ancient myth. Can you prevail in
this mysterious place? Will you find your way home?

Although the game has not yet been reviewed in SPAG or XYZZYnews, the
fact that it won the 1999 IF competition beating thirty-six other games
is testimony enough to its excellent craftsmanship. Newsgroup responses
to Laura Knauth's winning entry have been positive for the most part. A
few commented that the game lost some of its atmosphere towards the
ending. I should caution players that the author has not yet released a
post-competition release of this game. As a result, there may be minor
bugs which she has not had time to fix prior to this collection's
release. I would urge you to look on the IF-archive at:

ftp.gmd.de

for possible updates to this and other games in this collection. 
  
+
tatctae.z8
**Time: All Things Come to an End


In this gripping story, you are hurled by your experiment with temporal
travel far into the future. You witness a murder, and your only means
of possibly returning to the present you left seems to lie in
unravelling the motives behind the murder. the portrayal of a possible
future England is as vivid as it is chilling. Corporations seem to be
dominant. Will time and fate catch up with you, or can you survive long
enough to preserve the time-line from being used for evil ends?

Andy Phillips, author of three major works of recent interactive
fiction, has already earned himself a well-deserved reputation for
excellent plot development and prose. On the other hand, he is also
infamous for leaving players completely to their own devices. Not many
clues are built into the text of the game itself. Very little built-in
help is provided. He offers beginners an adequate set of instructions
on how to play interactive fiction games, and that is his only act of
mercy. Puzzles in the game are of a rather difficult nature, and
correct solutions are not always apparent. In addition, you are
cautioned to save your games often and keep multiple saved positions.
In many instances, you have only a limited number of moves to
accomplish various tasks. It is very easy to run out of moves and trap
yourself. This game will keep its players thinking for months. Science
fiction, cyberpunk and suspense fans will find much to attract them
into this game. However, these fans had better be absolutely first-rate
players if they plan on winning.

This game received a lot of criticism in the two reviews I examined.
However, despite the many bones the reviewers had to pick with Mr.
Phillips, both were inexplicably drawn to the game. So was I until I
came to the very end of it and saved over a crucial position. At this
point, despite my curiosity about how the game ends, I would not
re-play it again just to find out. Due to its difficult nature and
size, the game prompted a large number of inquiries from stuck players.
Like the reviewers, these players also seemed to be drawn to the game
despite their complaints and its faults.

Although not gratuitously gory, this game contains a lot of disturbing
material including several nasty deaths for your character to
experience. It also touches on the holocaust in places.

+
enemies.z8
**Enemies: An Interactive Psychothriller

In this, Andy Phillips's most recent work of interactive fiction, you
are an accountant waiting near a cinema for your date. Joanna is late.
The reason for this is made known to you via your trusty cell phone.
The caller informs you that he has somewhat forcibly changed your
plans. You must try to out-whit a psychotic killer to save Joanna's
life as well as your own. The game takes you back in time via
flashbacks into your character's past as he tries to figure out who his
enemies really are. Success seems to be the crux of the trouble. Your
enemy plans on killing you, but wants to witness you fail to such an
extent that he/she always gives you a chance to save yourself and
Joanna. Will you succeed, or will you fall victim to your secret
enemy?

Like his other two pieces of interactive fiction, Mr. Phillips delves
into the darker side of human nature. This is definitely not a game for
younger and/or squeamish player. Explicit descriptions of violence and
death are present, and characters in the game are anything but good
role-models. Even the player's character is not free from a certain
shady disposition. If the game teaches anything, it is that we should
never judge a book by its cover. Puzzles in the game are often quite
tricky, and Phillips has not softened with experience when it comes to
providing clues. At times, an encyclopaedia may prove useful. I
recommend this game for experts only.

No official reviews for Enemies have appeared in either SPAG or
XYZZYnews. Fortunately, the newsgroup rec.games.int-fiction shed light
on how people found this game. The ending may disappoint some players.
Certain items which should be immediately obvious must be searched for.
Grumbles about the difficulty of puzzles and lack of clues were the
most frequently expressed sentiments. Once again, however, despite
this, people stuck doggedly to the game.

+
spring.z5
**She's Got A Thing for a Spring

You receive a note from your husband to meet him at a hot spring for a
romantic surprise. He wants to introduce you to one of his favourite
places in a very special way. Of course, part of that "special" way is
to be somewhat mysterious about it. Starting in an aspen grove in a
mountainous area of North America, you have to find this hot spring. Of
course, you aren't entirely left on your own, A guidebook has been
provided you, and other help can be found. This includes Bob, an old
and long-time resident of a small cabin in the wilderness. Bob won his
creator the 1997 XYZZY award for Best Individual Non-player character.
Brent Vanfossen obtained fourth place in the 1997 IF competition with
this game.

The post-competition review of this game praised the game's incredible
scenery and noted Vanfossen's careful attention to detail in this area.
It also pointed out how well-developed Bob was as an NPC or non-player
character. Much of it was taken up with a recounting of said setting
and Bob's abilities. Although it was not regarded as one of the most
memorable competition entries, the reviewer thought it a well-polished
work. Though most puzzles were judged to be fairly easy, one near the
end requires a large amount of intuition and is, according to the
reviewer, not very well justified by the rest of the game. I have yet
to dig very deeply into this game, but have played long enough to
appreciate both Bob and the scenery. The puzzles I've encountered so
far seem fair enough to me. The on-line help and hints are excellent,
and I can therefore recommend this game for beginners and intermediate
players. Due to the game's mature subject matter, I have placed the two
asterisks in front of the title to warn that parents/teachers should
examine the game before allowing especially younger children to play
it.

+
Fear.z5
**Fear: An Interactive Nightmare

You awaken from a terrible nightmare to find that it has awakened with
you. Your house is suddenly filled with unease and dread. The attic is
too high! The kitchen is just too dark to enter! You must conquer your
own home, and to do this, you must face your worst fears. Items in the
house become gateways to challenges which pit you against common
phobias. Can you survive this dreadful night?

An entry in the 1996 Interactive Fiction competition, Fear won sixth
place. It was designed to be won in under two hours as per competition
rules. It features a very thorough hint system which should be more
than sufficient to help even beginners solve it. Although no sexually
explicit or graphically violent text is present, the dark nature of
this game may be unsettling to children. I found the puzzles to be
somewhat hard, and needed to use the built-in hints on several
occasions. Due to this hint system, I can recommend the game for
intermediate to expert players. Beginners may spoil the game by relying
too much on the hints.

Fear received an excellent review in SPAG, which tracks well with the
general feelings on the game. Puzzles were seen to be well-made and
fitted neatly into the story. They are rated as hard, but are also
"refreshingly unique", according to the reviewer. Chuan-Tze Teo has
masterfully crafted the unsettling atmosphere of the game, and the
ending does not entirely dispel this.

+ 
jigsaw.z8
Jigsaw: An Interactive History

In Jigsaw, you start out at the dawn of the twenty-first century. It is
New Year's Eve, 1999. You have been invited to the party at Century
Park. There, you are attracted to a complete stranger, who vanishes
into the crowds. He/she leaves behind a piece to a jigsaw puzzle. This
turns out to be the doorway to a key moment in the past.  The stranger,
named Black, is trying to alter history to better our future. To save
the future, you must save the past. Your journey will take you to the
start of the first world war, the sinking of the Titanic, the first
powered flight, and many more key events in the twentieth century. Can
you save history as you know it? Is it right that you do so?

Graham Nelson's second major work of interactive fiction is an absolute
masterpiece. As well as offering its players vivid portraits of history
with breath-taking attention to details, Jigsaw invites us to explore
several moral issues. It is also the only game I've come across which
goes out of its way to be completely gender-neutral. This game requires
some knowledge of historical events, but its puzzles are logical and
fair for the most part. The built-in help and documentation is quite
extensive and well written. However, no hints are provided for stuck
players. For those interested, footnotes are provided to each segment
of the game, which give historical information for the different
events. They make for fascinating reading. Note that you must access
these from within the help menu. The footnote command seems not to work
properly. Players with some degree of experience with interactive
fiction should be able to win this game without unreasonable
frustration.

Reviews of Jigsaw are all overwhelmingly positive, as is the general
reaction to the game. Reviewers thought some puzzles to be quite hard,
and warn that novices might have some trouble. A great many newsgroup
articles were generated in a controversy over whether Black's gender
was male or female. In an excellent article in XYZZYnews found in this
collection, Nelson makes it quite clear that players are to project
their own preferences on this. No other game outside of Infocom's
commercial interactive fiction has been so universally praised for so
many of its aspects. This collection does not rank games from best to
worst. Were it to do so, Jigsaw would definitely be in the top three.
It took me two years to win the game, and I enjoyed almost every minute
of playing it.

+
theatre.z5
**Theatre: An Interactive Night of Horror

In Theatre, you are a real-estate agent trying to sell an old theatre.
During your previous visit, you accidentally left your pager in the
basement. You retrieve your pager and start to leave, only to discover
that your car has been stolen, and a vicious thug blocks your exit.
Your only course of action is to travel through the theatre and uncover
its dark past while surviving its supernatural dangers and other
obstacles. The past is made clear in the pages of the journal of a
young architect who worked on the theatre, and fell in love with the
witch you must ultimately destroy.

This game is especially good for beginners, as hints for puzzles are
available, and it comes with instructions and even a short story.
Brendon Wyber has done an excellent job of designing this puzzle-filled
game. Even experienced players should find this game entertaining, if
not especially challenging. For older beginners, I usually recommend
this game as a starting point unless they object to horror.

Reviews of Theatre all stated that Theatre was a good game for
beginners, and that it was worth-while to try. However, each review
also found areas to take issue with. The writing was seen as somewhat
uneven. In particular, the ending disappointed all of the reviewers. I
also found it a bit forced. However, I never had a problem with the
writing style. I was too absorbed in actually playing the game to care
very much. Over around two weeks, I played the game incessantly enough
to have doubtless lost marks in my university classes. Winning proved
very satisfying indeed.

+
Delusns.z5
Delusions: An Interactive Self-discovery

In Delusions, you play the role of a virtual reality tester. Your job
is to explore the limitations of the virtual reality worlds created by
your fellow project members. that is, until something goes horribly
wrong. A kind of virtual reality virus has been implanted into the
system, and it traps you in a simulation of your own world. Its purpose
is to make you aware of just how fragile reality actually is. You must
find a way to escape its reality and return safely to your own. While
attempting to do this, you find that what you perceive as reality is
less than accurate, and that even you might not be who or what you
think.

The game contains extensive hints and help. The high-tech nature of
this game may discourage some who are less computer-literate, but
people who stick with this game will learn a lot about how modern
graphical systems work, and enjoy a very thought-provoking game. Due to
the extensive help available, I can recommend this game for
intermediate to expert players.

This game received fairly good reviews. The main complaints were about
the games unoriginal plot and overly philosophical nature. There was
too much text to wade through for them in places, as the author
concentrated on plot rather than puzzles. Although it was generally
agreed that the puzzles served the plot well and were not plunked in at
random, they are seen as relatively lacking in originality. They are
also sometimes rather hard to figure out without resorting to hints.
One reviewer commented that one could choose to ignore the
thought-provoking parts of the game and simply proceed to the next
puzzle. Being interest in philosophical matters, I could certainly not
do this. I thoroughly enjoyed this scrutiny of what we perceive to be
reality. It took me around four months to win the game due to my
stubbornness about not looking at hints. Delusions won third prize in
the 1996 IF competition.

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spirit.z5
Spiritwrak: An Interactive Fantasy

In Spiritwrak, you are sent out into a world which has turned away from
magic. As a monk in an order devoted to maintaining magic and the
balance of things, you must journey throughout the land of Quendor and
recover the four pieces of an ancient rod. This rod was broken by an
evil demon who has now been loosed upon the world. Using various spells
and your wits, you must recover the rod and thwart the demon.

This game takes place in the Great Underground Empire, a universe
designed by Infocom. The author has made a marvellous addition to this
universe, and has more than equalled any game in Infocom's Enchanter
trilogy. Experience with the above mentioned games will add to the
enjoyment of this game, but is by no means necessary. This game
provides nothing in the way of on- line help, but the file spirit.txt
contains adequate documentation. Puzzles in the game are logical, and a
lot of useful information is scattered about in the game for players. I
rate this game as being of an intermediate level of difficulty. Experts
will find puzzles to challenge them, but even beginners should find
this game quite enjoyable and ultimately winnable with some effort.

Dan Yu's ambitious effort to add to the Zork universe initially
disappointed its solitary reviewer. However, this disappointment was
short-lived. Although the reviewer points out a number of flaws, the
game's detailed and non-linear nature overbalances them. Puzzles were
seen as fair and logical for the most part. Newsgroup postings
regarding this game mostly concerned the seeking of help in solving
puzzles, and the differences between the first and second release.
Therefore, it was hard to get an accurate sense of how the game was
received. The number of repeat hint-seekers would suggest that the game
had more than enough staying power to keep frustrated players hooked.
It certainly kept me at it for months. I found it a neat and fitting
addition to the Zork and Enchanter trilogies.

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sherbet.z5
The Meteor, the Stone and a Long Glass of Sherbet

The Meteor, the Stone and a Long Glass of Sherbet puts you in the role
of ambassador of a small but influential city-state. You have been sent
to the powerful but ill-guided Northlands Empire, a traditional and
authoritarian power. You must investigate developments in the empire
concerning rumours of the re-discovery of magic. Should the Northlands
empire be the only power to have knowledge of this art, the balance of
power would shift entirely in its favour. Can you learn the secrets of
the Northlands empire and escape to tell them?

This game is extremely well-written, full of rich description and
details, combined with a good dose of humour. Context-sensitive hints
are provided, as well as extensive background and instructions. Because
of this help system, this game should be suitable for all players,
despite the obscure solutions to some puzzles.

Reviewers of this 1996 IF competition winner are all impressed with
this game's many merits. They cite excellent writing and attention to
detail. One common complaint was that the game seems to promise
political intrigue, but delivers a dungeon crawl instead. Players
should be ready for a couple of "guess the verb" situations, and a
couple of obscure puzzles. All of the reviewers remarked that it would
have been impossible to win the game in under two hours as per
competition rules without resorting to the built-in hints.

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bear.z5
A Bear's Night Out: An Interactive Children's Story

In A Bear's Night Out, You play the role of a cute and cuddly teddy
bear, who suddenly finds himself awake and aware, ready for an
adventure. You must bravely explore the house that David, your owner,
lives in. During your travels, you discover that a teddy bear picnic is
going to take place. Can you find a way to get David to take you
there?

This game has been specifically written for young children, but people
of all ages can appreciate the excellent writing and careful attention
to details which has gone into it. Answers to many of the puzzles are
not immediately obvious, but all puzzles are fair and logical, and
hints are available in the help menu. With a small bit of help from
kind folks who are older and hopefully wiser, children should
thoroughly enjoy this warm and friendly game. I recommend this game for
novices to intermediate players. Experts will still doubtless
appreciate the craftsmanship this game exhibits, but may be
disappointed with the mostly easy puzzles.

Mr. Dyte drew high praise from reviewers who applauded the excellent
way in which the physical limitations of being a teddy bear were taken
into account. This was true both in game restrictions and in
descriptive text. He struck a good balance between "realism" and game
playability. Some justifications for particular game sub-plots and
elements may have improved the game's reception. However, A Bear's
Night Out is widely regarded as one of the finer works of interactive
fiction to have resulted from the interactive fiction competition.

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minster.z5
Christminster: An Interactive Conspiracy

Your brother's urgent telegram has brought you to the town of
Christminster Abbey, where things are not as they should be. A
conspiracy is afoot inside the halls of Biblioll College, and it turns
out that your brother is somehow involved. Is he in danger? You must
gain entry to the college and unravel the conspiracy to aid your
brother. The town and university are full of interesting characters,
and places are richly described. This is one of the few games in which
the player character is distinctly female. The documentation is quite
good, and hints are available for desperate players. Characters are
quite well-crafted. I recommend this game for intermediate to expert
players.

While Mr. Rees earned general praise from the XYZZYnews review of
Christminster, the reviewer found that some puzzles were quite
difficult to solve. The element attracting the most notice, however,
was the excellent non-player characters which Christabel encounters.
Edward in particular was noted for his sensitive and life-like
qualities. Rees's handling of the feminine gender of the protagonist
was also noted.

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sofar.z8
So Far: An Interactive Catharsis

In So Far, you start in a theatre observing a play. This play mirrors
your life in some respects, as it deals with a lover's betrayal. It
seems your wife is having an affair. A strange breeze eventually lures
you into the heart of a shadow buried inside an abandoned room within
the theatre. You must journey to four strange worlds, and beyond them
into other strange areas in a quest to solve their mysteries and return
home to find and possibly forgive your wife. Shadows become doorways,
taking you to increasingly bizarre places.

This game is one of the strangest of those in this collection. It has
often been compared to the popular graphical game called Myst. The
worlds you will travel through various shadows to reach range in nature
from the ancient to the bizarrely modern. The plot seems barely held
together by various performances that must be seen. Many of the puzzles
are fairly tricky. This game is for the expert player only.

In 1996, So Far received the XYZZYnews awards for best game, best
writing, and best puzzle. The reviewer for SPAG praised So Far at length
for its originality and non-conventional nature. The writing also
impressed the reviewer greatly. So Far has frequently been compared to
the graphical game called Myst due to its disjointed nature. It
generated a very high volume of newsgroup traffic as people struggled
with the many puzzles and elements. This was especially the case before
a set of hints became available on the Internet, and a walkthrough was
at last released. Players will be happy to learn that the walkthrough
is present in this collection. The invisiclues written by Lucian Smith
are available on-line at:

http://www.bioc.rice.edu/~lpsmith/IF/sofar.html

These hints are posted in a manner which prevents their being added to
this collection.

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curses.z5
Curses: An Interactive Diversion

In Curses, the first interactive fiction game written by the legendary
Graham Nelson, you are trying to avoid the chores of packing for your
Paris vacation by looking for an old map in your attic. You've got to
be careful not to make too much noise, or you'll have to help out with
the packing. Through your family's long history, it has seemingly been
cursed with the inability to completely succeed at anything. During
your search, you are distracted by the mystery of this curse.
Attempting to solve it will take you to many places and times. You'll
also have to enlist the reluctant aid of your not so favourite aunt.
Can you rid yourself and family of this ancient curse?

This game is one of the most disjointed I've ever come across. The
puzzles themselves are also fairly difficult. Apparently, built-in
hints of some kind exist. The author provides a very good set of
general play instructions. There are at least two fairly substantial
mazes in this game, and one of them requires you to direct a robot
mouse through it. This can prove quite difficult. Because of these
difficulties, I recommend this game for intermediate to expert players.
I strongly recommend against starting with this game if you've never
played interactive fiction before.

Reviewers in XYZZYnews and SPAG praised Curses for its excellent parser
and highly literary nature. It should be noted that curses came out at
a time when there was nothing else other than Infocom's games which
even approached its high quality. This was the first debut of Graham
nelson's Inform language based on the Infocom Zcode. Puzzles range from
easy to devilishly hard. It inspired many authors to write their own
high-quality games, and did much to make this collection possible.

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claw.z5
Wearing the Claw

In Wearing the Claw, you assume the role of a peasant chosen by your
lord to save your village. An evil wizard has placed a curse on your
village which is slowly changing its residents into animals. This curse
has also affected you, and the farther you go astray, the worse its
effects become. To save yourself and your village requires astute
perception and resourcefulness of wit. The end of the journey will be
quite a surprise.

Yet another competition entry in 1996, this game is excellent if
somewhat short. It is designed to be winnable in under two hours as per
competition rules, and can be won in this time limit with the use of
its built-in hints. Players may notice some parser limitations in terms
of what the game understands. Descriptions are excellent, and
characters are lively if limited. I rate this game as suitable for all
players, especially younger ones. Experts may find the puzzles too
easy.

Two reviews of this game appeared in SPAG over the years. One of these
judged Wearing the Claw as a middle-of-the-road game. Though it
applauded the author's experimentation with breaking with the
traditional scoring system, the review criticised its linearity. It
also praised the author's building puzzles on previous challenges. The
other review thought more highly of the game. Its harshest criticism
was that the game was too short. Based on a later version, there were
doubtless fewer glaring flaws than the first reviewer faced. This game
did not spark much on the newsgroup other than a debate on scoreless
interactive fiction. Built-in hints and a lack of truly diabolical
puzzles enabled most to win without resorting to asking for help
on-line. It placed eighth overall in the 1996 competition.

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tangle.z5
Spider and Web

In Spider and Web, You are an agent who has had the misfortune to be
captured by the enemy. They are trying to interrogate you to find out
how you managed to infiltrate their supposedly secure top-secret
installation. Your interrogator uses a technique based on
reconstructing your memories of what happened and comparing the results
with known facts. You, the player, must not only discover what actually
did happen, but how to escape your interrogator and complete your vital
mission.

This game is not recommended for beginners, as it is very possible to
make fatal mistakes. It also makes heavy use of technical devices like
those in spy novels. Players who enjoy spy novels will have a distinct
edge when playing this adventure. Only a few general notes are offered
as on-line help. Stranded players are forced to ask other players for
hints, or resort directly to the walkthrough. I rate this game as
expert level in terms of difficulty.

Both reviews of Spider and Web highly praised Mr. Plotkin's game as
highly innovative. Plotkin has earned a reputation for producing
non-conventional games, So Far being a case in point. Several
well-placed plot twists combined with excellent prose and game
mechanics have thoroughly impressed both reviewers. Without giving too
much away, I'll simply warn players to expect a sudden and drastic
shift in game play. Also, the motif of good versus evil does not hold
up throughout the game. The complex nature of the game generated many
pleas for help and comments in the newsgroup. The non-conventional
nature of the game drew both praise and curses from players as
discussion progressed.

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edifice.z5
The Edifice

The forest has changed. An edifice now dominates your here-to-fore
simple existence. Its purpose is an enigma. Towering above you, it
intrigues and terrifies. Will it offer opportunities, or do dangers
reside within it? Through exploring the edifice, you embark on a quest
for civilisation. Each level holds another discovery on the road to
wisdom, but does wisdom have a price higher than its worth?

This winner of the 1997 IF competition is an insightful allegorical
exploration of the process of civilisation. It contains excellent
on-line help including hints and manual. Its puzzles are logical, but
not always easy. The language puzzle in the game has been given the
XYZZYnews Best Puzzle award. No specific knowledge is required to play
this game effectively. Due to some of its harder puzzles, this game is
rated at an intermediate level of difficulty.

The first review of Edifice called the game the most intriguing entry
in the 1997 competition in conceptual terms. However, it also went on
to point out a number of design flaws. The hint system, though
innovative, did not keep pace with the player well. Also, solutions to
puzzles were somewhat arbitrary in nature. Writing was adequate, but
not otherwise noteworthy. The next reviewer praised the writing.
Especially note-worthy was the way that the prose became more complex
as the player character's knowledge increased. Puzzle implementation
was excellent, particularly regarding the language puzzle. The scoring
system, however, was originally flawed, and this was the game's only
shortcoming. I found the game quite interesting, but also had trouble
with the scoring system. It took a couple of days to go through. The
release included in this collection is a later one than what the
reviewers and I played. Bugs we encountered will likely have been
eliminated.

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erden.z8
Travels in the Land of Erden

Hoping to find adventure, you journey to the fabled lands of Erden.
Rumours of a dragon and a valuable jewel have brought you here. a
little probing will reveal that the dragon has been taken care of prior
to your arrival. However, there is still the elusive jewel to be
uncovered. From the grandeur of Erden's palace and mountain ranges to
the humble shops and schools of the common people, to more mysterious
places, your explorations will be rich in diversity and challenge.

This game is extremely well-written and exceptional in its open-ended
nature. The author has made a determined and largely successful effort
to make her game as forgiving as possible. it is hard to reach a state
from which the game is hopelessly lost. Due to this nature, and the
adequate on-line help provided, this game is rated at a beginner's
level of difficulty.

The setting drew universal praise for its excellent atmospheric
writing. Descriptions were reviewed as vivid and impressive. However,
plot and story were not seen as so well integrated. Puzzles were clever
but not particularly special. The game attracted more attention
off-line and out of the public eye than it did on the newsgroup. Other
than some calls for help, not much discussion resulted from it. The
second release of the game included in this collection was the best
testament to the game's high quality. Many players reported bugs and
offered suggestions to the author resulting in the vastly improved
version. I have yet to win this game, but have often been drawn into
its sprawling environs. Despite being a competition entry, the author
did not write the game as such. Therefore, the two-hour rule doesn't
really apply to this game.

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zdungeon.z5
Zork:

This is the original version of Zork, before it was altered and split
into the Zork Trilogy which is more widely known. As with all games
written by the authors of Infocom, the prose and attention to detail
are of the highest calibre. This is a direct port into Inform from the
version written in MDL back in 1981. The parser is noticeably lacking
in power when compared to Infocom's other works. However, the game is
exceptionally large and combines elements from all three Zork games,
plus a few more puzzles. On-line instructions are provided, as well as
some other information. A complete solution is available should you
become stuck. Due perhaps largely to its longevity, this game has not
been reviewed in either SPAG or XYZZYnews. It has also not been the
subject of much discussion on the newsgroup. It is included in this
collection largely for historical reasons.

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loose.z5
Mother Loose: An Interactive Nursery Rhyme

You are a seven-year-old girl on her way home from school. It hasn't
been a very good day so far, and it is about to get very strange. All
is not well in the land of Mother Loose. Humpty Dumpty is about to have
a great fall, and is in need of rescue. Also, Mother Loose seems to
have disappeared. It is up to you to set things right. Along the way,
you'll meet several of the land's other inhabitants, including a wolf
that isn't quite the big bad chap he's made out to be.

The prose in this game is very well-written. Character development is
quite excellent, and youngsters will enjoy talking to them about
various things. There are many puzzles which have multiple solutions,
but there is a way to ultimately win without getting into mischief.
Excellent on-line help and hints are provided, and there is plenty of
background information. This game is suitable for beginner to
intermediate players. Experts may find it somewhat lacking in hard
puzzles, as it was designed mainly for younger players or the young at
heart.

The reviews of this game were quite good, praising its whit,
sensitivity, and well-crafted environment. It is mainly suitable for
younger players, with the exception of a few puzzles which they would
likely find hard. One criticism of the writing was that bad deeds did
not have long-term effects on characters as they should have. Some of
the author's witty retorts to naughty deeds may also be above the
comprehension of younger players. I found the game to be well-made, and
those same elements which would make it a bit harder for youngsters
made it more enjoyable for myself. The way in which the characters were
used to teach morals was also quite interesting. Not much general
discussion on this game could be found on-line. This is probably due to
the fact that most youngsters aren't participating on newsgroups, and
probably haven't even heard of interactive fiction.

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photopia.z5
**Photopia

This winner of the 1998 IF competition is Adam Cadre's second piece of
short interactive fiction. It propels you into the lives of several
apparently unconnected people. As events unfold, you learn that all of
the various people you play are actually bound together by destiny.
Actual events merge with the dreamscapes of a bright young woman just
coming into adulthood and leaving her childhood behind. The effect is
quite unique and profound.

This game is not particularly suitable for young children, as it deals
with mature subjects and has some rough language. Parents may find it
especially interesting since one of the main issues dealt with is that
of parenting. Those in search of puzzles may find this game somewhat
lacking, as it is heavily built around characters and story. Players of
any level should be able to complete the game, which has an excellent
hint system.

Reviewers all noted that Photopia was severely lacking in both choices
and puzzles. One review went so far as to call it a victory of the
narrative over the crossword in reference to Graham Nelson's widely
shared view of interactive fiction. All reviews indicated that the
reviewers felt more like passengers than drivers of the story. The
newsgroups were flooded with articles about the merits and problems of
linear and puzzleless interactive fiction. While it was generally
agreed that the work was powerful in delivering its message, it
disappointed many looking for more control over outcomes. I certainly
found the story and especially its ending to be rather hard-hitting. As
with others, I didn't understand how things all fit together until the
very end.

+
The Zork Trilogy

These three famous games were the first to be released by Infocom. They
were the first to have the ability to understand sentences instead of
merely two-word commands. Descriptions of all three games can be found
below:

Zork1.dat
Zork I: The Great Underground Empire

In Zork I: The Great Underground Empire, you are a bold adventurer who
must gain entrance into the ruins of an ancient civilization and
discover its treasures. A simple house in a woods hides the entrance
within its walls, and also serves as a depository for any treasures you
might be clever enough to find. From this deceptively mundane
beginning, players journey into a world of rocky canyons, an
underground river, a room from Atlantis, the land of Hades, into a
forgotten temple, and across a solidified rainbow, and so much more.
Your opponent in this first game is a cunning thief. He may appear at
any time, to snatch a treasure or two, some of which are needed to
solve other puzzles in the game. Until most of the game is solved, you
must try to keep your distance, avoiding confrontation. Then, long
after he has driven you insane, and after you have made use of his
talents, the tables are turned. You must hunt him down in his lair,
deep within a maze. There, you will enter into a duel to the death.

When playing, keep in mind that all of the puzzles in this game have
logical solutions, even the seemingly random fights with the troll and
the thief. The other fantastic monsters, including the vampire and the
Cyclops, also have logical solutions to defeating them. Although none
of the games in the Zork trilogy offer built-in help or hints, these
are made available in external files which have .hnt extensions.
Documentation files are also available which have .doc extensions.
While some puzzles are a bit obscure, I can recommend this game to all
players with only slight reservations for novices.

Zork II: The Wizard of Frobozz begins where its prequel left off. You
start in the barrow, with the familiar sword and lantern resting by
you. Taking up these adventurer's tools, you enter a second part of the
underground empire. During your stay, you will visit caverns, a garden,
a bank, and a land right out of "Alice In Wonderland". You will command
a robot, open a seemingly impossibly fortified door, rescue a princess,
fly into the heart of an ancient volcano, and much more. Your rival in
this game is the wizard of Frobozz. Although prone to the occasional
fumble, this meddlesome mage has some truly diabolical spells. The
effects of some spells are quite amusing, if frustrating.

While I played the game, I felt that almost anything was possible. The
sense of being beyond reality is incredible. This time, logic doesn't
have as firm a grip on things. My advice in most games is to stick to
logic. Only when all else fails should you try anything out of the
ordinary. In this game, however, this approach won't work. Try anything
at all, no matter how ridiculous it seems. Anything is better than
being reduced to the shame of looking at the solution, except, of
course, being stuck at a hopeless point for all eternity. You may
notice that this game seems to flow a bit smoother than the first one.
Things seem less rugged, at least, to me. The world seems a bit
smaller, if not more understandable. Unless you are really good at
creative thinking, you may find Zork II exceedingly hard. Despite this,
you should still enjoy the scenery. It is even better described than
the scenery of the first game. For information concerning documentation
and hints, see the description for Zork I: The Great Underground
Empire. Due to the more intuitive rather than logical nature of the
game, I must rate this game at an intermediate level of difficulty. I
would still urge novices to explore the masterfully crafted
environment. You can prevail with a bit of patience.

The last part of the journey through Zork, subtitled The Dungeon
Master, is the smoothest, best written of the three. While there are
none of those bothersome mazes to worry about, there is something even
worse. It is called the royal puzzle, and it lives up to its name. It
is very hard to fix things if you make a mistake. It took me days to
solve that thing. Each wall you push will effect others. The object is
to get the ladder under the hole. I strongly recommend saving the game
before starting this puzzle.

Aside from the royal puzzle, I found the rest of the game to be
spectacular. The descriptions and plot are marvelous, as is the final
conclusion. Once again, Infocom presents a game which seems to take the
player to the ends of the universe. From the bottom of the endless
stairs, you travel to an underground lake, across an aqueduct, through
a royal museum, and through time itself. All the while, the dungeon
master tests you in his many guises. You meet face-to-face, after
trials of all sorts, near a fiery inferno.

Besides having the greatest scope, this game seems to be the most
logically laid out. For the most part, navigation is fairly easy. The
only possible exception to this is the land of shadows. That place can
get a bit confusing. Perhaps, this logical organization is what makes
the game seem smaller than it is. Like the other two games in the Zork
trilogy, I found it difficult to rate this game. I'll put it to you
this way: If you can handle the other two Zork games, you should be
able to manage the final chapter in this saga. Intermediate to expert
players should find this game quite challenging. See the description
for Zork I: the Great Underground Empire for information concerning
documentation and hints.

Although the Zork trilogy is still given its due as historically
important, it has suffered from neglect and comparison to what has come
after it. Essentially a collection of puzzles and treasure-hunts, Zork
is now seen as a fun sort of right of passage for players. Though often
used as a measuring stick to compare other games, it is hard to find
much conversation strictly about the three games discussed above. I
very much enjoyed all three of these games, and will doubtless revisit
them in the future many times.


+
Heist.z8
**Heist: The Crime of the Century

Your uncle has just passed away. As the game opens, you, his favorite
niece, find yourself at his funeral. Standing in thought after the
coffin is lowered, you are approached by a stranger. He gives you an
envelope containing a message from your uncle. It tells you that if you
can complete the crime he started, a fortune awaits you. Your wits and
skill as a newly made criminal will be put to the ultimate test as you
follow in your uncle's footsteps. Old photographs, when placed in a
frame within your uncle's apartment, become gateways to sections of
this great test of cunning. Can you pull off the crime of the century?
Is it right that you should? Was your uncle as immoral as he was made
out to be? Find out if you can.

Once again, Andy Phillips presents players with a mind-numbing and
involved masterpiece of plot and puzzle. As was true with his other
large pieces in this collection, he is absolutely without pity for the
stumped player. Hints are not available, and textual clues within the
game are hard to find. The story takes you to the darker side of
humanity, as you must commit shady and devious acts to recover the six
photographs from their hiding places. A couple of puzzles are
especially difficult for blind players. These include a puzzle where
you must turn on and off lights within a virtual digital watch, and a
puzzle where a jewel must be forged so that you can keep the real one.
Due to the values and nature of the game, I cannot recommend it for
younger children. I must also recommend this game to the attention of
expert players only.

Surprisingly, this rather large and complicated work of interactive
fiction has not driven anyone to review it for either SPAG or
XYZZYnews. It certainly provides all elements which usually conspire to
bring both praise and wrath on its creator. There are puzzles which
many would consider unfair, shady morality, and other usually more than
adequate catalysts. Newsgroup discussion of this game focused on the
motivation of the player character to solve puzzles, and griped that
Phillips hadn't provided enough prior motivation for the puzzles in
this game. Of all the current authors of interactive fiction, Mr.
Phillips has suffered the most from continued complaints on aspects of
his works. Despite this, players including myself continue to return to
his creations. I had to resort to a geology student, a cunning and
devious acquaintance, and the solution more times than I would care to
admit in order to finally win. Despite this, I found it a satisfying
experience.

+
zorktuu.z5
Zork: The Undiscovered Underground

In this prequel to the graphical Grand Inquisitor put out by
Activision, you must explore a section of the great underground empire
for the grand inquisitor. Armed only with a cheap plastic replica of
the famous elvish sword, and a lamp of questionable reliability, you
must tread the ancient caverns. As you enter, the tunnel is sealed
behind you. Will you ever see the light of day again? Or, has the
inquisitor sent you to your doom?

Although written by one of the original authors of the Zork trilogy,
this game lacks the depth found in most Zork games. It is one of the
better short pieces of interactive fiction. However, when it was
released, it provoked disappointment from its players due to its
shortness and the degree to which it was promoted prior to completion.
When played on its own, it stands up well to other works of comparable
length. However, veterans of Zork may feel somewhat cheated by this
game. No help is provided except that built into the text of the game
itself. The puzzles are fairly easy for the most part, and enough humor
and historical commentary is present to make this amusing to fans of
Infocom and interactive fiction. I recommend this game to beginners and
intermediate players.

The review of this game was surprisingly light in criticism. Despite
the reviewer's disappointment with the length of the game, credit was
given for good writing and puzzles. As a teaser for Zork: Grand
Inquisitor, the reviewer didn't think it worked as well as it might
have. Newsgroup discussion centered mostly around helping stuck players
out of the harder spots of the game. Lack of length was lamented by
many, as well as disappointment with the game's ending. Puzzles, on the
other hand, were generally appreciated as fair and well-made.

+
tapestry.z5
**Tapestry: An Interactive Destiny:

In Tapestry, you play Timothy Hunter, a man who has just died in a car
accident. You find the afterlife to be rather devoid of substance,
until a figure appears and offers you a chance to change your past. If
you do this, others must pay the price. Where do you fit into the
tapestry of fate? Take care, for once you have chosen your path, you
must follow it to its end.

This interactive story has three completely separate paths to follow
which lead to three different endings. Timothy can simply change the
past to try and rectify some of the mistakes he made. Alternatively, he
can re-play history and examine his decisions from a different
perspective in order to better understand his guilt. Finally, he may
simply leave things as they are and accept the consequences of his
previous choices. Although puzzles in this game are rather limited,
they are well-placed. The game concentrates on story rather than
challenge. It has a context-sensitive hint system, and has excellent
instructions for new players. Because of its more philosophical nature,
I recommend this game to players who enjoy thought-provoking ideas
rather than logic puzzles. In terms of difficulty, however, all players
should be able to complete any or all of the paths.

Tapestry won second place in the 1996 competition. It also picked up
the Best Story award in the first XYZZY awards. One reviewer thought
the game was well-polished, but lacked interactivity. Another thought
that there was clearly one correct path to take in the author's mind.
Despite his philosophical objections, he still acknowledged the game to
be well-written. I found it somewhat limiting, but philosophically
engaging on the whole. It took around two and a half hours for me to go
through, but I thought for days afterwards about the game's content and
message.

+
Windhal1.z8
The Path to Fortune

Journey to a fantasy world and become Erin, a young apprentice to a
dwarven blacksmith. The town of Windhall is in serious financial
trouble. A hero is needed to recover the treasure hoard of a dragon.
You are chosen to become that hero, and must learn to live up to your
new role. With the help from other residents of the town, you must
prepare for and meet many challenges. There are many non-player
characters in this game which must be interacted with. They are all
very well developed, unlike in a lot of other interactive fiction. This
game is largely based on learning what motivates these characters.

The descriptions in Path to fortune are enchantingly detailed, and the
game is full of good humour. Registration entitles players to help in
solving the game's many puzzles, some of which are a bit difficult. One
thing which might frustrate some players is that the game keeps track
of the time of day In Windhall, and certain things only happen at
specific times. Although excellent instructions on how to play are
provided, no hints are offered. Some of the puzzles are also less than
fair. Due to these difficulties, I am forced to recommend this game to
expert players, although even novices will find the characters and
story to be amusing. Although a shareware game, registration is not
necessary in order to win it. It is rumoured that the authors are no
longer supporting their product. A solution file is provided in this
collection for stranded players.

Although highly praised for development of atmosphere and characters,
the review of The Path to Fortune was annoyed by a number of its
puzzles. Overall, these were judged to be tough but fair. However, the
reviewer cited three instances where they were manifestly unfair or
annoying. Though acknowledging that the time-of-day elements of the
game added realism to it, the reviewer found them to be too
constraining since all of the game's non-player characters had
necessary information and skills needed to succeed. Re-visiting them
time after time quickly became a chore rather than a pleasure. A lot of
players were stuck frequently when trying to win this game. Postings
with hints and spoilers were concentrated primarily after the game's
release. Interest in this game seemed to dissipate over time despite
the author's continued development of it.

+
weather.z5
A Change in the Weather

This competition entry earned high praise for atmosphere and depth
unusual for a game of its size. Andrew Plotkin, author of So Far, shows
he can handle short stories with the same flare as full-length epics.
Growing restless at a picnic, you wander away from your friends to
explore the area. You soon begin to notice the wondrous effects on your
natural surroundings which the weather can have. It changes the very
nature of one's experience of it. The player will soon discover that
this is not always for the best. The weather can be a powerful
adversary. Was it so wise to go off exploring on your own? Do you have
the whit and timing to survive?

This game was judged the best Inform game in the 1995 interactive
fiction competition. I found this game to be intriguing, but have not
yet managed to win it. There are a lot of time-critical elements which
keep thwarting me. The vivid atmosphere of the game continually draws
me back into the game after my frustration abates. Several releases of
the game appeared as the author altered it and fixed bugs.

Gareth Rees, author of Christminster, reviewed this game just after the
competition was over. Overall, he found it excellent but very
frustrating due to time-critical elements. In particular, he praised
the writing, the changes of scenery and the interaction of puzzle
elements. Mr. Rees cautioned that it was quite easy to become stuck in
the game, and that winning it involved continuously going back to saved
positions and trying different things. The newsgroup still occasionally
receives pleas for hints from stranded players despite the availability
of a solution. Overall, players found the game to be quite frustrating.
Some felt that the time-driven elements were artificial and
unnecessary.

+
anchor.z8
**Anchorhead: An Interactive Gothic Horror

Having only recently married, you suddenly find yourself leaving behind
everything you have known to move to your husband's family property in
Anchorhead. This coastal town is a fairly gloomy place, and you quickly
discover that sinister forces are at work in your husband's life. Your
husband is quickly being drawn into something, and your very life
depends on unravelling the mystery surrounding his family.

This game won the 1998 XYZZY Award for best setting, and was nominated
for several others. Michael Gentry has produced a masterpiece of horror
which is apparently quite faithful to Lovecraft's writings. Reviews of
Anchorhead described it as a masterpiece of horror. Writing was very
well-done, and avoided many of the pit-falls commonly found in such
games. Timing and pacing were excellent, and the game's player-friendly
nature also drew favourable comment. Newsgroup conversation on this
game was mainly about getting help solving the quite numerous puzzles
in the game. However, Anchorhead managed to provoke a fairly extensive
discussion on Lovecraftian horror and interactive fiction. It was also
compared favourably to Sierra's Phantasmagoria. Anchorhead offered its
players more plot and freedom of action than did its graphical
predecessor. Some players also felt that the ending was particularly
sexist. The reaction of the Audyssey community to this game was
particularly split and profound. Never has a game sparked such
controversy in Audyssey. The vividly horrific and perverse
circumstances the game goes into make it absolutely unsuitable for
younger players. The game deals with such subjects as rape, incest, and
cruelty to children. In defence of the game, it does this with the
intention of staying true to Lovecraft's style and subject matter.
Clearly, the author does not condone these perversions. In my own
judgement, as well as most active members of the rec.games.int-fiction
newsgroup, the game is not spoiled by these elements and is a
worth-while effort on the part of its author.

+
jewel.z5
The Jewel of Knowledge: An Interactive Fantasy

You and two other companions have journeyed into the bowels of the
world in search of the fabled jewel of knowledge. The druids have need
of its powers to help solve the problems of society. You have agreed to
go on this quest purely for personal gain, and plan to recover the
jewel for yourself. Your brave companions, a thief and healer, fall
prey to the dangers of the underground expedition, leaving you to face
your fears and your darker side on your own. With the legacy of their
tools and wisdom, will you be able to defeat the three dragons guarding
the jewel?

Although the playing area is fairly confined, it is thoroughly packed
with innovative puzzles. The author provides adequate on-line help, but
does not offer built-in hints. Stranded players will be forced to
resort to the solution included in this collection. I have found this
game to be fairly intriguing, and plan on winning it eventually. I got
fairly far in the game, but ignored the author's recommendation to save
often and got the game into a hopeless state. I advise players to think
very carefully before taking destructive or drastic actions.

Reviewers and newsgroup participants reacted to this game quite
analytically. One reviewer thought that the author developed the player
character well, but over-worked the moralistic aspects of the story to
the point of detracting from the ending's novelty. Players needed a lot
of help from each other solving the game's many puzzles. Players of the
old school were pleased with the game's puzzle-filled nature, and this
sentiment was often expressed. The ending of Jewel of Knowledge also
provoked an extensive exchange of opinions. Some felt that it was too
heavy-handed and not well-supported by the game's overall universe.
Others came to the author's defence citing portions of the game which
supported the ending.

+
gumshoe.z5
**Gumshoe: An Interactive Investigation

You are a private investigator whose luck seems to have completely run
dry. The rent is due, your secretary hasn't been paid in weeks, and
then, a distraught woman shows up with a case which might just save
your business from collapse. Although criticised for its unoriginal
plot, this detective game is roundly praised for extensive character
development. It features several non-player characters who are
completely mobile and very well-designed. All of these characters have
their own motives, and will try and help or hinder you from solving the
case.

Gumshoe features many turn-based events which occur after a given
number of moves. Also, the characters are all actively moving about the
game's areas. This can make for excellent re-play value, but beginners
may find this somewhat frustrating. Although the game has excellent
instructions, no hints are provided for stuck players.  Because of the
event-driven nature of the game, I can only recommend Gumshoe to
intermediate or expert players.

Reviewers sharply disagree on the merits of this short game. One of
them enjoyed it thoroughly, and praised the characters and puzzles for
being well-developed. The other thought that the characters were almost
all too shallow, and thought most of the puzzles were far too simple.
While both reviewers agreed that the plot was nothing too original or
new, they differed again on the quality of writing. One saw the game as
lacking in all the double-crosses, hidden motives, and dark deeds which
make detective fiction great. The other found that the author had tried
to pack too much into a short game, and wanted more at the ending.

The newsgroup reacted favourably to the technical aspects of the game,
and many requests for help were posted. Most of these were the result
of players trying to cope with timed elements in the game. Mike
Oliphant has clearly demonstrated his technical skill with the game.
The wandering non-player characters impressed many players with their
constant motion and good development. However, he failed on the whole
when it came to plot and story. Most players, including both reviewers,
came up with criticisms there. Due to the somewhat seedy nature of the
game, I must warn of its possible unsuitability for younger children in
particular.

+
vgame.z8
**Varicella

In this courtly intrigue, Adam Cadre puts the player in the role of
Primo Varicella; A low-ranking palace minister bent on taking advantage
of the sudden demise of the king to seize power. You have come up with
a flawless plan to do this, but it requires immediate action. You are
completely un-hindered by moral constraints of any kind, and will
resort even to murder to gain power. Of course, this is equally true of
your rivals who seek the regency. They are all equally immoral. Cadre
has included many special features in this, his third and largest work
of interactive fiction. These include the ability to look into rooms
without entering them, and the ability to converse with other
characters in three different tones. A lot of elements in the game are
timed in the sense that they will happen after a given number of moves.
Characters will actively pursue their own ajendas, and players will
likely have to re-play the game several times in order to find the
critical path needed to win. As a result, I cannot recommend the game
to beginners despite the adequate help provided. A solution is
available for stumped players, but no built-in hints are provided
within the game.

The review of this game was more impressed with the sheer amount of
evil to be found in Varicella than with the technical features. All of
Varicella's rivals are absolutely without redemption. While this may
allow the player to go along with disposing of these wicked people, the
player must still recognise that the character he/she plays is equally
villainous. Non-player characters are judged to be poorly developed
with only a few exceptions. They are somewhat predictable and
un-surprising.  The writing was judged to be some of the best ever
found in interactive fiction. As the 1999 XYZZY awards have yet to be
announced, it remains to be seen whether the IF community at large
agrees with this. Newsgroup responses to this game were positive for
the most part, and the immoral nature of the characters provoked quite
a lot of reaction. There are apparently a lot of alternate solutions
and endings for players to find, and newsgroup members have engaged in
an extensive hunt for these. I have yet to get anywhere near winning
this game. In fact, at the time of this writing, I have yet to commit
my first murder. As the description above clearly indicates, this game
is not suitable for young children.


++
Tads Games

Many of the Tads games in this collection were created by a company
called Adventions. They were once offered as shareware, but have now
been released into the public domain. In most cases, no built-in help
was put in their games. Stranded players will be forced to resort to
the .sol files. On the positive side, the games are very well-crafted.
Writing is excellent, and the parser is roughly comparable to that of
Inform games. Adventions was noted for bringing both comical elements
and characters as well as high-quality puzzles back into the mainstream
of interactive fiction.

Before I turn you temporarily over to the information file which was
released with their collection, I should warn you that some
instructions are to do with playing their games in DOS. Windows users
may ignore instructions which don't appear relevant to them. All you
need to play the Adventions games in Windows95/98 is the Wintads
interpreter. You'll find complete instructions for using both Winfrotz
and Wintads in a separate section near the top of this file if you have
not already read them. You should also know that the Colossal Cave
Revisited file, ccr.gam, has not been included in this collection.
Instead, the file ad551.gam has been provided. This contains both the
original and expanded versions of Colossal Cave. It also contains many
features which make playing this historic work of interactive fiction
easier for beginners. The expanded version of the game has a maximum
score of 551 points. For information, please look within the game
itself as well as the Colossal Cave Revisited section of the text
below. I have not included commentary about the Adventions games.
Instead, I have elected to simply include the Adventions introductory
file as it was created. All of their games received high praise from
developers and players. Excellent puzzles and writing seem to be
universal to Adventions games. Without further ado, here is the
introductory file to the Adventions collection of games.

+
Introductory Note

This package of Adventions games was compiled for the Great Underground
Adventures CD, a collection of interaction fiction written by
contributors to the rec.arts.int-fiction Usenet newsgroup. Although
that project has been cancelled, this archive represents an unabridged
collection of the complete versions of all our games, so we have
decided to make it available.  Below you'll find a description of each
game. We recommend you play the Unnkulian games in the order they are
listed.

Note that you will need a TADS run-time program for your system to play
these games. If you don't know what that is, ask in the Usenet group
rec.arts.int-fiction. You will probably be able to get the latest
version of the TADS run-time for your system from the same place you
downloaded this archive. On the Internet, look for TADS on the
Interactive Fiction Archive site at

ftp://ftp.gmd.de/if-archive/programming/tads/executables

The file 00ReadMeFirst-TADS in this directory describes the various
TADS packages, and will explain which one you need.  Note that in order
to play The Legend Lives! on a PC-compatible, you will need the GO32
version of the TADS run-time, as described in the 00ReadMeFirst-TADS
file. On the Internet, this version currently resides here:

ftp://ftp.gmd.de/if-archive/programming/tads/executables/pc-go32.tads2exe.zip

Please note that we no longer ask for (or accept) money for any of the
games in this collection. These are the full, registered versions, so
there's no need to send us loot! If you get stuck and need a hint,
please post a note in the Usenet group rec.games.int-fiction. We regret
that we don't have time to answer emailed hint requests.

Enjoy the games!

  -- Dave Baggett
     December 4, 1997



		  ADVENTIONS' Unnkulian Unventure Series


   The Unnkulian Unventures are known world-wide for their excellent
   prose, witty irreverence, and top-notch full sentence command
   interface. Adventure game devotees raised on now-classic 80's
   interactive fiction praise these games for bringing challenging
   puzzles, vivid characters, and evocative writing back to the gaming
   world.


[UU1]

Name:   Unnkulian Underworld: The Unknown Unventure (a.k.a. "UU1")
Author: D. A. Leary, for ADVENTIONS
Ldesc:  In "Unnkulian Underworld: The Unknown Unventure" you play the
	part of Kuulest's slave, and must recover the Orb of Studosity
	from the evil Unnkulians.  Kuulest, the old geezebag, has died
	and left you with nothing to go on but a cryptic message about
	saving the planet. You'll encounter amazing Acme products, the
	infamous Guardian, those witty creatures known as Drolls, a
	giant beaver, and even the Dread Unnkulian Warrior.
Sdesc:  This is the game that started the Unnkulian saga!
Status: Unsupported freeware, Copyright (C) 1993, 1996 D. A. Leary.
File:   UU1.GAM


[UU2]

Name:   Unnkulian Unventure II: The Secret of Acme (a.k.a. "UU2")
Author: David M. Baggett, for ADVENTIONS

Ldesc:  In "Unnkulian Unventure II: The Secret of Acme" your adventure
	continues as you try to create some good press for yourself -
	wouldn't want to fade into anonymous obscurity, now would you?
	Along the way, you'll find the answers to these compelling
	questions, and more:
	  o What happened to the Unnkulians?
	  o Why are Acme products so bad?
	  o What is this cheez stuff, really?
	Plus, you'll get to explore Dawg Rock, a Duhdist Retreat,
	Acme's clandestine prototypes laboratory, and even pay a visit
	to Acme HQ.
Sdesc:  The second installment in the Unnkulian series.
Status: Unsupported freeware. Copyright (C) 1993, 1996 David M. Baggett.
File:   UU2.GAM


[Unnkulia 1/2]

Name:   Unnkulia One-Half: The Salesman Triumphant
Author: D. A. Leary, for ADVENTIONS
Ldesc:  In "Unnkulia One-Half: The Salesman Triumphant," you'll play
	the role of a down-and-out Acme salesman, forced to work out of
	the Golden Dragon Inn, dangerously near Dread Unnkulia.  Will
	you accumulate enough loot in this frightful backwater berg to
	turn your fortunes in your favour?
Sdesc:  Take a brief and light-hearted romp through the valley as a
	washed-up Acme salesman.
Status: Unsupported freeware. Copyright (C) 1993, 1996 D. A. Leary.
File:   ONEHALF.GAM


[Unnkulia Zero]

Name:   Unnkulia Zero: The Search for Amanda
Author: D. A. Leary, for ADVENTIONS
Ldesc:  In "Unnkulia Zero: The Search for Amanda," will you, the Valley
	King's most trusted warrior, rescue his Lady Amanda from the
	gruesome clutches of the evil Unnkulians? Along the way to
	victory (or, <shudder>, defeat!), you will:
	  o Find out about the ancient days of the Valley,
	  o Meet the King's faithful (but not so bright) Valley Patrol,
	  o Explore *beautiful* Lake Draounheer,
	  o Discover the ancient burial ground of your ancestors,
	  o Become frustrated with the pesky Stoll and his Stoll Bridge,
	and, of course,
	  o Meet that wondrously wacky Wowsa Willy!
Sdesc:  Explore the valley as it was long ago, in the person of the
	Valley King's number one warrior.
Status: Unsupported freeware. Copyright (C) 1993, 1996 D. A. Leary.
File:   ZERO.GAM


[The Legend Lives!]

Name:   The Legend Lives!
Author: David M. Baggett, for ADVENTIONS
Ldesc:  A new chapter in the history of Unnkulia and the Valley unfolds
	in this exciting series.  Find out what life is like on planet
	Tode (home to Unnkulia and the Valley) and the rest of the
	Unnkulian Universe 500 years after "Unnkulian Underworld: The
	Unknown Unventure."  "The Legend Lives!" is a science fiction
	epic of unprecedented depth that explores what can happen when
	networks and software become too powerful to control.  As
	hacker Gavin Kelly, you'll be at your wits' end tracking down
	and battling a terrifyingly powerful virus unleashed on AkNet,
	the known galaxy's information and service backbone.  All the
	while, you'll have to thwart its creator's attempts to locate
	and terminate *you*.
Sdesc:  "A richly detailed game, with lots of interactive gadgets to
	play with, but also an ambitious work of art, with some quite
	lyrical prose and an interesting combination of the silly and
	the serious."
		- Baf's	Guide to the Interactive Fiction Archive
Status: Unsupported freeware. Copyright (C) 1994, 1996 David M. Baggett
File:   LEGEND.GAM
NOTE:   To play this game under DOS or Windows, you MUST have a 386 or
later CPU and the GO32 version of the TADS run-time.  The normal (real
mode) version of TADS will not run this game properly.



			  Other ADVENTIONS Games


[The Horror of Rylvania]

Name:   The Horror of Rylvania
Author: D. A. Leary, for ADVENTIONS
Ldesc:  The Horror of Rylvania" is true gothic horror in an interactive
	fiction setting.  A radical departure from the light-hearted
	Unnkulian series, "Rylvania" is not for the faint-hearted. What
	you expected would be a fun outing in scenic Rylvania turns
	into a gruesome nightmare, with *you* playing the starring
	role. Find out what it's like to be alternately the source and
	challenger of evil in the tiny Eastern European province.  Test
	your very moral fiber as you decide to damn yourself and save
	others -- or vice versa.  "The Horror of Rylvania" will grip
	you like no interactive fiction ever has before.
Sdesc:  The Horror of Rylvania" is true gothic horror in an interactive
	fiction setting.  A radical departure from the light-hearted
	Unnkulian series, "Rylvania" is not for the faint-hearted.
Status: Unsupported freeware. Copyright (C) 1993, 1996 D. A. Leary
File:   RYLVANIA.GAM


[Colossal Cave Revisited]

Name:   Colossal Cave Revisited
Author: Willie Crowther and Don Woods (TADS conversion by David Baggett)
	Jeff Laing and Stephen Granade contributed better contents
	listing functions.  Dave Picton make extensive improvements.
Ldesc:  Colossal Cave Revisited" is a remake of the first major
	adventure game ever written: Colossal Cave, otherwise known as
	"Adventure." The original Adventure was written in FORTRAN by
	Willie Crowther and Don Woods, and had only a simple two word
	command parser.  Its descriptions were so vivid, however, that
	it captivated a generation of computer enthusiasts and quickly
	became part of the "hacker lore." ADVENTIONS' implementation of
	this classic features the same excellent full sentence parser
	our other games use, and comes with complete source code.  For
	those new to interactive fiction, "Colossal Cave Revisited" is
	a must-have.
Sdesc:  The original Adventure, converted to TADS, with a full sentence
	parser.
Status: Unsupported freeware.
File:   CCR.GAM

+ 
Besides the Adventions games discussed above, there are nine other Tads
games counting the expanded version of Colossal Caves which demonstrate
sufficient quality to belong in this collection. While some are not
exactly up to Adventions's standards, they all contain the merit to be
widely played and praised by the interactive fiction community.
Descriptions of these other games follow:

+
Babel2.gam
Babel

You find yourself in a cold and seemingly abandoned space station. By
exploring this strangely haunted structure, you must discover the
nature of what went on in this frigid and isolated spot. Touching
glowing spots found around the base will trigger flashes of insight
about the people who worked here and what they were doing when
everything went wrong.

Ian Finley's first attempt at interactive fiction won him the second
prize of the 1998 IF competition. Favoring literature over puzzles, he
offers like-minded players the chance to be a part of his story. I
haven't managed to win the game yet, but have begun to piece things
together. Science fiction and horror fans, particularly of the H. G.
Wells style of story, will find much to attract them into this game.
Reviewers praise Finley for successfully combining these two genres and
telling a powerful story. Although there are some elements which
reviewers thought bothersome, they thought the game compelling and
well-crafted. On the newsgroup, this game was one of those which
brought the restrictions placed on competition games into question. The
rule which forces authors to make games winnable in two hours was seen
as having a negative effect on the game which could have used more plot
development.

+
fmsr4.gam
Frobozz Magic Support

As a new magic support person, you must travel through Infocom's Zork
universe helping people out of their problems with magic. As you
complete tasks, they are logged by a friendly animated magic burin into
a log book with solutions to the problems. This light-hearted romp will
make fans of Infocom's Enchanter trilogy feel right at home. The
friendly magic burin tied for Best Character in the 1997 XYZZY Awards.

Other than the award above, this particular game has not drawn any
significant reaction from the IF community. No reviews of this game
could be found despite an extensive search I conducted while
constructing this collection. The newsgroup expressed a lot of
appreciation for the game, and there were the usual calls for help from
stuck players. The game has currently gone through four releases. This
continuous work on the part of the author is the only other evidence of
the game's popularity. I won the game in around a month, and was forced
to use the solution to get past a part of it. Despite this, I found it
quite an enjoyable and unique perspective on the Zork universe.

+
Savannah.gam
Sunset Over Savannah

You have come to the last day of your vacation from your office job.
Indecisive about your future, you find yourself standing in front of
your hotel in Savannah. By wandering around your environs, you hope to
come up with some sort of direction in which to take your life from
this point. Ivan Cockrum's Sunset Over Savannah won sixth place in the
1997 IF competition, and received the 1997 XYZZY award for Best
Writing.

The review of Sunset Over Savannah gave Cockrum excellent marks for his
writing style. The reviewer remarked that even the longer passages of
text were a joy to read unlike those in other games. The juxtaposition
of the fantastic and the common-place was also very skillfully handled.
Some of the puzzles were also quite creative, and blended well into the
game. Having the feelings of the player character be central to the
plot is a feature unique to this particular game, and the reviewer
thought Cockrum executed this innovation well. I've found the game
quite rich in atmosphere so far. This is yet another game I haven't
gotten around to delving into too deeply. This game has provoked very
little response at all on the rec.games.int-fiction newsgroup. However,
the game was discussed at some length in the rec.arts.int-fiction
newsgroup set up for developers and those interested in developing IF.
The author's original ideas were certainly noted by authors.

+
theone.gam
The One That Got Away

This game takes its players fishing. You must attempt to capture the
legendary fish known as The Old One. Even the best of fishermen have
been outsmarted by this extremely clever fish. Featuring only five
locations and not a great deal of plot, this game relies on a
non-player character called Bob, the Bait Seller, to give it depth. It
is more a parody of interactive fiction than anything else, and should
be taken in that light. It takes playful jabs at other works of IF as
well as Moby Dick. Leon Lin took third prize in the Tads category of
the 1995 IF competition.

Reviewers of this game both thought that Bob was an excellent
non-player character who was quite well developed. They were also both
drawn in by the game's atmosphere, and enjoyed it despite the lack of
any real puzzles. One thought that the game could have used more such
elements. I won the game in well under an hour, but there were a lot of
things I didn't get around to trying. I found it too short and linear,
but still engaging while it lasted.

+
lethe.gam
Lethe Flow Phoenix: A Flight of Fantasy

While on a spontaneous camping trip, you find yourself unable to sleep
one night. Wandering restlessly around, you accidentally fall off a
cliff and knock yourself unconscious. When you awaken, you find
yourself in a mysterious environment. You must learn how to move around
this strange place, and also discover what your goals are. Aliens,
angels, and global domination all come into play in this debut
exhibition of Daniel Shiovitz's talents.

This game received numerous reviews in SPAG and XYZZYnews since its
release in 1995. All the reviewers agree that the game is quite
enjoyable. However, each had his/her own problems with the game. These
included everything from minor bugs in the initial release to
complaints about a lack of balance between the interactive and
non-interactive elements of the game. A reviewer remarked that all
major character development takes place in non-interactive textual
cut-scenes. The climactic scene in the middle of the game was somewhat
spoiled since it was surrounded by more puzzle-oriented game sections.
At least two reviewers agreed that Shiowitz tried to fit far too much
story into the game. Though I have yet to conquer Lethe Flow Phoenix, I
have found it quite enjoyable so far. The author's attention to detail
is quite a treat to experience. Although excellent instructions and
some general hints are provided, I cannot recommend the game to
beginners. Intermediate players should find it quite enjoyable.

+
zebulon.gam
Uncle Zebulon's Will

Your mysterious uncle has died, and has left you instructions to search
his mysterious house for your inheritance. Since your other relatives
have already ransacked the place before you could get there, you are
uncertain as to what is left to find. A demon guarding the door of the
house gives cause for some hope that your uncle's mysterious alchemical
activities might have yielded more than met the eyes of your greedy
relatives.

This game won Magnus Olson first prize in the 1995 IF competition. It
has thoroughly stumped me near the end of the game, but I quite liked
it up to that point. Reviewers found it to be an exceptionally
well-crafted game with no bugs at all. While the writing was free from
errors, it was judged to be too plain overall. Room descriptions
received criticism for being too standardized. Another reviewer, in
response to the first, thought this down-to-earth style of writing was
a brilliant move on O'son's part, serving as a foil for the fantastic
world you enter later in the game. This second reviewer also leveled
criticism at the demon, judged to be too under-developed. Ironically,
Uncle Zebulon, despite being dead and never appearing in the game, was
seen as quite well-developed. Due largely to my own experience, I must
recommend it for intermediate players. Beginners may find some puzzles
somewhat hard.

+
toonesia.gam
Toonesia

This game puts you right into the wacky world of Saturday morning
cartoons. As Elmo Fuld, you must attempt to shoot your old nemesis, a
rascally rabbit. Unfortunately, this rabbit has gotten the jump on you.
Before you can get your revenge, you must escape a cell in the base of
a carrot-shaped tower, confront a duck and Tasmanian devil, and walk
off a cliff among other things. Jacob Weinstein won second prize in the
1995 IF competition with this entry. Extensive hints are provided for
stumped players which should be more than adequate to help even a
novice player complete this short and amusing game.

Reviewers thought the game an enjoyable way to pass a small amount of
time. It was, however, judged to suffer from a lack of motion.
Non-player characters are left standing around, and should have had
more to do in the game. This static nature of things lessened the
cartoonish atmosphere to a degree. Puzzles were judged to be quite
good, if not especially difficult. One reviewer remarked that the
author made excellent use of cartoon logic in the game. Not being a
cartoon fan, I have not seriously tried to win the game yet. During
brief periods of clowning around in its environs, I was certainly
entertained. The game is especially suited to youngsters, and I
recommend it for beginner to intermediate players.

+
worlds.gam
Worlds Apart

This science fiction epic is so new that it hasn't received any formal
attention from SPAG or XYZZYnews yet. It has, however, sparked a
copious amount of favorable newsgroup response. The author puts you on
an alien world with no idea who or what you are. Over the course of the
game, you must discover your identity and purpose. Along the way,
you'll discover an incredibly rich and detailed game environment.
Suzanne Britton's premiere work of interactive fiction is anything but
conventional by her own admission. It is, she states, prose-heavy and
environment-oriented rather than puzzle-oriented. The player is
provided with superb on-line help and instructions, so the game should
be suitable for all players who don't mind reading a lot. All players
should be certain to review the notes and "about" section in the game
by entering the quoted words at the command prompt within the game. I
have merely scratched the surface of this masterpiece, but am already
hopelessly hooked. Due largely to the author's timely second release
and an excellent group of testers, I feel safe in including this late
arrival on the scene in the collection. It is certain to become a
classic, and has already garnered a lot of praise from its players on
the newsgroup.

+
smallw3.gam
Small World

You are a lonely child whose aunt has died recently. She has left you a
globe which you have become very attached to. You often spin it while
dreaming of your own world. Pausing to look at this globe before
heading out on a hiking trip, you suddenly find yourself sucked into
this tiny world. For some reason, the globe refused to spin when you
tried to turn it before falling in. Your quest is to start it turning
again. Several puzzles must be solved in order to accomplish this. In
the 1996 competition, Andrew D. Pontious won fourth prize for this
entry. It also won him the Best Setting and tie for Best Individual NPC
XYZZY awards in 1996. Extensive on-line help and hints are provided
which should render the game suitable for all players despite its
unconventional nature.

Reviewers found this game to be well-done and quite original. They
especially praised the devil in the game as an excellent non-player
character. While one reviewer, writing before finishing the game, spent
too much time wandering around without receiving any direction as to
what to work on next, the other reviewer who completed the game found
that it all made a strange kind of sense. Puzzles were neatly tied
together, and the setting and unusual mapping scheme were handled
expertly. I too have yet to complete this game. I wasn't stuck when I
stopped, but constraints on my time prevented me from going back to the
game before another one came along which hooked me in. Until I began
work on this collection, I had temporarily forgotten about this little
treasure. Fortunately, I stumbled upon the third revision of the game
in time to include it here.

++
Parting Thoughts:

Since the revival of interactive fiction, authors have done much to
expand the scope of exploration and capabilities of this type of game.
The most noticeable of these developments is that unlike earlier works
which tended to be as non-controversial as possible largely due to
Infocom's standards regarding this, contemporary authors have broken
down this taboo and explored the darker side of life. The tendency
towards plot over puzzles has somewhat altered the art from that of
producing entertainment to one of self-expression. While the more
conventional interactive fiction will probably never disappear, future
games will likely feature innovations and attempts to out-shine prior
works. This is what has already been happening over the past decade.
The community of authors have entered into a kind of friendly potlatch
where each tries to present the community with a better gift than the
last. The fact that most modern works of interactive fiction are free
is also worthy of note. Despite Adventions's brief run and the recently
formed Cascade Mountain Publishing company, the bulk of interactive
fiction is likely to remain free to all for the foreseeable future. So
many excellent works are already freely available that authors wishing
to sell works of interactive fiction have to introduce innovations
and/or very high quality masterpieces taking years to construct.
Examples of such masterpieces include Cascade Mountain Publishing's
"Once and Future".

If you are interested in sharing and possibly contributing to the
discussions surrounding interactive fiction, there are four major
resources at your disposal. All of them are free of charge, but require
that you have access to the Internet. There are two newsgroups devoted
to interactive fiction. These are:  rec.arts.int-fiction: This group
focuses on the art of developing interactive fiction, and the authors
of various works will discuss issues pertaining to game design and
writing. Whether you plan to develop a game or not, you are quite
welcome to participate in discussions. However, I caution you that this
forum is not the one to ask for hints to games.  Rec.games.int-fiction:
This newsgroup is devoted to discussion among players of interactive
fiction. It is an excellent place to ask for hints. Different aspects,
trends, and issues are also discussed.

Two magazines are also available. Both are forums for reviews,
commentary, and articles on interactive fiction. Many articles in this
collection were taken from these two magazines.  Their names are
XYZZYnews and SPAG. Both can be found at:

ftp.gmd.de

Look in the /if-archives/magazines directory.

The future of this art form seems pretty well secured. It has survived
the deluge of graphical adventures and technological advances of the
past thirty years. Though it is certainly not commercially viable on a
large scale, interactive fiction is slowly inching its way out of
obscurity. Recent references in various media are popping up all the
time. Occasionally, articles will appear in widely read publications
such as the New York Times. This is especially welcome news to groups
of people, such as the blind, who cannot enjoy the wide variety of
graphical multimedia games being produced.

I hope that this collection has provided you who are unfamiliar with
interactive fiction with a good introduction and range of titles to wet
your appetite. Many more adventures await you on the Internet, and
still more await their author's creative energy. The information in
this collection should enable those who are interested to stay current
with events in the IF community. You should also be aware that very few
of the games in this collection are regarded by their authors as
completely perfected. Be on the alert for updates to games you are
particularly fond of. These are usually announced on the newsgroups and
posted to the IF-Archive on the ftp.gmd.de site.

I extend my best wishes to all those who travel to the many worlds of
interactive fiction, and would hope that you remember that the journey
can teach you much about yourself and those who travel with you. These
games are constantly asking their players what they would do in given
situations, and the answers you come up with can tell a lot about who
you are as a person as well as a player. Until next time, good luck,
and farewell.

Sincerely:
Michael Feir, Editor of Audyssey
E-mail address: michaelfeir@csi.com