Re: Announcing: Fyleet, Crobe, Sangraal

[Andrew Plotkin <erkyrath@netcom.com>]

In rec.arts.int-fiction Adam Atkinson <ghira@mistral.co.uk> wrote:
> On 27-Aug-99 15:05:14, J.D. Berry said:
> 
>>   While I like the idea behind Crobe and was psyched to play it, I
>>just became too frustrated with the parser to continue playing after
>>fifteen minutes.  Yes I know it's from the '80s.  Yes I appreciate the
>>work that went into it.  Yes I know I'm spoiled.
> 
> The games were all written with the two-word parser in mind, so there
> shouldn't be any NEED at all to say "go north and throw all but the
> ancient key under the bed".

But it's uncomfortable to be faced with a Crobe-master who says "You can
give things to me", and know that "give object to crobe" isn't the right
answer. I have to think about what to type, which isn't ideal. It's not
just a matter of ignoring all the four-word commands.

And I do get frustrated when no version of "examine" works. Even if it
would produce a "nothing interesting" message every time, it's still part
of my navigation instincts, and I feel a bit blinded when it's not there.

(Not to mention "l" and "i".)

I realize that this is an exercise in historical restoration, not a new
game project. Nonetheless, I'm not tremendously motivated to get into
these games.

--Z

"And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these were the
borogoves..."