Monthly Archives: October 2008

IFComp: Adventures in Capture

Venturing ever farther with the next batch of IFComp entries, as I review my initial impressions of each game’s opening (introduction, “About” screens, and the first location), summarized by the Capture Score from 1 (intriguing; a definite play) to 4 (dreadful and forgettable). Just a reminder, no spoilers here, just early impressions.

Games covered here include “Grief”, “April in Paris”, “Ananachronist”, and “LAIR of the CyberCow”.

“Grief”, by Simon Christiansen

This game starts by asking me if I’m male or female. I like when games do this, given the extra amount of work that this typically requires, although I don’t yet know how well this is incorporated into the game or what kind of impact it might have on the [More...] Read the rest

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Monks, Manuscripts, and Modern Technology

And now for something completely different.

This has nothing to do with the IF Comp. Nor does this have anything to do with adventure games, interactive fiction, or indie game development. It does, however, concern a medieval European abbey and the intersection between monks, manuscripts, and modern technology, and if you haven’t noticed I just can’t help but be drawn to juicy stuff like that.

I caught this story in the NY Times while traveling on a cross-country flight, and thanks to the miracle of the web you, too, can partake. John Tagliabue reports that a vast collection of handwritten medieval books and manuscripts, one of the oldest and most valuable collections in the world, is going online with the support of a grant from [More...] Read the rest

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IFComp: Capture Me This

Onward with the next batch of IFComp entries, as I review my initial impressions of each game’s opening (introduction, “About” screens, and the first location), summarized by the Capture Score from 1 (intriguing; a definite play) to 4 (dreadful and forgettable). Just a reminder, no spoilers here, just early impressions.

Hard to believe, but with this next set I find myself only halfway through all of this year’s entries — and I’m only reporting my initial impressions.

Games covered here include “Dracula’s Underground Crypt”, “Search for the Ultimate Weapon”, “Cry Wolf”, and “Snack Time!”.

“Dracula’s Underground Crypt”, by Alex Whitington

Upon opening the game, I’m notified immediately that this release may be less than ideal because of the author’s recently [More...] Read the rest

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IFComp: EnCaptured

Continuing yet again with the next batch of IFComp entries, as I review my intial impressions of each game’s opening (introduction, “About” screens, and the first location), summarized by the Capture Score from 1 (intriguing; a definite play) to 4 (dreadful and forgettable). Just a reminder, no spoilers here, just early impressions.

Games covered here include “Violet”, “The Absolute Worst IF Game in History”, and “The Ngah Angah School of Forbidden Wisdom”.

“Violet”, by Jeremy Freese

“Violet” is a game that begins with a more minimalist approach; no long introduction, just what sounds like an initial conversation between two people. And I’m apparently a procrastinating writer; the ABOUT screen notifies me that I am the boyfriend of the character (Violet) narrating [More...] Read the rest

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IFComp: Searching For Capture

Forging onward with the next batch of IFComp entries, as I review my intial impressions of each game’s opening (introduction, “About” screens, and the first location), summarized by the Capture Score from 1 (intriguing; a definite play) to 4 (dreadful and forgettable). Just a reminder, no spoilers here, just early impressions.

Games covered here include “Nightfall”, “Trein”, and “Red Moon”.


“Nightfall”, by Eric Eve

This is the next game from Eve, another veteran IF author with previous notable works like “The Elysium Enigma” and “All Hope Abandon”. I’m already biased, knowing the quality of his work, but even if I could evaluate the opening of this game objectively I’m sure it would score well. The quality and polish of his [More...] Read the rest

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