Interactive Fiction

"Interactive fiction, often abbreviated as IF, describes software containing simulated environments in which players use text commands to control characters." -- Wikipedia

Year Six and Year Seven have been looking at IF stories as a way of breaking down a known story into its constituent parts (locations, characters, situations, problems/solutions). They have also explored creating their own stories using a free program called Inform (available for Mac, Windows & Linux).

The majority of IF 'games' require an interpreter to run the game file (like you need to download a program to open a spreadsheet). The two main interpreters are Inform (for Z-code games) and TADS.

'Playing' an interactive fiction game revolves around you typing instructions to the computer and reading what happens. You can say things like

• 'north' to go north (or just 'n')
• 'get book' to pick something up
• 'examine book' (or just 'x book') for more information (often essential)
• look (or just 'l') to see where you are, and where you can go next
• 'inventory' (or i) for a list of what you're holding

As with any 'normal' story, IF stories have an introductory section, where you find out who you are and where you are. Then there's the 'problem' (or a series of problems) and finally you 'finish' the story.

Web Links

• To play interactive fiction, download Zoom: Mac / Windows / Unix
• To create interactive fiction, use Inform
• Database of interactive fiction games
• Adventure Book - create paragraphs and link them together
• The Red-Headed League by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
• IF Archive
• Baf's Guide to Interactive Fiction

• Download Toonesia - Bugs Bunny game (good introduction to IF) - right-click & Save target as...'
• Download TADS interpreter - required to play Bugs Bunny and other games ending in .gam
• Download 'Attack of the B-Movie Clichés' - You're an 8-year-old who's just noticed that aliens have landed in your backyard...

• Download Z-code interpreter - required for games ending in .z5 (including all old Infocom titles)
• Download Colossal Cave - the original cave adventure treasure hunt
• Download 'Spider & web' - futuristic spy story with a twist. (Hint - start by 'x door' then 'x panel'. Use 'i' a lot)

Category: ICT, English

Author: Mr Kershaw