HNRS 304.503 Lab 2 – Interactive Fiction
Your task is design a work of interactive fiction, with these guidelines:
- Use Inform 7, which is installed on the lab machines and accessible under Computer Science in the Start Menu.
- The team as a whole should agree on an overarching plot, mood, etc.
- Each team member is responsible for designing and coding two rooms, with the input and support of their teammates. Rooms should not be completely independent from others’ rooms. That is, the puzzles and interactions should span across the entirety of the work.
- Your work must contain things the player can interact with and custom actions for using and applying them. No specific number is requested.
- Your work must be published on the course blog. (No publicly identifying information needs to be released.) In Inform, go to Release > Release. Send your instructor the *.zblorb file. He will upload it and send a link back to you that you can publish.
- Have a blog post made with a link to your playable world before October 8.
Here are some resources you might consider as you try to translate your dreams into the language of Inform 7:
- Your instructor.
- The in-class example (play it):
“Walking in the Pines” by Chris Johnson
Use American dialect, full-length room descriptions, and the serial comma.
When play begins, say “When I woke up this morning, it seemed the woods were calling me. I put on my boots and headed out.”
The Pine Woods is a room. “Tall pine trees bend gently to and fro in the wind. Last year’s needles blanket the forest floor. The woods seem to stretch on in all directions. You don’t mind.”
Some pine needles are scenery in the Pine Woods. “The needles are paired together. These are red pines.”
Instead of taking pine needles, say “You start to take the needles, but you realize that these woods are their home.”
Some tall pine trees are scenery in the Pine Woods. Understand “tall trees”, “trees”, “pines”, “pine trees” as the tall pine trees. “Your eyes follow a tree along its skyward stretch. Beautiful.”
The Pine Woods is north of the Pine Woods. The Pine Woods is east of the Pine Woods. The Pine Woods is south of the Pine Woods. The Pine Woods is west of the Pine Woods.
A pine cone is a thing. “A branch dances in front of you, from which hangs a pine cone. You’ve never seen finer craftsmanship.”
Instead of examining the pine cone, say “So small. So mathematical.”.
The number of turns in woods is a number that varies.
Every turn when in the Pine Woods:
now the number of turns in woods is number of turns in woods + 1;
if the number of turns in woods > 1 and the player does not have the pine cone:
now the pine cone is in the Pine Woods;After taking pine cone:
say “You tug at the precious cone. It resists. You tug harder. Suddenly you hear a loud crack. The tree starts to lean and blackness comes over you.”;
now the player is in the White Mist;White Mist is a room. “The black slowly fades to white. Bright white. You shield your eyes with one hand and push yourself up with the other. Instead of feeling needles, your hand finds cloud.”
Misty Figure is a man in the White Mist. “A misty figure leans over you with a concerned look.” Understand “figure” as Misty Figure.
Instead of giving the pine cone to the Misty Figure:
say “The figure takes the pine cone and produces a pen. From the pen emerges a fiery light. You can’t help but cover your eyes.When the light subsides, you find yourself back in the woods. In your hand lies the pine cone, which smokes slightly.
Emblazened on its scales are the words ‘I AM.'”;
end the game in victory. - Beginner’s Guide to Interactive Fiction with Inform 7
- Write a Text Adventure With Inform 7
- Inform 7 Handbook
Riddle Example
"Arithmetic Riddle" by "Bill Dollar"
The Testing Center is a room. "Sterile flourescent light fills the room."
The Tester is a person in the Testing Center.
Instead of asking the Tester about something:
say "'What is 2 + 3?'"
Instead of answering the Tester that:
say "No."
Instead of answering the Tester that "[five]":
say "Correct.";
end the game in victory.
Understand "tell [someone] [text]" as answering it that. Understand "tell [someone] that [text]" as answering it that.
Understand "5" or "five" as "[five]".
The interaction:
Arithmetic Riddle
An Interactive Fiction by Bill Dollar
Release 1 / Serial number 120917 / Inform 7 build 6G60 (I6/v6.32 lib 6/12N) SDTesting Center
Sterile flourescent light fills the room.You can see a Tester here.
>ask Tester about his summer
“What is 2 + 3?”>tell Tester 6
No.>tell Tester 5
Correct.
*** You have won ***
Getting player input
See http://inform7.com/learn/man/Rex194.html#e194.
Stopping all actions but looking and open eyes a quality is met
"Release" by "Bill Dollar"
Open eyes is a truth state that varies. Open eyes is false.
The Lab is a room. "[open eyes][if open eyes is true]The lab is full of computers.[otherwise]Your eyes are closed.[end if]"
fooboo is an action applying to nothing. Understand "fooboo" as fooboo.
Understand "open eyes" as fooboo.
Carry out fooboo:
now open eyes is true.
Instead of doing anything other than fooboo, looking when open eyes is false:
say "Not gonna do it.".