Text Adventures

[Jason Tandro]

Okay so I did a more thorough look this time and even did a search and I didn't see a topic on this, so hopefully this is a legit new topic.

Text Adventures. INFOCOM. The glory days of using words to play a game. Anybody grow up on these? Beastly games like the legendary Zork series, Enchanter, Moonmist, Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy (yes, it was awesome). Even some of the early games that were text based but also incorporated graphics such as King's Quest.

I loved these games growing up. Zork especially was such a huge part of my childhood. The concept of "Grues" made me scared of the dark. (A fear exacerbated when the point and click "Return To Zork" came out).

You can actually find a lot of these online now. You can play the original Zork here in your browser.

You can find the entire Lost Treasures of Infocom set available for play on Apple Devices here

Wanna make your own Text Adventure games? You can do so using some very user friendly software found here. I may or may not but definitely am using it to make a text adventure of my own.

But for real, anybody else play these? I know we have some 80's kids up in here.

 

[Octo]

I remember there was something I used to play on my uncles ancient Amstrad, but I can't for the life of me remember what it was called.

Years later I discovered Zork, and I don't think I ever completed it (because I'm rubbish!) but I was struck by how much atmosphere it conjoured up. Good times.

 

[Blade]

I remember tinkering with a few Apple games that simulated playing games with stats on the old "green screen"... but I never really got in to them.

Retrogamer Magazine had a few decent articles on the topic, if memory serves.

 

[Shadowfox]

I remember these fondly. Most of the earliest games I'd ever played on the family personal computer were text adventure games. Titles that come to mind are Witness, Escape from Rungistan, Zork, Leather Goddesses of Phobos, Planetfall, and the early Sierra adventure games.

I wonder, does anyone recall a text adventure game where you're a treasure hunter? It involves you diving into the deep oceans to salvage valuables and sunken treasure. One of the hazards involved coming across a giant octopus, and the wrong action would result in you getting gobbled up by it. I've been trying to remember the title of this game for a while now...

 

[Jason Tandro]

Mmm, never played that one. Looking up a list the only one I found is this.

The only treasure hunter one that I played specifically was called Infidel, but that was plundering an egyptian tomb.

 

[Shadowfox]

No, that wasn't it, but thanks anyway. I do remember playing Infidel, but I don't think I managed to finish it.