Interactive Fiction

A beginner’s guide

What Is IF

Immersion with Text input Narrative voice More Story than Game

Classes of IF

Strong story, lots of plot interaction Strong story, less/no plot interaction Weak story, lots of interaction

Choose Your Starting Point

Plot Character Scenario/Incident Puzzle/Mechanic Theme Message

What IF is GOOD for

Low budget Tolkein/Animation Novels IF Bias?

Topics – Real or Fantasy?

Show us something new– Common mistakes

Overly familiar settings Hollywood Clichés

Making your Story Interactive

Using Inform

The Strengths of Inform

Custom Behaviors for Unique Objects– Hats– Books– Boxes

– Cards

The Strengths of Inform

Limited, Built-in Simulation– Movement– Location– Containment– Clothes– Item Use (on/off)

Declarative Implementations

Define new objects with custom abilities Shoes

– Clothing– State for tied or untied laces– Create “tie” and “untie” actions– Add code to prevent walking w/untied laces

A shoe puzzle?

Laces separate Barefoot player No laces – shoes fall off Uncrossable area

Simulation – Better or Worse?

Defining “lace-ness” of other objects– String– Roots from the ground– Hair

Not enough objects

The Big Secret:

Nearly every puzzle = locked door or container Challenge = Transparency Shoes

– Are they readily available?– Can the user find the laces?– If not – can the player build laces?– Can the player build shoes???

IF Design Problems

The Shoe Example

Transparency

Three cases:– Uncrossable area, findable shoes– Uncrossable area that makes it clear that shoes are

needed, buildable shoes– Uncrossable area, isn’t clear shoes are needed,

buildable shoes

Transparency

“Natural” or “Intrinsic” properties Pot Example

– Handle as shiv?– Realistic, but not transparent– Unless you demonstrate it before the player

acquires the pot

Simulation

Reality vs. Abstraction Constraining Interactions

– Rope– Cards

Emily Short– Magic transforms object shape, size, material

Complexity

Linearity – boring, but necessary Shoes, Water, Paint

– Design & Object Constraints– Simulation & Unexpected Solutions

The N2 Problem

Designing Flow

Challenging/Engaging the player FLOW charts –

– Show how events occur “in time” Sequentially Parallel Arbitrary order Interlocking components

Time and Location

Time is inherently spatial Objects are inherently time-bound

– Availability of objects in “play time”– Location of player in “play space”

Tips/Tricks

Design advice

Starting Points

Story – how does the player feel? Setting – what does the story contribute? Character – how will you do it w/o NPCs?

General Rules

N2 Problem – avoid treasure hunts Believability more important than reality Pay attention to the complexity

– Map out your story– Make decisions based on feasibility

Controlling Complexity

Don’t make too many objects Do the math Plot Clock Limit mobility Limit what is mobile in general Remove objects at certain points

Thanks

Sean Barrett, author of “Heroes” and other IF gems, can be reached at:

buzzard@nothings.org