Factoids, frivolity, flimflam, flotsam, and folderol about Inform 7 and, sometimes, IF at large. Guaranteed 100% unofficial.
by @zedlopez
NarraScope news: we have keynote speakers and a schedule!
https://narrascope.org/schedule
We have registration open!
https://narrascope2025.eventbrite.com/
We have other info on the web site too.
Join us in Philadelphia in June. Hope to see you there.
#Narrascope registration is open! https://narrascope.org/
It's June 20-22. It's a hybrid event, physically at Drexel University in Philadelphia. (I'll be attending online.)
Invisiclues.org: a new Infocom fan site which collects a *lot* of contemporary articles.
New project!
The Visible Zorker: a toy which lets you explore Zork 1 *and* the source code that makes it go. An exercise in making software transparent.
https://eblong.com/infocom/visi-zork1/
A post about how and why I did this:
https://blog.zarfhome.com/2025/01/the-visible-zorker
Enjoy!
Verbs that Inform stands ready to provide the present participle of include:
- schappe
- stravaig
- ouglie
- peenge
- jeelie
- cicerone
- posset
- scoog
- challan
- misken
- reaedifye
- longe
- recce
- chasse
- dele
- tyran
Today is the final day to vote on #Ifcomp2024 !
The 2024 Roguelike Celebration is this weekend and talks will be livestreamed on YouTube and Twitch.
Thus saying it produces an indefinite article, "a" or "an", per Inform's best idea of which is appropriate.
`A thing called the box is in the lab`, however, assigns "the" to the box's `indefinite article` property. (Yes, English's definite article ends up in the "indefinite article" property.)
This was prompted by @zarfeblong here:
https://intfiction.org/t/creating-a-cigar-item-with-values/71133/11
❝As a rule, if “K” is the name of a kind, just never put the word “the” before it.❞
Keeping that in mind will prevent errors.
Beginners to #Inform7 frequently get into trouble by confusing creating a kind of object with creating an object, e.g., saying:
A desk is a kind of supporter.
Check touching the desk: [...]
That'll compile just fine, since Inform is insensitive to what articles you use in code in most places An important exception is after `called` in object creation.
`The box is in the lab` will result in the creation of a thing named `box` whose `indefinite article` property is "", the empty text.
As you know, Alice, the 30th Annual Interactive Fiction Competition is here!
67 new games ! Betcha can't play just one!
Long shot, but has anyone played Broderbund's 1986 #InteractiveFiction piece Breakers? I got nerd-sniped into trying it, and it's sitting there bugging me. I poked at it for a couple hours last year sometime? And then again just teday.
I feel like I've figured out *so many* things but none of them really lead anywhere yet and I can't tell if I'm on the right track and just need to find the correct incantation, or if I'm completely off the mark. I've mapped out the Gaks' movement but haven't found a disguise: I thought I knew what I was looking for but I'm not able to get it from where I thought it was...
Regardless, what a wild game.
this is a nice weekly zine.
it's definitely worth checking out (even if you choose to skip the part with me in it)!
https://if-whats-new.itch.io/whats-new-in-if-2024-zines/devlog/783324/whats-new-in-if-issue-18
#interactivefiction #topexpert #goldmachine #repeattheending
"I disapprove of what the fascists say, but I will defend to the death their right to say it"
"They're saying they're going to kill millions."
"Well yes; surely you didn't think I meant I would defend to MY death their right to say it."
The 29th IFComp starts September 1, which means that *right now* donations are being solicited for the IFComp Colossal Fund.
https://blog.ifcomp.org/post/162478013529/announcing-the-ifcomp-colossal-fund
If you'd prefer to donate some kind of good or service in lieu of (or in addition to) cash, the directions for how to do so are here:
https://ifcomp.org/about/prizes#donatingprizes
Like last year, I am again donating an Inform 7 code review.
Deep dive into text differences among different versions of Zork:
https://datadrivengamer.blogspot.com/2019/04/versions-of-zork-i-and-their-text.html
Starting today, one may formally declare their intent to submit a game to #ifcomp2024
August 1 is the last day one may do so.
Remember, this year the Comp starts at the beginning of September, not October!
#ParserComp voting has begun; get your 17 new parser games here:
Instead, it creates new colors:
your color, Alice's color, Bob's color.
If, instead, one said
Every color is liked by a person.
Inform would create 7 new people, each known only as "person".
So, don't use this construction unless creating new things is what you mean to do.
Assertions with "Every <kind> <relation-verbs> <kind>" *always* means creating things, even if it isn't logically necessary.
This code:
--
lab is a room.
color is a kind of value. The colors are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet.
alice is a person in the lab.
bob is a person in the lab.
Appreciation relates a person to a color.
The verb to like means the appreciation relation.
every person likes a color.
--
doesn't attempt to have anyone like the predefined colors.
At any rate, the compiler allows `Every nose is part of a person` but it won't create any noses. It's functionally meaningless. So, getting back on subject, one of:
Every person incorporates a nose. [or, equivalently]
A nose is a part of every person.
is what you want for things to actually be created.
