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Editorials

I have a lot of opinions about adventure games. I like to write. Ergo, I have a lot of editorials about adventure games.

The Player Will Get It Wrong

No matter how many times you play your own game, you'll be hard-pressed to figure out what actual players will see when they play it.

Addicted to the New

When it comes to adventure games, the only new thing we demand from them is that their graphics be better than previous games. Shouldn't we want more?

The Struggles of Graphic Adventure Games

Graphic adventure games are far from the popular genre they once were. Two articles in particular got me to thinking about why graphic adventure games are having so much trouble.

How Adventure Games Age

Have you ever taken a look at old adventures, just to see how they've aged? How they look depends very heavily on whether they're graphic or text adventures.

Goodbye, Losing Your Grip

Once upon a time I wrote a very big text adventure game. Now most of my involvement with the game is done. Why, then, is moving on such a difficult thing to do?

The Player Character's Role in Game Design

In response to the game design section of the 4th Edition of the Inform Designer's Manual, Duncan Stevens takes a look at how the main character of a piece of interactive fiction can change the game itself.

"Easy" IF Languages

Eric Mayer discusses his experiences with Alan and ADRIFT, and why a so-called "easier" language may be the better choice for non-programmers.

The Hows and Whys of the Annual Interactive Fiction Competition

There are often discussions about how the annual interactive fiction competition should be changed. But why is the competition structured like it currently is?

Being Literate Computer Game Players

A look at what it takes to be a literate player of interactive fiction, and a discussion of why anyone would bother.

Plenty Annoyed

Okay, 'fess up. Often when you're playing IF, you get annoyed, right? So do I. Care to see if our list of gripes match up?

Artificial Intelligence in Adventure Games

Could artificial intelligence make IF better? Assuming the technical challenges presented by AI could be overcome, how much of a difference would it make in adventures? Perhaps less than we might think.

Teaching with Interactive Fiction: ESL

Can text adventures be used to teach English as a second language? A look at one man who's doing just that.

Teaching with Interactive Fiction: Critical Thinking Skills

Could teachers help their students learn critical thinking skills from text adventures? One teacher says yes; another says no.

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