I'm surprised (and happy) that people still play these games

[Mark Eaton]

Hi everyone, my first post here.


My name is Mark Eaton and I was both surprised and happy to find that the text adventure games that I wrote some 25 years are still going. Even my dad's, Barrie Eaton, are still going on.


My first published game was Castle Adventure when I was 13 in an Amstrad magazine. I loved playing those games back then but I forgot about them over time.


About 2 years ago dad showed me this site and a couple of others proving that people still played these games. Admittedly I didn't think too much about it at the time.


I tend to not use a computer for recreational purposes these days, preferring a smartphone or tablet instead.


And that got me thinking. What text adventure games are there for these devices?


Surprisingly I didn't find that may for Android. So I decided to convert one of my dad's game over to that device: Moonbase 3.


If anyone is interested this is the link to the demo: https://market.android.com/details?id=Moonbase3.demo


It has all the technological features of the complete version, except it is only 20% of the game.


If you like it then try the full version here for AU $2.00: https://market.android.com/details?id=Moonbase3.Complete


I incorporated some device technologies including:
1. Different font sizes
2. Speech to text so that you can have the game read aloud the text for you
3. Speech input so you can voice your commands
4. Gestures so that you can swipe an arrowhead to move north or south, and swipe left or right to move east or west.
5. And, of course, the classic text input.


I still love these games and would be interested in any feedback from people.


Let me know what you think!




Mark Eaton

[Gryzor]

Hello Mark!

Good to have you here! A plug, yes, but a welcome one if you ask me.

Just downloaded the demo to my phone, will hopefully play it within the day

T

PS Ooh, the full version says it's not compatible with any of my devices... Got a DesireHD and a Yinlips device, I wonder why?

[tastefulmrship]

Hola Mark! ^_^

As a matter of fact I'm in the process of helping another member here write an adventure, as well as trying to make the adventure games on the CASCADE CASSETTE 50 playable... instead of being impossible! At the same time I'm also going through the 'proper' adventure "Exchange" on the same disk!

I believe there is an audience for Interactive Fiction on iPad or mobile devices! They just need to be informed that it's out there!

Finally, I write speed-run walkthroughs for TellTale & Lucasarts adventures on XBLA and would love the challenge of trying to complete new adventures!

[Mark Eaton]

Hi Gryzor


Yes, a plug  ;-)


Try again for the full version. My first Android app and I think I did the configuration wrong on their development marketplace.


If you got the demo then you should be able to get the full version.


Please try again and let me know how you went.


I had a lot of fun creating the game. My dad wrote a few apps for the Amstrad and we are looking at porting them over to Android over the coming months. In fact doing this game has rekindled his spirit to try more.


Hope the download works this time.




Kind regards


Mark Eaton

[Mark Eaton]

Hi tastefulmrship


I agree with you that there is an audience out there. I don't know what the Apple app store has for these types of games, sounds like not much. I'm just surprised that there isn't more out there.


You're bring back memories for me too. The [size=78%]CASCADE CASSETTE 50? [/size]


My first computer was an Amstrad CPC464 with cassette deck and a green monitor (with 4 shades of green by memory). Is that what you are referring to?


It was that and text adventure games that got me into programming as a kid.


Sounds like you're busy playing these game so. I'm just getting back into them myself  :-)

[tastefulmrship]

You're bring back memories for me too. The [size=78%]CASCADE CASSETTE 50? [/size]

I think everyone owned a copy of this at some point in the 80s. Most of the games were dire and some of them weren't even programmed correctly (DUNGEON ADVENTURE for one), but it came with a free calculator-watch offer which was worth (at least) double the price of the CASSETTE 50 itself! It was also the first production I ever converted from TAPE to DISC using AMSKEY and TRANSIT.

Sounds like you're busy playing these game so. I'm just getting back into them myself  :-)

You may already know this site, but if not here's a great place to pick up big-box adventures; http://ifdb.tads.org/ (PC/Mac/Linux)
Recently, a few of us here played this game from that site; http://ifdb.tads.org/viewgame?id=btbvrvpttrzts917. See what you think of it.


If you want to stick to Amstrad adventures, then you can search the CPC-Power database for Infocom, Level 9, etc text adventures. And if you feel like trying a modern graphic adventure, then Orion Prime is your best bet! Of course, there's always EXCHANGE from CASSETTE 50 and JACK AND THE BEANSTALK, THE MONSTER'S FINEST HOUR & KINGDOM OF CRAAL from ACU & CWTA magazines if you want to sample simple BASIC adventures! The Wiki should have the links!

All CPC games work with WinAPE or any other CPC emulator if you don't have real hardware!


Alternatively, you could also play the mock-adventures of THY DUNGEONMAN by the great Videlectrix!
http://www.homestarrunner.com/dungeonman.html
http://www.videlectrix.com/thydungeonman2.html
http://www.homestarrunner.com/dman3.html

[Mark Eaton]

Thanks for all those links I'll keep them in mind. At the moment however I enjoy playing these games on my phone. I'm currently playing Hitch Hikers Guide To The Galaxy, a classic 1986 game that I never played on my old Amstrad.

[tastefulmrship]

I almost forgot... Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy on CPC!
http://www.cpc-power.com/index.php?page=detail&onglet=dsk&num=2811
(use in WinAPE or any other decent emulator)

Remember to take your towel with you!

[Gryzor]

Just a note, the 464 with Green monitor did not have only 4 shades of green,it had 27 - as many as the CPC's palette

[Mark Eaton]

Thanks for the Hitchhikers link. That French site sure is nostalgic!

In regards to the palette I think you're right. Although there was 27 shades of green it could only display 4 at once. Was that right? Really testing my memory here: -)

[steve]

Mode 0 would display 16 shades of green.
Mode 1 would display 4 shades of green.
Mode 2 would display 2 shades of green.

I never used a green monitor, but imagine some of the 27 shades must be duplicates so there may not actually be 27 shades.

[Mark Eaton]

Thanks Steve that makes sense. I used mode 1 as that struck a good balance between colours and screen resolution.