Theory of IF Design


The design of IF is often the subject of debate on rec.arts.int-fiction. Many elements of game design do not follow hard-and-fast rules. Does IF have to have puzzles? What makes a game fun to play? How can you introduce effective prose if it is chopped up and dribbled out in response to player input?

Discussion of puzzleless IF
Are puzzles a necessity in interactive fiction? Or is it possible to create puzzleless IF and still have it be IF?
Gameplay theory: leaving objects behind
Is it better for a game to prevent you from leaving behind an object you'll need later but be unable to retrieve, or should it let you forget the object, forcing you to restart the game later?
Amoral behavior in IF
Have you ever noticed how many games have you behave in a manner which is not acceptible in polite company (taking things that don't belong to you, tresspassing on private property, etc.)?
Continuation of "Amoral behavior..."
A continuation of the above discussion.
More continuation of "Amoral behavior..."
More thoughts on the above topic.
Stuff about IF
Discussion of what makes IF fun to play.
Instant death
Is it bad for a game to kill you without warning?
Arbitrary death
Continuation of the above topic.
Space and weight limitations in IF
Does limiting the number of objects a player can carry add to a game, or does it detract from the experience?
Getting games into unsolvable states
Should you allow the player to reach a point at which he or she cannot win?
Fine writing in IF
Proposition: interactive fiction does not encourage good prose. Agree or disagree?
Randomness in games
Do you find it frustrating to play games in which the outcome of an action is determined randomly?
New games versus old games
Many people still enjoy playing Scott Adams' games, even though they have a two-word parser and limited plot. Why is that?
Gratuitous objects
Does adding objects that aren't necessary to solve any puzzles detract from or add to IF?
Realistic or over-detailed?
How many objects can a game have before the objects become distracting?
Are text games male oriented?
Self-explanatory.
First person adventure games?
Have people tried writing IF from the first-person viewpoint?
Frustration in text adventurers
Thoughts on what frustrates people who play IF.
What makes a good game
A post about what makes a game good.
Bill of Rights
The player's bill of rights, by Graham Nelson.
User-selected difficulty levels
Have people tried writing IF in which the player can choose the difficulty level?
Player character's personality
How can you show the personality of the player character without beating the player over the head with it?


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Copyright © 1997-2000, Stephen Granade