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Interactive Fiction Then and Now
Flipkin writes "Interactive Fiction was immensely popular in the 80s and believe it or not has a strong, albeit small, following today. MobyGames takes a look at the origins and history of Interactive Fiction and where it is heading." These games really were some of the best I've ever played.
In practice though, nobody did them. Why? because a failed luck stat either lead to death or a fight, and a failed fight lead to death. Noone's going to go back to the start of the book because they rolled a 5.
I am one of many. My idea is not unique, nor do I expect my voice alone to sway you. I speak in a chorus of opinion.
Since we're now delving into the realm of personal opinion and subjectivity, I disagree completely.
The tactile component of the maps and notes are very important. They allow the player to transcend the exegesis in a physically immersive way that computer-assisted gameplay simply cannot provide. In fact, I would argue that having a computer keep track of this information spoils the suspension of disbelief by introducing -- in most cases, and with the exception of the teletype itself -- anachronistic elements of game play. Furthermore, many puzzles I have encountered were only revealed throught discoveries made via mapping, and would have been immediately reveald had the computer provided an automap (from the first maze in Zork one, to the catacombs in Christminster 30 years later).
Perhaps automapping should be provided for people who can't be bothered to immerse themselves, like "Easy" levels in today's FPS: where you can skim the surface to get a feel for the game without a commitment. But a dimension of the richness is clearly lost.
However, I find that your not-so-subtle horn-blowing claims of being an older IF veteran stand in stark contrast to your words, and so I question the former.
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