Newsgroups: rec.games.int-fiction
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From: cinnamon@kaiwan.com (Dweller in Faerie)
Subject: Re: Infocom game *compiler* available?
Message-ID: <CFJro4.CM2@kaiwan.com>
Organization: KAIWAN Internet Access (310-527-4279,714-539-0829,830-606[1 to 4] guest)
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References: <wgnMVTv0Bwxd5G=1IK@transarc.com>
Date: Wed, 27 Oct 1993 08:31:16 GMT
Lines: 23

Pat_Barron@transarc.com wrote:
> I know there are several programs (which I already have) that can take
> the story files from Infocom games, and run them on various platforms.
> But my question is - has anyone implemented some kind of compiler or
> game development system, that might let me create my own story file, and
> run it with one of the freely-available interpreters?

...there's Inform, which is available on the if-archive; it compiles
a rather nifty-looking language into Infocom V3 story files.  I seem
to have problems compiling it under DOS in any way; I get strange error
messages even after I get the data segments sorted out.  (I hate trying
to program for OS's with non-flat memory spaces; when I get my '386, you
can bet I'll try it with DJGPP.)  I did get it compiled under SunOS v4,
and it works fairly well.

One caveat: you have to write your own parser!  The distribution comes
with a halfway-decent one imbedded in the sample game, but it could use
some work.


-- 
R. Dominick
falling aside coloured white save confide broken insight
