diff --git a/README.org b/README.org index ae774f0..fc92bfd 100644 --- a/README.org +++ b/README.org @@ -1,17 +1,19 @@ * Challenge: Interactive Fiction *** Introduction - [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interactive_fiction][Interactive fiction]] (IF), also known as text adventures, are computer games in - which you must rely on your imagination to provide the visuals. They - represent one of the earliest forms of computer entertainment. Originating - in the 1970s, they reached their zenith in the 1980s, with classic Infocom - games such as Zork and The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy. While most - gamers have moved on to more graphically rich games, there remains a [[http://www.ifarchive.org/][strong - community]] of interactive fiction writers and players to this day. - - I've always loved interactive fiction. Like most kids getting into - programming, I taught myself to program in order to write my own games. The - very first program I ever wrote was a tiny text adventure game, written in - the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/REXX][REXX]] programming language. + [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interactive_fiction][Interactive fiction]] (IF) games, also known as text adventures, are computer + games in which you must rely on your imagination to provide the + visuals. They represent one of the earliest forms of computer + entertainment. Originating in the 1970s, they reached their zenith in the + 1980s, with classic Infocom games such as Zork and The Hitchiker's Guide to + the Galaxy. At their best, interactive fiction games offer rich interaction, + engrossing storylines, and phenomenal writing. While most gamers have moved + on to more graphically rich games, there remains a [[http://www.ifarchive.org/][strong community]] of + interactive fiction writers and players to this day. + + I've always loved interactive fiction. Like most people who got into + programming young, as a teenager I first taught myself to program in order + to write my own games. The very first program I ever wrote was a tiny text + adventure game, written in the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/REXX][REXX]] programming language. While I've since moved on to writing other kinds of software, I still think writing interactive fiction engines is a great way to get a feel for a new @@ -22,7 +24,7 @@ In order to write a successful IF engine, you must deal with challenges such as: - - Modeling the interactions of real-world objects (such as rooms, objects, + - Modeling the interactions of real-world objects (such as rooms, items, and players) in software. - Interpreting a Domain-Specific Language (DSL) in order to load games. - Dealing with unpredictable user input.