Document Actions
Getting Started with Interactive Fiction (IF)
Brief guide to the technical process of playing IF games.
Introduction
This guide is just a quick little rundown to help someone get started playing interactive fiction, if they've never done so before. IF, like most 'underground' or niche hobbies, can appear a little impenetrable to the uninitiated. But, again like most niche hobbies, IF is populated with amazingly passionate people who welcome newcomers, and it's just a matter of getting bootstrapped into the activity. The rewards are well worth it, and unique beyond description.
This guide does nothing more than document the barest minimum of steps necessary to get started, and defers entirely to the well-worn and comprehensive online resources that make up the foundation of the IF world.
Links
Core Resources
The IF Archive
Baf's Guide to the IF Archive
Interactive Fiction Database
IF Wiki (FAQ)
Brass Lantern
SPAG (online magazine)
Gargoyle Player (old homepage)
Inform (the programming language frequently for IF)
Newbie Stuff
Brass Lantern Beginner Articles
Jess Knoch's Newbie Guide
How To Play An IF Game
To play interactive fiction, you'll need a, well, player. And I don't mean you, the player, I mean a program that can interpret and execute the data format(s) in which most interactive fiction games are distributed. Unlike most PC games, IF games are distributed as just the game content, in one format or another, and they rely on an external program or interpreter to actually run the game (kind of like how music is distributed as just the music data, and you need a separate music player to play it). I recommend the gargoyle player, as it is cross-platform, well-maintained, and supports most if not all of the common IF formats.
- Install the player program.
- Download the game you want to play.
- Games are almost always just a single file (*.glblorb, *.z5, etc..), but since they might create some additional files (saved games, configuration data, etc..) it's usually best to make a directory for each game that you're going to play, so things stay organized and you don't risk filename collisions.
- Just run your player program and point it at the game file. I.e.:
gargoyle slouching-towards-bedlam/slouch.z5
- Play! Most games will give you a little bit of instructional help right at the start, so just follow the tips and experiment. IF is all about experimentation.
- The resources listed above provide ample tutorial material for learning how to actually play IF games, which tend to exhibit enough de facto standards for interaction, commands, etc..
- Enjoy! And be sure to recycle your TV when you realize just what a mindless waste of time it represents compared to the intellectually stimulating challenge of Interactive Fiction.
