~2 minute readNew On The Charts
Planetfall
A weekly feature spotlighting a new title on Billboard's computer software or video games chart.
PLANETFALL
#20 Home Entertainment
Infocom's unique form of computer software, dubbed interactive fiction, is exemplified in this science fiction text adventure. The adventure commences through written commands between the user and the computer; at no time do graphics appear.
"That's why it's called interactive fiction," says a spokesman for the Massachusetts firm. "It's like interacting with a novel, taking control of each character's destiny. The user is left to visualize action."
According to Steve Meretzky, the author of "Planetfall," it's the player involvement and challenge that have brought this title success. He describes it as "a puzzle incorporating many of the rooms and objects found in other Infocom adventures."
In "Planetfall," the main character is an an Ensign Seventh Class who is marooned on what is believed to be a desolate planet. The only noticeable inhabitant is a robot named Floyd.
During game play, Floyd provides comic relief and an occasional hint to help the user get back on the right track. "Eventually," says Meretzky, "the user learns that the entire population of the planet is trapped in suspended animation. You (the user) must figure out how to awaken the inhabitants."
Infocom's products are said to contain a proprietary form of artificial intelligence that was developed by the company's founders. The 27-year-old Meretzky, an MIT graduate, was hired on at Infocom as a game tester a few years ago. He started designing "Planetfall" in September, 1982 and one year later saw the release of his game, described as a cross between "Suspended" and "Star Cross," two other titles from the firm.
In two years, "Planetfall" has sold about 100,000 copies. It retails for $40. Ages 14 to adult are the primary target audience for the game. Part of the title's success rides on its innovative packaging, containing background reading and props pertaining to game action. Giardini/Russell, a Boston advertising firm, works with Infocom to put together its packaging.
Says Infocom's Marc Blank: "Sometimes the packaging takes longer to develop than the software. True, the packaging is an important marketing/sales tool, but we have made the information in the packages an integral part of the game. It sets the mood."
This article appeared in
Billboard
Aug 1984
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