Titans of the Computer Gaming World

Ardai on Infocom

Part IV of V

Charles Ardai

Chapter One

With a tip of the hat to those who have gone before, the author plunges determinedly into a study of Infocom, the source for text adventures.

Surprise!

You thought you knew Infocom like the back of your hand. Whether that hand held a glowing sword of Elvish antiquity, a Stellar Patrol scrub brush, or no tea, you knew what to expect: the best text adventures on the market, each written in a unique prose style which you either love or loathe; a consistency of subject matter and tone; and a degree of craftsmanship and pride in developing quality material which has won virtually all the most highly coveted awards in the industry for Infocom.

Recently, however, things have begun to change. The change is not in quality because, except for Seastalker, Infocom has never released a notably disappointing game (and that was years ago). Stylistic changes have abounded, though, and if they have not all been positive, they are, at least, well-intentioned. From programming to packaging, Infocom has been "pushing back the envelope" of the interactive fiction field. More "pushing" is on its way.

There is no way to tell if Infocom's new ventures will be successful and, despite their miles-long track record, one is tempted to point to the lukewarm receptions received by experiments such as A Mind Forever Voyaging, Fooblitzky, and their database, Cornerstone. Successful or not, however, one thing is certain -- the nature of Infocom's software can no longer be taken for granted.

Some suggest that most of the alterations one sees in Infocom's characteristic style and development philosophy are the direct result of ownership by Activision. Though the two companies remain largely autonomous, it would be difficult to deny that Activision has an influence on the directions that Infocom pursues. Furthermore, the changes reflect decisions which seem typical of Activision (e.g. adding sound effects to certain versions of The Lurking Horror or releasing nine new products this year as compared to as few as three in previous years.

Still, one should not rob credit for the company's new directions from the decision makers at Infocom. The Infocom philosophy is, and has always been, a curious blend of risk-taking and reliance on past success. Thus, one has the increased interactivity of Ballyhoo at the same time as Spellbreaker, a.k.a. Enchanter III (a.k.a. Zork VI), or one is confronted with the expanded memory requirements of A Mind Forever Voyaging and Trinity, while one may also relax comfortably in the highly traditional puzzle solving of Hollywood Hijinx or Stationfall.

While this strategy could be potentially over-cautious, it has always been successful for Infocom. Since it has been so successful, gamers have become less and less wary when Infocom announces new developments. In this past, they have almost all been improvements. Why should that change now?

Indeed, the situation shows no sign of changing. Though Infocom currently plans a more thorough overhaul of their systems than has previously taken place, their timing is ideal. The market seems just about ready for Infocom games which feature sound, graphics and new formats of play. If this is not so, however, and profits are not doubled as a result of players hearing Floyd's [Ed. - the inimitable Floyd the Droid!] joints creak, Infocom is prepared, as usual. Another Zork spinoff is in the works, as is one or more absolutely traditional adventure games.

Several years ago, I was chatting with someone at Infocom and he revealed to me that a voice-controlled Zork had been developed, but was not going to be released until the market was ready to support it. Since then, many games have been released, each one heralding some new feature: the first of the now standardized packages (Cutthroats), the first licensed title (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy), and others. Yet, somewhere in the offices of this real-world equivalent of the Great Underground Empire lies a version of Zork which responds to voice commands. Somewhere near that gem, no doubt, is a game with unfathomable graphic capabilities undergoing development. A few doors down, Infocom's prophets must be looking even further into the future and gleaning ideas for ever newer ways to "expand the methods," as Infocom representative Cindy Weiss says, "of exploiting the multimedia aspects of interactive storytelling." With material, talent, and ambition like this on tap, a brighter-than-ever future for Infocom is virtually assured.

Chapter Two

The author recounts his own experiences with an uncontrollable passion for Infocom's peculiar brand of interactive fiction.

I have some friends who simply cannot understand why I and so many others adore text adventures. Most of them admit that if I have to adore them, Infocom's are the ones to adore, but they still cannot comprehend the allure of a screen filled solely with text or of a simulation of life so terribly restricted. One, the manager of the neighborhood "Software City" that has appeared in prior installments of this series, gave up on Infocom after encountering the first signpost in Enchanter.

Another, a noted gaming columnist and budding novelist, admitted recently that he hates text adventures. Further, the terrible thing is, I can't even answer their objections. Ever since I played my first Infocom game -- Planetfall, as I recall -- I was hooked, tolerating even the abominably slow Commodore 1541 disk drive in my zeal for the genre. To those who just shake their heads in pity, I offer no defense. The puzzles are frequently silly, the situations are contrived, and the choices to be made are limited, but I play every single game Infocom makes, and I enjoy them. Some I enjoy more, some less, but I always enjoy them on some fundamental level.

There is a certain satisfaction to be gained from solving even the silliest of Infocom's puzzles, a feeling whose existence is common knowledge to the crossword puzzle enthusiast or the mystery-story reader. If the situations happen to be of limited scope, how much more so are the situations depicted in a film or novel?

Of course, there is not a single Infocom game which can compare, on any level, to a great novel. There are, needless to say, different emotional and intellectual responses upon finishing A Passage to India and completing Leather Goddesses of Phobos. When you do finish Leather Goddesses, though, there is a pleasantly euphoric sense of triumph to be had. This must be, I suppose, partially a joy at triumphing over the machine and partially a satisfaction at having beaten the game's author in a battle of wits. Is an adventure game really more than a highly elaborate version of "Twenty Questions?" Interactive fiction has less in common with modern fiction than it does with the age-old pastime of riddling -- and perhaps, it is this basic connection that accounts for the success of so many fantasy games played out against medieval backdrops.

Therefore, it is fair to say that Infocom's games are, most of the time, just entertaining puzzles, albeit very entertaining ones. Sometimes, however, and not terribly infrequently, either, Infocom's writers create a portion of a game which transcends its medium and bridges the gap between interactivity and fiction, between activity and art. When a game can make a character come alive, establish a conflict whose resolution can be separated from the resolution of an individual puzzle or riddle, or when a passage of prose or a sequence of events elicits a response from the player which exists outside the strict confines of the game, an adventure game has become a transcendent work. This is the case with parts of Planetfall, Spellbreaker, and A Mind Forever Voyaging, to name a few appropriate examples.

Even if none of these are A Passage to India, or even Lake Woebegon Days, they are unquestionably light years ahead of the text adventures made by other companies. Synapse came close with Mindwheel, but that game collapsed under the weight of its poor operating system combined with that of virtual cartloads of artistic pretensions.

Infocom doesn't pretend to be anything other than what it is. What makes Infocom games special is not just their entertainment value as interactive fiction, but also as interactive fiction. Thus, it is this precarious balance which makes Infocom games so good.

Chapter Three

In which the author not only highlights Infocom's two newest games, but also previews their next three, the latter being a matter of utmost secrecy at press time.

Interestingly, rather than pursue new directions in fiction, Infocom is returning to many traditional aspects of adventure gaming. Even their newest ventures are more experiments with new types of gameplay than they are experiments in plot or characterization. Nevertheless, don't be surprised if, as you play these games, you see a greater finesse to the writing or discover some strikingly memorable text. It is, after all, what we have come to expect from Infocom.

The first two games mentioned are already available. The latter three are due to be released this fall. Information concerning the yet-to-be-released games comes directly from Cindy Weiss or other Infocommies. So, if something changes in the meantime, they are the ones to yell at.

The Lurking Horror (Dave Lebling): This seems to be Lebling's paen to his M.I.T. days, with a bit of horror thrown in so that the title makes sense. You are on a snowbound Massachusetts college campus with a twenty page essay to write and a word processor which cheerfully transports you into a demon-ridden pit at the drop of a Find-And-Replace. Homages to the horror canon, from Ghostbusters to The Twilight Zone, fill the story (as do several moments of true terror). Stephen King couldn't have done it better.

Stationfall (Steve Meretzky): I've been begging Infocom for a sequel to Planetfall for years. They finally came through. Floyd is back, as is the cutting satire of the original, and the story is every bit as fascinating as the plague on Resida was. A trip to a space station goes awry because of an alien artifact that was brought on board. Some parts of the story are disturbing, but on the whole, Stationfall is a worthy successor. Now, how about Planetfall III?

Plundered Hearts (Amy Briggs): As the title suggests, this will be Infocom's first romance, a bodice-ripper set on the high seas of the 17th Century. The genre is a bit unusual, but if anyone can pull it off [Ed. - the bodice?], it's Amy Briggs. Of course, if it weren't unusual, it wouldn't be Infocom.

Nord and Bert Couldn't Make Heads or Tail of It (Jeff O'Neill): Yes, that's "tail," singular. Cindy promises that the package art will make it all clear. More importantly, this game contains eight separate short stories -- Infocom's first short fiction -- and a "new style of wordplay." O'Neill also wrote Ballyhoo and if the wordplay is along the lines of the mousetrap puzzle, players are in for a great time.

And now for the biggie... Beyond Zork (Brian Moriarty): This continuation of the Zork series is set in the Zork universe and contains elements of role-playing games. That is, you will be able to make your own character with distinct attributes and possessions and send him through an all-new Zork adventure. No doubt this will call upon Wishbringer-like multiple solutions to puzzles, extended to a nearly inconceivable degree. Frankly, I can't wait to see it.

Chapter Four

An exceedingly short chapter in which is presented the author's advice to Infocom.

1. Don't fall into the Activision trap of decreasing quality in the wake of increased productivity.
2. Don't make the openings in the new packages so small that it is nearly impossible to slide the manuals in.
3. Don't panic.

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