Hi, Ari.
See my answers below in the body of your message.

ari wrote:

> 1. Is it easy to write such a game? I'm assuming it is, since it requires
> only text.
>   

It is certainly much easier to write a text adventure than something 
like Shades of Doom. In fact in the mid to late 90's I began my game 
programming experience with text only adventures and quick text games 
for blackjack, and other text games.
Not only that they are the least costly type of games to write as you 
can use any free compiler that you want, and run them from a MS Windows 
command prompt.

> 2. Considering that I as yet have no programming knowledge, does anyone know
> of some documentation to start me off in the total basics?

Yes. There are several books out there free and commercial that can get 
you started. The only question is what kind of language you want to use. 
C++, Java, C#.net, VB.net, etc.


>  How much
> programming knowledge is required

Well, there are some core things you will have to learn for a text 
adventure like how to print text to the screen, create and use 
variables, functions, etc. Basically, the very basic fundimentals of 
your programming language of choice.

>  and can someone who knows absolutely
> nothing learn easily how to do it?
>   

I don't know if I can call it easy, but you certainly can learn to do 
it. After all places such as
safari.oreilly.com
sell books online which are accessible to us that range from total 
beginner to advanced programmer.

>   3. What software can I use to create such a game,

A compiler which supports the language you have chosen. If it was Java 
you would need the Sun JDK and the javac compiler, if it was C++ Visual 
C++, gcc, etc would be the programs you might use. There is several 
other choices.

>  is inform or tads
> easier?

Welll, those are scriptable. I imagine in ways they might be easier than 
a full blown programming language, but you may also lack the flexability 
and strength of a  full blown programming language as well. In general I 
don't get overly excited with scripted games, but then again I am use to 
full blown programming languages so it is natural I would expect 
something stronger than a simple script language.



>  What is the best with the most documentation?
>   

This really is personal choice. I mean because I am a programmer I would 
say a programming language would have much more documentation, 
strengths, and would be the best option. However, I am not in your 
situation, and I suspect you are looking for something easy, and are not 
what some might call a power user. It's hard for me being one of those 
power users to advise on what you would feel at home with.


> Sorry if this sounded very ignorant,

It is not ignorant at all. No one expects you to be born with knolege 
and skills of a computer. Everyone from the lowist programmer to Bill 
Gates had to learn somewhere at some time. We programmers just didn't 
magically appear with special powers one day. Grin.



>  but I've been playing text adventures,
> and I'd really like to learn how to make one myself.
> Ari
>   


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