Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts
Hi Decota. As I said, I personally don't really play If anymore sinse I just got rather sick of getting stuck with exactly those sorts of issues. Even when there is a commands command, it's not always clear, and in fact use/put is one of the worst problems. The Eamon games though have a very limited set of commands. All item interactions are handled by basic use or examine commands, which speeds things up know end. For example, while testing one eamon adventure I found a bottle of gunpouder and a flint and steel. There was a bricked up door I needed to enter so the solution was pretty obvious. Simply use bottle, with the flint in my inventory did the job perfectl. no worries even about using what on what. This is indeed why I'm very much in favour of a limited parza of verbs in such puzzles, sinse then the player only has to frame what he/she wants to do in terms of using something with something else, not finding the right verb or exactly the command that the if author wants. in fact the only irritating thing about the Eamon parza is that it doesn't recognize a lot of text adventure conventions. For example, though you can shorten commands to one or two letters, and type in only a few letters of the name of the monster or thing your acting on, eg, a zo instead of attack zombie, for examine you need to use e x or e x a instead of the more usual x. You also need to use the terms to and from when doing multiple object opperations, for instance remove gold from box.(though you can abbreviate from to fr). Once I got used to working this way though it wasn't a problem at all! Beware te grue! Dark. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts
Hi Decota. The current downloadable is the old one. The new version (with vi compatibility mode), is in beta testing and will hopefully be out soon, - obviously muggins is one of the testers. The version on audiogames.net requires quite a lot of shenanigans to get to run correctly, (see the attached thread on that page for information), which are some of the things that are being fixed in the new version, as well as a lot of general stablization and adding all! the original Eamon adventures as well as some new ones. Your welcome to try the original sinse running it is possible, but the new version should be out extremely soon. - Original Message - From: Dakotah Rickard dakotah.rick...@gmail.com To: Gamers Discussion list gamers@audyssey.org Sent: Monday, January 16, 2012 12:50 AM Subject: Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts Oh darn. I forgot one more question. Is the downloadable on Audiogames.net the new one or the old one? Signed: Dakotah Rickard On 1/15/12, Dakotah Rickard dakotah.rick...@gmail.com wrote: Wow, guys. I'm sorry for the blank message. How's that for spell-check. No mistakes. Also, I think it's funny and ironic that we're talking of spelling while also discussing text adventures. Anyhow, on to something more serious. I played Miriani at one point, and one of the most useful commands that I saw on the entire game was the commands command. This command listed all commands for a given object. I suggest this is implemented, if the verb list contains any more than just a few simple verbs. I love interactive fiction stuff, but one of my most frustrating times of it is when I know the answer, but I can't make it happen, because of use versus put versus, in one memorable case, just examining the item to trigger an action. Signed: Dakotah Rickard On 1/15/12, Dakotah Rickard dakotah.rick...@gmail.com wrote: On 1/9/12, Jim Kitchen j...@kitchensinc.net wrote: Hi Dark, Not to pile on, but, ATT Crystal reads my Email and she will often spell words that are miss spelled, you know such as stil instead of still. And puzle sure gets pronounced strangely. But that spelling words in the middle of reading is disturbing. But you are by no means the only major poster on the list that doesn't use a spell checker. BFN Jim I wouldn't even write Email without a spell checker. j...@kitchensinc.net http://www.kitchensinc.net (440) 286-6920 Chardon Ohio USA --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts
On 1/9/12, Jim Kitchen j...@kitchensinc.net wrote: Hi Dark, Not to pile on, but, ATT Crystal reads my Email and she will often spell words that are miss spelled, you know such as stil instead of still. And puzle sure gets pronounced strangely. But that spelling words in the middle of reading is disturbing. But you are by no means the only major poster on the list that doesn't use a spell checker. BFN Jim I wouldn't even write Email without a spell checker. j...@kitchensinc.net http://www.kitchensinc.net (440) 286-6920 Chardon Ohio USA --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts
Wow, guys. I'm sorry for the blank message. How's that for spell-check. No mistakes. Also, I think it's funny and ironic that we're talking of spelling while also discussing text adventures. Anyhow, on to something more serious. I played Miriani at one point, and one of the most useful commands that I saw on the entire game was the commands command. This command listed all commands for a given object. I suggest this is implemented, if the verb list contains any more than just a few simple verbs. I love interactive fiction stuff, but one of my most frustrating times of it is when I know the answer, but I can't make it happen, because of use versus put versus, in one memorable case, just examining the item to trigger an action. Signed: Dakotah Rickard On 1/15/12, Dakotah Rickard dakotah.rick...@gmail.com wrote: On 1/9/12, Jim Kitchen j...@kitchensinc.net wrote: Hi Dark, Not to pile on, but, ATT Crystal reads my Email and she will often spell words that are miss spelled, you know such as stil instead of still. And puzle sure gets pronounced strangely. But that spelling words in the middle of reading is disturbing. But you are by no means the only major poster on the list that doesn't use a spell checker. BFN Jim I wouldn't even write Email without a spell checker. j...@kitchensinc.net http://www.kitchensinc.net (440) 286-6920 Chardon Ohio USA --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts
Oh darn. I forgot one more question. Is the downloadable on Audiogames.net the new one or the old one? Signed: Dakotah Rickard On 1/15/12, Dakotah Rickard dakotah.rick...@gmail.com wrote: Wow, guys. I'm sorry for the blank message. How's that for spell-check. No mistakes. Also, I think it's funny and ironic that we're talking of spelling while also discussing text adventures. Anyhow, on to something more serious. I played Miriani at one point, and one of the most useful commands that I saw on the entire game was the commands command. This command listed all commands for a given object. I suggest this is implemented, if the verb list contains any more than just a few simple verbs. I love interactive fiction stuff, but one of my most frustrating times of it is when I know the answer, but I can't make it happen, because of use versus put versus, in one memorable case, just examining the item to trigger an action. Signed: Dakotah Rickard On 1/15/12, Dakotah Rickard dakotah.rick...@gmail.com wrote: On 1/9/12, Jim Kitchen j...@kitchensinc.net wrote: Hi Dark, Not to pile on, but, ATT Crystal reads my Email and she will often spell words that are miss spelled, you know such as stil instead of still. And puzle sure gets pronounced strangely. But that spelling words in the middle of reading is disturbing. But you are by no means the only major poster on the list that doesn't use a spell checker. BFN Jim I wouldn't even write Email without a spell checker. j...@kitchensinc.net http://www.kitchensinc.net (440) 286-6920 Chardon Ohio USA --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts
Hi Dark, Not to pile on, but, ATT Crystal reads my Email and she will often spell words that are miss spelled, you know such as stil instead of still. And puzle sure gets pronounced strangely. But that spelling words in the middle of reading is disturbing. But you are by no means the only major poster on the list that doesn't use a spell checker. BFN Jim I wouldn't even write Email without a spell checker. j...@kitchensinc.net http://www.kitchensinc.net (440) 286-6920 Chardon Ohio USA --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts
There are 2 z's in puzzle! It's a shame that you write such informative posts and then continually blow it with this irritation. --- Shepherds are the best beasts, but Labs are a close second. - Original Message - From: dark d...@xgam.org To: Gamers Discussion list gamers@audyssey.org Sent: Sunday, January 08, 2012 12:05 AM Subject: Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts Hi Tom. I'm actually much more a fan of limited commands in these cases. As I've said before, interactive fiction was something I played a great deal of at one point, but don't tend to anymore sinse for every really good game I found I found four or five more that just got frustrating, either because the puzzles were utterly illogical, or required some very weerd verbs. For instance, suppose you find a gun and a silencer, what is the command. put silencer on gun?, use silencer with gun?, silence gun?, Screw silencer onto gun? Screw silencer onto barrel there are so many different ways of saying the same thing, yet if you get the wrong one, the game just won't react. However simply having a use x with x parza, there's no question with what you need to do. Also, the fewer verbs there are in the parza, the more obscure the puzles can be sinse more limited your choice of actions, the more likely you are to hit upon the right one. For example, the game Broken sword which was one of those point and click graphic adventures like Monkey island, so had limted verbs, had one puzzle where you had to climb a haystack. one item you had at the time was a large sewer key a couple of feet long. in an if game you could've spent ages mucking about with commands, but in Broken sword simply using the key with the haystack let you push it into the hay half way up and use it as a step to climb. This is just what I mean. then, having combat in a game gives you a way to interact with your environment and have some fun as well. Beware the grue! Dark. - Original Message - From: Thomas Ward thomasward1...@gmail.com To: Gamers Discussion list gamers@audyssey.org Sent: Sunday, January 08, 2012 2:01 AM Subject: Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts Hi Dark, This does sound good. Those games are quite addictive as simple as they are, and I think it is the simplicity that makes them so enjoyable. As you pointed out with a lot of text adventures, especially interactive fiction, its often a case of guess the verb or difficult puzzle elements that turns people off playing it. However, text adventures as you've seen don't have to be that way. If and when I do my RPG I agree that keeping the commands simple stupid is the best practice. Its hard to go wrong with commands like put, take, use, wear, equip, etc. if you stick to a few basic commands people can generally go from there. I've even thought that adding a Dos style menu where you simply press a number for the selection is even easier yet. On 1/7/12, dark d...@xgam.org wrote: Hi everyone. Today I've been testing some of the beta versions for the new eamon delux with it's vi compatibility mode. it's going very well, all the irritations with display are totally gone so that it just displays like any console window dos application, and the developer has completely altered several menues so that now they all have numbers to press, for instance in the character editer to alter your characters' hardiness you now just hit one and then type the new number just like those number driven choices in dos programs. Also, the developer is doing a lot of very nice extra work in the vi mode, such as writing in text descriptions of graphics, and with more of a campeigne mode to be added where you can actually use that gold from adventures to buy improvement for your character (rather than having to cheat with the editer), this is looking like it'll be awsome. Oh and yes, he's also making the dungeon designer accessible too in case anyone would like to write their own eamon games. So, today i've been playing all the beginner eamon delux adventures and having thoughts. As beginner adventures these are not complicated in the least, go into location, slaughter your way through and grab the loot to take back to the main hall to sell for dosh. what is surprising me is how addictive these are, and how just a few lines of description and a very simple system can create an immersive game. The parza is fairly unsophisticated, indeed the only item manipulation commands are put, remove, wear and use, so puzles tend to be a matter of looking in the room description and searching objects for other objects. the combat is equally simple, but at the same time has enough in for variation. Five basic types of weapons with your character gaining experience in them as they use them, a heal, damage, and speed spell with again limited chance of use, and the chance to have your charisma affect your dealings with npcs, meaning they either ignore, fight
Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts
And really charles does this matter? On the occasions when I write something formal I can spellcheck it, but that takes far too much time to do every E-mail. As long as it's readable, what is the difference? With orphius puzle and puzzle come out the same anyway, which is probably why i don't correct it as I type, but why does it make such a huge difference? Beware the grue! dark. - Original Message - From: Charles Rivard wee1s...@fidnet.com To: Gamers Discussion list gamers@audyssey.org Sent: Sunday, January 08, 2012 2:47 PM Subject: Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts There are 2 z's in puzzle! It's a shame that you write such informative posts and then continually blow it with this irritation. --- Shepherds are the best beasts, but Labs are a close second. - Original Message - From: dark d...@xgam.org To: Gamers Discussion list gamers@audyssey.org Sent: Sunday, January 08, 2012 12:05 AM Subject: Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts Hi Tom. I'm actually much more a fan of limited commands in these cases. As I've said before, interactive fiction was something I played a great deal of at one point, but don't tend to anymore sinse for every really good game I found I found four or five more that just got frustrating, either because the puzzles were utterly illogical, or required some very weerd verbs. For instance, suppose you find a gun and a silencer, what is the command. put silencer on gun?, use silencer with gun?, silence gun?, Screw silencer onto gun? Screw silencer onto barrel there are so many different ways of saying the same thing, yet if you get the wrong one, the game just won't react. However simply having a use x with x parza, there's no question with what you need to do. Also, the fewer verbs there are in the parza, the more obscure the puzles can be sinse more limited your choice of actions, the more likely you are to hit upon the right one. For example, the game Broken sword which was one of those point and click graphic adventures like Monkey island, so had limted verbs, had one puzzle where you had to climb a haystack. one item you had at the time was a large sewer key a couple of feet long. in an if game you could've spent ages mucking about with commands, but in Broken sword simply using the key with the haystack let you push it into the hay half way up and use it as a step to climb. This is just what I mean. then, having combat in a game gives you a way to interact with your environment and have some fun as well. Beware the grue! Dark. - Original Message - From: Thomas Ward thomasward1...@gmail.com To: Gamers Discussion list gamers@audyssey.org Sent: Sunday, January 08, 2012 2:01 AM Subject: Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts Hi Dark, This does sound good. Those games are quite addictive as simple as they are, and I think it is the simplicity that makes them so enjoyable. As you pointed out with a lot of text adventures, especially interactive fiction, its often a case of guess the verb or difficult puzzle elements that turns people off playing it. However, text adventures as you've seen don't have to be that way. If and when I do my RPG I agree that keeping the commands simple stupid is the best practice. Its hard to go wrong with commands like put, take, use, wear, equip, etc. if you stick to a few basic commands people can generally go from there. I've even thought that adding a Dos style menu where you simply press a number for the selection is even easier yet. On 1/7/12, dark d...@xgam.org wrote: Hi everyone. Today I've been testing some of the beta versions for the new eamon delux with it's vi compatibility mode. it's going very well, all the irritations with display are totally gone so that it just displays like any console window dos application, and the developer has completely altered several menues so that now they all have numbers to press, for instance in the character editer to alter your characters' hardiness you now just hit one and then type the new number just like those number driven choices in dos programs. Also, the developer is doing a lot of very nice extra work in the vi mode, such as writing in text descriptions of graphics, and with more of a campeigne mode to be added where you can actually use that gold from adventures to buy improvement for your character (rather than having to cheat with the editer), this is looking like it'll be awsome. Oh and yes, he's also making the dungeon designer accessible too in case anyone would like to write their own eamon games. So, today i've been playing all the beginner eamon delux adventures and having thoughts. As beginner adventures these are not complicated in the least, go into location, slaughter your way through and grab the loot to take back to the main hall to sell for dosh. what is surprising me is how addictive these are, and how just a few lines of description and a very
Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts
Hi Dark, Well, for those of us using a different synth like Eloquence it can make a big difference when reading messages. For example if you spell puzzle p u z l e instead of p u z z l e Eloquence will prenounce it like poozzle. It almost sounds like poodle, the type of dog, only with a z sound rather than puzzle. That's why I'm sure Charles is making an issue of it. It can be a bit annoying to listen to e-mails with spelling errors as Jaws, Window-Eyes, Orca, and any other screen reader that uses Eloquence will not say the words correctly if they are misspelled like this. That is why I feel some proofreading is good for VI readers as well as sighted readers because you can be assured the synth on your audiences computer will read it correctly. I guess all I am saying here is it is considered good list etiquette to spell check and proofread what you type so it is more readable. Just because synth a says it correctly doesn't necessarily mean synth b will likewise say it correctly if it is misspelled. Therefore a little effort towards proofreading is considered an act of good list etiquette by some listers. HTH On 1/8/12, dark d...@xgam.org wrote: And really charles does this matter? On the occasions when I write something formal I can spellcheck it, but that takes far too much time to do every E-mail. As long as it's readable, what is the difference? With orphius puzle and puzzle come out the same anyway, which is probably why i don't correct it as I type, but why does it make such a huge difference? Beware the grue! dark. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts
Hi Dark, Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. If there is only one way to combine items like use silencer with gun then it would make any RPG or interactive fiction title easier to manage. Which is why when I get to writing my own RPG game I want to keep it simple as possible to avoid that guess the verb confusion. Of course, its not just guessing the verb that can be problematic. I know a lot of VI users have difficulty with spelling. As you don't necessarily have a spell checker on hand so they either have to constantly review the screen for correct spellings of things, or they have to alt+tab into Word and spell check something to get the correct command. A good example of this is a friend of mine who lives in Florida. In my friend's case he was unfortunately born with a mental disorder that causes him considerable difficulty with basic fonix. That is to say he has troubles associating sounds with letters. If it weren't for technologies like Dragon Naturally Speaking he couldn't compose an e-mail because he'd spell things so poorly that not even the spell checker in Live Mail can sort it out. In an extreme case like that, where there are some mental issues involved too, there should be some alternative method of performing actions besides typing long command strings. Basically, I've come to my own conclusions, and agree with you that the basic interactive fiction/text adventure input method does need to be simplified without compromising the game play. While I love text adventures in the main some of the puzzles are beyond me. I have to look up solutions in some cases because the author made it too complex to figure out or used some complex command string that wasn't obvious or particularly logical. Cheers! On 1/8/12, dark d...@xgam.org wrote: Hi Tom. I'm actually much more a fan of limited commands in these cases. As I've said before, interactive fiction was something I played a great deal of at one point, but don't tend to anymore sinse for every really good game I found I found four or five more that just got frustrating, either because the puzzles were utterly illogical, or required some very weerd verbs. For instance, suppose you find a gun and a silencer, what is the command. put silencer on gun?, use silencer with gun?, silence gun?, Screw silencer onto gun? Screw silencer onto barrel there are so many different ways of saying the same thing, yet if you get the wrong one, the game just won't react. However simply having a use x with x parza, there's no question with what you need to do. Also, the fewer verbs there are in the parza, the more obscure the puzles can be sinse more limited your choice of actions, the more likely you are to hit upon the right one. For example, the game Broken sword which was one of those point and click graphic adventures like Monkey island, so had limted verbs, had one puzzle where you had to climb a haystack. one item you had at the time was a large sewer key a couple of feet long. in an if game you could've spent ages mucking about with commands, but in Broken sword simply using the key with the haystack let you push it into the hay half way up and use it as a step to climb. This is just what I mean. then, having combat in a game gives you a way to interact with your environment and have some fun as well. Beware the grue! Dark. - Original Message - From: Thomas Ward thomasward1...@gmail.com To: Gamers Discussion list gamers@audyssey.org Sent: Sunday, January 08, 2012 2:01 AM Subject: Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts Hi Dark, This does sound good. Those games are quite addictive as simple as they are, and I think it is the simplicity that makes them so enjoyable. As you pointed out with a lot of text adventures, especially interactive fiction, its often a case of guess the verb or difficult puzzle elements that turns people off playing it. However, text adventures as you've seen don't have to be that way. If and when I do my RPG I agree that keeping the commands simple stupid is the best practice. Its hard to go wrong with commands like put, take, use, wear, equip, etc. if you stick to a few basic commands people can generally go from there. I've even thought that adding a Dos style menu where you simply press a number for the selection is even easier yet. On 1/7/12, dark d...@xgam.org wrote: Hi everyone. Today I've been testing some of the beta versions for the new eamon delux with it's vi compatibility mode. it's going very well, all the irritations with display are totally gone so that it just displays like any console window dos application, and the developer has completely altered several menues so that now they all have numbers to press, for instance in the character editer to alter your characters' hardiness you now just hit one and then type the new number just like those number driven choices in dos programs. Also, the developer is doing a lot of very
Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts
Fair enough, I didn't realize that Eloquence caused the difference in pronunciation. Beware the grue! Dark. - Original Message - From: Thomas Ward thomasward1...@gmail.com To: Gamers Discussion list gamers@audyssey.org Sent: Sunday, January 08, 2012 4:45 PM Subject: Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts Hi Dark, Well, for those of us using a different synth like Eloquence it can make a big difference when reading messages. For example if you spell puzzle p u z l e instead of p u z z l e Eloquence will prenounce it like poozzle. It almost sounds like poodle, the type of dog, only with a z sound rather than puzzle. That's why I'm sure Charles is making an issue of it. It can be a bit annoying to listen to e-mails with spelling errors as Jaws, Window-Eyes, Orca, and any other screen reader that uses Eloquence will not say the words correctly if they are misspelled like this. That is why I feel some proofreading is good for VI readers as well as sighted readers because you can be assured the synth on your audiences computer will read it correctly. I guess all I am saying here is it is considered good list etiquette to spell check and proofread what you type so it is more readable. Just because synth a says it correctly doesn't necessarily mean synth b will likewise say it correctly if it is misspelled. Therefore a little effort towards proofreading is considered an act of good list etiquette by some listers. HTH On 1/8/12, dark d...@xgam.org wrote: And really charles does this matter? On the occasions when I write something formal I can spellcheck it, but that takes far too much time to do every E-mail. As long as it's readable, what is the difference? With orphius puzle and puzzle come out the same anyway, which is probably why i don't correct it as I type, but why does it make such a huge difference? Beware the grue! dark. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts
Hi Tom. That is I think why for all item manipulation puzzles, object use parzas with graphics replaced the complex parzas of text adventures in the main tream, starting with games like secret of monkey island and continuing even now in series like Resident evil. it's just so much easier to have some general commands that can apply to objects. Use, use with and examine are really all that is needed imho. Also as games like descent into madness show, these are quite doable with a menue system rather than actual commands as well, which can speed things up too. Beware the grue! Dark. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts
The use of speech synthesizers also offer possibilities for matching phonetic spelling to an item. If a user types in something that word is converted to phonemes. These phonemes could be compared to the actual word that is also converted to phonemes and if many of them are the same, the game can recognize a word even if the spelling is wrong. On 1/8/12, dark d...@xgam.org wrote: Hi Tom. That is I think why for all item manipulation puzzles, object use parzas with graphics replaced the complex parzas of text adventures in the main tream, starting with games like secret of monkey island and continuing even now in series like Resident evil. it's just so much easier to have some general commands that can apply to objects. Use, use with and examine are really all that is needed imho. Also as games like descent into madness show, these are quite doable with a menue system rather than actual commands as well, which can speed things up too. Beware the grue! Dark. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts
Credibility, the impression of intellect you give, and, although it might sound OK using the screen reader you have, it doesn't with most others. To you, it might seem unimportant, but not to some others, and it's not a once-in-a-while error. It is perpetual, yet so easily remedied, and can make a world of difference to a reader. And if time is one of the reasons for not spell checking, how long does it take to add a z? The same goes for little instead of litle. There are two t's. These corrections, although minor, can make a huge difference in your presentation. It doesn't take all that long to spell check, and it's well worth the time and effort to show that you care enough to have done it. --- Shepherds are the best beasts, but Labs are a close second. - Original Message - From: dark d...@xgam.org To: Gamers Discussion list gamers@audyssey.org Sent: Sunday, January 08, 2012 9:00 AM Subject: Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts And really charles does this matter? On the occasions when I write something formal I can spellcheck it, but that takes far too much time to do every E-mail. As long as it's readable, what is the difference? With orphius puzle and puzzle come out the same anyway, which is probably why i don't correct it as I type, but why does it make such a huge difference? Beware the grue! dark. - Original Message - From: Charles Rivard wee1s...@fidnet.com To: Gamers Discussion list gamers@audyssey.org Sent: Sunday, January 08, 2012 2:47 PM Subject: Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts There are 2 z's in puzzle! It's a shame that you write such informative posts and then continually blow it with this irritation. --- Shepherds are the best beasts, but Labs are a close second. - Original Message - From: dark d...@xgam.org To: Gamers Discussion list gamers@audyssey.org Sent: Sunday, January 08, 2012 12:05 AM Subject: Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts Hi Tom. I'm actually much more a fan of limited commands in these cases. As I've said before, interactive fiction was something I played a great deal of at one point, but don't tend to anymore sinse for every really good game I found I found four or five more that just got frustrating, either because the puzzles were utterly illogical, or required some very weerd verbs. For instance, suppose you find a gun and a silencer, what is the command. put silencer on gun?, use silencer with gun?, silence gun?, Screw silencer onto gun? Screw silencer onto barrel there are so many different ways of saying the same thing, yet if you get the wrong one, the game just won't react. However simply having a use x with x parza, there's no question with what you need to do. Also, the fewer verbs there are in the parza, the more obscure the puzles can be sinse more limited your choice of actions, the more likely you are to hit upon the right one. For example, the game Broken sword which was one of those point and click graphic adventures like Monkey island, so had limted verbs, had one puzzle where you had to climb a haystack. one item you had at the time was a large sewer key a couple of feet long. in an if game you could've spent ages mucking about with commands, but in Broken sword simply using the key with the haystack let you push it into the hay half way up and use it as a step to climb. This is just what I mean. then, having combat in a game gives you a way to interact with your environment and have some fun as well. Beware the grue! Dark. - Original Message - From: Thomas Ward thomasward1...@gmail.com To: Gamers Discussion list gamers@audyssey.org Sent: Sunday, January 08, 2012 2:01 AM Subject: Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts Hi Dark, This does sound good. Those games are quite addictive as simple as they are, and I think it is the simplicity that makes them so enjoyable. As you pointed out with a lot of text adventures, especially interactive fiction, its often a case of guess the verb or difficult puzzle elements that turns people off playing it. However, text adventures as you've seen don't have to be that way. If and when I do my RPG I agree that keeping the commands simple stupid is the best practice. Its hard to go wrong with commands like put, take, use, wear, equip, etc. if you stick to a few basic commands people can generally go from there. I've even thought that adding a Dos style menu where you simply press a number for the selection is even easier yet. On 1/7/12, dark d...@xgam.org wrote: Hi everyone. Today I've been testing some of the beta versions for the new eamon delux with it's vi compatibility mode. it's going very well, all the irritations with display are totally gone so that it just displays like any console window dos application, and the developer has completely altered several menues so that now they all have numbers to press, for instance in the character editer
Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts
Hi Dark. I don't know what email client you are using, but thunderbird and outlook express has built in spell checkers that can be accessed with one keystroke. While I notice some spelling mistakes, it doesn't bother me that much. However the better we spell, the better it will look to outsiders reading our list. Whether a synthesizer reads a word correctly is not the issue and correct spelling is good practice. Many people on this list look up to you as a leader in this community, so maybe setting a good example is worth the extra time. On 1/8/12, dark d...@xgam.org wrote: And really charles does this matter? On the occasions when I write something formal I can spellcheck it, but that takes far too much time to do every E-mail. As long as it's readable, what is the difference? With orphius puzle and puzzle come out the same anyway, which is probably why i don't correct it as I type, but why does it make such a huge difference? Beware the grue! dark. - Original Message - From: Charles Rivard wee1s...@fidnet.com To: Gamers Discussion list gamers@audyssey.org Sent: Sunday, January 08, 2012 2:47 PM Subject: Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts There are 2 z's in puzzle! It's a shame that you write such informative posts and then continually blow it with this irritation. --- Shepherds are the best beasts, but Labs are a close second. - Original Message - From: dark d...@xgam.org To: Gamers Discussion list gamers@audyssey.org Sent: Sunday, January 08, 2012 12:05 AM Subject: Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts Hi Tom. I'm actually much more a fan of limited commands in these cases. As I've said before, interactive fiction was something I played a great deal of at one point, but don't tend to anymore sinse for every really good game I found I found four or five more that just got frustrating, either because the puzzles were utterly illogical, or required some very weerd verbs. For instance, suppose you find a gun and a silencer, what is the command. put silencer on gun?, use silencer with gun?, silence gun?, Screw silencer onto gun? Screw silencer onto barrel there are so many different ways of saying the same thing, yet if you get the wrong one, the game just won't react. However simply having a use x with x parza, there's no question with what you need to do. Also, the fewer verbs there are in the parza, the more obscure the puzles can be sinse more limited your choice of actions, the more likely you are to hit upon the right one. For example, the game Broken sword which was one of those point and click graphic adventures like Monkey island, so had limted verbs, had one puzzle where you had to climb a haystack. one item you had at the time was a large sewer key a couple of feet long. in an if game you could've spent ages mucking about with commands, but in Broken sword simply using the key with the haystack let you push it into the hay half way up and use it as a step to climb. This is just what I mean. then, having combat in a game gives you a way to interact with your environment and have some fun as well. Beware the grue! Dark. - Original Message - From: Thomas Ward thomasward1...@gmail.com To: Gamers Discussion list gamers@audyssey.org Sent: Sunday, January 08, 2012 2:01 AM Subject: Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts Hi Dark, This does sound good. Those games are quite addictive as simple as they are, and I think it is the simplicity that makes them so enjoyable. As you pointed out with a lot of text adventures, especially interactive fiction, its often a case of guess the verb or difficult puzzle elements that turns people off playing it. However, text adventures as you've seen don't have to be that way. If and when I do my RPG I agree that keeping the commands simple stupid is the best practice. Its hard to go wrong with commands like put, take, use, wear, equip, etc. if you stick to a few basic commands people can generally go from there. I've even thought that adding a Dos style menu where you simply press a number for the selection is even easier yet. On 1/7/12, dark d...@xgam.org wrote: Hi everyone. Today I've been testing some of the beta versions for the new eamon delux with it's vi compatibility mode. it's going very well, all the irritations with display are totally gone so that it just displays like any console window dos application, and the developer has completely altered several menues so that now they all have numbers to press, for instance in the character editer to alter your characters' hardiness you now just hit one and then type the new number just like those number driven choices in dos programs. Also, the developer is doing a lot of very nice extra work in the vi mode, such as writing in text descriptions of graphics, and with more of a campeigne mode to be added where you can actually use that gold from
Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts
puzzles, not puzles! P! U! Z! Z! L! E! S! --- Shepherds are the best beasts, but Labs are a close second. - Original Message - From: dark d...@xgam.org To: Gamers@audyssey.org Sent: Saturday, January 07, 2012 5:32 PM Subject: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts Hi everyone. Today I've been testing some of the beta versions for the new eamon delux with it's vi compatibility mode. it's going very well, all the irritations with display are totally gone so that it just displays like any console window dos application, and the developer has completely altered several menues so that now they all have numbers to press, for instance in the character editer to alter your characters' hardiness you now just hit one and then type the new number just like those number driven choices in dos programs. Also, the developer is doing a lot of very nice extra work in the vi mode, such as writing in text descriptions of graphics, and with more of a campeigne mode to be added where you can actually use that gold from adventures to buy improvement for your character (rather than having to cheat with the editer), this is looking like it'll be awsome. Oh and yes, he's also making the dungeon designer accessible too in case anyone would like to write their own eamon games. So, today i've been playing all the beginner eamon delux adventures and having thoughts. As beginner adventures these are not complicated in the least, go into location, slaughter your way through and grab the loot to take back to the main hall to sell for dosh. what is surprising me is how addictive these are, and how just a few lines of description and a very simple system can create an immersive game. The parza is fairly unsophisticated, indeed the only item manipulation commands are put, remove, wear and use, so puzles tend to be a matter of looking in the room description and searching objects for other objects. the combat is equally simple, but at the same time has enough in for variation. Five basic types of weapons with your character gaining experience in them as they use them, a heal, damage, and speed spell with again limited chance of use, and the chance to have your charisma affect your dealings with npcs, meaning they either ignore, fight, or fight along side you. Yet, the system has enough to be interesting, particularly when you've got got three or four allies on your side vs three or four enemies, indeed in those situations you might play healer. Don't mistake me, the system is stil primative. I'm rather sorry for instance there is no menue driven conversation, and some more spells or fighting moves would be nice to have. Also the descriptions obviously vary in quality according to the game, and yet, i've spent considderable time today just running around dungeons hacking up nasties for fun and prophit. So, what Tom has said recently about text games really holds true I think, even though I personally am not a fan of interactive fiction, too many item manipulation commands and puzles that are too obscure. Yet something like a more complex eamon, with some more commands, some more character interaction and some random text would I think be awsome! indeed I might think about creating something like this if I ever start writing games. Beware the grue! Dark. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts
Hi. Is this a computer game? Thanks. Christina - Original Message - From: dark d...@xgam.org To: Gamers@audyssey.org Sent: Saturday, January 07, 2012 6:32 PM Subject: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts Hi everyone. Today I've been testing some of the beta versions for the new eamon delux with it's vi compatibility mode. it's going very well, all the irritations with display are totally gone so that it just displays like any console window dos application, and the developer has completely altered several menues so that now they all have numbers to press, for instance in the character editer to alter your characters' hardiness you now just hit one and then type the new number just like those number driven choices in dos programs. Also, the developer is doing a lot of very nice extra work in the vi mode, such as writing in text descriptions of graphics, and with more of a campeigne mode to be added where you can actually use that gold from adventures to buy improvement for your character (rather than having to cheat with the editer), this is looking like it'll be awsome. Oh and yes, he's also making the dungeon designer accessible too in case anyone would like to write their own eamon games. So, today i've been playing all the beginner eamon delux adventures and having thoughts. As beginner adventures these are not complicated in the least, go into location, slaughter your way through and grab the loot to take back to the main hall to sell for dosh. what is surprising me is how addictive these are, and how just a few lines of description and a very simple system can create an immersive game. The parza is fairly unsophisticated, indeed the only item manipulation commands are put, remove, wear and use, so puzles tend to be a matter of looking in the room description and searching objects for other objects. the combat is equally simple, but at the same time has enough in for variation. Five basic types of weapons with your character gaining experience in them as they use them, a heal, damage, and speed spell with again limited chance of use, and the chance to have your charisma affect your dealings with npcs, meaning they either ignore, fight, or fight along side you. Yet, the system has enough to be interesting, particularly when you've got got three or four allies on your side vs three or four enemies, indeed in those situations you might play healer. Don't mistake me, the system is stil primative. I'm rather sorry for instance there is no menue driven conversation, and some more spells or fighting moves would be nice to have. Also the descriptions obviously vary in quality according to the game, and yet, i've spent considderable time today just running around dungeons hacking up nasties for fun and prophit. So, what Tom has said recently about text games really holds true I think, even though I personally am not a fan of interactive fiction, too many item manipulation commands and puzles that are too obscure. Yet something like a more complex eamon, with some more commands, some more character interaction and some random text would I think be awsome! indeed I might think about creating something like this if I ever start writing games. Beware the grue! Dark. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts
Hi Dark, This does sound good. Those games are quite addictive as simple as they are, and I think it is the simplicity that makes them so enjoyable. As you pointed out with a lot of text adventures, especially interactive fiction, its often a case of guess the verb or difficult puzzle elements that turns people off playing it. However, text adventures as you've seen don't have to be that way. If and when I do my RPG I agree that keeping the commands simple stupid is the best practice. Its hard to go wrong with commands like put, take, use, wear, equip, etc. if you stick to a few basic commands people can generally go from there. I've even thought that adding a Dos style menu where you simply press a number for the selection is even easier yet. On 1/7/12, dark d...@xgam.org wrote: Hi everyone. Today I've been testing some of the beta versions for the new eamon delux with it's vi compatibility mode. it's going very well, all the irritations with display are totally gone so that it just displays like any console window dos application, and the developer has completely altered several menues so that now they all have numbers to press, for instance in the character editer to alter your characters' hardiness you now just hit one and then type the new number just like those number driven choices in dos programs. Also, the developer is doing a lot of very nice extra work in the vi mode, such as writing in text descriptions of graphics, and with more of a campeigne mode to be added where you can actually use that gold from adventures to buy improvement for your character (rather than having to cheat with the editer), this is looking like it'll be awsome. Oh and yes, he's also making the dungeon designer accessible too in case anyone would like to write their own eamon games. So, today i've been playing all the beginner eamon delux adventures and having thoughts. As beginner adventures these are not complicated in the least, go into location, slaughter your way through and grab the loot to take back to the main hall to sell for dosh. what is surprising me is how addictive these are, and how just a few lines of description and a very simple system can create an immersive game. The parza is fairly unsophisticated, indeed the only item manipulation commands are put, remove, wear and use, so puzles tend to be a matter of looking in the room description and searching objects for other objects. the combat is equally simple, but at the same time has enough in for variation. Five basic types of weapons with your character gaining experience in them as they use them, a heal, damage, and speed spell with again limited chance of use, and the chance to have your charisma affect your dealings with npcs, meaning they either ignore, fight, or fight along side you. Yet, the system has enough to be interesting, particularly when you've got got three or four allies on your side vs three or four enemies, indeed in those situations you might play healer. Don't mistake me, the system is stil primative. I'm rather sorry for instance there is no menue driven conversation, and some more spells or fighting moves would be nice to have. Also the descriptions obviously vary in quality according to the game, and yet, i've spent considderable time today just running around dungeons hacking up nasties for fun and prophit. So, what Tom has said recently about text games really holds true I think, even though I personally am not a fan of interactive fiction, too many item manipulation commands and puzles that are too obscure. Yet something like a more complex eamon, with some more commands, some more character interaction and some random text would I think be awsome! indeed I might think about creating something like this if I ever start writing games. Beware the grue! Dark. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts
Hi Christina, Yes. Aeman Delux is a computer game. Basically, its a Dos version of an old text adventure system that use to be on the Apple II-E. Its quite fun. Cheers! On 1/7/12, Christina greensleev...@gmail.com wrote: Hi. Is this a computer game? Thanks. Christina --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts
Yes indeed. The eamon games were a long series of text rpgs produced in the 1980's for the apple Ii computer. Eamon delux is a program to run them under windows. Check the page on audiogames.net for details. The current version of Eamon delux is a litle buggy and has some irritating issues with display, which is why having a new version is so good. Beware the grue! Dark. - Original Message - From: Christina greensleev...@gmail.com To: Gamers Discussion list gamers@audyssey.org Sent: Sunday, January 08, 2012 1:50 AM Subject: Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts Hi. Is this a computer game? Thanks. Christina - Original Message - From: dark d...@xgam.org To: Gamers@audyssey.org Sent: Saturday, January 07, 2012 6:32 PM Subject: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts Hi everyone. Today I've been testing some of the beta versions for the new eamon delux with it's vi compatibility mode. it's going very well, all the irritations with display are totally gone so that it just displays like any console window dos application, and the developer has completely altered several menues so that now they all have numbers to press, for instance in the character editer to alter your characters' hardiness you now just hit one and then type the new number just like those number driven choices in dos programs. Also, the developer is doing a lot of very nice extra work in the vi mode, such as writing in text descriptions of graphics, and with more of a campeigne mode to be added where you can actually use that gold from adventures to buy improvement for your character (rather than having to cheat with the editer), this is looking like it'll be awsome. Oh and yes, he's also making the dungeon designer accessible too in case anyone would like to write their own eamon games. So, today i've been playing all the beginner eamon delux adventures and having thoughts. As beginner adventures these are not complicated in the least, go into location, slaughter your way through and grab the loot to take back to the main hall to sell for dosh. what is surprising me is how addictive these are, and how just a few lines of description and a very simple system can create an immersive game. The parza is fairly unsophisticated, indeed the only item manipulation commands are put, remove, wear and use, so puzles tend to be a matter of looking in the room description and searching objects for other objects. the combat is equally simple, but at the same time has enough in for variation. Five basic types of weapons with your character gaining experience in them as they use them, a heal, damage, and speed spell with again limited chance of use, and the chance to have your charisma affect your dealings with npcs, meaning they either ignore, fight, or fight along side you. Yet, the system has enough to be interesting, particularly when you've got got three or four allies on your side vs three or four enemies, indeed in those situations you might play healer. Don't mistake me, the system is stil primative. I'm rather sorry for instance there is no menue driven conversation, and some more spells or fighting moves would be nice to have. Also the descriptions obviously vary in quality according to the game, and yet, i've spent considderable time today just running around dungeons hacking up nasties for fun and prophit. So, what Tom has said recently about text games really holds true I think, even though I personally am not a fan of interactive fiction, too many item manipulation commands and puzles that are too obscure. Yet something like a more complex eamon, with some more commands, some more character interaction and some random text would I think be awsome! indeed I might think about creating something like this if I ever start writing games. Beware the grue! Dark. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org. --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr
Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts
Hi Tom. I'm actually much more a fan of limited commands in these cases. As I've said before, interactive fiction was something I played a great deal of at one point, but don't tend to anymore sinse for every really good game I found I found four or five more that just got frustrating, either because the puzzles were utterly illogical, or required some very weerd verbs. For instance, suppose you find a gun and a silencer, what is the command. put silencer on gun?, use silencer with gun?, silence gun?, Screw silencer onto gun? Screw silencer onto barrel there are so many different ways of saying the same thing, yet if you get the wrong one, the game just won't react. However simply having a use x with x parza, there's no question with what you need to do. Also, the fewer verbs there are in the parza, the more obscure the puzles can be sinse more limited your choice of actions, the more likely you are to hit upon the right one. For example, the game Broken sword which was one of those point and click graphic adventures like Monkey island, so had limted verbs, had one puzzle where you had to climb a haystack. one item you had at the time was a large sewer key a couple of feet long. in an if game you could've spent ages mucking about with commands, but in Broken sword simply using the key with the haystack let you push it into the hay half way up and use it as a step to climb. This is just what I mean. then, having combat in a game gives you a way to interact with your environment and have some fun as well. Beware the grue! Dark. - Original Message - From: Thomas Ward thomasward1...@gmail.com To: Gamers Discussion list gamers@audyssey.org Sent: Sunday, January 08, 2012 2:01 AM Subject: Re: [Audyssey] Eamon delux news and thoughts Hi Dark, This does sound good. Those games are quite addictive as simple as they are, and I think it is the simplicity that makes them so enjoyable. As you pointed out with a lot of text adventures, especially interactive fiction, its often a case of guess the verb or difficult puzzle elements that turns people off playing it. However, text adventures as you've seen don't have to be that way. If and when I do my RPG I agree that keeping the commands simple stupid is the best practice. Its hard to go wrong with commands like put, take, use, wear, equip, etc. if you stick to a few basic commands people can generally go from there. I've even thought that adding a Dos style menu where you simply press a number for the selection is even easier yet. On 1/7/12, dark d...@xgam.org wrote: Hi everyone. Today I've been testing some of the beta versions for the new eamon delux with it's vi compatibility mode. it's going very well, all the irritations with display are totally gone so that it just displays like any console window dos application, and the developer has completely altered several menues so that now they all have numbers to press, for instance in the character editer to alter your characters' hardiness you now just hit one and then type the new number just like those number driven choices in dos programs. Also, the developer is doing a lot of very nice extra work in the vi mode, such as writing in text descriptions of graphics, and with more of a campeigne mode to be added where you can actually use that gold from adventures to buy improvement for your character (rather than having to cheat with the editer), this is looking like it'll be awsome. Oh and yes, he's also making the dungeon designer accessible too in case anyone would like to write their own eamon games. So, today i've been playing all the beginner eamon delux adventures and having thoughts. As beginner adventures these are not complicated in the least, go into location, slaughter your way through and grab the loot to take back to the main hall to sell for dosh. what is surprising me is how addictive these are, and how just a few lines of description and a very simple system can create an immersive game. The parza is fairly unsophisticated, indeed the only item manipulation commands are put, remove, wear and use, so puzles tend to be a matter of looking in the room description and searching objects for other objects. the combat is equally simple, but at the same time has enough in for variation. Five basic types of weapons with your character gaining experience in them as they use them, a heal, damage, and speed spell with again limited chance of use, and the chance to have your charisma affect your dealings with npcs, meaning they either ignore, fight, or fight along side you. Yet, the system has enough to be interesting, particularly when you've got got three or four allies on your side vs three or four enemies, indeed in those situations you might play healer. Don't mistake me, the system is stil primative. I'm rather sorry for instance there is no menue driven conversation, and some more spells or fighting moves would be nice to have
