[Coco] OT: COMPUTE's Guide to Adventure Games book

[Bill Pierce]

Salvador, a better book for "learning" to write adventures is (which I also have)

Creating Adventure Games on Your Computer by Tim Hartnell
http://www.atariarchives.org/adventure/

The reason the other book was brought up was because it contained "Tower of Mystery" which is an excellent starting adventure engine.

This book gives play-by-play of various game sections


And yes... games have come a long way, but adventure is still alive. A good example (and my favorite) is "Tomb Raider" featuring Laura Croft. I have all of these.

 

 


Bill Pierce
"Today is a good day... I woke up" - Ritchie Havens
 

My Music from the Tandy/Radio Shack Color Computer 2 & 3
https://sites.google.com/site/dabarnstudio/
Co-Contributor, Co-Editor for CocoPedia
http://www.cocopedia.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
E-Mail: ooogalapasooo at aol.com


 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Salvador Garcia <ssalvadorgarcia at netscape.net>
To: coco <coco at maltedmedia.com>
Sent: Fri, Apr 17, 2015 8:25 am
Subject: [Coco] OT: COMPUTE's Guide to Adventure Games book



Hi all,   
   
   
   
First of all, thanks to whoever posted the reference to
this book. I located it, downloaded and read it. I just want to share my
thoughts about it. The first 7 chapters are basically descriptions of adventure
games that were available at the time the book was written. While some of these
are a compelling read I was hoping that the author would discuss the design and
development of these more.  
   
   
   
   
Chapter 8 provides help and hints
on how to solve a game. Chapter 9 is where everything begins to pick up. The
author discusses the theory of operation of an adventure game. Chapter 10 really
gets cooking as the author presents a breakdown of an adventure game, describing
each component and providing pseudo code. Chapter 11 presents a listing of a
simple (author's description) text adventure game. The listing is provided in
such a way that depending on which computer is available, the reader types in a
specific listing.  
   
   
   
   
Finally chapter 12 looks toward the future.
This chapter was interesting in its own right as the author ponders on the
possibility of having hi definition images. He mentions the resources needed for
such an endeavor and does not see it possible for a home computer to have such
power. Also, the video disc is mentioned as a possible means to enhance game
play.  
   
   
   
   
It was a good read and enjoyed the nature of the games
presented.    Now my turn to get philosophical. All the games presented in the
book had to do with solving something. While there was the possibility of battle
and sword fights I can't help comparing them with the games available today
which present a much higher degree of graphic gore and violence. In Google I
typed in xbox games and the first items on the list it generated were Grand
Theft Auto, Destiny and Call of Duty. It seems to me that when the adventure
games described in the book were available were simpler times where there was no
need for gore and violence to make a game appealing.  
   
   
   
   
Best
regards, Salvador  
   
   
   
 

-- 
Coco mailing
list
Coco at maltedmedia.com
https://pairlist5.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/coco