Who remembers text-based computer adventure games?

[disneysteve]

I know I'm not the only one who was into these. In the early days of home computers, we used to play these text-based adventure games. I remember my favorite was based on "The Hitchhiker's Guide" series.

For those who don't know what I'm talking about, the computers weren't nearly as powerful and didn't have the graphics capabilities we've got today. These games were logic and imagination based. The computer would give you prompts, like "There is a door in front of you" and you would have to type instructions, like "Open the door." The computer might respond, "The door is locked." And you would need to figure out how to get in.

I was trying to explain this to my daughter yesterday. I know it sounds boring but they were really very interesting and involved. It would take weeks to work your way through the better games.

So tell me I'm not the only one with fond memories of these games. And does anyone know if any are still around on our modern supercomputers? I'd love to find one either online or for purchase and get my daughter involved in something that actually involves thought, logic and imagination.

 

[MushyMushy]

I remember those! I used to think those were the greatest.

Also remember the books where you could choose your own adventure?

 

[alabamaalan]

If you didn't find that analgesic, you were in a world of hurt

 

[denisem]

Yup - spent many an hour playing Zork, even though I never finished it. Here's a link I found: http://www.infocom-if.org/downloads/downloads.html

I also remember using an early text-based graphics program (pie charts, etc.) for work. Thanks, I feel ancient now.

 

[Hedy]

I remember those! I used to think those were the greatest.

Also remember the books where you could choose your own adventure?

They do still make those books.
Peasant Quest is one based on the HomeStar Runner webcomic.
http://www.homestarrunner.com/disk4of12.html

 

[yeartolate]

I played "Adventure" and loved it. I think you can still download it.

 

[LisaS]

Several of us at work were addicted to "Adventure" and played during lunch every day. I think I still have the map that I made, including a section of "twisty little passages". Here is some info about "Adventure" on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colossal_Cave_Adventure

 

[disneysteve]

Yup - spent many an hour playing Zork

Thank you. Zork is the name I was trying to think of yesterday. All I could come up with was Zelda and I knew that wasn't right.

 

[hucifer]

Ah yes, back when we had a Commodore 64. I loved the adventure games.

One of them you had to crawl out a window and say "yoho" in order to get whisked away somewhere....don't remember which game that was.

Oh man, I sound like a geek.

 

[bicker]

xyzzy

 

[HonestAbe]

Those were the days. But you try em now....

I guess I am stuck with City of Heroes and BF2142...

But those were fun back in the day.

 

[MareQ]

That's how I learned what the word "verbose" meant - lol!

 

[hucifer]

That's how I learned what the word "verbose" meant - lol!

That was the first time I ever saw the word "uncouth." I cannot say what we asked the computer to do.

 

[Laralyn]

Nowadays, text adventures are called "interactive fiction," and there is a thriving community. There are some fun tools that let you write your own text adventure, so rather than try to explain it to your daughter, why not help her write her own adventure?

Here are some links to get you started:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interactive_fiction
http://www.ifcomp.org/
http://www.andybrain.com/archive/interactive_fiction.htm

 

[Art Vandalay]

I forgot my grue repellent.

 

[BillSears]

I still own the Scott Adams Adventure series on tape, yes normal cassette tapes. It used to take about 30 minutes to load the game onto my Atari 800. I still have the box and everything even though I can't run it.

 

[TheGoofster]

Probably getting that ******** babble fish in your ear was one of the most annoying parts to HGtotheG. If I remember correctly the final solution was:
Push the button. The fish shoots out of the machine across the room. It hits your bathrobe which you hung up to cover the hole. It slides down to the floor where it lands on something you used to cover the grate. At this point a robot comes dashing out of his secret panel on the floor, grabs the fish and starts heading back. He collides into your travel bag which you placed in his path, thus throwing the fish into the air, along with all the other junk mail which you just happened to put on top of the bag. In the air, the other robot comes shooting out and starts grabbing all the junk mail, thus missing the fish, which proceedes to land in you ear with a plop.
I think the first time we did that, it took my friend and I at least a couple of hours to figure out how to get that dumb fish in Arthur's ear.

Also, don't forget to feed the little doggie outside the tavern at the beginning of the game, or else he will eat you and the whole miniscule fleet a lot later on in the game because he is still hungry.

I still love those text games. Without a doubt, Infocom was the leader in this field.

 

[disneysteve]

Probably getting that ******** babble fish in your ear was one of the most annoying parts to HGtotheG. If I remember correctly the final solution was:
Push the button. The fish shoots out of the machine across the room. It hits your bathrobe which you hung up to cover the hole. It slides down to the floor where it lands on something you used to cover the grate. At this point a robot comes dashing out of his secret panel on the floor, grabs the fish and starts heading back. He collides into your travel bag which you placed in his path, thus throwing the fish into the air, along with all the other junk mail which you just happened to put on top of the bag. In the air, the other robot comes shooting out and starts grabbing all the junk mail, thus missing the fish, which proceedes to land in you ear with a plop.
I think the first time we did that, it took my friend and I at least a couple of hours to figure out how to get that dumb fish in Arthur's ear.

Also, don't forget to feed the little doggie outside the tavern at the beginning of the game, or else he will eat you and the whole miniscule fleet a lot later on in the game because he is still hungry.

And my wife called me a computer geek . Sad the things you remember, isn't it?

I also recall that when you were on the ship, you had to do something with tea AND no tea in order to proceed.

 

[MareQ]

Probably getting that ******** babble fish in your ear was one of the most annoying parts to HGtotheG. If I remember correctly the final solution was:
Push the button. The fish shoots out of the machine across the room. It hits your bathrobe which you hung up to cover the hole. It slides down to the floor where it lands on something you used to cover the grate. At this point a robot comes dashing out of his secret panel on the floor, grabs the fish and starts heading back. He collides into your travel bag which you placed in his path, thus throwing the fish into the air, along with all the other junk mail which you just happened to put on top of the bag. In the air, the other robot comes shooting out and starts grabbing all the junk mail, thus missing the fish, which proceedes to land in you ear with a plop.
I think the first time we did that, it took my friend and I at least a couple of hours to figure out how to get that dumb fish in Arthur's ear.

Also, don't forget to feed the little doggie outside the tavern at the beginning of the game, or else he will eat you and the whole miniscule fleet a lot later on in the game because he is still hungry.

I still love those text games. Without a doubt, Infocom was the leader in this field.

Wasn't it mail or a mail bag covering the grate?

ETA - Here it is from a Walkthrough

Vogon Hold
Firstly, eat the nuts. If you don't, you will die of protein loss. Take off
your gown, and hang it up on the hook. Then, get the towel and put it over the
drain. Wait until Ford is asleep, then nick his satchel and put it in front of
the panel. Put the junk mail on the satchel, then press the dispenser button.
A babel fish will land in your ear, and you will be able to understand all
languages. Useful for foreign films! Press the switch and note which word it
asks you to type (first, second or third word of the second verse), and then
wait. At one point, any time from now, you will get a message telling you how
careless talk costs lives. This will happen when you type something into the
game that the interpreter does not recognise. Don't panic, this is just a part
of the game. More details are available in the Random Scenarios section.

 

[orljustin]

I actually participated in an overnight contest with some other kids from my school to see which team could finish "Hollywood Hijinx" (Infocom) first. Our other school team won first place - a new Apple II computer, and we won 2nd - a suite of games from Infocom. Boy, that was fun. Maybe 1987?