TADS Interactive Fiction interpreter compiled for Kindle PW (via KTerm)

[pete330]

Following the ideas posted here: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=186007 I was able to compile the FrobTADS 1.2.3 Interactive Fiction interpreter (http://www.tads.org/frobtads.htm) for the Kindle Paperwhite.

It needs KTerm to run. (http://www.fabiszewski.net/kindle-terminal/)

Update 1: Optimized build options for Kindle. Using pre-installed libcurl.

[nasser]

amazing..
i was just thinking whether it would be possible.. and he's already done it..!
great work, man..
of course, need to test it..
@twobob.. think we'll need a common button for this, frotz and glulxe..

[nasser]

Running "Sunset over Savannah"..

See screenshot..

[crich70]

It's been yrs since I saw a mention of TADS and IF. At one time IF was a pretty big thing and then faster CPU's were built that could handle faster graphics and things went into decline. There are some good IF games still out there though.

Interactive Fiction Archive
IF Archive

[nasser]

Originally Posted by crich70

It's been yrs since I saw a mention of TADS and IF. At one time IF was a pretty big thing and then faster CPU's were built that could handle faster graphics and things went into decline. There are some good IF games still out there though.

Interactive Fiction Archive
IF Archive

Hmm.. you've left out a good deal of the history inbetween..

Here's a detailed one.. up to date till 2006..

Let's Tell a Story Together
(A History of Interactive Fiction)
Copyright 2006 by Jimmy Maher

http://maher.filfre.net/if-book/index.html

For those interested to read it on the kindle, there's a .mobi version too.. http://maher.filfre.net/if-book/if-book.mobi

[nasser]

Originally Posted by nasser

amazing..
i was just thinking whether it would be possible.. and he's already done it..!
great work, man..
of course, need to test it..
@twobob.. think we'll need a common button for this, frotz and glulxe..

Savannah, Ditch Day, Deep Space Drifter, Perdition's Flames.. all run OK..

[crich70]

Originally Posted by nasser

Hmm.. you've left out a good deal of the history inbetween..

Here's a detailed one.. up to date till 2006..

http://maher.filfre.net/if-book/index.html

For those interested to read it on the kindle, there's a .mobi version too.. http://maher.filfre.net/if-book/if-book.mobi

Well I wasn't trying to give a complete history. Thanks for the link.

[nasser]

Have made a 3-in-1 KUAL button for this, glulxe and frotz..

See: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...1&postcount=48

[crich70]

You have to wonder with the new Interpreter port if there might be a chance of a renaissance for IF games. I mean the first IF games for computers had to run on machines with only 16k of memory and of course those 1st home computers were virtual dinosaurs in terms of portability compared to an ereader like the Kindle. So perhaps IF games might make a come back. There are after all already CYOA book type games available so why not IF games as well?

[nasser]

IF games won't die out.. there's a thriving hobbyist community keeping them alive..
But achieving commercial success of the infocom era kind may be impossible..

[knc1]

Humankind has been playing games for a long time:
http://news.discovery.com/history/ar...und-130814.htm

Now all they have to do is find the stone with the rules carved in it.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by nasser

IF games won't die out.. there's a thriving hobbyist community keeping them alive..
But achieving commercial success of the infocom era kind may be impossible..

Well things are a lot different from when Infocom was around though too. The internet is a lot bigger than ARPANET was and computer tech. has increased quite a bit. It used to be you needed a physical publisher in order to get a book out for people to read. Now we have resources like Amazon and Smashwords to name just two and ebooks are everywhere. Not to mention the compact and lightweight reading devices (like Kindle) that are out there now. Whose to say that someone might not create a new game making company that specializes in text games. The equipment for making games is out there. All a person has to do is look for it. History does repeat itself though never exactly in the same exact way.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by knc1

Humankind has been playing games for a long time:
http://news.discovery.com/history/ar...und-130814.htm

Now all they have to do is find the stone with the rules carved in it.

Already done. I've got a copy of the game in storage somewhere.

Royal_Game_of_Ur

[knc1]

Originally Posted by crich70

Already done. I've got a copy of the game in storage somewhere.

Royal_Game_of_Ur

The rules shown there are 2500 years more recent than the game pieces.

Whatever - Mankind is not about to give up playing games.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by knc1

The rules shown there are 2500 years more recent than the game pieces.

Whatever - Mankind is not about to give up playing games.

True. Of course the two boards do look very similar though. We are a very creative species. I think the Romans even included game boards literally built into their public bath areas via the tiles on the floor.