Text Adventure Game on Kindle (kindlequest.com)

edyagi · 09-25-2010, 09:24 PM

http://www.kindlequest.com

Seeing that the Kindle has free internet, and a nifty keyboard, those old school text adventure games is perfect for the Kindle's experimental browser.

So we developed a website specifically for the Kindle that lets you play a bunch of your favorite Infocom Zork-like games from yesteryear:

[1] - Mini-Zork I (1988)
[4] - Zork I (1980)
[9] - Ballyhoo (1985)
[10] - Cutthroat (1984)
[11] - Deadline (1981)
[12] - Enchanter (1983)
[13] - Hollywood Hijinx (1986)
[14] - Infidel (1983)
[17] - Moonmist (1986)
[18] - Planetfall (1983)
[19] - Plundered Hearts (1987)
[20] - Seastalker (1984)
[22] - Spellbreaker (1985)
[23] - Starcross (1982)
[25] - Suspect (1984)
[26] - Suspended (1983)
[27] - Wishbringer (1985)
[29] - Zork II (1981)
[30] - Zork III (1982)

Give it a spin, let us know what you think and/or how we can improve it!

thanks!

http://www.kindlequest.com

vili · 09-26-2010, 03:22 AM

Wow, great work!

I found a bug though. By mistake, I typed the command "game 16", and got a Server Error. I assume that this is because no game number 16 exists on your list yet.

I wonder if it may also be a security breach considering that the error page lets me know where on your server the source files are kept.

Are you going to be adding other Infocom games as well? Stationfall, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Bureaucracy first came to mind from titles that are still missing.

carld · 09-26-2010, 03:26 AM

Thanks for setting this up. Is it possible to include a Black on White option? I have a really hard time reading White on Black.

gargoyle67 · 09-26-2010, 03:31 AM

Just tried it with my pc works great, When I eventually get my kindle3 I'll try it on that too, I love Infocom games, You may want to add "Station Fall" which is a great follow up to "planet fall". I take it that most if not all Infocom titles are public domain now then ?
Thanks for the link and your effort =)
How is the save game done btw ? Will it remember where I left off ?

HarryT · 09-26-2010, 04:37 AM

These are copyrighted games. Do you have the permission of the copyright holder to have them on your server?

gargoyle67 · 09-26-2010, 04:49 AM

Mmm yes I thought that also, The Zork titles are the only ones that are in the public domain. "Activision Studios owns and maintains full copyright on all Infocom games. With the exception of the first three Zork adventures no Infocom game can be legally "downloaded for free""
I think the OP might have to trim a few titles.
http://www.csd.uwo.ca/Infocom/faq.html#PIRATE

sastig · 09-27-2010, 03:51 AM

Ooh, kindlequest is a lot of fun! Thanks for doing this!

One thing: I tried a few of the games, and more than one of them said that the clue I needed was "in my game package." (Specifically, the Infidel game has a treasure map in it, but the map is "in your game package," and the Hollywood game has a letter in it telling you what you're supposed to do, but that's "in your game package" too.)

Am I wrong to think that you need the extra elements to play the games?

Thanks again for these -- I had great fun as a kid with text games and it's nice to see them again!!

gargoyle67 · 09-27-2010, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sastig

Am I wrong to think that you need the extra elements to play the games?

Yes some of them had it as a form of software protection, Although there are PDF's about on the net with the info if you know where to look.

koland · 09-27-2010, 02:06 PM

I suspect they'll be getting take-down notices due to both the use of Kindle and Quest in the domain names, although they may get a few months before they are noticed.

jondelfin · 09-27-2010, 03:27 PM

I applaud your efforts, but, honestly, most people have a kindle for one thing - reading. I can think of many platforms i would use for even text games before i would use my kindle.

Tiersten · 09-27-2010, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by koland

I suspect they'll be getting take-down notices due to both the use of Kindle and Quest in the domain names, although they may get a few months before they are noticed.

Companies are noticing that old games are viable as a rerelease for portable devices so yeah, if the other games in the list were never released to the public then I'd expect some nasty lawyer letters. People used to argue that the companies were no longer interested in these ancient games and no longer sold them but this isn't quite true now.

Whats wrong with "Quest" BTW?

Nice work still though. The Kindle keyboard isn't great for lots of typing but its still a nice idea. Hopefully there will be other adventure style games in the future. I could see Amazon doing interactive fiction.

pboss · 09-27-2010, 06:07 PM

Kindle shouldn’t have games in the first place, but if I have to play the devils advocate, I’d like to see some Chess on it.

vkeios · 09-28-2010, 12:42 AM

If you want to play some interactive fiction online, legally, and on the Kindle. Parchment is pretty nice. I'd recommend anything by Adam Cadre or Andrew Plotkin.
http://parchment.toolness.com

And its all modern games that have mostly been made in the last decade (Nothing wrong with Infocom, but I don't always feel like replaying their stuff).

tomsem · 09-28-2010, 01:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vkeios

If you want to play some interactive fiction online, legally, and on the Kindle. Parchment is pretty nice. I'd recommend anything by Adam Cadre or Andrew Plotkin.
http://parchment.toolness.com

And its all modern games that have mostly been made in the last decade (Nothing wrong with Infocom, but I don't always feel like replaying their stuff).

Thanks for that link.

Actually I think 'interactive fiction' is a good match for Kindle, I trust someone will eventually deliver Kindle app implementations. There are plenty of Infocom games I never played in the first place (or never got very far with).

tomsem · 09-28-2010, 01:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pboss

Kindle shouldn’t have games in the first place, but if I have to play the devils advocate, I’d like to see some Chess on it.

I'm for that, as long as I can win once in awhile...

09-25-2010, 09:24 PM	#1
edyagi Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: kindle	Text Adventure Game on Kindle (kindlequest.com) http://www.kindlequest.com Seeing that the Kindle has free internet, and a nifty keyboard, those old school text adventure games is perfect for the Kindle's experimental browser. So we developed a website specifically for the Kindle that lets you play a bunch of your favorite Infocom Zork-like games from yesteryear: [1] - Mini-Zork I (1988) [4] - Zork I (1980) [9] - Ballyhoo (1985) [10] - Cutthroat (1984) [11] - Deadline (1981) [12] - Enchanter (1983) [13] - Hollywood Hijinx (1986) [14] - Infidel (1983) [17] - Moonmist (1986) [18] - Planetfall (1983) [19] - Plundered Hearts (1987) [20] - Seastalker (1984) [22] - Spellbreaker (1985) [23] - Starcross (1982) [25] - Suspect (1984) [26] - Suspended (1983) [27] - Wishbringer (1985) [29] - Zork II (1981) [30] - Zork III (1982) Give it a spin, let us know what you think and/or how we can improve it! thanks! http://www.kindlequest.com

09-28-2010, 12:42 AM	#13
vkeios Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Kindle 3	If you want to play some interactive fiction online, legally, and on the Kindle. Parchment is pretty nice. I'd recommend anything by Adam Cadre or Andrew Plotkin. http://parchment.toolness.com And its all modern games that have mostly been made in the last decade (Nothing wrong with Infocom, but I don't always feel like replaying their stuff). Last edited by vkeios; 09-28-2010 at 12:45 AM.

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09-26-2010, 03:22 AM	#2
vili Member Posts: 11 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Kindle 2	Wow, great work! I found a bug though. By mistake, I typed the command "game 16", and got a Server Error. I assume that this is because no game number 16 exists on your list yet. I wonder if it may also be a security breach considering that the error page lets me know where on your server the source files are kept. Are you going to be adding other Infocom games as well? Stationfall, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Bureaucracy first came to mind from titles that are still missing.

09-26-2010, 03:26 AM	#3
carld Wizard Posts: 2,698 Karma: 4748723 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Thanks for setting this up. Is it possible to include a Black on White option? I have a really hard time reading White on Black.

09-26-2010, 03:31 AM	#4
gargoyle67 Addict Posts: 231 Karma: 180249 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Kobo Aura	Just tried it with my pc works great, When I eventually get my kindle3 I'll try it on that too, I love Infocom games, You may want to add "Station Fall" which is a great follow up to "planet fall". I take it that most if not all Infocom titles are public domain now then ? Thanks for the link and your effort =) How is the save game done btw ? Will it remember where I left off ?

09-26-2010, 04:37 AM	#5
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,560 Karma: 93980341 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	These are copyrighted games. Do you have the permission of the copyright holder to have them on your server?

09-26-2010, 04:49 AM	#6
gargoyle67 Addict Posts: 231 Karma: 180249 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Kobo Aura	Mmm yes I thought that also, The Zork titles are the only ones that are in the public domain. "Activision Studios owns and maintains full copyright on all Infocom games. With the exception of the first three Zork adventures no Infocom game can be legally "downloaded for free"" I think the OP might have to trim a few titles. http://www.csd.uwo.ca/Infocom/faq.html#PIRATE

09-27-2010, 03:51 AM	#7
sastig Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: kindle	Ooh, kindlequest is a lot of fun! Thanks for doing this! One thing: I tried a few of the games, and more than one of them said that the clue I needed was "in my game package." (Specifically, the Infidel game has a treasure map in it, but the map is "in your game package," and the Hollywood game has a letter in it telling you what you're supposed to do, but that's "in your game package" too.) Am I wrong to think that you need the extra elements to play the games? Thanks again for these -- I had great fun as a kid with text games and it's nice to see them again!!

09-27-2010, 02:06 PM	#9
koland Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,563 Karma: 8033155 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: TN, USA Device: kindle(all), nook, nookcolor, Sony, Kobo, epic, iphone, iPad, pc	I suspect they'll be getting take-down notices due to both the use of Kindle and Quest in the domain names, although they may get a few months before they are noticed.

09-27-2010, 03:27 PM	#10
jondelfin Enthusiast Posts: 36 Karma: 610 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Kindle 2, 3, 4T	I applaud your efforts, but, honestly, most people have a kindle for one thing - reading. I can think of many platforms i would use for even text games before i would use my kindle.

09-27-2010, 06:07 PM	#12
pboss Evangelist Posts: 408 Karma: 646 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: none	Kindle shouldn’t have games in the first place, but if I have to play the devils advocate, I’d like to see some Chess on it.