Sneak Previews: Lights... Camera... Demo!

With this issue, I'd like to announce two new developments in my Sneak Preview procedures. Where space permits, I'd like to print opening game descriptions, like the one shown below for "Gumshoe." In a similar vein, I now have software for creating animations of on-screen activity, which means that I can create short movies of the opening moves of a text adventure game. I'd like to create such movies for Sneak Preview games and make the movie files available on my Web site. This will allow the game developers to create a short demo of their games without any extra coding, and will be a service for my Web readers who want to download these demo files. Without any other further ado, here are this month's sneak previews -- two IF games-in-the-works that should be available soon:

"Gumshoe" by Mike Oliphant (oliphant@cogsci.ucsd.edu) is an upcoming Inform game that he says is "about midway through testing and should be released this spring."

Reluctantly, you crack a gluey eyelid to the world. Your head surges 
with pain, and you quickly shut it again.

The whiskey gods were not kind to you last night.

You search your memory for the reason behind this latest drinking binge. 
This proves difficult, because there have been many such nights since 
you were removed from your job as detective on the force. Now it comes 
back to you. The rent being past due on your new office. Marge badgering 
you about her paycheck. Your empty bank account. Your complete lack of 
clients. The money you owe Jimmy Voigt. You wince, not even wanting to 
think about Jimmy Voigt.

Last night, you took your troubles to 'ole Johnny Walker and he listened 
good. One drink led to another, and that naturally led to the next. Now 
you find yourself awakening on a cold, tiled floor. You bravely reopen 
your eyes and see that you are curled up at the foot of some private 
investigator's office door.

Hey! It's your office!!

The one you owe rent on... You wince again. Ignoring the warning bells 
going off in your head, you slowly get to your feet and manage to
stand shakily. You're beginning to understand what it means to be a...

Gumshoe
An Interactive Investigation
Copyright (c) 1995 by Mike Oliphant
Release 1 / Serial number 960106 / Inform v1502 Library 5/12

"Reality Shift, The Green Crystal, Part 1" is an upcoming AGT game by L. Ross Raszewski (rraszews@skipjack.bluecrab.org) in which you're on a mission to save the world. The game includes pop-up hints, over 100 locations, four player characters and some 15 non-player characters. Beta testers are welcomed.

Go to the next page in this issue

Flip back to the previous page

Go to the XYZZYnews home page

This site is maintained by Eileen Mullin
Legal information