Each part is a quest to obtain some object. So in that sense it is autoconclusive _sub_story. But at the same time there is a single bigger story that goes forward, and is told between the parts.
I suggest you just play the prologue, the one where you need to kiss the farmer daughter who has turned into a pig, which has a surprising twist, and you’ll see if you like it
Go to the IFComp page (when the results are fully released, very soon) to see the full results, and play some of the amazing text adventures that were submitted this year:
The Winner, “The Wizard Sniffer”, is a masterpiece of humour. And not complicated, as it only has two verbs, “sniff” and “look” (in addition to take, drop, and walk). Very original. Very good for occasional play, does not require big dedication. Not to be missed for any reason. @LowLevel
I agree. I was worried at first because it tells you in the game it has a limited verb set, but this in fact adds to the game for me, rather than takes away. The puzzles are very interesting and fun, and the humor is excellent. I can see why it got first place, and has the highest score (ever) for an entry to this competition. I’ve only played it for 15-20 minutes, but I’m really enjoying it so far.
The only problem with these text games is when they engage in complicated descriptions of the environment. Which sometimes are needed for puzzles, so you have to read them. Especially if you are not mother tongue, these descriptions are hard to understand. If I did a text game, I wouldn’t have environment descriptions. And I wouldn’t have puzzles that require understanding of the spatial conformation of the place. Otherwise, I would put some graphics.
But the strenght of these games is that long dialogues don’t seem out of place as they seem in graphic games. And also, that sometimes reading of a strange action made by a character can be funnier than actually seeing it, if it’s well written. (Eric the Unready comes to mind)
If you want to experience them again, I highly recommend checking out the recently released Thaumistry, from Bob Bates. It has all the best elements of a text adventure, with none of the annoying bits (in my opinion). Bob really did a great job, and this Kickstarter project was clearly a labor of love. It’s worth paying for, but as mentioned here, there are also many great free text adventures available, including winners from this year’s IF-Comp.
I’m old but not that old to have experienced the Infocom era. I’ve been meaning to take on some classic text adventure games for a while. I think now is a good time to make that happen (while we wait for the next graphic adventure from @RonGilbert )
Thanks @besmaller I’ve just bought Thaumistry. Perfect Friday night ahead
a few years ago i played hadean lands which was written by one of the really well-known IF authors (andrew plotkin/zarf). it was incredible, the puzzle system is really well done – the premise is that you’re a student of alchemy and as the game progresses you get more ingredients and learn spells to make stuff, which you can use to make other stuff. the worldbuilding is really good too IMO. plus the game is hard a.f. which i’m sure is a draw to a lot of the people here. anyway, highly recommend
one of these days i’ll power through the original zork. i remember spending some time with the hitchhiker’s guide game but i’m pretty sure i would never be able to beat that without consulting a guide.
so i guess the answer to your question is… yes and yes
I actually create text adventure games. I created this one: https://www.RulerOfKings.com which is more than just a text adventure because it is not linear and you can change the story as well as interact with other players.