I'm going to need some beta testers...

[Sparky]

...and some creative help, for a Foster's game my brother ("Government Man" here on this forum) and I are creating right now. It's not a graphic game, like an RPG or whatever, but rather a text adventure, like the old Infocom games (Zork and the like). I'm doing all the writing and my brother's doing the programming. We plan to have it playable directly though fosters-home.com (being savable and everything). There isn't anything to beta test yet, but I can always use people to bounce ideas off of. I don't need a ton of people, so don't volunteer just for the heck of it. What I need is not only people to physically play the game and look for errors (and judge its playability etc) but also people who can help with say, character dialogue, to make sure everyone sounds in-character. If you aren't familiar with text adventures, that doesn't mean I don't want your help, because I want the game to appeal even to people who have never played one before.

Here is the Wiki entry on text adventures, or "interactive fiction" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interactive_fiction)

I have created a hidden sub-board on the forum for my beta testers, and I expect everyone who volunteers to participate in the discussions there. Please don't volunteer just so you can have access to the board. We aren't going to use it to chat or gossip, and post counts have been disabled on it. I probably won't be taking more than a half-dozen people, so don't feel bad if I turn you down. I really need creative people to help me with ideas, but I am not looking for people to actually *write* for the game (other than, again, possibly rewriting some dialogue) - but if you help, yes you will get credit!

I also expect anyone I bring on to be good at keeping secrets! I shall be upset if anyone spills game info before its released, and/or innappropriately drops spoilers on solving puzzles.

[One Radical Dude]

Ooh, neat. I'll consider testing it. :)

[taranchula]

Count me in!

"Ideas" is my middle name.. okay not really, but if I had any say in the matter it would have been.

[Sparky]

Count me in!

"Ideas" is my middle name.. okay not really, but if I had any say in the matter it would have been.

I was afraid you wouldn't volunteer. After all, you're the one who came up with the quest idea. ;) I'd like you on board.

[taranchula]

I was afraid you wouldn't volunteer. After all, you're the one who came up with the quest idea. ;) I'd like you on board.

Ah good you're going ahead with that, hooray-a for me!

(I hope anyone else who happens to be reading this, isn't frothing at the mouth to find out what this great idea I came up with is, because I aint saying a thing. ;) )

[One Radical Dude]

Is it anything like a MUD (many years ago, I did briefly play one [it was non-graphical, and all you saw was text])? :P

[Sparky]

Yeah like that. Look at that Wiki link I posted, there's at least one screenshot of a text game on there. You type directions, and "get [item]" and "talk to [character]", that kind of thing.

[CG]

*waves arm* I can help out too if need be.

[HappyFoppy]

I'd like to help. I love making games - I remember me and my brother brainstorming a Megazeux game that sadly failed because of lack of good music and sound effects. But as this is a text-based game, it'll be fine. ;)

[Cassini90125]

I don't really play games much (the Sims 2 doesn't count!), but if you need me I'll be happy to help.

[Cheesecake_Recipe]

I used to have Zork running on my old 386 compy back in the day. Damn that was a while ago.

[HappyFoppy]

I even still have Zork on this pc. Muahahah. It works.
But that's off-topic.
I'd be glad to see information about the game. It sounds to be pretty good. Will it be a long game?

[Sparky]

I'm not really sure if it's going to be "long", that's hard for me to judge. I know the solutions to all the puzzles, so I don't know how long it will take people who don't know to figure them out. That's part of the reason I would need beta testers - in fact those would be a sort of "phase two" beta testers, because they would need to be folks who don't know anything about the solutions before they start playing.

I'm almost done putting togather a super-short text game, a "trial-run" for me (I'm doing all the writing and programming on that one myself). Just to see how hard it is for player to figure out how to solve a single puzzle.

[kageri]

Eureka in Topeka! A game?! I could try and help with any dialogue you think is iffy, but it looks like you have a bunch of volunteer....ers.... already. But if you want some beta-readers or something, I'll be over here.

[Sparky]

Okay I've brought on Cassini, kageri, CG, and Foppy. My bro hasn't been working on the game recently, but I may try my hand at doing some individual puzzles on my own and handing him the code. I *have* been doing some writing for it, anyways, so its moving ahead.

[Sparky]

Okay I haven't been getting any responses from any of my beta testers (except GM) so I am starting over here. Again, I am looking for people willing to beta test and give suggestions for Foster's TEXT adventures. (If you were one of my testers before and want to be readded to the team let me know.) Reread this thread from the beginning for more info on what kind of games these are.

I need people who can not only try to "break" the game and find typos but who can also give suggestions of things for the characters to do/say etc. Basically how it will work is I will give you just the basic solvable game, and once we're sure its working we can brainstorm fun extras to add to it. People who contribute will get credit.

As for the game I was working on before: I do much better on short games so that's what I'm going to do instead, just write some short games. Currently in production is "Cheese, Go Home!" which involves the player as Frankie trying to get Cheese to go home before dinnertime or else Mr. H won't let her go out with Kathy.

Oh one more thing, it is possible to add illustrations (and even animations) to these games, so I wouldn't say no to people willing to do artwork. :terrsmile: At least some "cover art", anyways.

[Ub3rD4n]

Whoooo, count me in! I'll have some time on my hands soon, and I'd love to play! And I can find typos reasonably well, so I'd be honoured if you'd have me.:herriman:

[Cassini90125]

Sorry I didn't respond earlier. At this time it might be best if I bow out; I am uncertain as to how SecuROM would react to the game and at present I haven't been able to get rid of it. Sorry. :(

[Sparky]

These games can be played directly online, no downloading required (except Java if you don't already have it).

Thanks, D4n. :terrsmile:

[montitech]

If it needs java, I guess you chose not to use TADS, Adrift or Inform.

I wrote several enviroments in TADS.

The biggest issue in creating IF(text adventures), is the quality of the parser. if the gramer of the parser is too limited or the commom synonyms are not implemented it drives people nuts..

if the grammer is too limited them it may be better to just have a couple of buttons as to your choices instead of a full Adventure.

As for adding images, be carefull, I found Images best in a "Magic Scroll" format, one image for each major location or situation. Since I cannot draw I usually stay away from images completely but if I am not playing a Graphical adventure then I prefer either no pictures of Limited pictures that show something (like an optional clue), but are not required. Zork zero had Excellent use of graphics.

Sound usually distracts since people read at different rates, and changing sound tracks between scenes may not flow smoothly.

I would like to help playtest,(if I am invited to- I did not see a link to the game yet) but I just started a new Job last friday so I do not know how much time I would have to contribute,

Monty :-[

[Sparky]

It's Inform. And I'm not really looking for testers familiar with how to make such games, just people willing to play like a regular player and let me know if the games are working correctly and to make creative suggestions, find typos, etc. I just think that would work best.

And people who do become beta testers get access to a special board, links are posted there.

[Cassini90125]

Ah, that I can handle. If you still need me, give the word. :)

[montitech]

Good luck with it,

Inform has a great parser, and a lot of default vocabularly and grammar. Also the IF ARchives newsgroup used to have a great user community about 5 years ago for assisting new authors.

I have been a Huge Infocom fan for over 25 years. but as you can tell from my posts, my writing and vocabulary is weak. But if you are looking for players familiar with IF I may be able to contribute. (as a player not a programmer)

Either way, best of luck,

Monty :-[

[KazooBloo]

Looking forward to the game.

[Sparky]

Because nobody really cared for my shorter game "Cheese, Go Home!" which was the same sort of thing, I never bothered to finish this longer one. People kept saying they wouldn't play a game with no graphics (or, apparently, where they actually had to read and write). :P

[KazooBloo]

That gets me sad. :-/