Worksheet for GDV talk by Heather Albano

1. In your own words, explain the difference between a parser interactive fiction game and a choose your path interactive fiction game.
Parser interactive fiction games are text based, the player uses typing responses to dictate the progress of the game. “Choose your own path” game offers players the option to choose a path as the game is progressing, different path you choose will lead to a different ending.
2. Name an example of a parser game.
Zork
3. Name an example of a choose your own path game.
Stories: the path of destinies
4. Why does she say interactive fiction virtually died out in the mid-1990s?
Competition and a decline in production is why she said the IF almost died out the 90’s.
5. Why does she say poetry is an important element of interactive fiction writing? What example does she use?
Since the game is based on text, the words needs to carefully chosen; the most impact with less words, each words holds weights of vast information to the player, like a poem does to its reader. The example she used had highlighted text, if click gave the payer more information on that related word in the story.
6. Why does she say that ambiguity is not only unavoidable but also necessary?
Ambiguity is necessary because IF solely uses text for storytelling so ambiguity lets players imagination tell the story
7. What’s important about complicity?
Complicity lets the player have control on how they the game to continue and end