IF for wannabe Authors - an IFDB Poll

by SinfoolGamer
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For all the wannabe IF Authors out there, what games would you recommend they play/research? Hopefully looking for multiple types (best & worst IF) and also IF with sounds/pictures/animation & with well done feelies (maps, letters, interactive (like printable iDs) to show a possible author if what is a brilliant IF (or what not to do) and what can be achieved with bringing in extras

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Anchorhead, by Michael Gentry
3 votes
"Anchorhead is an..." [+]"Anchorhead is an excellent example of Standard IF Design; a large map that gradually opens up as puzzles are solved, which also provides pacing for the gradually-revealed mystery plot." () --Sam Kabo Ashwell... (No comment) [+](No comment) --tassospandis... (No comment) [+](No comment) --shadoknight...

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Violet, by Jeremy Freese
1 vote
"strong narration" [+]"strong narration: Violet may not be the first game to have a strong narrative voice, but it does it so well here that I really think it's a game changer, a must-play for every author who forgets that room and object descriptions are an opportunity to make the player feel invested." () --Jonathan Blask...

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Cryptozookeeper, by Robb Sherwin
1 vote
"Probably the most..." [+]"Probably the most extensive use of images and music in modern IF." ( - Full review) --Sam Kabo Ashwell...

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Aisle, by Sam Barlow
1 vote
"Well done one..." [+]"Well done one move game. Aisle's "story" is also worth looking at, though it's more a set of loosely connected stories." --Molly...

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Photopia, by Adam Cadre
1 vote
"Still one of the finest examples of the linear IF form" [+]"Still one of the finest examples of the linear IF form: The IF world owes a hell of a lot to Adam Cadre, I feel." () --Molly...

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Sand-dancer, by Aaron Reed and Alexei Othenin-Girard
1 vote
"The game built in Aaron Reed's book" [+]"The game built in Aaron Reed's book: Source code posted from after each chapter's complete. Might not be such a writer's game without these extras, but it'd be interesting to see others keep a history of source code, maybe with bug fixes and change logs too." --Andrew Schultz...

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Six, by Wade Clarke
1 vote
"It's a good..." [+]"It's a good example of IF using sound, plus it has good feelies. (It was nominated for an XYZZY award for its feelies, actually.)" () --Molly...

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Lost Pig, by Admiral Jota
1 vote
"It has a very..." [+]"It has a very thorough implementation. (This is why it always tops the "Beginner-Friendly IF" lists.) In addition, the narrative voice is strong and very funny." () --Molly...

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Savoir-Faire, by Emily Short
1 vote
"One of the most..." [+]"One of the most effective things an IF author can do is to pick out a distinctive interaction mechanic that works in a logical way, can be appled to a broad spectrum of problems (but is not world-breakingly powerful), and fits smoothly into its fictional world. Savoir Faire is the poster child for this approach." () --Sam Kabo Ashwell...

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9:05, by Adam Cadre
1 vote
"A must-play for any IF gamer (or gamer in general, really), but it's especially important for would-be authors, I feel." [+]"A must-play for any IF gamer (or gamer in general, really), but it's especially important for would-be authors, I feel." () --Molly...

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