Newsgroups: rec.arts.int-fiction
Path: nntp.gmd.de!news.ruhr-uni-bochum.de!news.rwth-aachen.de!newsserver.rrzn.uni-hannover.de!news.dkrz.de!dscomsa.desy.de!news.belwue.de!swidir.switch.ch!surfnet.nl!howland.erols.net!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!news.sgi.com!www.nntp.primenet.com!nntp.primenet.com!netcom.com!erkyrath
From: erkyrath@netcom.com (Andrew Plotkin)
Subject: Re: What could IF be?? (Part 2)
Message-ID: <erkyrathDy1ruK.Fsq@netcom.com>
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 261-4700 guest)
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL1]
References: <xktk9tp2k9k.fsf@moe.Myrias.AB.CA>
Date: Fri, 20 Sep 1996 20:06:20 GMT
Lines: 49
Sender: erkyrath@netcom.netcom.com

Jean-Henri Duteau (jeand@myrias.com) wrote:
> Now, however, this little excerpt of 3rd person viewpoint is exactly
> the start that IF needs.  The story I think would be much more
> interesting.  Yes, it's harder to program, but just think of the
> possibilities, both from an author viewpoint and a user viewpoint.
> Look at what the simple command "examine floor" brings up.  All
> because of changing the pronoun from "YOU" to "HE".

> >The wanderer reaches the outer skirts of the big city.
> >The air is filled with an odor foulness. 
> >What do you want him to do?

> examine floor

> >He looks at the floor and with a sudden feeling of disgust
> >he recognizes that the soil below his feet hasn't born any life in ages. 
> >What do you want him to do?

> enter the city

> >Although feelings of fear try to weaken his knees, he starts to walk
> >toward the city. Sparks of memories seem to flash in his mind,
> >thoughts about his wife and his family. He wonders if he ever will 
> >see them again........

I think I disagree with both your claims.

First, it's no harder to program. It's just different string constants.

Second, your example works just as well for me in second person.  Change
all the "he"'s to "you"'s, and I could accept it just as easily. It's not 
like the technique has never been used before, either.

> Let's stop writing simple ADVENTURE GAMES
> (although I have yet to solve any of the IF on gmd, so I probably
> shouldn't be using the adjective simple 8-]) and start writing
> Interactive Fiction.

The traditional response to this is "You're new around here, aren't you?"

I don't want to stomp on new particpants, but you're not the first person 
to say this...

--Z

-- 

"And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these were the
borogoves..."
