Newsgroups: rec.games.int-fiction
Path: gmd.de!xlink.net!howland.reston.ans.net!pipex!uknet!comlab.ox.ac.uk!kinder
From: kinder@teaching.physics.ox.ac.uk (David Kinder)
Subject: Re: Infocom interpreters ("Curses" left in to garner favor with Graham)
Message-ID: <1993Dec19.104904.1980@inca.comlab.ox.ac.uk>
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References: <2ejmhf$g2i@agate.berkeley.edu> <2ekrfu$36c@usenet.rpi.edu> <1993Dec17.143126.18995@oxvax> <2f03i9$2sr@mojo.eng.umd.edu>
Date: 19 Dec 93 10:40:20 GMT
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Matthew T. Russotto (russotto@eng.umd.edu) wrote:
: In article <1993Dec17.143126.18995@oxvax> nelson@vax.oxford.ac.uk (Mathematical Institute, (0865) 2-73525) writes:

: }To run this, you need an Infocom interpreter for your machine - I
: }recommend either the InfoTaskForce one, or Mark Howell's "Zip".  You can
: }find very portable C source for such interpreters in the archive, and
: }also executables for many common machines.

: OK, I downloaded both Curses and the ITF interpreter for the mac.
: Unfortunately, the ITF interpreter for the Mac is a bit ugly - the
: THINK C console package isn't made for it, and it doesn't even come
: out as well as the original Apple ][ (in particular, the status line
: blinks).  I've been working on an improved one, cobbled together from
: various spots on my hard disk-- does anyone on this group know what I
: can do with it?  Can I distribute a modified ITF?  Is there any place
: I can get 'enhanced' games to test it with?  Does it matter that I had
: to modify "print_buffer" (not in io.c) to get much improved performance?

Since the InfoTaskForce distributed the source code without any 'do not
release modified versions' message, I assume ITF can be modified and
distributed. I've been distributing my Amiga port of ITF for a while now,
with no problems. Anyway, the InfoTaskForce apparently disappeared at the
end of 1992, so it shouldn't be a problem.

The only game affected by enhanced mode (-n command line switch) is SeaStalker-
the window is split into two if you are in the sub and set the sonarscope to
automatic. I just put 'enhanced = TRUE;' in the code - it's much easier that
way. I suggest you make whatever changes you see fit to make it work.
 
: Matthew T. Russotto	russotto@eng.umd.edu
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