Re: Westfront PC Explained: The Author Speaks Out

["Gottverlassen" <piracy@microsoft.com>]

I understand the interest in running your program on multiple platforms, but
why are you so committed to using Basic?  ANSI C implementations abound, as
well as Pascal for most of those older systems.  You could save yourself a
lot of time porting by aiming for a more portable language.


"Paul Allen Panks" <pap3@dana.ucc.nau.edu> wrote in message
7a1fd8df.0110092009.101948f5@posting.google.com">news:7a1fd8df.0110092009.101948f5@posting.google.com...
> Dear Interactive Fiction Enthusiasts,
>
> I wish to discuss with you the nature of my game "Westfront PC: The
> Trials of Guilder". It has been called a cross between Zork,
> Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Star Wars and several online MUDs
> (Multi-User Dungeons). I am very humbled by such a mixture and am
> warmed to the heart by the kind praise and words of encouragement.
>
> Westfront PC (or simply, "WFPC") is not meant to be a traditional text
> adventure game. It was inspired by a host of adventure games, from
> Zork to The Pawn to online MUDs and even some Graphical Adventure
> games. It is an odd mixture to say the least. But the truth of the
> matter is this: Westfront PC is half adventure  game, half an inside
> joke and the rest eccentrically fun nonsense.
>
> The game itself has 1,728 "rooms" spread across four different
> continents. But the fun of the game is not so much exploring the rooms
> as it is discovering new items and solving the various puzzles and
> quests around the game.
>
> Strange events such as a "mysterious voice" that bellows odd phrases
> to the now infamous "Inspector Funkydog" spice up the gameplay. The
> pleasant use of color in the text allows for easier reading and better
> sense making.
>
> Gameplay is straight forward: Solve 25 quests and defeat Salin's Evil
> Army. Sounds easy, right? Along the way, make new friends (Faldor,
> Wolf, Warrior, Zombie, Barbarian and Leopard) and discover new worlds
> (Burton Mansion, Hambley Abbey) in your quest to restore order to the
> mythical land of Guilder.
>
> I coded Westfront PC on the Commodore 64 in 1994, which isn't saying
> much, other than that I tried to limit myself to the capabilities of
> the system. Soon after that, I ported the game over to the IBM
> PC-compatible line of microcomputers. And the rest, as they say, is
> history.
>
> I am currently working on a whole new text adventure in the more
> traditional lineage, similar to Zork and Castle Adventure. My goal
> isn't to surpass Westfront PC...it is to create a whole new adventure
> game with different worlds to explore and much better room
> descriptions. If I receive even one positive feedback, I believe I
> will have succeeded in my goal of publishing an adventure game others
> find enjoyable.
>
> Thank you for listening. :) Have a nice day!
>
> Regards,
>
> Paul Panks
> dunric@yahoo.com
> http://www.geocities.com/dunric/westfront.html
> http://members.tripod.com/~panks/westfront.html
>