Interactive fiction, often abbreviated IF, is software simulating environments in which players use text commands to control characters and influence the environment. Works in this form can be understood as literary narratives, either in the form of Interactive narratives or Interactive narrations. These works can also be understood as a form of video game, either in the form of an adventure game or role-playing game. In common usage, the term refers to text adventures, a type of adventure game where the entire interface can be "text-only", however, graphical text adventure games, where the text is accompanied by graphics still fall under the text adventure category if the main way to interact with the game is by typing text. Some users of the term distinguish between interactive fiction, known as "Puzzle-free", that focuses on narrative, and "text adventures" that focus on puzzles.
The Interactive Fiction Competition is one of several annual competitions for works of interactive fiction. It has been held since 1995. It is intended for fairly short games, as judges are only allowed to spend two hours playing a game before deciding how many points to award it. The competition has been described as the "Super Bowl" of interactive fiction.
Hypertext fiction is a genre of electronic literature, characterized by the use of hypertext links that provide a new context for non-linearity in literature and reader interaction. The reader typically chooses links to move from one node of text to the next, and in this fashion arranges a story from a deeper pool of potential stories. Its spirit can also be seen in interactive fiction.
The XYZZY Awards are the annual awards given to works of interactive fiction, serving a similar role to the Academy Awards for film. The awards were inaugurated in 1997 by Eileen Mullin, the editor of XYZZYnews. Any game released during the year prior to the award ceremony is eligible for nomination to receive an award. The decision process takes place in two stages: members of the interactive fiction community nominate works within specific categories and sufficiently supported nominations become finalists within those categories. Community members then vote among the finalists, and the game receiving a plurality of votes is given the award in an online ceremony.
Electronic literature or digital literature is a genre of literature where digital capabilities such as interactivity, multimodality or algorithmic text generation are used aesthetically. Works of electronic literature are usually intended to be read on digital devices, such as computers, tablets, and mobile phones. They cannot be easily printed, or cannot be printed at all, because elements crucial to the work cannot be carried over onto a printed version.
Emily Short is an interactive fiction (IF) writer and creative director of Failbetter Games, the studio behind Fallen London and its spinoffs.
Anna Anthropy is an American video game designer, role-playing game designer, and interactive fiction author whose works include Mighty Jill Off and Dys4ia. She is the game designer in residence at the DePaul University College of Computing and Digital Media.
Twine is a free open-source tool created by Chris Klimas for making interactive fiction and hypertext fiction in the form of web pages. It is available on Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux.
Cart Life is a simulation video game developed by Richard Hofmeier using Adventure Game Studio for Microsoft Windows released in 2010. The game was added to Steam in March 2013 but later removed when Hofmeier released the full source code for free.
Rat Chaos is a 2012 stream of consciousness art and browser game created by Winter Lake.
Peter Burr is an American digital and new media artist. He specializes in animation and installation. He was also a touring member of the collective MOBILIVRE-BOOKMOBILE; and founded the video production company, Cartune Xprez. He is based in Brooklyn, New York.
Queers in love at the End of the World, also stylized as queers in love at the end of the world, is a hypertext game created with Twine. Developed by Anna Anthropy in 2013 for the Ludum Dare Game Jam, the short, ten-second narrative faces players with how to interact with their partner before "(e)verything is wiped away".
Howling Dogs is a Twine game and piece of interactive fiction created by Porpentine in 2012. The game is text-based and includes occasional abstract pixel art. In 2017, the game was included in the Whitney Biennial.
50 Short Games is a 2014 video game by Irish independent developer Stephen Gillmurphy, under the name thecatamites. As described by the title, 50 Short Games is a compilation of short-form interactive games, often experimental and avant-garde in nature. Gillmurphy produced one game per day for the compilation for several months in late 2013. 50 Short Games received positive attention from critics for its unusual format and novel method of creation, and was showcased at Apexart as part of an exhibition in 2019.
No One Has to Die is a 2013 video game by independent developer Sammy Madafiglio. The game is a narrative-driven puzzle game that explores science fiction elements including time travel, in which the player must make choices to rescue and sacrifice characters trapped in a fire at the headquarters of a mysterious corporation. Critics praised the game for its unorthodox use of the time loop theme in gameplay mechanics and its narrative and characterization.
With Those We Love Alive is a Twine interactive fiction game written by Porpentine. It was released on October 1, 2014 in both English and Hungarian. The musical score was composed by Brenda Neotenomie.
