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Studies of ZIL, Part 1
by Max Fog
Infocom is well-known in the interactive fiction community for classics such as Zork, Deadline, and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, as well as more experimental pieces such as Trinity, Plundered Hearts, and A Mind Forever Voyaging. In the 1980s, Infocom became a fundamental part of the history of IF and shaped the IF world as we know it today. The first way they did this was probably the most obvious. The games that Infocom made pushed boundaries in every direction – from classic puzzle games like Zork, to puzzleless atmospheric types like A Mind Forever Voyaging, all the way through to Choose Your Own Adventure (CYOA) games like Journey (which, while unpopular both at the time and now, was an example of early point-and-click CYOA). The games they released did wonders in introducing over a hundred thousand people to the entire broad and diverse world of interactive fiction, and inspiring people to make their own text games. The second way is more obscure, but just as important. It’s the Z-machine.
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Infocom's Moonmist for the PC-9800
Analyzing Infocom's "Moonmist" from a philosophical perspective requires delving into its narrative structure, thematic elements, and gameplay mechanics, interpreting them in light of broader existential, ethical, and epistemological themes.
1. The Search for Truth in a World of Illusions: "Moonmist" is a detective-themed text adventure game set in a haunted castle, where players must uncover the truth behind a series of mysteries. This quest for truth in a world filled with secrets, lies, and illusions echoes the philosophical journey of discerning reality from appearances. The game's emphasis on gathering clues and making deductions parallels the philosophical inquiries of epistemology – the study of knowledge, its nature, and how we come to understand truth.
2. The Nature of Identity and Deception: As players interact with various characters, each with their own secrets and agendas, "Moonmist" invites players to contemplate the nature of identity. The characters’ hidden motives and the masks they wear to conceal their true selves resonate with the philosophical exploration of authentic versus artificial identities. The game challenges players to consider the extent to which identity is a construct, shaped by social interactions and personal secrets.
3. Ethical Decision-Making and Moral Ambiguity: Throughout the game, players face choices that require ethical decision-making, often in situations where the moral implications are ambiguous. This aspect of "Moonmist" aligns with moral philosophy, challenging players to navigate complex ethical dilemmas where the distinction between right and wrong is not always clear. The game encourages players to weigh their decisions and consider the ethical ramifications of their actions.
4. The Ghostly and the Supernatural as Metaphors: The ghostly and supernatural elements in "Moonmist" can be interpreted metaphorically, representing unresolved past issues, hidden fears, or repressed emotions. From a philosophical perspective, these elements can be seen as manifestations of the subconscious mind, exploring how unaddressed aspects of our psyche can haunt us, much like the ghosts in the game.
5. The Role of Perception in Shaping Reality: "Moonmist" requires players to rely heavily on textual descriptions to navigate and interact with the game world. This reliance on descriptive language to construct a mental image of the setting and events highlights the role of perception in shaping our understanding of reality. The game serves as a reminder that our perception of the world is often based on incomplete information, subject to interpretation and personal biases.
6. Solitude, Isolation, and the Individual's Journey: The game's setting, a remote and eerie castle, creates a sense of isolation and solitude. This setting can be philosophically interpreted as a representation of the individual's journey in seeking truth and understanding. The solitary experience of the player, navigating the mysteries of "Moonmist" alone, mirrors the solitary nature of philosophical inquiry and the personal quest for knowledge and self-understanding.
In conclusion, Infocom's "Moonmist" is a text adventure game that offers more than just entertainment; it serves as a medium for philosophical exploration. Through its narrative and gameplay, the game engages players in themes such as the search for truth, the nature of identity, ethical decision-making, the metaphorical significance of the supernatural, the role of perception in shaping reality, and the solitude of the individual journey. It prompts players to engage with deep philosophical questions and reflect on the nature of knowledge, reality, and self.
#Infocom#Moonmist#Interactive fiction#Z-Machine#ZMachine#PC9800#PC-9800#Retro#Retrogame#Retro game#Retrogaming#Retro gaming#Text Adventure#Pixel Crisis
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horror sub-genres: techno
#horror sub-genres#obviously didn't include everything i just shortened this one#horror#horror movies#techno horror#pulse#stay alive#unfriended#cam#ringu#upgrade#z#fear dot com#deadware#host#one missed call#shutter#hardware#existenz#death machine#videodrome#virius#brainscan#tetsuo the iron man#ghosts of war#m3gan#mind i say terminator too but idk if thats a shared thing to call it horror in my mind it is horror#horroredit#moviesedit#filmedit
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The Ones Who Live | 1x05 - Become
#*rattling the bars of my cage*#Rick Grimes#towl spoilers#The Ones Who Live#*#rg#still snowy here#time for a new scarf#f u z z y#rick and his blue undies the real otp#thick things save lives#*pours everclear on the dumpster fire*#I AM LOOKING#not an ounce of respect in sight#gliding my hand like it's on a staircase railing#and also straddling#like a grocery store quarter machine ride and i got a truck full of quarters
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[🥝]
up close/extra
#ts4 cas#the sims 4#simblr#sims 4#sims 4 cas#ts4#ts4 maxis match#sims community#maxis mix#z#cas machine has me locked rn#also charli grabbed me by my braids and made me listen to the album again
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Lonely earth-bound monarch figures whose existences and legacies extend past the bounds of time and space.
#pokemon x and y#pokemon scarlet and violet#pokemon fanart#pokemon xy#az pokemon#area zero#the indigo disk#pokemon legends z-a#terapagos#pokemon az#my art#glimmora#Pokemon#my favs who held deity-like status ties to time/space (timeline split/multiverse) vital lore and lost potential..#flower motifs = glimmora and floette...#while one caused mass wipeout the other is a survivor of a natural disaster (though in some sense could take over the region with crystals)#both of their stories involved grand machine infused with potent power tied to the legendary mon#where in the end AZ/ai prof entreats the protagonists for their help to shut their creation down#both embody their themes - life/death#+ you need a special key item for the machine..the key and the book...sources and symbols of the creators' ambition#oh man do I think about them a lot...#at first I did not like the way this was going but im finally satisified with the results. I poured so many emotions in here lol
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Can I hear a wahoo if you've fallen inadvertent victim to the Welsh Seduction Machine
#welsh seduction machine#The Welsh seduction machine#Michael Sheen#Aziraphale#Gomens#Good omens#Azi#Azira#Wilde#a z fell#a. z. fell
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Born to dilly-dally
Forced to lock in
Image sources
x.com/goodomensprime/status/1678057519426719746
unitstills.tv/good-omens-unit-stills
#image lineage#good omens#good omens brainrot#aziraphale#mr a. z. fell#michael sheen#michael “acting choices” sheen#welsh seduction machine#born to dilly dally#forced to lock in
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#cricket chirping#poll#polls#fanfiction#fanfic#gen z#undertale#utmv#undertale au#creepypasta#bendy and the ink machine#Batim#my hero academia#bnha#splatoon#cuphead#attack on titan#haikyuu#No judgement btw. This is an objective poll#Anywho saw the fanfic poll clearly geared towards older generations and thought I'd try some for the current teens
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Two Princesses falling through time
There's a lack of Trunks and Chibiusa fanart which is wild cause they have a lot in common...
Time travelers
Has weapons in base when introduced
Have super forms like their parents
Absolute drip
#sailor moon#sailor chibi moon#dragon ball z#future trunks#rans art#Like come on it's not just me right?#I know trunks uses a time machine but the door of time and space is just a little cooler#mostly cause pluto but my point still stands
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OBSESSED
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Design for icebird
Confident and well put together she's the leader of the mutants and nightbird's rival, a reversed transhumanist icebird is machine that belives flesh is the future of metal
A profoundly predatory creature, ice bird was the last transmetal mutant created before the transmetal driver was stolen back from the six clan, she quickly took charge of her little sub group and became their leader, spreading an ideology of organic superiority within their ranks, she believes that flesh nurtured and bred into shapes of her own design would be a better vessel for a transformer's life force than the metallic bodies they're born with. Reasoning that metal must be replaced and discarded while flesh grows and adapts.
In her quest to understand meat, she feasts on it and processes blood in the same way a regular transformer processes fuel, her favorite study subject is humans, reasoning that they're most psychologically similar to the transformers and as a result their meat is the best suited to integrate with their systems.
With her belief in an organic ascension icebird looks down on other machines as unenlightened and outdated, particularly she dispises nightbird, who's spoken to her in the past of her experiences reasoning that if there isn't a meaningful difference between being lifeless and having a spark then flesh and metal also aren't meaningfully different enough to make a movement off of it. Something that absolutely spits in the face of icebird's entire philosophy.
Nightbird's very existence is an ideological threat to icebird, for her ideology to work, life needs to be an actual thing, not blurred by a car that thinks it's a woman, nightbird argues she was always alive and she was just denied the title from people's pre conceptions, but icebird thinks that even now, she isn't a person, and that she can never be one because she's given up her ability to make her own choices, she gave up being the leader of her own faction to become a servant to another.
The very thought of that behavior disgusts icebird and inspired her to take very good care of her flock, motivating them to reach their true potential and accomplish their individual goals through her methods. and because of that, icebird is beloved by her fellow mutants while the vehicons nightbird abandoned loathe their creator. Something that icebird is very happy to witness.
#transformers#transformers fanart#cybertronian#robots#character design#autobots#maccadam#maccadams#transformers from a to z#robot#decepticons#maximals#predacons#transformers beast wars mutants#mutants#transformers beast machines#transformers beast wars#traditonal art
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Infocom's Planetfall for the PC-9800
Reviewing Infocom's "Planetfall" from a philosophical perspective involves an exploration beyond its surface as a pioneering interactive fiction game, delving into its narrative structure, thematic elements, and the broader existential, ethical, and sociopolitical implications it presents.
1. Isolation, Existentialism, and the Human Condition: "Planetfall" places the player in the role of a low-ranking space fleet ensign who crash-lands on an alien planet. The ensuing narrative of survival and exploration in an isolated environment can be interpreted through the lens of existential philosophy. The game echoes themes of existentialism, particularly the notion of confronting the absurdity of existence. The player's struggle for survival and sense of isolation on an alien planet resonates with the existentialist idea of individuals facing an indifferent universe, where they must create their own meaning and purpose.
2. Bureaucracy, Authority, and Individual Agency: The game begins with the protagonist serving on a spaceship under a hierarchical, bureaucratic system, often engaging in menial tasks. This setting can be viewed as a critique of bureaucratic systems and their dehumanizing effect, reminiscent of Kafkaesque themes. The protagonist's eventual crash and subsequent autonomy on the alien planet can symbolize a break from oppressive structures, inviting philosophical contemplation on the nature of authority, the individual's role within larger systems, and the quest for personal agency.
3. Environmentalism and Responsibility Towards Other Lifeforms: As the player navigates the alien planet, interacting with its ecosystem and non-human entities, the game subtly addresses themes of environmentalism and ethical responsibility towards other forms of life. The player's actions towards the planet's environment and inhabitants raise questions about humanity's relationship with nature and the moral obligations we hold towards non-human entities and ecosystems.
4. The Role of Technology and Human Reliance on Machines: "Planetfall" features a notable character, a robot named Floyd, who assists the player. This relationship highlights the interdependence between humans and technology, prompting reflection on the philosophical implications of our reliance on machines. It raises questions about the bond between humans and artificial entities, the potential emotional connections with non-human companions, and the ethical considerations of creating sentient machines.
5. Discovery, Curiosity, and the Pursuit of Knowledge: The game's emphasis on exploration and discovery taps into the philosophical theme of human curiosity and the pursuit of knowledge. The player's journey on the alien planet, filled with unknowns and mysteries to uncover, mirrors the human quest for understanding and the desire to make sense of the unknown, a fundamental aspect of the human condition.
6. Solitude and the Search for Companionship: Throughout "Planetfall," the player experiences solitude, with Floyd as the only companion. This solitude can be interpreted as a reflection on the human need for social interaction and companionship. The game invites players to explore the emotional and psychological impact of isolation and the value of companionship, even when it comes from non-human sources.
In conclusion, Infocom's "Planetfall" is more than a text-based adventure game; it is a rich tapestry for philosophical exploration. The game engages with themes such as existentialism, bureaucracy and individual agency, environmentalism, the human relationship with technology, the pursuit of knowledge, and the human need for companionship. Through its narrative and gameplay, "Planetfall" offers a medium for players to engage with deep philosophical questions, making it a thought-provoking experience in interactive storytelling.
#Infocom#Z-Machine#ZMachine#ZIF#Planetfall#Retro#Retrogame#Retro game#Retrogaming#Retro gaming#Interactive fiction#PC9800#PC-9800#Text Adventure#Pixel Crisis
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You see it. I see it. We all see it.
#they like holding hands#michael sheen#good omens#good ineffable omens#aziraphale#ineffable husbands#david tennant#crowley#sheendex#good ineffable husbands#the white curl#ineffable dads#fandom is in shambles#ineffable lovers#a z fell#aziracrow#soft scottish hipster gigolo#welsh seduction machine
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A falling star fell from your heart and landed in my eyes ~
#cosmic love#florence and the machine#fanart#artists on tumblr#art#good omens#good omens 2#good omens fandom#good omens fanart#crowley x aziraphale#aziracrow#anthony j crowley#a z fell#angel crowley#aziraphale#crowley#ineffable husbands#ineffable idiots
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new local lesbian
#ts4 cas#ts4#simblr#sims 4#sims 4 cas#the sims 4#z#oc: rue#MAMA#second oc has hit simulatedtrait towers#kicks my feet#queued bc the dentist got me (scheduled appointment)#remake of a random sim turned oc#making her gf soon#i will get out the cas machine promise
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