News for Six

Thanks to mathbrush and his BisQuixe interpreter, people can finally play Six online with all the sounds and music! Thanks Brian for dragging the technology screaming into the present.

The play link remains the same:
https://wadeclarke.com/if/six/

A Victorian primary school recently used my IF game Six as part of a literacy activity for year six students. Some of them even became converts to IF in the process.

As part of helping to prepare this exercise, I recompiled the game to version six and set it up for online play. Six hasn't been browser-playable before. You don't get the sound and music playing it this way, but you do get the graphics.

https://wadeclarke.com/if/six

Version 5 is 'The Ages' edition. Basically, I removed anything 2011-centric from the game's startup configuration process (e.g. "This interpreter works, this one doesn't. Don't use that one! Get this one!"). This is so the game can travel more gracefully into the future.
- I also tweaked pages 4 and 5 of the PDF manual to match.
- The manual now has a hyperlink to the Six webpage where I maintain links and try to make it as easy as possible to get an interpreter suitable for this game .
- AUDIO CHANGE: The default volume levels are now 3 out of 5 instead of 5 out of 5.

In aid of the project of Inform 7 programming, I'm publicly releasing the main source code for Six, version 4. It's about 112,000 words in size.

(Version 4 details:

August 5, 2012

- A tiny bugfix and two microscopic text tweaks bring Six even closer to a
state of pure buglessness. Perhaps it's there now?..

BUGFIX:
- Marion could address the player as the player's sister at one point. Fixed.

TEXT TWEAKS:
- They're microscopic.)

I haven't included the custom extensions, graphics or 50+ sound effects with the source for now, so this is not a file one can compile into the game (workaround - if you want the compiled game, download it) but 98% of the game code and everything that I think may be of most interest to other authors is in this file.

At the head of the source is the Creative Commons licence under which I'm releasing it, then there is a section of notes with pointers to a few particular examples of programming, and notes on navigating the source.

- Wade

Release 3 brings yet more refinements and bugfixes.

MAIN BUGFIXES:
- The ability to search trees in the Tree Garden using complex commands (EG 'search a tall curly ugly-looking tree') has been in place since Release 1, but was marred by some bugs and oversights. It should no longer give contradictory feedback or match partial words, and can now also be triggered by a wider range of commands.
- Fixed a couple of missing sound FX in Harriet's duel.
- 3 erroneous messages fixed.

IMPROVEMENTS:
- COUNT command improved, FLY command added.
- A few dialogue / behaviour additions for kids.
- Some other messages improved or tweaked.

Here's a summary of changes in this post-IFComp release:

MAIN BUGFIXES:
1. If Six was unable to create its data files for any reason it would eventually crash with runtime errors. The game now checks that it can write the files on startup and advises the player if it can't.
2. The game failed to store the player's chosen volume settings. Fixed, plus now the current settings always override those of a saved game.
3. The game could crash after a RESTORE if sounds were playing at the moment the game was saved. Fixed.
4. If player restored a game from the front-end menu, the status bar didn't reappear. Fixed.
5. Game's story description tag is now filled out properly for programs that use it.
6. Demi's leaf no longer disappears forever if used.
7. There were a couple of moments where you couldn't follow Ayla, though you should have been able to. Fixed.

IMPROVEMENTS:
- 30+ tweaks, fixes, improvements and clarifications made to prose, in-game hinting and dialogue.
- 18 new commands/bits of grammar understood.
- Added a new layer of pronoun code. Pronouns typed by the player are now handled pretty well.
- Made the maze less querulous and more helpful. If you're taking too long, it gets easier. One maze advice message is now also explicit about the fact you can use stereo speakers to help work out which way to go.
- Due to popular demand, Harriet can now hug Ayla.