Quest 1.0 - the Interactive Fiction authoring system for Windows
Alex Warren
Axe Software website.
The changes from the Beta 3 version are relatively minor; many bug fixes,
pictures window improved (now displayed permanently on-top, sizes more
accurately), improved sample game code for easier reading, improved
error-handling, etc.
Quest is available for download in three versions:
- a full version, approx. 2mb, for trouble-free installations;
- a version without the big MSVBVM50.DLL file, for a quicker download.
(You may have the DLL file already)
- an upgrade version, approx. 600K, for people who have previously
downloaded a beta version of Quest. This version will also install if
you have Visual Basic 5 Pro with Service Pack 2 or later.
Quest is the Interactive Fiction authoring system for 32-bit Windows (i.e.
Windows 95/98, NT4). It has been designed to be as easy to program and as easy
to play as possible
For example, adding user-defined commands to your games is just a matter of
adding a few lines:
define room <library>
define object <book>
look <War and Peace - hmm, maybe some other time.>
end define
command <read #object#> {
if is <#object#;book> then exec <read book>
else msg <Read what?!> }
end define
Quest isn't just easy to program - it's powerful, too. All of Quest's built-in
commands (such as "look at...", "use..." etc.) can be over-ridden, and replaced
with the events that you want to happen. Set up traps, change the descriptions
of objects and characters, make things disappear... it's all easy with Quest.
Full documentation on the ASL programming language is included, along with a
short and well-commented sample game, so you can get started making your own
Interactive Fiction straight away.
Other features include:
- Save/restore games
- Text formatting
- Graphics and sound capability
- Easy-to-use interface
- Debugging and error checking of ASL script
- Compilation of ASL script code hides the solutions from players. (This
feature is only available in the registered version. Otherwise there are NO
differences between registered and unregistered versions).
The unregistered version of Quest can be used for as long as you like - it will
not expire, and it is not crippled in any way apart from that it does not come
with the compiler. The unregistered version can play both compiled and
uncompiled games, so if you don't want to register, you don't have to - you can
still use all of Quest's functionality.
If you *do* want to register, it costs just £20 and you also get free upgrades
for life, plus free technical support by email or phone. (If you do not
register, I'll still try to answer any questions you have regarding Quest,
however, but only by email).
Quest can be downloaded from
<http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~dewarr/quest.htm>. Further details on Quest
can be obtained from this page.
Installing Quest is easy - just download the version you require, unzip to a
temporary directory and run SETUP.EXE.
All comments are welcome - if you can think of a feature or ASL command you'd
like to see added to Quest, just email me at alexw...@writeme.com, or post a
message to the new Axe Software discussion forum, accessible from the Axe
Software website at http://come.to/axe.
I plan to add many features to Quest so hopefully I'll be releasing new versions
on a fairly regular basis. I already have a number of ideas - amongst those, I'd
like to see Quest ported to other platforms. However, as it's written in Visual
Basic, which is not particularly portable, the only ports that are really
possible are Windows 3.x, Windows CE, DOS, and possibly the Mac (using
REALBasic). If you'd like to port Quest to any of these platforms (or others),
please contact me for the source code.
If you have any questions or comments, please email me. Game authors could also
post a message to rec.arts.int-fiction where I lurk - just stick [Quest] in the
subject and I'll attempt to answer any queries.
--
Alex Warren
email: alexw...@writeme.com · ICQ: 4043750
http://come.to/axe - Axe Software: freeware for DOS & Windows
http://come.to/basixfanzine - Basix Fanzine: magazine for BASIC programmers
http://members.tripod.com/~perditionproductions - mods (IT format)
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