Photopia
| Photopia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Adam Cadre |
| Publisher(s) | Self published |
| Designer(s) | Adam Cadre |
| Engine | Z-machine |
| Platform(s) | Z-machine, glulx |
| Release date(s) | 1998 |
| Genre(s) | Interactive Fiction, Adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
Photopia is a piece of literature by Adam Cadre rendered in the form of interactive fiction, and written in Inform. It has received both praise and criticism for its heavy focus on fiction rather than on interactivity.[1] It won first place in the 1998 Interactive Fiction Competition.[2] Photopia has few puzzles and a linear structure,[3] allowing the player no way to alter the eventual conclusion but maintaining the illusion of non-linearity.
Development
Adam Cadre has stated that Photopia was heavily influenced by The Sweet Hereafter, a film that prominently features a babysitter and a bus crash.[4]
He submitted Photopia to the 1998 Interactive Fiction Competition pseudonymously. He felt that his previous game I-0 would inspire certain expectations in players, since in that game the playable character is a young college student who could be instructed to undress. Years later, he dropped the pretense that there was a real "Opal O'Donnell" who had submitted Photopia for him, stating: "it started to bother me that v1.0 of the Phaq had lies in it."[4]
Reception
Emily Short has described the game as "hugely influential" and "ground-breaking."[5]
XYZZY Award news gave the game a positive review, calling it an "amazing piece of work".[1]
References
- 1 2 Barnwell, Brendan (1999). "XYZZYnews - Issue #18". farchive.heanet.ie. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
- ↑ "4th Annual Interactive Fiction Competition". ifcomp.org. 1998. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
- ↑ "Therum" (2008-03-24). "Photopia: Taking the term "Interactive Fiction" to a new level.". Play This Thing. Manifesto Games, Inc. Archived from the original on October 30, 2008. Retrieved October 30, 2008.
- 1 2 Cadre, Adam. "Photopia Phaq, v2.1". Retrieved June 2, 2013.
- ↑ Short, Emily (2007-10-21). "Photopia". IFDB. Michael J. Roberts. Archived from the original on October 30, 2008. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
External links
- Author's website
- Photopia's entry in the Interactive Fiction Database notes awards that the game has won, links to reviews, and provides links to the game itself.
- Photopia at MobyGames