5 ms·

It’s barely mentioned aside from the title, but I just wanted to say that 80 Days is a really wonderful game that is well worth your time if you’re into text-ba

It’s barely mentioned aside from the title, but I just wanted to say that 80 Days is a really wonderful game that is well worth your time if you’re into text-based games. It’s more of an interactive story than a puzzle game, with some light resource management elements. But the writing is wonderful and there are hundreds of possible paths and storylines to discover. Its replayability is very high, whether you’re trying to find the fastest route, seeking out the most remote locations or unlocking hidden subplots. It really does well to invoke the spirit of adventure in travel, and it was a particular delight during the pandemic days when that wasn’t possible. Plus they’ve open sourced the language and tools used to create the branching narrative! https://www.inklestudios.com/ink/ https://www.inklestudios.com/ink/

wkat4242 2y ago
That's not a text adventure though? Or is the interface text? It's hard to tell from the screenshots and I'm on my phone right now :)
- pimlottc 2y ago
  The graphics are mostly for atmosphere, the main focus is paragraphs of prose that describe the story and what happens to the main characters. Instead of a parser, you tap to choose one of several choices at each decision point, and you can also decide which routes to take on the main map. Aside from that, you can buy and sell items to make money. Your choices depend on where you are, of course, but can also be affected by your money, items in your inventory, and past decisions. So, for example, if you help an inventor in Prague, he may give you a device that you can use later in Delhi. EDIT: Here's an example of the text scenes and how you choose options: https://youtu.be/oCKQVR9odHs?si=URPO8TngeM6_Jc83&t=242 https://youtu.be/oCKQVR9odHs?si=URPO8TngeM6_Jc83&t=242
- dunham 2y ago
  I haven't played this one through, but I think it's an extension of the work they did on "Sourcery", which was an adaptation of the old "choose your own adventure" books to digital. For that one, they kept the book's story structure, added static images, a map, and a dice-rolling mechanic for combat. So the base story mechanic is multiple choice, with some state (inventory, flags, stats) based on the game play. It's kind of between a text adventure and a novel. To me it feels like they're exploring a new portion of the interactive fiction space, and it's interesting to watch where they take it.
- chpatrick 2y ago
  It's 95% text, the rest is for flavor.
- karaterobot 2y ago
  It's a choose your own adventure. It's got some neat graphics, but they're just decorative. You don't interact with them. There would be nothing different about the game if they were stripped out and you played the game through an 80-column command line.
  - eru 2y ago
    The graphics are mostly 'functional', I wouldn't even go as far as calling them 'neat'. There's basically only two kinds of graphics in the game: a world map and the icon for the items you can buy and sell. (Unless they changed the game, I haven't played in more than a year.) It's a great game! You might also like the spiritual sequel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overboard!_(2021_video_game) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overboard!_(2021_video_game)
    - karaterobot 2y ago
      It's been years since I played it, but I remember there being some fairly intricate vector illustrations in certain locations. A vague memory of some sort of giant land-walking robot you rode for a while. It may have had some animation, or that might just be my imagination.
      - eru 2y ago
        Oh, you have some portraits of people, and pictures for the cities / locations. I think the robot might have been part of the latter? I guess I should play it again one of these days!
- eru 2y ago
  > It's hard to tell from the screenshots and I'm on my phone right now [...] Btw, it works great on mobile. (Or at least on an iPad.)
  - wkat4242 2y ago
    Oh yeah but I'll never be interested in portable gaming. I tried it during the years. Arcade handhelds in the 80s, I had a PSP, I played games on my first gen iPhone. But always I ended up dropping it soon after. Similar to many other experiences, I'll never do serious work on a phone. It's really a secondary device for me. I'm not a mobile-first kind of person. Working on a mobile feels like I'm reading the newspaper through the core of a toilet roll while trying to write a summary with a pen in my mouth. Whereas my 24" workstation is so productive and comfortable <3
    - eru 2y ago
      Mobile works for some games (for me). Eg playing something like 2d Mario on a GameBoy or the Switch works. 80 Days on the iPad works. I wouldn't really want to play something like Alpha Centauri on a mobile device or a couch-sitting console.
The_Blade 2y ago
80 Days is perfect. take your favorite artist recording 400 songs and you only get to listen to 40 of them and you just want more Meg Jayanth++ Choose Your Own Adventure++
m463 2y ago
...and a little telemetry back to the mother ship. (annoying)

wkat4242 2y ago

That's not a text adventure though? Or is the interface text? It's hard to tell from the screenshots and I'm on my phone right now :)

pimlottc 2y ago
The graphics are mostly for atmosphere, the main focus is paragraphs of prose that describe the story and what happens to the main characters. Instead of a parser, you tap to choose one of several choices at each decision point, and you can also decide which routes to take on the main map. Aside from that, you can buy and sell items to make money. Your choices depend on where you are, of course, but can also be affected by your money, items in your inventory, and past decisions. So, for example, if you help an inventor in Prague, he may give you a device that you can use later in Delhi. EDIT: Here's an example of the text scenes and how you choose options: https://youtu.be/oCKQVR9odHs?si=URPO8TngeM6_Jc83&t=242 https://youtu.be/oCKQVR9odHs?si=URPO8TngeM6_Jc83&t=242
dunham 2y ago
I haven't played this one through, but I think it's an extension of the work they did on "Sourcery", which was an adaptation of the old "choose your own adventure" books to digital. For that one, they kept the book's story structure, added static images, a map, and a dice-rolling mechanic for combat. So the base story mechanic is multiple choice, with some state (inventory, flags, stats) based on the game play. It's kind of between a text adventure and a novel. To me it feels like they're exploring a new portion of the interactive fiction space, and it's interesting to watch where they take it.
chpatrick 2y ago
It's 95% text, the rest is for flavor.
karaterobot 2y ago
It's a choose your own adventure. It's got some neat graphics, but they're just decorative. You don't interact with them. There would be nothing different about the game if they were stripped out and you played the game through an 80-column command line.
- eru 2y ago
  The graphics are mostly 'functional', I wouldn't even go as far as calling them 'neat'. There's basically only two kinds of graphics in the game: a world map and the icon for the items you can buy and sell. (Unless they changed the game, I haven't played in more than a year.) It's a great game! You might also like the spiritual sequel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overboard!_(2021_video_game) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overboard!_(2021_video_game)
  - karaterobot 2y ago
    It's been years since I played it, but I remember there being some fairly intricate vector illustrations in certain locations. A vague memory of some sort of giant land-walking robot you rode for a while. It may have had some animation, or that might just be my imagination.
    - eru 2y ago
      Oh, you have some portraits of people, and pictures for the cities / locations. I think the robot might have been part of the latter? I guess I should play it again one of these days!
eru 2y ago
> It's hard to tell from the screenshots and I'm on my phone right now [...] Btw, it works great on mobile. (Or at least on an iPad.)
- wkat4242 2y ago
  Oh yeah but I'll never be interested in portable gaming. I tried it during the years. Arcade handhelds in the 80s, I had a PSP, I played games on my first gen iPhone. But always I ended up dropping it soon after. Similar to many other experiences, I'll never do serious work on a phone. It's really a secondary device for me. I'm not a mobile-first kind of person. Working on a mobile feels like I'm reading the newspaper through the core of a toilet roll while trying to write a summary with a pen in my mouth. Whereas my 24" workstation is so productive and comfortable <3
  - eru 2y ago
    Mobile works for some games (for me). Eg playing something like 2d Mario on a GameBoy or the Switch works. 80 Days on the iPad works. I wouldn't really want to play something like Alpha Centauri on a mobile device or a couch-sitting console.

The_Blade 2y ago

80 Days is perfect. take your favorite artist recording 400 songs and you only get to listen to 40 of them and you just want more Meg Jayanth++ Choose Your Own Adventure++

m463 2y ago

...and a little telemetry back to the mother ship. (annoying)