The Biggest Challenges

Outdated Text Processing

Most traditional text adventures fail at basic input.

>> How are you?
That's not a verb I recognize.

>> are you ready?
That's not a verb I recognize.

>> hell!!
That's not a verb I recognize.

>> quit!
That's not a verb I recognize.

The engine understands go north, but not let's go north. Such limitations make it difficult to maintain immersion. In my approach, natural language processing should be a central element so that the game can also handle more complex phrasing and keep interactions smooth. It's a text-based game, and one of the main tasks is to process text. A game that understands hello but can't process hello, how are you? is missing a critical component.

Simple Gameplay Mechanics

Many older frameworks for interactive fiction rely on simple mechanics like four directions (north, south, east, west) and the usual "examine this, examine that." My goal is to create more depth—both in terms of interacting with the environment and in terms of the player's ability to move through the world.

Characters with Depth

A key point of my idea is that characters are not just narrative devices but real, tangible personalities with their own thoughts, feelings, and secrets. The ability to interact with them in natural conversations and build real relationships is a crucial aspect of the experience. Players should be able to empathize with the characters, laugh with them, cry with them, and seek solutions together in difficult situations.