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Creating Interactive Fiction with Inform 7 1st Edition

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Aaron Reed (Author)
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Aaron Reed (Author)
4.7 out of 5 stars 12 customer reviews
ISBN-13: 978-1435455061
ISBN-10: 1435455061
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Product Details

  • Paperback: 496 pages
  • Publisher: Cengage Learning PTR; 1 edition (August 19, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1435455061
  • ISBN-13: 978-1435455061
  • Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 1.2 x 9.3 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,013,589 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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5.0 out of 5 starsGreat way to learn Inform 7
By Jason Lautzenheiser on August 22, 2013
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
I'm a software developer that was looking to Inform 7 as a little diversion from my day job. The documentation that is supplied with Inform is really quite good and there a ton of examples, however, sometimes I've found it hard to find exactly what I was looking for. Also, I had trouble on the "Where to start?" question....how do I begin my piece of IF?

Aaron Reed does a great job of teaching you the language, but also guides you through developing a basic game....not just little snippets, but a game where as you learn new Inform skills, you apply them to the game and watch how it progresses. He also guides you and encourages you to make your own changes, allowing you to exercise what you just learned and explore the language and your story creation a bit further.

I worked through the book in about a week with a few hours each evening and now I feel confident enough in my skills to start my own IF. The book isn't comprehensive, but it gives you a strong foundation to build upon. Highly recommend to any contemplating learning Inform 7.
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4.0 out of 5 starsA valuable reference for Inform 7 users
By Ludix VINE VOICE on October 15, 2010
Format: Paperback
Inform 7 is free software for creating interactive fiction (IF), a form of text-based gaming that enjoyed a brief period of commercial popularity back in the 1980s, and still enjoyed by a loyal group of enthusiasts.

The development system is unique in its use of a programming syntax that often resembles plain English. This makes it quite easy for new authors to create simple stories. However, as soon as you want to try anything unusual, the language's eccentricities can pose a challenge.

This volume, by noted IF author Aaron Reed, is a big help. It works through a complete non-trivial example story, "Sand-Dancer." He begins with a description of the Inform environment and builds the code almost line by line, thoroughly explaining each step. By the end of the book, most of Inform's major features have been encountered and discussed.

Reed's book is a nice complement to Inform's built-in documentation. Recommended for new IF authors and students, as well as experienced Informers who want to hone their understanding.
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4.0 out of 5 starsOne of the best available starting points.
By Matthew R. Abts on September 20, 2012
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
There aren't that many places to start on your IF (interactive fiction -- text adventure) journey. Inform 7 and this book is one of the best starting points, particularly for somebody not very familiar with computer programming.

If you're looking to start IF as a new hobby, start here!
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5.0 out of 5 starsExcellent tutorials on Inform
By Kirk T. Morger on April 10, 2014
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
While the documentation included with Inform 7 is superb, there are a number of concepts that are merely glossed over. Aaron Reed's book delves into great detail on the Start-to-Finish issues of taking your creation from premise to completed project.

That's not to say there aren't issues with the book, and every author will have their own style, but the mechanics described are sound and do lend them selves to writing styles other than the authors.

If you create in Inform, this is an excellent addition to the included documentation. It's not a replacement. But, the concepts given in this book will save you quite a bit of trouble, and is definitely worth the money.
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4.0 out of 5 starsGreat tutorial for Inform 7
By Chase Dahl on August 19, 2013
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
This books has you work through the creation of a significant work of IF using Inform 7. It's best if you run through I7's own tutorials first, though. I enjoyed the initial, straightforward creation phases of the adventure, but later on the book runs through some fairly convoluted concepts that had me scratching my head -- although I7 uses "natural English" in scripting, one can do some really clever/kludgy/advanced work that's definitely not straightforward. At any rate, if you're interested in programming your own IF in I7 and need a place to start, you can't get much better than this. My suggestions: make sure you manually type in all of the included code, practice the included exercises, and simply play with the code provided (making your own changes, adding your own items, etc). Self-made tweaks and changes -- mistakes and all -- are really how you learn. Xyzzy and out!
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5.0 out of 5 starsThe Best Way to Learn Inform
By Howard M. Lewis Ship on January 10, 2011
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
I'm not one for long reviews. If you are interested in authorizing interactive fiction using Inform 7, then you should not hesitate to buy this book. He covers a lot of ground in a sensible order, he gradually increases the complexity but keeps it hands on. Even the story authored through the course of the book is exceptional, truly "interactive fiction" (and not yet-another puzzle game or dungeon trawl). This book gives you the tools to really exploit all the power inside Inform. Get it.
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