Andrew Plotkin
@eblong.com
An interactive fiction guy. https://zarfhome.com, https://blog.zarfhome.com, https://eblong.com/zarf/home.html
Pinned
Andrew Plotkin
@eblong.com
· Oct 23
Intro post!
I'm a game designer and developer. I've written a bunch of old-style inteactive fiction. Then I helped start an IF nonprofit (IFComp, NarraScope, other stuff).
Currently job-hunting but also releasing small interactive narrative games.
I'm a game designer and developer. I've written a bunch of old-style inteactive fiction. Then I helped start an IF nonprofit (IFComp, NarraScope, other stuff).
Currently job-hunting but also releasing small interactive narrative games.
Reposted by Andrew Plotkin
I don't know if I'm going to be able to work this snippet in somewhere, and it's still a little rough, but it has @eblong.com so it's not all bad.
#WIPSnips #WriteSky
#WIPSnips #WriteSky
December 26, 2025 at 3:52 PM
I don't know if I'm going to be able to work this snippet in somewhere, and it's still a little rough, but it has @eblong.com so it's not all bad.
#WIPSnips #WriteSky
#WIPSnips #WriteSky
Had a nice dinner in with my partner's family and sang some song around the table afterwards. I remembered this one and brought it out:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TY3A...
"Jesus, the Fugitive Prince" by David Massengill.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TY3A...
"Jesus, the Fugitive Prince" by David Massengill.
"Jesus the Fugitive Prince" David Massengill. Roches X-Mas show NYC 1990
YouTube video by Jonathan Bernstein
www.youtube.com
December 26, 2025 at 3:45 AM
Had a nice dinner in with my partner's family and sang some song around the table afterwards. I remembered this one and brought it out:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TY3A...
"Jesus, the Fugitive Prince" by David Massengill.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TY3A...
"Jesus, the Fugitive Prince" by David Massengill.
Reposted by Andrew Plotkin
I'm legit kind of surprised not a single commenter observed the mini-map style timeline and built-in backtracking and joked "Wait, is this essay a Metroidvania??" Maybe I didn't call enough attention to it? 🤔
December 24, 2025 at 1:22 AM
I'm legit kind of surprised not a single commenter observed the mini-map style timeline and built-in backtracking and joked "Wait, is this essay a Metroidvania??" Maybe I didn't call enough attention to it? 🤔
There, I have played Despelote.
It's good!
It's good!
December 21, 2025 at 2:07 AM
There, I have played Despelote.
It's good!
It's good!
Gearing up to tackle Visible Zorker 2 over the holidays.
This involves a lot of boring refactoring right now. Like, the list of ZIL source files is hard-coded in a bunch of places, but Zork 2 has different source files, so I have to separate that out in a tidy way. Stuff like that.
This involves a lot of boring refactoring right now. Like, the list of ZIL source files is hard-coded in a bunch of places, but Zork 2 has different source files, so I have to separate that out in a tidy way. Stuff like that.
December 20, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Gearing up to tackle Visible Zorker 2 over the holidays.
This involves a lot of boring refactoring right now. Like, the list of ZIL source files is hard-coded in a bunch of places, but Zork 2 has different source files, so I have to separate that out in a tidy way. Stuff like that.
This involves a lot of boring refactoring right now. Like, the list of ZIL source files is hard-coded in a bunch of places, but Zork 2 has different source files, so I have to separate that out in a tidy way. Stuff like that.
Reposted by Andrew Plotkin
Second pick: The Thaumaturge is a game set in a version of 1900s Poland that happens to have magic, but the political intricacies and struggles of our world are looped in with characters’ needs and dilemmas. It refuses to sanitize its own history for accessibility (in the audience sense).
Games industry experts: What are the games of the last three years that have been the most enlightening for your craft? The games that showed you something new or helped give you an insight you’d not had before?
I need to build up my backlog, give me your recs!
I need to build up my backlog, give me your recs!
December 19, 2025 at 11:20 PM
Second pick: The Thaumaturge is a game set in a version of 1900s Poland that happens to have magic, but the political intricacies and struggles of our world are looped in with characters’ needs and dilemmas. It refuses to sanitize its own history for accessibility (in the audience sense).
Reposted by Andrew Plotkin
it is always going to drive me insane that we discovered a mathematical model of the conception of all human language and ketamine-brained billionaires have decided that its best use is writing scam emails. go to hell
December 17, 2025 at 7:58 AM
it is always going to drive me insane that we discovered a mathematical model of the conception of all human language and ketamine-brained billionaires have decided that its best use is writing scam emails. go to hell
I missed that Monument Valley 3 was released for iOS last month. A regular purchase — no longer part of Netflix's brief flirtation with being a subscription game service.
Also, some new levels (“The Garden of Life”).
Also, some new levels (“The Garden of Life”).
December 14, 2025 at 4:36 AM
I missed that Monument Valley 3 was released for iOS last month. A regular purchase — no longer part of Netflix's brief flirtation with being a subscription game service.
Also, some new levels (“The Garden of Life”).
Also, some new levels (“The Garden of Life”).
Reposted by Andrew Plotkin
This is just to ursonate
I have eaten
wee bee fümms
bö wö
tää zää uu
and which
you were probably
ziiuu
ennze rinnzkrrmüü
pögiff müü
grimm glimm gnimm bimbimm
so kwiiee
and so bö
I have eaten
wee bee fümms
bö wö
tää zää uu
and which
you were probably
ziiuu
ennze rinnzkrrmüü
pögiff müü
grimm glimm gnimm bimbimm
so kwiiee
and so bö
December 14, 2025 at 2:15 AM
This is just to ursonate
I have eaten
wee bee fümms
bö wö
tää zää uu
and which
you were probably
ziiuu
ennze rinnzkrrmüü
pögiff müü
grimm glimm gnimm bimbimm
so kwiiee
and so bö
I have eaten
wee bee fümms
bö wö
tää zää uu
and which
you were probably
ziiuu
ennze rinnzkrrmüü
pögiff müü
grimm glimm gnimm bimbimm
so kwiiee
and so bö
Reposted by Andrew Plotkin
TIL the original lyrics to Deck the Halls are awesome and “don we now our gay apparel” is temperance movement bullshit
December 13, 2025 at 10:44 PM
TIL the original lyrics to Deck the Halls are awesome and “don we now our gay apparel” is temperance movement bullshit
Reposted by Andrew Plotkin
December 13, 2025 at 4:59 AM
Reposted by Andrew Plotkin
A new challenger approaches!
We just got a donation challenge from our friends at @cyan.com, creators of Myst and Riven! If you donate toward our Winter Fundraiser right now, Cyan will DOUBLE your contribution. If you were waiting to donate, now is the time! givebutter.com/vghf-winter-...
We just got a donation challenge from our friends at @cyan.com, creators of Myst and Riven! If you donate toward our Winter Fundraiser right now, Cyan will DOUBLE your contribution. If you were waiting to donate, now is the time! givebutter.com/vghf-winter-...
December 12, 2025 at 8:58 PM
A new challenger approaches!
We just got a donation challenge from our friends at @cyan.com, creators of Myst and Riven! If you donate toward our Winter Fundraiser right now, Cyan will DOUBLE your contribution. If you were waiting to donate, now is the time! givebutter.com/vghf-winter-...
We just got a donation challenge from our friends at @cyan.com, creators of Myst and Riven! If you donate toward our Winter Fundraiser right now, Cyan will DOUBLE your contribution. If you were waiting to donate, now is the time! givebutter.com/vghf-winter-...
Reposted by Andrew Plotkin
I hate this idea that stepping outside of white narratives is medicinal rather than entertaining. And it's patronising to be sidelined from the creative awards, as though all our craft, design and ingenuity is secondary to our work "being good for you" or meaningful solely in identitarian terms.
December 11, 2025 at 5:23 PM
I hate this idea that stepping outside of white narratives is medicinal rather than entertaining. And it's patronising to be sidelined from the creative awards, as though all our craft, design and ingenuity is secondary to our work "being good for you" or meaningful solely in identitarian terms.
Reposted by Andrew Plotkin
We are SO EXCITED to finally show you Xcavator 2025! This is an unreleased (and unannounced!) NES game from 1991 that we recovered from its source code. The rights to it were 100% donated to us, and it's being published as a fundraiser cartridge to support our work!
We're partnering with @gamehistoryorg.bsky.social + @megacatstudios.bsky.social to release Xcavator 2025, a never before seen NES game from the legendary Chris Oberth.
100% of profits go to @gamehistoryorg.bsky.social!
Pre-order now to play the newest old game on the market: bit.ly/xcavator-2025
100% of profits go to @gamehistoryorg.bsky.social!
Pre-order now to play the newest old game on the market: bit.ly/xcavator-2025
December 10, 2025 at 7:30 PM
We are SO EXCITED to finally show you Xcavator 2025! This is an unreleased (and unannounced!) NES game from 1991 that we recovered from its source code. The rights to it were 100% donated to us, and it's being published as a fundraiser cartridge to support our work!
Reposted by Andrew Plotkin
The 2026 Narrascope website is live!
narrascope.org
narrascope.org
NarraScope 2026 | A Hybrid Conference on Interactive Narrative
NarraScope is a conference that brings together the writers, developers, scholars, and players of interactive narrative.
narrascope.org
December 9, 2025 at 8:09 PM
The 2026 Narrascope website is live!
narrascope.org
narrascope.org
Small update to the Visible Zorker: the “Map” tab! Highlights your location (and the room definition in the source) as you move around.
Map is full of spoilers, like the rest of the thing.
eblong.com/infocom/visi...
Map is full of spoilers, like the rest of the thing.
eblong.com/infocom/visi...
The Visible Zorker
A software exhibit that allows you to explore Zork and also Zork's source code at the same time.
eblong.com
December 9, 2025 at 4:47 AM
Small update to the Visible Zorker: the “Map” tab! Highlights your location (and the room definition in the source) as you move around.
Map is full of spoilers, like the rest of the thing.
eblong.com/infocom/visi...
Map is full of spoilers, like the rest of the thing.
eblong.com/infocom/visi...
Earliest sunset (northern hemisphere) in a few minutes!)
December 8, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Earliest sunset (northern hemisphere) in a few minutes!)
I picked up "Old Morris Cave" (aka "Thousand Year Old Campfire”) at Boston FIG.
I just sat down and ran through it it, and I feel like I've played a version of Colossal Cave that was not invented by Will Crowther but landed in interactive fiction after going the long way around the world.
I just sat down and ran through it it, and I feel like I've played a version of Colossal Cave that was not invented by Will Crowther but landed in interactive fiction after going the long way around the world.
December 8, 2025 at 5:04 AM
I picked up "Old Morris Cave" (aka "Thousand Year Old Campfire”) at Boston FIG.
I just sat down and ran through it it, and I feel like I've played a version of Colossal Cave that was not invented by Will Crowther but landed in interactive fiction after going the long way around the world.
I just sat down and ran through it it, and I feel like I've played a version of Colossal Cave that was not invented by Will Crowther but landed in interactive fiction after going the long way around the world.
Reposted by Andrew Plotkin
It's time to remind everyone that books make great holiday gifts, because they're rectangular, and easy to wrap.
December 7, 2025 at 6:59 PM
It's time to remind everyone that books make great holiday gifts, because they're rectangular, and easy to wrap.
Another batch of puzzle games.
A Case of Fraud
Ambrosia Sky: Act One
The Apothecary of Trubiz
Mind Diver
Orbyss
blog.zarfhome.com/2025/12/late...
A Case of Fraud
Ambrosia Sky: Act One
The Apothecary of Trubiz
Mind Diver
Orbyss
blog.zarfhome.com/2025/12/late...
Late fall puzzle games
The heart of winter is months off yet, but the darkness already presses in. (Remember about Nighthawk's Solstice!) I have gotten into the latest crop of deduction-investigation games... and a few othe...
blog.zarfhome.com
December 6, 2025 at 4:27 AM
Another batch of puzzle games.
A Case of Fraud
Ambrosia Sky: Act One
The Apothecary of Trubiz
Mind Diver
Orbyss
blog.zarfhome.com/2025/12/late...
A Case of Fraud
Ambrosia Sky: Act One
The Apothecary of Trubiz
Mind Diver
Orbyss
blog.zarfhome.com/2025/12/late...
Reposted by Andrew Plotkin
NEW: I spoke to the creator of Blue Prince about what's next for the game, why he won't option it for a film, whether he'll ever say what happened to Mary, player obsession, and much more.
Here's a very fun, spoilery chat about one of the year's best games: www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
Here's a very fun, spoilery chat about one of the year's best games: www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
‘Blue Prince’ Creator Answers (and Dodges) Our Biggest Questions
Tonda Ros says he’s still working on one more big update for the critically acclaimed game
www.bloomberg.com
December 5, 2025 at 6:36 PM
NEW: I spoke to the creator of Blue Prince about what's next for the game, why he won't option it for a film, whether he'll ever say what happened to Mary, player obsession, and much more.
Here's a very fun, spoilery chat about one of the year's best games: www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
Here's a very fun, spoilery chat about one of the year's best games: www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
Remember that December 8th is Nighthawk's Solstice: the shortest day of the year for those of us who stay up late.
blog.zarfhome.com/2025/12/nigh...
blog.zarfhome.com/2025/12/nigh...
December 8th is Nighthawk's Solstice
I hereby raise awareness of Nighthawk's Solstice, which celebrates the day of the earliest sunset of the winter.
blog.zarfhome.com
December 5, 2025 at 2:13 AM
Remember that December 8th is Nighthawk's Solstice: the shortest day of the year for those of us who stay up late.
blog.zarfhome.com/2025/12/nigh...
blog.zarfhome.com/2025/12/nigh...
Reposted by Andrew Plotkin
We’re very excited to announce Thinky Dailies! 🎉 Follow our thinky friend on an adventure through handcrafted daily puzzles!
thinkygames.com/dail...
thinkygames.com/dail...
December 4, 2025 at 3:57 PM
We’re very excited to announce Thinky Dailies! 🎉 Follow our thinky friend on an adventure through handcrafted daily puzzles!
thinkygames.com/dail...
thinkygames.com/dail...
Reposted by Andrew Plotkin
Yarn Spinner 3.1 just dropped. option fallthrough so your game doesn't stop, async everything, new typewriter system, and if you grab the storefront version you get Text Animator support (huge thanks to @febucci.com!) out of the box.
we're pretty happy with this one
yarnspinner.dev/blog/yarn-sp...
we're pretty happy with this one
yarnspinner.dev/blog/yarn-sp...
Yarn Spinner 3.1 is Here | Yarn Spinner
Yarn Spinner 3.1 is out now. This release brings async dialogue runner methods, option fallthrough for graceful branching, a completely reworked typewriter system, and our first included paid add-on: ...
yarnspinner.dev
December 3, 2025 at 10:06 AM
Yarn Spinner 3.1 just dropped. option fallthrough so your game doesn't stop, async everything, new typewriter system, and if you grab the storefront version you get Text Animator support (huge thanks to @febucci.com!) out of the box.
we're pretty happy with this one
yarnspinner.dev/blog/yarn-sp...
we're pretty happy with this one
yarnspinner.dev/blog/yarn-sp...
Mike Austin has released much of the source code behind Level 9, the British text-adventure company. This includes their A-code compiler, the source for Knight Orc and other games, and documentation.
github.com/MikeTheTechi...
github.com/MikeTheTechi...
GitHub - MikeTheTechie/Level9-Public
Contribute to MikeTheTechie/Level9-Public development by creating an account on GitHub.
github.com
December 2, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Mike Austin has released much of the source code behind Level 9, the British text-adventure company. This includes their A-code compiler, the source for Knight Orc and other games, and documentation.
github.com/MikeTheTechi...
github.com/MikeTheTechi...