Day 0:: Optional Prequel Homework

• Read over Inform intro
• Start thinking about a fairy tale (or something else, fairy tales just tend to be defined and familiar) that you'll use as your story-basis for your Inform project
• Think about how this could be used in teaching and research and why.
• Start thinking about potential projects for this summer class and to assign to students.
• (Optional) Read Twisty Little Passages, Chapters 1 & 2

Day 1 :: Thursday June 16, 10am-2pm

• Install Inform components on Win machines and make the Heidi game to see how this all works (we'll be reading pages 17-48 of the Inform Beginner's Guide while we install and configure; specifically page 19, 23).
• We'll then follow the IBM (pages 49-68) and creating another basic source file, Defining the game's locations, joining the rooms, and see what the code means, building on it, and more.
• Optional discussion of TLP Chapters 1-2

Homework

• Read over Inform intro
• Optional, TLP, read chapters 3-6

Day 2:: Friday June 16, 10am-2pm

Today, we'll follow the IBM (pages 69-111), with the William Tell story. And, we'll follow the IBM (pages 119-129), with the Captain Fate story. Then, we'll plan the next meeting or project using Inform.
Optional discussion of TLP chapters 3-6.

Homework

Optional: TLP, read chapters 7 & 8

Next meeting:: To Be Determined

After our 2 day crash-experience with Inform, we can plan other meetings to go over the last points like compiling and error checking. Or, we can discuss potential additional classes and workgroups on IF for use in teaching, research, articles, or another project. Possible topics or points include:

• Notice that this is object-oriented and so objects can easily be separated into clumps after the initial game-space structure is defined. This modularity would aid in separating work into student projects.
• Would you teach this with the MOO for comparison or as an alternative? What does each afford and why would you make that choice?
• If you were to teach this in connection with the MOO, how (or would you) cover the differences in parent-child relationships described in IBM page 53 and the MOO here. Does the parent-child in Inform appear more limiting or more freeing because of its fluidity compared to the MOOs fixed parent-child relationships?

Common Inform Commands (from IBM, "Appendix A")

ASK      FILL      READ      TIE    
BURN     GIVE	   SEARCH    TOUCH
BUY      GO	   SHOW	     TRANSFER
CLEAN    INSERT    SING      TURN
CLIMB    INVENTORY SIT	     UNLOCK
CLOSE    JUMP	   SLEEP     WAIT
CUT      KILL	   SMELL     WAVE
DIG      KISS	   STAND     WEAR
DISROBE  LISTEN	   SWIM
DRINK    LOCK	   SWITCH OFF
DROP     LOOK	   SWITCH ON
EAT      OPEN	   TAKE
EMPTY    PRAY	   TASTE
ENTER    PULL	   TELL
EXAMINE  PUSH	   THINK
EXIT     PUT	   THROW
        

Links

• Full Book on "Creating Adventure Games on Your Computer"
• XYZZY site
• Another Resource page
• Storybook version of IF History - use as model for creative narrating of tech writing type-work; children's lit forms for adults
• Indepth FAQ on using Inform to make text-based games
• Download Inform
• Inform Designer's Manual
• Example Inform class
• Nick Montfort's Twisty Little Passages
• ifTheory
• TADS Manual