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The Miracle of Inform 6: How Graham Nelson Rewrote the History of Interactive Fiction
The history of interactive novels can be traced back to the 1970s, and in the process, Graham Nelson's Inform language connected countless creative wisdoms, thus opening a new era. Since its first launch in 1993, Inform has become more than just a programming language, it has become an artistic expression. Version 6 came out in 1996. It was not only a rewrite of the Inform series, but Nelson rebuilt the potential and breadth of interactive fiction from scratch.
Inform is a programming language and design system for interactive novels; behind it is the creativity of multiple developers, which promotes continuous innovation in the work.
The leap from Z-Machine to Gluulx
The improvement of the Inform compiler allows the code to be translated into Z-code or Glulx story files, which greatly improves the playability and scalability of the game. Glulx supports larger-scale games and has become Inform's default choice. As technology advances, Nelson and other developers continue to overcome the limitations of Z-machine and push Inform applications to new heights.
The rise of Inform 6
Inform 6 is not just a language update, but a complete system, including a compiler and an Inform library that handles complex player input. It is said that the
In this context, the player's choices and interactions directly affect the development of the story. This design pattern provided inspiration for later game developers, allowing more diverse interactive novels to be realized.Inform programming language is a combination of object-oriented and procedural. Objects are managed in a tree structure, and world construction is performed through parent-child relationships.
A classic in interactive fiction
In the Inform 6 ecosystem, many widely acclaimed interactive novels have emerged. Take, for example, the brilliant Curses, which Nelson created in 1993 and set the benchmark for modern interactive fiction. In addition,
These works are not only gaming experiences, but also establish deep connections between authors and players.Galatea took the lead in setting a benchmark for the design of interactive systems for non-player characters, creating a new situation for human-computer interaction.
Inform 7: Innovation in natural language
In 2006, Nelson launched Inform 7, a new development language based on natural language. Its programming cleanliness and readability make it easy for more creators with non-technical backgrounds to get started. This version not only expands the possibilities for creators, but also encourages story-centered design thinking.
Security and the development of the open source community
As an open source development tool, Inform 7's strategy enables it to scale to different platforms and inspires the creation of a passionate community. Developers share resources, learn from and inspire each other, and promote the prosperity of interactive novel creation. Today's Inform 7 not only carries a structured programming language, but also becomes a hotbed for story creativity.
The end of thinking
Since the launch of the Inform series, the encounter of deep emotions and infinite creativity has given rise to many excellent works, redefining the history of interactive novels under Nelson's leadership. This also makes us think involuntarily: How will future interactive novels combine emerging technologies to bring us new experiences and perceptions?
