Universal The Lost Treasures of Infocom - (by Activision)

Discussion in 'iPhone and iPad Games' started by Echoseven, Dec 19, 2012.

  1. sabre31

    sabre31 Well-Known Member

    May 22, 2012
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    This is the best surprise ever this year infocom rocks, will be getting this for my ipad I hope these release this for android as well so I can play it on my android phone also I would rebuy it for that platform as well.
     
  2. retroblique

    retroblique New Member

    Jun 24, 2012
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    Not surprised that Hitchhiker's couldn't be included. Although I notice that Nord & Bert is also missing. Pity that Sherlock, Arthur, Shogun and Journey are missing too, but I assume the licensing for most of those must be prohibitive.
     
  3. brerlappin

    brerlappin Well-Known Member

    Feb 10, 2009
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    #23 brerlappin, Dec 20, 2012
    Last edited: Dec 20, 2012
    Not to mention Bureaucracy, Zork Zero and Beyond Zork are missing as well. Wish this collection was a little more complete.

    Although it would be cool if you could import some of them in if you legitimately own the game already.
     
  4. Dahak

    Dahak Well-Known Member

    Jun 4, 2010
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    I think Shogun and Hitchhiker's are the only two that Activision doesn't own the rights to (or isn't PD in Sherlock's case), but the missing ones all are later Zcode versions, I believe.
     
  5. Respox

    Respox Active Member

    Sep 4, 2012
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    I loved these as a kid (the Enchanter trilogy was my favorite), but I have Frotz installed and I don't like having to type so much on a touchscreen. I may still end up buying it, but not right now. Maybe after the Christmas sales.
     
  6. tblrsa

    tblrsa Well-Known Member

    Nov 10, 2009
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    Awesome stuff. I'm missing Shogun though. Will check it out.
     
  7. Gabrien

    Gabrien Well-Known Member

    Nov 24, 2009
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    Journey is one of my fondest gaming experiences of all time. It wasn't a pure text adventure though, and I recall even some of the puzzles were visually driven. Is there a game in this collection that is like Journey, or are they all pure text adventures?
     
  8. dannythefool

    dannythefool Well-Known Member

    Dec 16, 2010
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    Game Impressions

    This is a pretty sweet deal for fans of these games. It's unfortunate that they don't have the rights to HHGTTG, though. But the game engine itself is working well (imho, better than frotz due to the integration of maps and clues), the base app is free, and the fan service features are great. I love that they included 3D models of the game boxes, or even things like the zorkmid coin, and didn't just stop at pictures of maps.

    Some things initially confused me. The smallest font size setting is still pretty big - but then I found out that pinching lets you make it much smaller than that in game. Autocomplete works very well (start typing, then press space or return to complete) but it won't complete long words - because you don't need to; e.g. it might autocomplete "leafle" instead of "leaflet" because that's as many letters as the game cares about anyway.

    Since text adventures are such a specific nostalgia niche, I'm not sure I'd recommend this to anyone, but it's free to try and the most complete experience you're going to get.
     
  9. SteveW

    SteveW Active Member

    Sep 19, 2011
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    keyboard

    I'll just stick to playing on PC... I'm finding the keyboard the problem here, it takes up half the ipad screen, it sure would have been nice if the game had its own small keyboard built in.
     
  10. pluto6

    pluto6 Well-Known Member

    Jun 21, 2009
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    This was an instabuy for me. I was surprised that this has 3 pages of comments. I was not sure many people would enjoy these anymore.

    I shudder to think how many times I have purchased these in 1 form or another over the years - beginning with floppy discs I think.. I got the Scott Adams adventures on cassette for my TRS 80!

    After being frustrated with the interface in Frotz, I am looking forward to having a hopefully much improved interface, and I guess the app maps for us as well? I enjoyed that when younger, but don't feel the need for it so much anymore.

    I'm off to be eaten by a grue....
     
  11. Riotgirl

    Riotgirl Well-Known Member

    Apr 5, 2012
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    #31 Riotgirl, Dec 20, 2012
    Last edited: Dec 20, 2012
    No! I still haven't finished Avadon; Autumn Dynasty remains unplayed; I haven't even bought BG (waiting for UI fix); and am 3/4 through FFIII and FIV was released today; then Lords of Midnight was released, and now I find out Infocom adventure games that I was unable to play during my youth (C64 cassette deck - couldn't afford a disk drive back in the day), aside from Zork and HHGTTG.

    Zork series? Wishbringer series? AMFV? Planetfall and Starcross? All for the price of £6.99 as a one-off purchase? My inner youth is weeping with joy. IF does not get better than Infocom.

    For anyone new to Infocom, be warned: each game has a rating from beginner to expert. The ones classified as 'expert' are very, very hard indeed!

    Added to 'wish list'. As much as I miss my girlfriend (in China for another 4 weeks), she couldn't have picked a better time for me to have a lot of time on my hands. 2013 gaming is hereby suspended! I'm far too busy with 2011 / 2012 gaming!

    Days of ZZAP64 and the White Wizard. Good lord! The 'Cold War' still existed and the Berlin Wall hadn't yet toppled when these were released! Like Lords of Midnight, this isn't just a nostalgia trip - if you like these type of games, then these stand the test as classics. IF adventure games started my interest in RPGs (including a brief but disasterous foray in LARPG - which saw me being chased across the hills and dales in Northen England (Uni days), by people waving long, pointy objects screaming, "KILL THE ONE IN THE PINK DRESS!". Actually, it was fuschia; and I was a proto-metrosexual, before David Beckham even thought about wearing a sarong).
     
  12. Dahak

    Dahak Well-Known Member

    Jun 4, 2010
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    I'd probably recommend it to fans of Gamebook Adventures and "Choice of..." apps, as they both feed the need to read.

    For my part, I love this collection. Code Mystics have outdone themselves.
     
  13. iPadisGreat

    iPadisGreat Well-Known Member

    Dec 10, 2012
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    The developer isn't one of those Activision linked companies? Any chance of a Legend compilation just like this one?
     
  14. Dahak

    Dahak Well-Known Member

    Jun 4, 2010
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    I can only speak to the first question. Code Mystics is an emulation focused development house, and spiritual successor to Digital Eclipse. Their relationship to Activision is as a contractor, the same thing that they previously did for Atari on their arcade app. Activision owns all the Infocom trademarks and IP, and is the publisher of this Code Mystics-developed app.
     
  15. belboz

    belboz Member

    Jun 19, 2011
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    You should show some of the feelies and invisiclues and maps
     
  16. Sanuku

    Sanuku Well-Known Member

    Sorry those costs a Buck Extra. I`m unsure if there is anyone really interested into those, or am I wrong?
     
  17. Dahak

    Dahak Well-Known Member

    Jun 4, 2010
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    You're wrong. ;) But I already bought it, so no worries here.
     
  18. Laire

    Laire Well-Known Member

    Feb 4, 2012
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    Overworked Graphic Designer :)
    To be able to play Star Trek Pinball, Wishbringer AND Leather Goddesses of Phobos again within a 24-hour period ... life is good.

    (Yeah, that's a pretty ... odd trio when I sit down and write it, isn't it? Heh.)
     
  19. iPadisGreat

    iPadisGreat Well-Known Member

    Dec 10, 2012
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    #40 iPadisGreat, Dec 22, 2012
    Last edited: Dec 22, 2012
    Only the Invisiclues cost extra, but I feel that it was totally worth it as it even duplicates the invisible text that just adds to the experience. The feelies, manuals and 3D Gameboxes are included with the full game IAP.

    Working on Seastalker now as it is rated as the easiest. Really love the feature that ranks these games according to difficulty level.
     

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