So I'm making a text-based game...

[sgtpepper]

And I need creative ideas!

I recently bought an old Apple IIc from Triton, and now I'm using it to write a text-based game inspired by Left 4 Dead. I don't aim to copy the game, it just made me think "Hmm, a text-based Zombie game would be pretty friggin sweet."

So here's where you guys come in, I need ideas on how to make this interesting. If I'm going to try and make this game worth playing, I'm going to need creative GENIUS!

So far I've got a couple primary ideas:
-The main object is to survive/escape and to find food
-You start off in the sewers, 16 rooms/passageways are planned (so far)
-Eventually you make your way up to the streets
-You can't get out of the sewers and onto the streets without an elaborate collection of items that must be cobbled together to form some sort of awesome escape device (ideas?)
-Somewhere in the game, there will be a Rick Astley zombie...

As far coding goes, it will be written entirely in Applesoft BASIC, which for those unaware, is almost identical to standard BASIC, just with a couple added features. With that in mind, keep your ideas within the realm of "possible to code in BASIC." This isn't about convenience, it's about nostalgia!

One last question, for those who are well-versed in BASIC:
Is there any way to establish a universal "If...then" statement (or similar)? I have an inventory system set up in an array, and I'm using a GOSUB statement to print out a list anytime the user says "inventory." As of right now, I'm just putting this after every input (which is obviously somewhat tedious...):

Code: Select all

10 INPUT "WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO? ";D1$
20 IF D1$="INVENTORY" THEN GOSUB 5000

There might not be any other way to do it, but I thought I'd double check!

P.S. If this games turns out to be interesting enough, I'm going to buy a serial adapter to transfer the game to a modern disk image so that it's playable on Apple II emulators!

[grossaffe]

Idea: you start in the sewers, right? Who do we all know who lives in the sewers?

[bicostp]

You might need to come up with another way of programming than tons of if-then statements. They turn into a pile of confusing spaghetti code fast.

Why not write it for the Z-Machine, like all the old Infocom text adventures? That way, it will run on anything with a Z-Machine interpreter, from the Apple II to modern PCs to PDAs. (Even the Gameboy has an interpreter for it!)

[Mario]

Heheh, I made one a while ago. I called it Dungeon Master, and you have to escape a dungeon you're trapped in.

Written in BASIC, ton's of if-then!

[Triton]

I recently bought an old Apple IIc from Triton

Glad to know it arrived all in one peice!

[Kurt_]

Screw man, I made one called Dungeon Master. It was epic, had a VB timer so it only worked on slow computers or you died, and was made 4 years ago.

[Joes2Silly]

Idea: you start in the sewers, right? Who do we all know who lives in the sewers?

I think hobos live in the sewers too

[grossaffe]

Idea: you start in the sewers, right? Who do we all know who lives in the sewers?

I think hobos live in the sewers too

we can have both.

OR

we could have Teenage Mutant Hobo Turtles.

[Arrow-->]

Idea: you start in the sewers, right? Who do we all know who lives in the sewers?

I think hobos live in the sewers too

I thoght that said homos at first

[Joes2Silly]

*cough*thread-jack*cough*

[sgtpepper]

*cough*thread-jack*cough*

Yeeeeeaaahhhh, let's get back on topic here guys

@Bic, I would give it a shot, but I don't (currently) have a way to acquire a Z-machine interpreter, so I'll trudge through with BASIC for now

@Triton, it's AWESOME! It needed was a good dusting out, but I haven't any problems at all. Btw, the bubble wrap box was a nice touch

@grossaffe, I like the ninja turtle idea, I'll probably make a couple of rooms in the sewers their "pad" or something. I don't really think it would be worth implementing other people into the game, the numerous lines of code of code required would outweigh the Cool Factorâ„¢