tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3387495443226852794.post1508633328107852326..comments2024-03-28T18:43:06.423+11:00Comments on The Adventurers Guild: Missed Classic 102: Stationfall - Introduction (1987)The Tricksterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01419316208187255801noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3387495443226852794.post-11943037824197039532021-12-05T11:52:30.233+11:002021-12-05T11:52:30.233+11:004747Mayhaymhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10379607747655676744noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3387495443226852794.post-10086506419625261532021-12-02T07:55:58.667+11:002021-12-02T07:55:58.667+11:004040Laukkuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16258625692586860655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3387495443226852794.post-65978919030335913472021-11-30T03:00:44.576+11:002021-11-30T03:00:44.576+11:00great game i thought - somewhat tough but genreall...great game i thought - somewhat tough but genreally fairhosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01989936404807669199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3387495443226852794.post-87996768153158932912021-11-29T16:40:17.624+11:002021-11-29T16:40:17.624+11:00The next post is well on its way. I've played ...The next post is well on its way. I've played ahead, but figuring out how to talk about this game is tricky because it's so open, at least at the beginning. It's very old school in that way.<br /><br />Should have the next post out in a few days.Joe Pranevichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12997014242774219758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3387495443226852794.post-46338607645022958152021-11-29T12:53:30.507+11:002021-11-29T12:53:30.507+11:00Sneaking in with a not-quite late guess of 39.Sneaking in with a not-quite late guess of 39.Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16240427925874212338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3387495443226852794.post-49940166557128138382021-11-28T22:01:22.832+11:002021-11-28T22:01:22.832+11:00Regarding the simultaneous releases, Infocom were ...Regarding the simultaneous releases, Infocom were struggling hard at the time, and had recently been acquired by Activision, who demanded an increase in sales. Drive they weren't able to instantly conjure up graphics and sounds that would've drawn in a bigger target audience, the only way to do that was by releasing more games, and fast. That's how the almost simultaneous releases of Stationfall and Lurking Horror came about. The Digital Antiquarian has done an insightful writeup of the uncomfortable situation Infocom was in at the time: https://www.filfre.net/2015/09/and-into-the-fire/El despertandohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12760941024574852525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3387495443226852794.post-14012185464612369792021-11-26T19:41:34.738+11:002021-11-26T19:41:34.738+11:00I'll go low with 38, exciting cover art but no...I'll go low with 38, exciting cover art but no in game graphics has always boded ill for me. ShaddamIVthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02024540172370536692noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3387495443226852794.post-64366646898258502832021-11-22T10:41:40.008+11:002021-11-22T10:41:40.008+11:00"A brief glimpse of the space station that we..."A brief glimpse of the space station that we see matches the description in the manual blueprints, except that a “village” of connected spacecraft seems to have sprung up around the station as ad hoc living quarters. That sounds like a fun concept; did it come from any science fiction books?"<br /><br />In about 1985/86, I remember reading a series of humorous SF novels. There was one part set in a space station with a limited number of docking ports. Consequently, later arriving ships would dock with earlier arrivals, creating a structure much as described in the game. Alas, I have long since forgotten the author or title of the series. Jonathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08526120228467162158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3387495443226852794.post-40120655057101762822021-11-21T09:09:43.286+11:002021-11-21T09:09:43.286+11:00Differently from Torbjörn (and without giving away...Differently from Torbjörn (and without giving away why - because spoilers) I think that Planetfall is superior to this one, so I'm going to pick 42 for the score.Vetinarihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04734964199926068473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3387495443226852794.post-9522493623412425442021-11-21T07:52:08.500+11:002021-11-21T07:52:08.500+11:00That would have quickly exploded the possible inte...That would have quickly exploded the possible interactions, I think. Never mind the development time, the thing has to fit in a certain KB size!arcanetriviahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02033767865654085177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3387495443226852794.post-75464864832388810222021-11-21T07:34:11.299+11:002021-11-21T07:34:11.299+11:00Dang, I also wanted to pick 46... I'll go with...Dang, I also wanted to pick 46... I'll go with 45 instead.El despertandohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12760941024574852525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3387495443226852794.post-81912327165203455392021-11-21T06:46:55.186+11:002021-11-21T06:46:55.186+11:00Thanks! There will (probably) be a "cutting r...Thanks! There will (probably) be a "cutting room floor" post at the end on the development of Stationfall, as I did with the last few Infocom games. I'll know more what I have to work with once I get there, but this is good material for it and thanks for linking to it. Joe Pranevichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12997014242774219758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3387495443226852794.post-34687954107489498862021-11-21T06:16:38.885+11:002021-11-21T06:16:38.885+11:00I'll pick 43.I'll pick 43.MorpheusKitamihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16591271981112642781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3387495443226852794.post-54215638113717160802021-11-21T06:07:52.409+11:002021-11-21T06:07:52.409+11:00I haven't been able to verify it, but I have t...I haven't been able to verify it, but I have this vague memory that at least one computer magazine described the almost simultaneous release of Stationfall and The Lurking Horror as a showdown between Infocom's two top implementors. If so, I wonder if this was something Infocom encouraged or if it just happened on its own.<br /><br />Personally I thought Stationfall won that showdown, but the sales figures suggest I'm wrong. Either way, I think it's superior to Planetfall. Perhaps not in every way (Planetfall has some standout moments), but enough of them. It probably benefited both from a few years of experience, and from being a larger game.<br /><br />For a brief discussion on why later games could be larger than the earlier ones, even when running on the same version of the Z-Machine, see http://infodoc.plover.net/nzt/NZT7.1.pdf ("What about Atari 8-bits and the Commodore 64?").<br /><br />The "Infocom Cabinet" for the game reveals that there were several other possible projects being considered at the time, but only Stationfall and Zork Zero ever saw the light of day.<br /><br />Which is a shame, because some of them sounded like they might have been interesting. Others, though...?<br /><br />See https://archive.org/details/InfocomCabinetStationfall/ but it's probably full of spoilers.Torbjörn Anderssonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04853243855446674115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3387495443226852794.post-22121564692053587302021-11-21T05:23:22.898+11:002021-11-21T05:23:22.898+11:00I was going to pick 46, but Leo got there first. L...I was going to pick 46, but Leo got there first. Let's try 48.Corey Colehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16772474266362396768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3387495443226852794.post-90414642093199383402021-11-21T02:03:16.399+11:002021-11-21T02:03:16.399+11:00Oh! I already did. I should have done that in the ...Oh! I already did. I should have done that in the first place, but was so excited to get the game started.<br /><br />Rex kills you immediately. You insert the form, he steps out of the cubicle area, and then trips and kills you as you walk down the hall. <br /><br />Helen is funnier, but only just. She follows you and you can make it to the truck, but in her excitement to be on a mission, she grabs the Spacecraft Activation Form and shreds it. Without a form, you cannot go anywhere and are stuck. <br /><br />I had sort-of hoped that you could have them around longer and subsequent events would kill you more quickly, but that doesn't seem to be the case.Joe Pranevichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12997014242774219758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3387495443226852794.post-49008153696188344782021-11-21T00:40:23.997+11:002021-11-21T00:40:23.997+11:00Oh, and my guess is 46Oh, and my guess is 46Leo Vellésnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3387495443226852794.post-66966870089077283102021-11-21T00:39:49.016+11:002021-11-21T00:39:49.016+11:00Are you going, after you finish the game, start ag...Are you going, after you finish the game, start again to pick another robot to see what will happen?Leo Vellésnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3387495443226852794.post-36255442784232421812021-11-20T13:03:43.977+11:002021-11-20T13:03:43.977+11:00Hey guys! While I have a post in progress to look ...Hey guys! While I have a post in progress to look at the original mainframe "The Oregon Trail" (to complement work done by Ilmari a few years back!), it's going to take more research before I'm happy with it. As a result, you get Stationfall instead! I have been looking forward to playing this one forever and I hope that you (and I) enjoy.Joe Pranevichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12997014242774219758noreply@blogger.com