>save February 28, 2014 7:30 AM   Subscribe

It is the end of February and the Third MetaFilter Interactive Fiction Contest is coming to a close!

This is the thread where you can submit your entries, or you can MeMail them to me to host and I'll post them here.

Because February is a short month and it's Friday, I figure the best thing to do is to keep the submissions open through 11:59 PM PST on Sunday, March 2nd.

On Monday, I'll post a round-up in this thread and y'all can get to playin' and votin'. Memailing the votes to me would probably be the best idea. I'd set up a poll or something, but this might just be easier. To remind y'all of the prizes:
  1. The Organisers offer the Forchette d'Or player's choice award, as chosen by popular vote (with voting open to anyone, even contributors). Note: not an actual golden fork. That is just a silly name for the prize. The prize is the recognition of the community and whatever prize anyone sees fit to offer up.
  2. griphus offers the griphus prize for excellence in entertaining griphus (as chosen by griphus), The prize is a vintage copy of any three interactive fiction/Choose Your Own Adventure books of your choice, assuming they reasonably priced and locatable.
  3. corb offers the corb award for for best first-time contributor (as chosen by corb). The prize is a $50 in an Amazon gift certificate (or format of winner's choice.)
  4. The quidnunc kid offers (a) the quidnunc medal for best NPC in an IF game; and (b) the quark cup for best location or setting for an IF game (both chosen by popular vote). Each prize is a $25 Amazon voucher, rather than an actual medal or cup. Again with the silly names.
posted by griphus to MetaFilter-Related at 7:30 AM (44 comments total) 7 users marked this as a favorite

Perhaps we should do a headcount of who is actually participating in this so we have an idea of what to expect?
posted by Think_Long at 7:46 AM on February 28, 2014


Very excited about this. Looking forward to seeing the results.
posted by Rock Steady at 7:56 AM on February 28, 2014


The quidnunc kid also offers, and hereby accepts, the Poor French Award for misspelling Fourchette. In his acceptance speech for this sought-after prize, quidnunc kid thanked "L'Académee" and said "Je suis trèy [sic] honoréd [sic] de servir la population de MiFe [sic]". Millions of Parisian sixteen year-olds laughed openly at him and spat in his cocktail de champagne à la framboise, to which he responded, "murd a doo" [sic].
posted by the quidnunc kid at 9:17 AM on February 28, 2014 [6 favorites]


Perhaps we should do a headcount of who is actually participating in this so we have an idea of what to expect?

I'd hoped to participate, and said as much in at least one of the previous threads, but didn't make any time to write anything. I hope the actual entrants did good work.
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 9:36 AM on February 28, 2014


I finished mine. At 2:30 AM last night. I'll let griphus post it with the round-up, I can't look at it anymore. I think I got about 80% of it done on the first weekend in February and took the entire rest of the month to do the rest. Turns out starting creative projects is easy but finishing them is hard, who knew?
posted by prize bull octorok at 10:12 AM on February 28, 2014 [3 favorites]


My entry for Metafilter's Interactive Comment Contest:

If you're interested in the status of my project, read Rustic Etruscan's comment above and substitute my name.

If you're interested in why my project has this status, read the last sentence of price bull octorok's comment above.

If you don't care about my status, please continue reading.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 10:38 AM on February 28, 2014 [5 favorites]


You are likely to be eaten by a grue.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 11:52 AM on February 28, 2014 [4 favorites]


Y'all are just lucky I didn't go with my first idea, Bravest Inseminator: Tarrasque Breeding Program Saga.
posted by prize bull octorok at 12:12 PM on February 28, 2014 [2 favorites]


I, for one, am glad to see that the quidnunc kid is still active after being voted #1 again.
posted by DigDoug at 12:17 PM on February 28, 2014


If Rustic Etruscan was brave enough to admit his failure publicly, than so will I.

But I actually met quidnunc once in person. That's the real prize, jerks.
posted by middleclasstool at 1:24 PM on February 28, 2014 [1 favorite]


There really was treasure in the garden!
posted by Meatbomb at 1:51 PM on February 28, 2014


I actually met quidnunc once in person. That's the real prize, jerks.

Although I don't have to have give you jerks - I can give you cuddles instead.
posted by the quidnunc kid at 2:17 PM on February 28, 2014 [2 favorites]


Thanks to this contest reminding me of the awesomeness of interactive fiction, I wrote a little thing in Twine for my first presentation for my Spanish class earlier this month, which was well received. And I wouldn't even be taking a Spanish class if MeFi hadn't introduced me to Duolingo! So thank you, MeFi, you continue to make life better. :)
posted by beryllium at 5:44 PM on February 28, 2014


I can't wait to read these :DDD
posted by Quilford at 6:22 PM on February 28, 2014


PUNCTUATION MATTERS, QUID
posted by middleclasstool at 7:44 PM on February 28, 2014 [2 favorites]


Sigh - Count me with the public failure list - I've barely written enough,and just started tinkering with twine...
On the plus side, I still think I have a neat idea. It'll just take me another 3 months to get through at this pace.

Congrats to all who finished ! Can't wait to play your stories.
posted by motdiem2 at 2:01 AM on March 1, 2014


And the clock ticks, as a few more spectators gather and the contestants' dias remains empty...
posted by Meatbomb at 3:38 AM on March 1, 2014


New rule: even part-finished or incomplete works shall be eligible for the quidnunc medal and quark cup.
posted by the quidnunc kid at 6:03 AM on March 1, 2014 [2 favorites]


I actually got really stuck about midway through and it needs a lot more polish...and all the formatting for the script choice I chose. So I am also out.

I did write a blog post about how I think different types of modern writing/scripting/display language choice give different impressions of a world, so, uh, there's that.
posted by cobaltnine at 2:59 PM on March 1, 2014


In case this continues going the way it appears to be, I have a Backup Plan.
posted by griphus at 5:22 PM on March 1, 2014


I also didn't finish, though am potentially close enough to pull an all-day-er and will certainly shoot for it given the deadline extension.

I will, however, join with the quidunc kid and agree that part-finished or incomplete works are eligible for the corb award! Let's not hide in shame! If you are 70, 50, or 30% completed, let's share! (And also if anyone is stuck in some coding difficulties, let's help!)

Though I will note that the actual IFComp for people who do this all the time is 6 weeks and maybe next time we should make it a little longer. ;)
posted by corb at 9:50 AM on March 2, 2014 [1 favorite]


Personally I (like corb) will be absolutely delighted to read and enjoy people's ideas, treatments, concepts and fragments, so I hope people won't be shy about sharing them. Youse guyses are smart and creative and stuff, I reckon.
posted by the quidnunc kid at 10:09 AM on March 2, 2014 [1 favorite]


I will gladly play the first 30% of something if that's all there is to play. I'm extra busy this coming week anyway.

> I did write a blog post about how I think different types of modern writing/scripting/display language choice give different impressions of a world, so, uh, there's that.

Link?
posted by postcommunism at 10:26 AM on March 2, 2014


Although I'd expressed interest in participating previously, I had forgotten at the time that I'd be out of the country on vacation and away from internet for the better part of the month. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it (in truth, I'd contemplated getting it done in Jan instead, but never made the time).
posted by juv3nal at 2:09 PM on March 2, 2014


Alright. So here is my rather stream-of-consciousness effort. It's my first attempt at any IF, so please forgive the sloppiness/spelling and coding errors/ generally abandoned themes and plot-points.

Also - it's about a dinosaur trying to destroy Heaven, so if that offends your sensibilities then, well, you may wish to avoid it.

Presenting:

VELOCI-RAPTURE: THE BOOK OF JURASSIS



I've never hosted anything, so let me know if the link doesn't work.
posted by Think_Long at 3:17 PM on March 2, 2014 [6 favorites]


Link works! I particularly like the expressive roars, though am stuck dancing with the church lady now. :)
posted by corb at 3:47 PM on March 2, 2014


I, like many others, failed to complete my entry, due to life getting in the way. The interactive fiction version of Rob Ford shall have to remain a collection of bits only capable of wandering around the Toronto Mayor's office and popping painkillers and ketamine until some date in the future.
posted by jferg at 7:35 PM on March 2, 2014


Seems like there are some broken links in the labyrinth, think_long. Specifically with the treasure chest and the archway.
posted by Night_owl at 9:59 PM on March 2, 2014


Alright, after attempting to pull an all-nighter, I'm realizing that I will not be able to finish this in the next hour and a half. But I still want to give you good IF! So I'm going to rule myself out of any prizes, and continue to work on it over the next week and present here for fun.
posted by corb at 10:30 PM on March 2, 2014


History tells us that Philip II of Macedon sent a warning to Sparta, that if he won the war, they would be slaves forever - to which the Ephors of Sparta replied "IF".

Meaning, of course, that they were too busy finishing their Interactive Fiction entries for the Third MetaFilter Interactive Fiction Contest, and could he come back later? Thanks.

Philip II rejoined that he would have to answer that in Philip III, the third part of the trilogy, because he had run out of time - but poor box-office sales meant that the final instalment of the three-parter was never completed. And that was Hollywood's greatest tragedy.
posted by the quidnunc kid at 1:54 AM on March 3, 2014


Didn't get very far with my entry unfortunately.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 4:00 AM on March 3, 2014


Seems like there are some broken links in the labyrinth, think_long. Specifically with the treasure chest and the archway.

Hmmmmm, I'll have to investigate that tonight.
posted by Think_Long at 7:11 AM on March 3, 2014


OKAY SO

I've got (literally) a couple of entries in my inbox and it looks like the one entry posted here needs a bit of a tune-up.

Everyone has until March 16th, 11:59 PM PST to get an entry in.

If the people who MeMailed me entries would like me to post them here now as either their final submission or a draft, I'd be glad to. I kept them out of the post so far simply because I sort of saw this situation coming -- it's happened in the previous IF contests -- and figure it would be more fair to give those who made it the same amount of extra time everyone else is getting to debut your Finished Product.
posted by griphus at 7:25 AM on March 3, 2014 [5 favorites]


Three cheers for griphus!
posted by corb at 8:00 AM on March 3, 2014 [1 favorite]


Correction: My entry is perfect and sublime in everyway. That said, given the extension, I've taken it down for the time being - thanks for the playtesting everyone.

Griphus - maybe I'll just memail you the link on the due date so you can just have them all in one place on the roundup.
posted by Think_Long at 8:12 AM on March 3, 2014 [1 favorite]


HAIL GRIPHUS LORD OF IFFYNESS wait that doesn't sound right HAIL GRIPHUS LORD OF EXTENDED DEADLINES!
posted by the quidnunc kid at 9:33 AM on March 3, 2014 [1 favorite]


Flatterers. I'm just a guy with a B.A. in English literature from a state university, so I just know a little something about blowing deadlines and asking for extensions.
posted by griphus at 11:02 AM on March 3, 2014 [4 favorites]


Wait the deadline's extended! Cool.
posted by FJT at 12:05 PM on March 4, 2014 [1 favorite]


I just want to remind everyone early we're a few days until deadline, for those who are still working, and to volunteer myself as a beta tester for anyone who needs one.
posted by corb at 12:51 PM on March 13, 2014 [2 favorites]


Yeah, this month is still kicking my ass. But at least I got Twine installed...
posted by FJT at 10:45 PM on March 15, 2014


For various (generally good) reasons, I just didn't get it done. I ended up doing a lot of analysis of CYOA games in the meantime, and I'm at the point where now I can actually write beyond the midpoint. The framework is going to serve me well, even though it took forever to do.
posted by cobaltnine at 7:54 PM on March 16, 2014 [2 favorites]


So I've got two entries in my mailbox but Think_Long your link isn't working. Considering there's a grand total of three entries, I'll hold off on posting the new MeTa until that's fixed.
posted by griphus at 4:50 PM on March 17, 2014


Hah. Maybe also in the new MeTa remind people that it's cool to submit half-finished and we'll still check it out?
posted by corb at 7:26 AM on March 18, 2014


Yeah anyone who has something to show is welcome to show it.
posted by griphus at 5:00 PM on March 18, 2014 [1 favorite]


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