Newsgroups: rec.arts.int-fiction
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From: erkyrath@netcom.com (Andrew Plotkin)
Subject: Re: befuddled beginner
Message-ID: <erkyrathE14nID.Msy@netcom.com>
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Date: Tue, 19 Nov 1996 17:06:13 GMT
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W. Wiggins (weevil@charm.net) wrote:
> I've been patiently plodding around the net trying to get started writing IF.
> I'm using a mac quadra 950 with 24 megs of ram and Inform 2.1.2 because 
> it's free and seems well documented. 

It's more useful to refer to Inform ports by the compiler serial number, 
not the port serial number. That would be Inform 5.5 for the Mac port 
2.1.2, I believe.

> (And a later version I had wouldn't 
> even compile the "hello world" program)

Inform 6 is a little more complicated, but it should be possible to get 
it to work. A new Mac version was just uploaded today. I would say it's 
worth it.

> Anyway, the point of this message is that I'm already aware of how 
> frustrating the process of getting everything set up and learning the 
> language is going to be. I'm not sure how well my trickle of experience 
> authoring in mud-like enviroments is going to counteract my somewhat 
> appalling lack of experience with any computer language. I really love IF 
> and I'm excited about authoring, so I'm hoping that someone who has gone 
> through what I am now confronting will be willing to help.

We are usually pretty good about answering beginners' questions without 
setting fire to their heads. (Be sure to put [Inform] in the subject 
line, so it's clear what language you're talking about.)

Definitely start by compiling a sample game, like shell.inf or whatever 
it's called. Something with one room and no objects. When you've got that 
working, you'll be past all the setup woes, and you can start adding 
things one at a time.

--Z

-- 

"And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these were the
borogoves..."
