Andy Phillips wrote "Jade Dragon"

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

Andy Phillips has created some awesome IF games. He also wrote a book! It's called Jade Dragon.

Here is a page with some links to it:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listin ... dition=all

You can apparently get it exclusively from the UK? Still checking on that one.

The thing about Andy's games is that they all contain fiendish puzzles. I'm really curious to see what he cooks up with straight fiction. I'll be buying this and supporting our boy here ASAP.

[pinback]

Dear Rome,

What's the big deal? I thought all IF authors wrote books.

Signed, "Ready, OK", and the first chapter of Jonsey's FoD adaptation.

[Lysander]

Will the apartment in this book require finding the key in the gnome's head to get inside, or will it involve climbing the outside up to the second floor, breaking in through the window, making sure not to bring your knife or gun inside, disarming a bomb despite the fact that you have no idea which button to push, and finding something to counteract the truth syrum drug you don't know you're about to get? Also, since i know that there are tits, are they going to be "so radiently beautiful" that he can't be bothered to describe them, utilitarian so there's no need for a description, h0t but psychotic so you don't have time to stare, or bisexual in an unsatisfying, adolescent male kind of way?

[Vitriola]

Lysander, nobody else has said this yet, but you are one of the best posters I've ever seen. GG.

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

Will the apartment in this book require finding the key in the gnome's head to get inside, or will it involve climbing the outside up to the second floor, breaking in through the window, making sure not to bring your knife or gun inside, disarming a bomb despite the fact that you have no idea which button to push, and finding something to counteract the truth syrum drug you don't know you're about to get? Also, since i know that there are tits, are they going to be "so radiently beautiful" that he can't be bothered to describe them, utilitarian so there's no need for a description, h0t but psychotic so you don't have time to stare, or bisexual in an unsatisfying, adolescent male kind of way?

We're not dogging Andy's games, are we? You know, twenty five years ago people paid $60 for that kind of gameplay.

[Lysander]

THe best part of that is that you know exactly what I"m referencing. Anyways, yes--while I love Mr. Philips's writing and most of his puszzles, the bomb puzzle has got to be one of hte least fun puzzle ever and--by rights, getting into the TACTAE apartment should be immortalized in bronze inside the Inform designers manual as an example of how to, rather than tease teh player with a solution, beat him over the head with the fourth wall for daring to suck at the game.

[Lysander]

BTW, the previous previous post has been edited in teh interests of better reflecting interactive fiction... reality.

[Lysander]

Or rather would be so... if posts could be edited on this BBS. Jonsey, you great huge incompetant.

Will the apartment in this book require finding the key in the gnome's head to get inside, or will it involve climbing the outside up to the second floor using the pipe you had no reason to think of picking up,
breaking in through the window with only the smallest clue that you can't just use the door, throwing the rope you just used away to second-guess the superpsychic police officers, making sure not to bring your gun inside lest it appears threatening to the superpsychic police officers--FROM THE FUTURE!--that you don't know are showing up yet, covering the window with a piece of wallpaper you sliced up for the sheer hell of it--oo, secret compartment!--and stuck on with a wadd of chewing gum you chewed outside just, again, for the sheer hell of it, disarming (and then subsequently re-arming--of course) a bomb despite the fact that you have no idea which button to push, discovering that the globe on the ceiling is not only voice activated but also a lightbulb despite having no understanding of future technology, searching the shit on the floor just 'cause it's there, remembering one word mentioned in an offhand manner at the very start of the game, making up an excuse out of thin fucking air, and making a daring a scape from a futuristic prison cell using naught but the power of a button you found in the gutter? (Didn't find the button? Foolish you. Go back.) Also, since I know that there are tits, are they going to be "so radiently beautiful" that he can't be bothered to describe them, utilitarian so there's no need for description, h0t but psychotic so you don't have time to stare (and also, like, yer GF, so meh, been there done that bitch), or bisexual in an unsatisfying, adolescent male kind of way?