Extra Challenges

:laughing:

Should have been “content”, as you probably know, though I think the idea of earning context is stunning as a conceptual level.

Actually, I thought that what you meant was that you could unlock more about the context of the story – the world-building, the background, maybe Ivy’s dossier, like that. Which may even be true. Anyway, if I replay the game, will it be obvious how to get my unlock? Is it possible that I saw it already and have forgotten that I did? Will I actually remember how to unlock the achievements? (Um, you probably can’t answer the last two questions.)

I think one potential difficulty with the original idea might be getting the games to communicate that you’ve unlocked the achievements – that seems like it would involve writing to an external file, which I think can only be done in glulx rather than z-code, and which I think might be an issue with online interpreters anyway. One possibility might be having the games give you passwords for your unlock. Another might be optional unlocking, which I just read about at baf’s blog; apparently the indie platformer VVVVVV has things that you can unlock by getting achievements, or you can just go to the menu and unlock them from there.

If I remember correctly, the unlockables are additional endgame options - Nate and Ivy’s dossiers, and I forget what else. So if you got all the achievements, you’ve probably seen the unlockable content.

Oh I see, I thought you were amusedly pointing out my typo.

As I recall, the things you could unlock

were character biographies one one other extra-content type thing

and you could unlock them by

performing certain narrative feats during the game, too of which I can remember, and am happy to place behind spoiler tags for you if you want.

I was told of this when I completed the game, at the point where AMUSING would usually be suggested. And you’re told when the game opens that it’s possible to unlock achievements. Unfortunately, because I got them all on the first playthrough (they’re not hard to get), I don’t know what it tells you if you only get some or none of them, so don’t know how prompted/clued they are.

Oh now that I think of it I’m pretty sure I have seen those. They do count as unlocked context, I think. (I’m not actually a big gamer – I keep telling myself that – so “unlock” and “content” don’t always arrange themselves next to each other in my head; I wasn’t trying to twit you, I swear.)

Pacian, have I mentioned that a Walker and Silhouette sequel would be totally boss?

Not sure if it qualifies, but ToaSK’s documentation includes two such things (the “Man of Peace” and “Girls Are Icky” [Man of Cherry Wine] challenges). They’re in the PDF for the regular version, and under the MENU in the Glulx version.

And as the documentation specifies, girls are, for the record, yummy, and any puzzle-challenge titles to the contrary do not represent the views of the author or his barbarian.