Interactive Fiction Showcase 2024

Thanks to @alyshkalia who reminded me that I forgot to post here in the first place!

So… we have a lot of events now, throughout the year… but there are still a-plenty of Interactive Fiction being made and published independently throughout the year. And I was hoping to find a way to bring some extra spotlight to IF in general, maybe even get more people to make or play IF !

I thought maybe using a year-long jam over on itch.io would help with that.

So here is the…

Interactive Fiction Showcase

The Interactive Fiction Showcase is a year-long “jam” meant to collect and showcase Interactive Fiction games completed in 2024, and show how diverse the Interactive Fiction scene is!
And maybe: build more bridges between the community, help people finding their new favourite game/author…

Whether it is long or short, an easy adventure or a complicated puzzle, a strange experiment, a quick creation, or a years-in-the-making game, come show off what you’ve made!

This is an unranked event.

If you are thinking of participating, there are a handful of rules for submissions:

  • The Showcase is open to IF games in all of its forms: kinetic, choice-based, hyperlinks, parser, visual novels… As long as it is Interactive Fiction (there is interactivity and the focus of the game is on the text), the entry will be accepted.
  • The Showcase is open to IF games in any language.
  • Entries must be playable and in its complete form when submitted.
    • Completed games in 2024, whose demo was previously public, are welcome.
    • Games submitted to other events (jams/competitions) are welcome.
  • Entries can include NSFW content, as long as it is indicated in the submission.
  • Entries should not include any generated AI content - or it will be removed.
  • Spam or hateful content will be removed.

There is no limit to the amount of submissions you can have.

Check out the event on itch.io

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Oh… @pinkunz had done a cool intro for it too :joy:

:tophat::studio_microphone: "Ladies and gentlemen, step right up and prepare to be dazzled by the marvels of the imagination! Presenting the 2024 Interactive Fiction Showcase, a gathering of the finest literary creations to ever grace the digital realm!

:scroll: From the depths of fantastical realms to the bustling streets of noir mysteries, we invite you to embark on an odyssey through the realms of interactive fiction! Text adventures, choice-based narratives, and interactive storytelling of all stripes shall converge in a symphony of words and wonder!

:performing_arts: Whether you’re a seasoned explorer of the interactive narrative landscape or a curious newcomer eager to dip your toes into uncharted literary waters, there’s something for everyone in this grand spectacle of storytelling prowess!

:fountain_pen: So gather 'round, dear listeners, and immerse yourselves in a world where the power of choice reigns supreme! The 2024 Interactive Fiction Showcase beckons you to partake in an unforgettable journey through the boundless realms of imagination. Step into the story, and let your adventures begin!" :books::star2:

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Once again, I’m sorry for announcing this event ahead of time in the revival jam thread.

With all the major events of IF like Spring Thing, IF Comp, ParserComp, ECTOCOMP, Text Adventure Literacy Contest, Introcomp, and did I forget any others? Not to mention the monthly Neo-Interactive Jams, we need…

To get more people to play and make IF!
To have one year-long IF jam to rule them all!
To build bridges between and within the IF community.
To encourage diversity and inclusivity in the IF community- both in authorship and in product. Regardless of length, medium, genre, experience level.
To allow authors to better connect with their audience (and indirectly help people find their new favourite game/author).

Thank you to Manon and Pinkunz for organizing this event!

Have we gone back to the days when the yearly IF Showcases were on IFMUD and CompXX was still a thing? If so, I’m definitely in.

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I know this is not the main point of this thread, but nice work on the graphics for the Jam page. Really dig it! I’ll definitely throw mine in.

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Yeah, had just been reflecting on the general high quality of recent jam (and other small competition) banners/logos.

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This is great, agree with @groggydog, the quality and appearance of this is really top tier. Thanks for all the work you’ve put in to make it happen.

Just submitted Halfling Dale, and looking forward to checking out the other entrants.

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  • Entries should not include any generated AI content - or it will be removed.

So the entry could be a very graphical NSFW, but a single AI-generated cover-art image and that becomes where the unacceptable line is drawn?

Just want to be clear on the rules.

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A cover image is part of an entry.

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I too think this is a bit too heavy handed. Kind of one size fits all.

I’m not involved in organizing this jam, but I imagine the reasoning is to try to ensure entries contain no plagiarism or stolen content without moralizing about sex/violence (within reason, obviously - the “hateful content” rule).

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I submitted Poetic Justice and One King to Loot them All (Twine version):

Surely more games are being published? Where is everyone? :smiley:

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Already did as seen in the picture there: 31st March, Midnight :slight_smile:

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I had mine added in as well. My postmortem for that one will come after Spring Thing has ended, pending.

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I was going to enter Cargo Breach, but when I checked, it was published on 17 December 2023, so too early for the showcase. It didn’t seem that long ago.

So, I’ve entered the first three of the Dr Dooriddle games, bringing the number of parser games up to…wait for it…FOUR!

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Bumping this post a little because we’re on its last month :stuck_out_tongue:
Also, there’ve been a bunch of new entries since the last time I posted about it.

If you’ve published or completed a WIP in 2024 and your game is hosted on itch.io, consider adding it to the showcase:

(if you submitted to the Short Game Showcase, I’ve been told it doesn’t count in the 3 jam/competition rule).

And if you have something in the work, but it won’t be finished before 31st Dec…

(it’s an unofficial announcement :stuck_out_tongue: )

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This is correct, and I’ve just updated the Jam page to make it explicit. Go forth and submit!

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You have just lost my entry.