Hi, I’m Simon and I am planning to write some IF, possibly with Inform but still looking for the platform that suits my needs best.
I used to write adventure games (as they were called then) in the late 80’s on the Sinclair Spectrum, using a program called Graphic Adventure Creator. If I can create a new work with equivalent functionality to that, then I will be happy! (Mind you, my research is showing that modern tools often don’t even let you set a text colour/font/background colour, which is astonishing.)
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Welcome! 
my research is showing that modern tools often don’t even let you set a text colour/font/background colour, which is astonishing
Parser games are a bit of an oddity in the gaming world. Even though the editors and compilers are incredibly advanced, the games they produce are the most basic looking things where usually a block quote on an inverted background color is the most advanced styling you’ll see.
This is because the goal of most interpreters is to run on the potato-iest of computers. We’re talking about games currently being developed that target computers that are 40 years old.
I personally wouldn’t mind parser games leaving those shackles behind and embracing modern tech, but I seem to be in the minority. But on the other hand, interactive fiction is about the story and writing, and all of the stylistic window dressing is just fluff. So, meh. 
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But also modern platforms like “Slack bot” which are not meant to be full-featured layout engines.
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I’m Cryo,
I’m a full-time *nix user and I enjoy coffee and the GNU info browser. To satiate my love for documentation, I’m hoping to convert the Inform7 documentation to a TeX format for use with said browser.
I have done some hacking on Vimform7, and I spent my day configuring Spacemacs to behave similarly to it.
If that doesn’t characterize me well enough, my hobbies include: listening to cyberpunk-esque music, sharing communism memes, and hanging out with my cat.
My favorite media include thunky keyboards, and various music as above if not visual; Bladerunner is a timeless classic, and the Altered Carbon serialization was enthralling. I spend too much time on YouTube.
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Which games, Simon? If you’re interested in the whole coloured text, Quill/GAC/PAW-style experience then you may want to take a look at Adventuron.
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I used to use Adventuron. I might want to use it agin.
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Hello, I like to code games in things like Roblox Studio (Lua), Unity (C#), Scratch (visual programming but I don’t really use it a lot.), Inform 7, javascript… and more. Coding is what I mostly do when I have time on the computer. I have made a few games on scratch. I have made a game called “Short Story”, One with Squiffy and another with Quest. I am working on the same game but with inform 7.
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Hi gameker,
Welcome to Intfiction. That is quite a list of coding systems. Along with Unity, you should consider an addon called Fungus Games which facilitates adding text adventure to Unity.
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I will definitely try that.
Hi!
I used to make (or at least, start making…) games in Adrift about 14/15 years ago, but now I am Mac-based and picking up working with Inform. I’ve written most of the text of my project already, but looking to make it all do what I want it to in an ill-fatedly small timeframe. So this is sort of a disclaimer that there may be many Inform questions coming from me in the near future…
In any case, I am excited to be back in the game(s) and look forward to learning about some of your work(s)!
Other interests include maximalism and all art.
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Greetings!
I’m Neil Aitken, age 46. I live in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.
I grew up writing both poetry and code from an early age, and somehow ended up pursuing multiple careers: first, as a computer games programmer for a company that specialized in kids education and entertainment; then later, as a published author of two books of poetry, a poetry chapbook, and a volume of literary translation.
My education has been equally bifurcated. I did a BS in Computer Science with an emphasis on artificial intelligence, algorithm optimization, and application design, and also minored in Mathematics. But even as I was doing that degree, I was also taking graduate creative writing workshops. I worked for several years as a lead programmer for a computer games company in Los Angeles, but eventually burned out and left to pursue a multi-genre MFA in Creative Writing at UC Riverside (primarily poetry, but also fiction and creative non-fiction). After that, I went to USC and did my Ph.D. in Literature and Creative Writing there (again, mostly poetry – but my critical dissertation was on the representation of artificial and machine intelligence in 19th-century literature).
I grew up playing a wide variety of games, some of which were IF (Zork, Adventure). Mostly though, I played adventure games (Grim Fandango being one of my all-time favorites), and a lot of computer rpgs (Wizardry, Might & Magic, Bard’s Tale, Pool of Radiance). Later, I discovered roguelikes and went down that rabbit hole (NetHack, Angband, Zangband, ADOM). These days I play a mix of Skyrim and The Long Dark - I like deeply atmospheric games, as well as games where the world feels rich and nuanced. I enjoy games with good narrative, complex choices, interesting characters, and excellent writing. So perhaps it’s not a surprise that I’ve found myself drawn to IF lately.
I’m very much a D&D nerd - I learned to play in the 1980s with the Red Box/Basic Rules, but have continued to play and DM in every edition since then. I love the worldbuilding, improv, and of course, the narrative descriptions and storytelling that take place in the game. Earlier this year I started a YouTube channel (Fantastic Descriptions) dedicated to a deeper discussion and exploration of the art of narrative description in roleplaying games. Somewhere along the way, I was reminded of the existence of Twine as a tool for IF and began thinking about ways I might combine my interests and skills together in a new way (for me).
So that’s what brought me back to IF and lead me to my first contest entry. I’ve had this game/story idea for a few months, and having stalled on a longer Twine project, decided to throw my energies into creating and finishing something that I had thought was going to be a small project. (lol). The Cave is my first entry into the world of IF competitions, but is really my second big Twine project.
I’m working on some other game concepts as well. Most of what I’m interested in doing is drawing on my background in lyric poetry and lyric essay to create rich emotional experiences and narratives where choices matter. I love subverting expectations. I enjoy moving into the real of the existential, the absurd, and the magically real. And yet, I also enjoy complex interactions and hidden game mechanics, which aren’t just there to be cool, but are somehow tied to the core narrative and player experience.
I’m trying to get caught up as well. There are so many great IF games and experiences to explore. I’m excited to learn from the great writers and developers who have been working this field for a while.
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Hey guys, I’m new! I just submitted a game to the Ifcomp! It’s called “Little Girl in Monsterland”. I’m very excited, it’s a new experience for me 
Basically, I was making this game, which is actually not a text game but a graphical point and click. But then I though it would be fun to make a text version of it and submit it to the ifcomp. @robinjohnson 's Draculaland (of which I am a great fan) gave me the idea. The UI is inspired to that one.
I look forward to playing this year’s games, and to hear impressions about mine! I hope it’s not too long for the ifcomp. Actually I’m afraid it is, but I didn’t want to make any cut to it.
Cheers! 
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Hello everyone! My name is Tripper (imagine the fun growing up with such an unusual name ) and am new to the IF community. As a kid, I played a lot of parser games back in the day: Zork, Adventure (over a 300 baud modem connected to the mainframe at my Mom’s work), and many others.
I was always attracted to the vast possibilities of IF, limited only by your imagination. The itch was always there to try my hand at crafting one of these textualized worlds, and I’m excited to have gotten up the courage to create something for this year’s competition (The Call of Innsmouth).
I’m very excited to play all the great entries this year (104!) and to get to know and learn from all the wonderful and diverse people in the community.
Tripper
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Welcome Tripper,
I will be sure to try your comp entry.
Jeff
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My name is Beau and I post as DeathByTroggles over at IFdB. I was born in 1980, grew up on Infocom and Sierra. I’ve started programming about eight games I’ve never finished; I never seem to have the patience to make my own game. I’ve been playing IF regularly since I discovered Babel in 1999 but have only lurked in the forums until now.
Professionally I am a mental health social worker in St. Paul, Minnesota.
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Hi Beau. The fact you keep trying means there’s something in there trying to get out 
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hello! i’m new to posting on this forum and i’m a writer of science fiction and fantasy. when i was a kid, i used to marvel at all those author book bios where the author had a pretty random assortment of jobs before they became a writer. now i know how it happens and how it can even make sense in retrospect. : ) i’m really enjoying checking out the IFcomp games this year. i have a game in the comp too – quintessence. it’s pretty cool to see my game/story as part of the competition and to be able to join the community in this way.
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Good time for everyone.
Before introducing myself I want to thank you for those good work around IF.
I started playing IF from the very beggining but I jumped Graphic adventures in the time when Maniac Mansion was released. So, I’ve been out of scene for a long time.
In the time I was a student of first grade, I also studied english. Soon I start playing english IF from Level 9, Magnetic Scrolls, etc.
I studied english becouse I’m from spain and the best adventures, of course, were wrotten in english.
As a matter of fact I visited CAAD web, via CASA web looking for ZxSprectrum retrogames, then I start playing some short games in spanish… but I remembered those big, extense games related before and here I am again, looking for new entertainment ways.
As you can realize, I am a person that likes to participate where I get in so I stand here waiting for your needs
Best regards.
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Hello all, I’m from Kent in the UK. Self employed programmer, did a degree in artificial intelligence but haven’t worked in that area since I left uni.
Have loved IF since my parents got me a c64 for my 8th birthday and I played the hell out of Kayleth - a game I couldn’t get far at all in, but I loved the graphics and incredibly creepy atmosphere. Then my brother got me the Lord of the Rings trilogy and I didn’t get very far in that either, but still loved the sense of exploration.
Many times I’ve started a game for IFComp but I’ve always been too distracted by other things, perhaps next year. But this year I’m determined to play and review the games, at least.
Cheers!
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