My Last Duchess

I am currently experimenting with the dramatic monologue form, and have started work on a game based on Robert Browning’s “My Last Duchess” (http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/173024) – written in blank verse/heroic couplets (though I’ve sometimes thrown scansion to the winds).

If you have five minutes to spare, feel free to take a look. A Parchment version is available at: jpe.fastmail.fm.user.fm/play.html

Does it work in terms of language/form? It goes without saying that I am no Robert Browning, but the line between “hommage” and parody is a thin one. :slight_smile: Since I have no idea how others approach a work of IF, feel free to send me a transcript. And oh, once the PoV changes to the Duchess, there is really not that much you can do.

I gave it a little play. I really like the style and you’ve increased the realm of parser games written in pentametric blank verse by a 100% as far as I can tell.

Some small comments:

  • Stroking seems to require taking which leads to odd messages when trying to stroke things other than the portrait
  • The effect would be even richer if the default messages were replaced with tone appropriate lines (though I can also see the argument for keeping a meta-game voice/narrative voice distinction).
  • It wasn’t clear when first playing why dropping the portrait should move the scene on
  • In fact, the text seemed to be cluing looking at the portrait for a second time but that wasn’t a fruitful act.

Thanks for the feedback!

Dropping the portrait was an unintended solution that’s hopefully been fixed now. The “walkthrough” I had in mind for the first two scenes was something along the lines of:

EXAMINE THE PAINTING
STROKE THE PAINTING
SHOW THE PORTRAIT TO THE DUKE
SEARCH THE BED
ASK THE DUKE ABOUT THE DUCHESS
ASK THE DUKE ABOUT CLAUDIA
SHOW THE DUKE THE SKULL

Yes, I am trying to replace the standard library messages; it’s a work in progress, but I’m sure it’s doable (making the inventory listing scan might be a tall order, though).