Hi!
I’m looking for playtesters / proofreaders for “Dimity Jones in Puzzle Castle: An Electronic Escape Novel in Eighty-Nine Ciphertexts”.
This is my first piece of interactive fiction – if that’s what it is!
In form, it is one big plain text file, of which at first only the first chapter is legible: each subsequent chapter must be deciphered using a key that is the correct solution to the current chapter’s puzzle.
Some rudimentary knowledge of coding is required. That is, though many of the puzzles themselves may be solvable by hand, you will inevitably need the aid of a computer, and little programs you yourself must devise (in the programming language of your choice), to run the necessary transformations on the ciphertexts.
Expected playtime is difficult to estimate, but this is a full-length novel, with eighty-nine puzzles, some of which are dead easy and others, I hope, damnably difficult. Between reading, puzzling, thinking, coding, and sleeping on it, the whole thing will probably take weeks.
My gratitude – and hopefully your enjoyment – will be commensurate with your commitment.
Let me know if you’re interested!
Warm best wishes,
C. P. Boyko
P.S. Here is an excerpt to whet your appetite:
What is the deciphered title of the following poem?
Vku Szbiv Ntkxctfd-Exwxpuq Abyuf Wutjs Vku Lfrtgguq Htpoup Mlbvu
by Doctor Mildred Mogh
Zho lives alone
Is keard to groan.
Zko’s alzays saq
Is never claq.
Zko kas no friunq
Eannot prutunq
Vkav vkuy possuss
Somu kajjinuss.
Zko yuapns fop lifu
Bs no onu’s zbfu.
Zkosu lbiu’s voo ealm
Bs fo ofu’s mom.
Zko kas fo ekbwq
Kas suwqon snbwuq.
(A ioowbsk hpav
Uyeujvs fov vkav.)
Zkx’s aww vxx snapv
Ofxzs jafcs av kuapv:
Ixp vkubp kbck abuz
Ibfqs exnptqus iuz.
Hlv sbfeu B’n zbsu
B’ww vtfvtwbgu
Tfq ektpn tfq mlbg
Tfq VPTJ t hxd
Xp sbs xi kbs
Zkx’ww hpbfc nu rxd.