Our new writing utility - ACE

Games written in Inform, Glulx, TADS, CAT, HUGO and similar. Pleas for help, puzzles, bug reports etc.

Moderator: Alastair

Post Reply
Message
Author
User avatar
karvic
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 9:32 pm

Our new writing utility - ACE

#1 Post by karvic » Fri Aug 19, 2005 9:19 am

As some of you will know, we have been working for the last few years on a new writing utility which is for those of use who used to write a lot with PAW and QUILL, but can't get our heads round things like Inform and Tads. The results are now here:

http://www.adventurecreation.co.uk

Please feel free to download and try the 9 games we have uploaded, and have a look at the utilities and things and have a go yourself! It's really easy - it has to be otherwise my senior brain certainly couldn't do it!

Have fun

Karen
I can't have lost the plot - I never had it to start with

User avatar
df
Posts: 49
Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2005 3:22 pm

#2 Post by df » Fri Aug 19, 2005 1:33 pm

you know there is winpaw etc right??

when i worked at hmv uk head office our big boss was andrew clark, when i read that first line on your website i did a big double take :) hehehe

good luck with your ace. I'm writing a new compiler for scott adams games using the ti99 format (which gives allows much more complexity than the TRS80 format)... multiple try within try blocks etc.

anyway..
-- Stu / DF --
-- Mountain Valley + Softgold Adventure Fan --

User avatar
karvic
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 9:32 pm

#3 Post by karvic » Sat Aug 20, 2005 8:02 am

Yep I know about WinPaw, in fact I am in touch with Doug Harter who is the author of it, but I do find ACE gives me much more flexibility without any memory limits.

I'd be interested in looking at your new compiler when it's finished.

K
I can't have lost the plot - I never had it to start with

Amby
Posts: 227
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 9:44 pm
Location: USA
Contact:

#4 Post by Amby » Mon Aug 22, 2005 3:53 am

I never had a chance to write with Quill or PAW - thanks for the opportunity.

User avatar
df
Posts: 49
Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2005 3:22 pm

#5 Post by df » Tue Aug 23, 2005 4:08 pm

I had a look at ACE.. the only interesting thing is that it has some kind of html/ritch text display... beyond that.. ugh :( its worse than old AGT, still using numbers for everything. yuk yuk yuk.

on the other hand its very much like the scott adams stuff (when doing the processes/logic).

here below is a 'port' of lost dutchmans mine ive made to scott adams format (its 95% complete here). only.. 1 or 2 puzzles left to implement.

Code: Select all

title_screen =
    "          Lost Dutchman's Mine",
    "                   By",
    "",
    "          Cleveland M. Blakemore",
    "",
    "",
    "         Press a key to continue.",
    "",
    "";

word_length = 9;
light_time = 1000;
max_load = 6;

# the directions hold special meaning for the interpreter.
noun(north) north;
noun(south) south;
noun(east)  east;
noun(west)  west;
noun(up)    up;
noun(down)  down;

# same with go/get/drop.
verb(go) 	go;
verb(drop) 	drop, putdown, put, place, leave;
verb(get) 	get, take, pickup, grab, steal, grift, lift, snatch;

verb call;
verb dig;
verb shoot;
verb kill;
verb say;
verb turn, rotate, twist;
verb whistle, blow;

verb read, see, glance, peruse;
verb inventory, inv, i;
verb quit, q;
verb climb, shinny;
verb throw, chuck, pitch, lob, toss;
verb look, l, examine, ex, x;

verb light, ignite;

noun gozer;
noun shelf;

timreg t_Zero;
timreg t_WolfCount;
timreg t_GhostCount;

room rm_GasStation
	"You are in a deserted last chance gas station."
	;

initial = rm_GasStation;
treasure = rm_GasStation;

	
room rm_AdobeHouse
	"You are in a dusty adobe house with a sunbeam coming through an east window.",
	n_to rm_MineEnterance
	;

room rm_EW_MineShaft
	"You are in a long e-w mineshaft",
	u_to rm_GraniteTunnel,
	w_to rm_StoneStaircase,
	e_to rm_CoolCavern
	;
	
room rm_GraniteTunnel
	"You are in a sloping granite tunnel.",
	d_to rm_EW_MineShaft,
	u_to rm_MineEnterance
	;
	
room rm_MineEnterance
	"You are in front of an old boarded up mineshaft entrance",
	n_to rm_GraniteTunnel,
	s_to rm_AdobeHouse,
	w_to rm_Ravine
	;
	
room rm_CoolCavern
	"You are inside a cool cavern with a small crack leading down to the north.",
	n_to rm_RiverBed,
	d_to rm_RiverBed,
	w_to rm_EW_MineShaft
	;
	
	
room rm_StoneStaircase
	"You are on a spiral stone staircase.",
	e_to rm_EW_MineShaft,
	e_to rm_EW_MineShaft,
	d_to rm_BurialGround
	;
	
room rm_RiverBed
	"You are in a subterranean river bed running east & west.",
	s_to rm_CoolCavern,
	u_to rm_CoolCavern
	;
	
	
room rm_BurialGround
	"You are in an ancient indian burial ground.",
	u_to rm_StoneStaircase
	;
	
room rm_Ravine
	"You are in a deep ravine.",
	e_to rm_MineEnterance
	;

noun plaque;
item itm_Plaque (plaque) "a metal plaque above a glass shelf" rm_GasStation;
	
noun skull;
item itm_Skull (skull) "a skull mounted on a spear" rm_AdobeHouse;
	
noun skeleton;
item itm_Skeleton (skeleton) "a skeleton draped with cobwebs" rm_EW_MineShaft;

noun spirit;
item itm_Spirit (spirit) "a whistling evil spirit" rm_MineEnterance;

noun calendar;
item itm_Calendar (calendar) "a colossal stone sun calendar" rm_CoolCavern;
	
noun wolf, timber;
item itm_Wolf (wolf) "a ravenous snarling timber wolf!" rm_StoneStaircase;
item itm_DeadWolf (wolf) "a dead timber wolf" void;

noun wheel;
item itm_Wheel (wheel) "a circular wheel set in the middle of an iron door to the east" rm_RiverBed;

noun mound;
item itm_Mound (mound) "a large burial mound" rm_BurialGround;

noun matchbook, book;
item itm_Matchbook (matchbook) "a matchbook" rm_GasStation;

noun torch;
item itm_UnlightTorch (torch) "a wooden torch" rm_AdobeHouse;
item (light) itm_Torch (torch) "a lit torch" void;

noun revolver, gun, pistol;
item itm_Revolver (revolver) "a perl handled revolver" rm_GasStation;

noun bottle;
item itm_Bottle (bottle) "an empty 7-Up bottle" rm_GasStation ;

noun ruby;
item itm_Ruby (ruby) "a lustrous red ruby." void;

noun bullets;
item itm_Bullets (bullets) "a handfull of rusty bullets." rm_EW_MineShaft;

noun shovel;
item itm_Shovel (shovel) "a rusty shovel" rm_Ravine;

noun diamond;
item itm_Diamond (diamond) "a glowing diamond" rm_RiverBed;

noun nugget;
item itm_Nugget (nugget) "the dutchman's nugget" void;

flag (night) f_Darkness;
flag f_Intro;
flag f_Temp;

roomreg rSwap;

act auto 100
{
	!set(f_Intro);
	on f_Intro;
	
	"Welcome to the Lost Ducthman's Mine by Cleveland M. Blakemore, written in 1988 for Ahoy! magazine. Ported to Scott Adams Format as a test.";
	
	# set wolf attack to 0.
	timer 0;
	swap t_WolfCount;
	
	# set ghost attack to 0
	timer 0;
	swap t_GhostCount;
	
	timer 0;
	swap t_Zero;
	
	# setup the house as the swap location
	goto rm_AdobeHouse;
	swap rSwap;
	goto rm_GasStation;
	
	!inv; # turn automatic inventory display off
}

act go crack
{
	in(rm_CoolCavern);
	timer 0;
	
	try
	{
		has(itm_Matchbook);
		add 1;
	}
	
	try
	{
		has(itm_Revolver);
		add 1;
	}
	
	try
	{
		has(itm_Bottle);
		add 1;
	}
	
	try
	{
		has(itm_Ruby);
		add 1;
	}
	
	try
	{
		has(itm_Bullets);
		add 1;
	}
	
	try
	{
		has(itm_Shovel);
		add 1;
	}
	
	try
	{
		has(itm_Diamond);
		add 1;
	}
	
	try
	{
		has(itm_Nugget);
	}
	
	try
	{
		gt(1);
		"You are carrying too much to fit throughthe crack.";
	}
	
	try
	{
		eq(1);
		goto rm_Riverbed;
	}
}

act inventory any
{
	.inv;
}

act look any
{
	.room;
}

act quit any
{
	"~~Game is over. Press any key to quit.";
	quit;
}

act auto 100
{
	in(rm_GraniteTunnel);
	has(itm_Torch);
	!exists(itm_Ruby);
	move rm_GraniteTunnel, itm_Ruby;
}

act auto 100
{
	in(rm_EW_MineShaft);
	
	# reset wolf attack count
	timer 0;
	swap t_WolfCount;
}

act read matchbook
{
	has(itm_Matchbook);
	"Gozer Travel inc. 'Need to travel?? Call Gozer!!'";
}

act read plaque
{
	here(itm_Plaque);
	"Put all the treasure on this shelf.";
}

act call gozer
{
	off f_Temp;
	
	try
	{
		in(rm_AdobeHouse);
		on f_Temp;
	}
	
	try
	{
		in(rm_GasStation);
		on f_Temp;
	}
	
	set(f_Temp); # if set, switch locations.
	swap rSwap;
}

act call gozer
{
	"Not from here.";
}

act whistle bottle
{
	has(itm_Bottle);
	here(itm_Spirit);
	"~The spirit writhes and vanishes in a cloud of smoke.";
	
	zap itm_Spirit;
}

act whistle any
{
 	"Tweet Tweet Tweet...";
 	
 	# load ghost count
 	swap t_GhostCount;
 	
 	try
 	{
		here(itm_Spirit);
		"~The spirit trembles and wavers a little.";
		
		add 1;
		.nl;
	}
		
	try
	{
		here(itm_Spirit);
		gt(2);
		"~~The spirit looks real angry!";
	}
	
	try
	{	
		here(itm_Spirit);
		eq(5);
		"~~The evil spirit sucked the breath out of you!";
		die;
		quit;
	}
	
	# save it back
	swap t_GhostCount;
}

act auto 100
{
	try
	{
		in(rm_EW_MineShaft);
		off f_Darkness;
	}
	
	try
	{
		in(rm_GraniteTunnel);
		on f_Darkness;
	}
}



act auto 100
{
	in(rm_StoneStaircase);
	here(itm_Wolf);
	
	# load wolfcount
	swap t_WolfCount;
	add 1;
	
	try
	{
		eq(2);		
		"~The timber wolf tears you to shreds.";
		die;
		quit;
	}
	
	# save wlfcount
	swap t_WolfCount;
}

act go north
{
	in(rm_MineEnterance);
	here(itm_Spirit);
	"The spirit scares you back.";
}

act light torch
{	
	try
	{
		has(itm_Torch);
		"It's already burning.";
	}
	
	try
	{
		!has(itm_UnlightTorch);
		!has(itm_Torch);
		
		"I dont have it.";
	}
	
	try
	{
		has(itm_UnlightTorch);
		!has(itm_Matchbook);
		
		"What with?";
		#end;
	}
	
	try
	{
		has(itm_UnlightTorch);
		has(itm_Matchbook);
		
		swap itm_UnlightTorch, itm_Torch;
		
		"It's burning.";
	}
}

act look skeleton
{
	here(itm_Skeleton);
	"His bony claw points to the east.";
}


act shoot wolf
{
	here(itm_Wolf);
	has(itm_Revolver);
	
	try
	{
		!has(itm_Bullets);
		"I have no bullets!";
	}
	
	try
	{
		has(itm_Bullets);
		"The revolver thunders fire and the wolf falls over dead in mid-leap.";
		swap itm_DeadWolf, itm_Wolf;
	}
}
-- Stu / DF --
-- Mountain Valley + Softgold Adventure Fan --

Doreen B
Posts: 398
Joined: Thu Dec 16, 2004 5:25 pm
Location: Yorkshire, England

ace

#6 Post by Doreen B » Mon Aug 29, 2005 7:55 pm

I am going to say ACE is good and very simple to use.

Not just because Karen and Andy are my friends - but as I have tried CAT
I do find ACE much easier.

I have only been programming since 2000. Started with CAT then moved on to ACE.


This product needs to be tried out by those who have used other writing utilities.


Cheers
Doreen

FredrikR
Posts: 62
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 10:06 am
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Contact:

#7 Post by FredrikR » Sun Sep 04, 2005 2:05 pm

I actually intended to have a closer look at ACE, but to see the manual or see the source code of the example game, I had to run an exe file! Considering the virus threat on the net these days, I just can't take that risk unless it comes from a trusted source and is something I *really* want to use. It's extremely odd, not even having the manual readable online.

Re: the Scott Adams format source - it doesn't look any simpler than Inform to me. Anyone who can learn to program that can certainly pick up the Inform Beginner's Guide and learn Inform rather quickly too. So, why bother with a more limited format?
http://IFGuide.ramsberg.net - A Beginner's Guide to Playing Interactive Fiction

User avatar
karvic
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 9:32 pm

#8 Post by karvic » Sat Sep 17, 2005 8:24 am

Hi Fredrik

I hadn't thought about that, sorry. I have now uploaded a .rtf file copy of the manual which you can either read online or download if you prefer and you can get to it here:

http://www.adventurecreation.co.uk/Manual.rtf

Thanks for pointing it out.

Karen :)
I can't have lost the plot - I never had it to start with

User avatar
Gunness
Site Admin
Posts: 1826
Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2004 7:04 pm
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Contact:

#9 Post by Gunness » Mon Mar 19, 2007 11:28 am

Hi,
just out of curiousity... what happened to the homepage mentioned above?

Alastair
Posts: 1046
Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2005 12:21 am

#10 Post by Alastair » Tue Mar 20, 2007 1:13 am

Gunness wrote:Hi,
just out of curiousity... what happened to the homepage mentioned above?
A quick google for "Adventure Creation Environment" gave me
http://www.aceadventuregames.com/

(If you are wondering how I knew that ACE stands for Adventure Creation Environment, I first used the original address with the Internet Archive.)

User avatar
Gunness
Site Admin
Posts: 1826
Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2004 7:04 pm
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Contact:

#11 Post by Gunness » Tue Mar 20, 2007 8:19 am

Alastair, thanks for making me look like a complete internet nitwit :) :) Very nice bit of detective work.

Good to see that the project is still active. I've been thinking of doing an Inform game for a long time, but it seems terribly time consument. Perhaps this is better as an introduction in modern IF writing? I haven't dabbled in game writing since my ridiculous GAC efforts in the late eighties. But I'm sure that the tools have come a long way since then.

Doreen B
Posts: 398
Joined: Thu Dec 16, 2004 5:25 pm
Location: Yorkshire, England

ACE

#12 Post by Doreen B » Thu Apr 26, 2007 6:31 pm

Hi all,

Sorry I didn't reply to the question regarding the 'lost' web address.

I see it has now been found.

I would recommend you giving it a go at programming on this utility - if I can do it you can.....

regards
Doreen

Terry
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon May 11, 2009 8:14 pm

#13 Post by Terry » Tue May 12, 2009 8:21 pm

Gunness wrote:I've been thinking of doing an Inform game for a long time, but it seems terribly time consument. Perhaps this is better as an introduction in modern IF writing? I haven't dabbled in game writing since my ridiculous GAC efforts in the late eighties. But I'm sure that the tools have come a long way since then.
I also tried to learn to program using GAC in the late 80's and gave up, too little time and too hard to get to grips with. I also attempted to write/program using ALPS for the BBC Micro but never managed to get on with that either.

Since coming across Inform 7 a couple of years ago, downloading it, being very impressed with its 'Natural Language' (which sounded to be 'the' way of writing a game - a way I'd long thought to be possible and now seemingly it was!) I quickly set about reading the supplied manual eager to start work on a game, only to find I couldn't penetrate the manual. It was very hard to find out where to begin and what to do when and how.. after trying unsuccessfully I gave up.

Recently I thought I would try to learn Inform 7 again, by chance I came across a new manual (in Beta version) aimed at total beginners, it's the Inform 7 Handbook by Jim Aikin. It is exactly what was needed to make Inform 7 accessible to non-programmers, if you're looking to get writing IF using I7 then this is a great way to start.

Apologies for writing about another IF/text game writing tool here, I just thought it was worth mentioning. If you find the tool that suits you then get on and use it.. get writing and get creative! :wink:

Post Reply