Introducing Planedrift
In which the author at last unveils a quiet corner of the web for playing classic Infocom adventures, and reflects on the peculiar inhumanity of an AI that cannot quite abide pure play.
Posts
> ASK THE VM WHERE IS THE PLAYER
In which the author hunts through virtual memory for a player whose whereabouts the machine no longer remembers, and settles on a layered heuristic that is almost certainly good enough.
Building a Z-Machine in the worst possible language
In which a 1980s virtual machine for text adventures is reimplemented in a pure functional language, against all better judgement, and somehow emerges working.
Playing Zork with a gen alpha AI
In which an old text adventure is rediscovered with the help of an enthusiastic, slang-slinging AI companion, and a z-machine yak awaits its shave.
Building a better crossword page for my daily cryptic hit
In which the daily cryptic crossword becomes a source of frustration, and a solution is fashioned from an old Elm project dusted off.
What AI is doing for me, in a difficult situation
In which we discover that a half-an-entity can be something like a prosthetic for the mind.
It's Your Turn — a prompt deck for new roleplayers
In which we introduce a comely new tool for new roleplayers who find themselves suddenly called upon to act.
Seven reasons that Trump is a bad GM. Very bad
In which we observe that the worst GM at any table and the current President of the United States share, with uncanny fidelity, the very same qualities.
You've Been Pawned — Now With a Snazzy New Look
In which the standee-making tool is rebuilt from scratch, acquiring a coverflow carousel, a proper PDF export, and a somewhat snazzier countenance.
Six months on startplaying.games
In which we dig into the numbers after fifty paid games and ask, with a clear eye, whether this enterprise is worth the candle.