Adventure Games: Authoring Systems

If you're interested only in some specific kind of software (for example, only graphics, or only free software, or only the tools for beginners) you can use the search page.

Action

• author: Fahri Aydos
• URL(s):
  • Action
• graphics: yes
• interface: P&C ?
• platform: Win32
• source: yes
• license: free
• programming skills: beginner

ADRIFT

• author: Campbell Wild
• URL(s):
  • ADRIFT: Adventure Development & Runner - Interactive Fiction Toolkit
• graphics: no
• interface: text parser (+ mouse)
• platform: Win32
• source: no
• license: free
• programming skills: beginner

Adventure Builder

• author: Alan Conroy
• URL(s):
  • Adventure Builder
• graphics: no
• interface: text parser
• platform: DOS, Windows
• source: partly
• license: shareware (free for personal use)
• programming skills: intermediate

Adventure Game Studio

• author: Chris Jones
• URL(s):
  • AGS
• graphics: VGA & hi-color, 3rd person
• interface: P&C, Sierra/Lucasarts-style
• platform: DOS and above
• source: no
• license: free
• programming skills: beginner/intermediate

Adventure Creator

• author: Autumn Software
• URL(s):
  • Macintosh game creation society
• graphics: hi-color (?), movies
• interface: P&C ?
• platform: Macintosh
• source: no
• license: commercial (trial version available)
• programming skills: beginner

AGAST

• author: Todd Zankich
• URL(s):
  • AGAST
• graphics: 3rd person
• interface: P&C
• platform: Win32
• source: no
• license: free
• programming skills: intermediate

AGE (Twilight Software Adventure Game Engine)

• author: Twilight Software
• URL(s):
  • Twilight Software Adventure Game Engine
• graphics: hi-color, 1st person, FMV
• interface: P&C
• platform: Win32
• source: not really (costs a few thousand $$$)
• license: commercial (+ "hobbyist" limited version free)
• programming skills: intermediate

AGI Studio

• author: Peter Kelly
• URL(s):
  • The Ultimate AGI&SCI Web Site
  • The AGI Web
  • AGI Filedump
  • Sierra Classics - AGI the Windows source code is here !
  • Linux AGI Studio the Linux source code is here !
• graphics: EGA, 3rd person
• interface: text parser
• platform: MSDOS, partly Linux (Windows AGI studio requires Win32, Linux AGI Studio requires Linux)
• source: yes
• license: free (GPL)
• notes: compatible with the old Sierra games
• programming skills: advanced

AGT

• authors: David Malmberg and Mark Welch
• URL(s):
  • The Adventure Game Toolkit (AGT)
  • Adventure Game Toolkit (AGT), AGiliTy, Magx
• graphics: static
• interface: text parser ?
• platforms: Amiga, Atari ST, Macintosh, MS-DOS, Windows
• source: no
• license: free
• programming skills: advanced

Alan

• authors: Thomas Nilsson & Goran Forslund
• URL(s):
  • Alan
• graphics: no
• interface: text parser
• platform: multi
• source: no
• license: free
• programming skills: advanced

Adventure Maker

• author: Giovanni Albani
• URL(s):
  • Adventure Maker
• graphics: 1st person
• interface: p&c
• platform: Win32
• source: no
• license: shareware
• programming skills: beginner

ButtonTalk

• author: Stephen Linhart
• URL(s):
  • The Button Talk Page
• graphics: static (?)
• interface: hypertext (?)
• platform: HTML (the ButtonTalk software itself requires Macintosh)
• source: ?
• license: free
• programming skills: beginner

BYOND

• author: Dantom International
• URL(s):
  • Build Your Own Net Dream
• graphics: yes
• interface: ?
• platform: Win32, Unix
• source: no
• license: free
• notes: a graphical MUD builder (for networked games)
• programming skills: advanced

CAECHO

• author: Javi
• URL(s):
  • THE DWARF AND THE AXE
• graphics: no
• interface: text parser
• platform: DOS ?
• source: yes
• license: free
• programming skills: advanced
• notes: in Spanish

CAT

• author: Philip Richmond
• URL(s):
  • Phil's Adventure Page
• graphics: static
• interface: text parser
• platform: Win 3.11 and above
• source: no
• license: free
• programming skills: beginner

CGA/CIA

• author: Squid Productions
• URL(s):
  • Create Interactive Text and Graphic Adventure
• graphics: 1st person ?
• interface: text parser (CIA), P&C (CGA)
• platform: Win(CGA),DOS(CIA)
• source: no
• license: free
• programming skills: beginner

The Classic Adventure Writer

• author: D. Pearson
• URL(s):
  • The Classic Adventure Writer
• graphics: static
• interface: multiple choice
• platform: Win32
• source: no
• license: commercial (restricted version is free)
• programming skills: beginner

The Cycon Online Gaming (COG) Engine

• author: Steven M. Castellotti
• URL(s):
  • The Cycon Online Gaming (COG) Engine
• graphics: hi-color graphics / text
• interface: P&C, 1st person + text parser
• platform: Java Applet
• source: yes
• license: GPL (freely modifyable and redistributable source)
• programming skills: beginner

DCGames

• author: David Hernandez
• URL(s):
  • DCGames
• graphics: VGA, tile-based
• interface: P&C
• platform: DOS
• source: no
• license: shareware
• programming skills: beginner
• notes: is meant for adv/rpg

Erasmatron

• author: Chris Crawford
• URL(s):
  • Erasmatazz home page
  • Crawford's "Erasmatron" story engine
• graphics: static
• interface: text menus
• platform: Macintosh
• source: no
• license: commercial (restricted version is free)
• programming skills: advanced
• notes: creates interactive storyworlds (not adventure games in the usual sense)

The Graphic Adventure Creator

• author: Incentive Software LTD
• URL(s):
  • THE GRAPHIC ADVENTURE CREATOR
  • GAC Programming Clinic
• graphics: yes?
• interface: ?
• platform: Spectrum
• source: ?
• license: ?
• programming skills: ?

GameMaker

• author: Al Staffieri Jr.
• URL(s):
  • GameMaker Home Page
• graphics: hi-color ?
• interface: P&C ?
• platform: Macintosh
• source: no ?
• license: shareware
• programming skills: beginner

The Guild

• author: Frozen productions
• URL(s):
  • The Guild
• graphics: SVGA, hi-color, 1st person
• interface: P&C ?
• platform: Linux (Win32 port is planned)
• source: yes
• license: free
• programming skills: advanced

HTML TADS

• author: Michael J. Roberts
• URL(s):
  • The Unofficial HTML-TADS FAQ
• graphics: hi-color, static
• interface: text parser+hypertext+clickable images
• platform: Win32; Mac in progress
• source: yes
• license: free
• programming skills: advanced
• notes: an extension to TADS

Hugo

• author: Kent Tessman
• URL(s):
  • Hugo - An Interactive Fiction Design System
• graphics: video on Win32 and BeOS (in development); static images on Win32, DOS, BeOS, Unix/X, Amiga, Acorn; text-only on other platforms
• interface: text parser; mouse-driven context menus possible in Win32 and BeOS
• platform: multi
• source: yes
• license: free
• programming skills: advanced

Hyperplay Authoring Kit

• author: Kaz Sasayama
• URL(s):
  • HyperPlay
• graphics: hi-color
• interface: ?
• platform: Windows, OS/2
• source: yes
• license: free
• programming skills: ?
• notes: alpha; in Japanese

IAGE ( Internet Adventure Game Engine)

• author:
• URL(s):
  • IAFE
• graphics: static
• interface: text parser
• platform: Win32 (Internet Explorer)
• source: no
• license: shareware
• programming skills: intermediate
• notes: multiplayer (online)

IndyJava

• author: Chir
• URL(s):
  • IndyJava
• graphics: hi-color, 3rd person
• interface: P&C + text menus
• platform: Java 1.1+
• source: no
• license: free
• programming skills: advanced

Inform

• author: Graham Nelson
• URL(s):
  • Inform 6: A Design System for Interactive Fiction
  • Inform for Beginners
  • Inform for New Writers
  • Visual Inform Editor
  • Inform Explorer (an IDE)
  • Glulx: A 32-Bit Virtual Machine for IF (provides Inform extensions, including graphics & sound)
  • Gull - an introduction to Glulx Inform
  • V6Lib ( a class library for Inform, providing graphics/sound/etc in version 6 Z-machine)
• graphics: only in Glulx (static)
• interface: text parser
• platform: multi
• source: yes
• license: free
• programming skills: advanced

JACL

• author: Stuart Allen
• URL(s):
  • JACL
• graphics: static
• interface: text parser, hypertext
• platform: Hypertext (Unix - runs on the Apache Web server)
• source: yes
• license: free
• programming skills: advanced

Jaffacake

• author: Justin Armstrong
• URL(s):
  • JAFFACAKE
• graphics: hi-color, 3rd person
• interface: P&C + text menus
• platform: Java 1.1.6+
• source: no
• license: free
• programming skills: advanced

Kalevala

• author: Faraway Games
• URL(s):
  • Kalevala
• graphics: isometric ?
• interface: P&C and keyboard
• platform: Java 2 (req. Java plugin)
• source: ?
• license: shareware
• programming skills: intermediate
• notes: for real-time multiplayer RPG over the network

LSD game engine

• author: Michal Oulik
• URL(s):
  • LSD Development page
• graphics: static
• interface: hypertext
• platform: Javascript
• source: yes
• license: free for non-commercial use
• programming skills: advanced

MAGE

• authors: Gergő Érdi, András Nagy
• URL(s):
  • MAGE Adventure Game Engine
• graphics: none
• interface: text parser
• platform: Linux/Unix
• source: yes
• license: free
• programming skills: advanced
• notes: alpha

Magx

• author: Robert Masenten
• URL(s):
  • Robert Masenten's "Magx" Compiler
• graphics: none
• interface: text parser
• platform: Linux, DOS
• source: yes
• license: free
• programming skills: advanced

Maker 1

• author: The Masterton Game Center
• URL(s):
  • MGC Home
• graphics: VGA, 3rd person
• interface: P&C + text menus
• platform: DOS
• source: no
• license: free
• programming skills: ?

Maker R2

• author: The Masterton Game Center
• URL(s):
  • Maker R2
• graphics: hi-color, 3rd person, 3D
• interface: P&C + text menus
• platform: Win32
• source: no
• license: free ?
• programming skills: ?
• notes: alpha

Multimedia Fusion

• author: IMSI (International Microcomputer Software)
• URL(s):
  • ClickTeam
  • Multimedia Fusion Online
• graphics: hi-color
• interface: P&C
• platform: Win32
• source: no
• license: commercial
• programming skills: beginner
• notes: generic multimedia authoring tool

Narrator

• author: Fottifoh, Home Sweet Pixel software
• URL(s):
  • The Web Territory of Fottifoh
• graphics: no
• interface: hypertext
• platform: DOS
• source: no
• license: free
• programming skills: ?

Official Hamster Republic RPG Construction Engine

• author: Hamster Republic
• URL(s):
  • Official Hamster Republic RPG Construction Engine
• graphics: VGA, 3rd person
• interface: ?
• platform: DOS
• source: no
• license: free ?
• programming skills: beginner
• notes: for RPG

PAWS

• author: Roger Plowman
• URL(s):
  • PAWS
• graphics: no
• interface: text parser
• platform: multi (requires Python)
• source: yes
• license: free
• programming skills: advanced

QML (the Quest Markup Language)

• author: Philipp Lenssen
• URL(s):
  • QML
• graphics: static
• interface: Hypertext (using XML)
• platform: multi (XML capable browsers, for example, Internet Explorer)
• source: yes
• license: free
• programming skills: advanced

Quest

• author: Axe Software
• URL(s):
  • Quest
• graphics: static (?)
• interface: text parser + menus
• platform: Win32
• source: no
• license: shareware (demo version is free)
• programming skills: beginner
• notes: beta

Rexx-Adventure

• author: Mike DeSanto
• URL(s):
  • The REXX Adventure Page
• graphics: no
• interface: text parser, P&C
• platform: OS/2
• source: no
• license: free
• programming skills: intermediate
• notes: beta

RoBOT

• author: Erwin Broekhuis, etc.
• URL(s):
  • The Official ROBOT Site
• graphics: hi-color
• interface: P&C (?)
• platform: Win32
• source: yes
• license: free ?
• programming skills: intermediate
• notes: the project is "Revival Of B.O.T." - an adventure game programming system which was cancelled by its author.

SAGE

• authors: Thomas Mayer and David Tirabassi
• URL(s):
  • ScienceFact Interactive
• graphics: hi-color, 3rd person
• interface: P&C
• platform: Win32
• source: no
• license: free for non-commercial use?
• programming skills: beginner
• notes: alpha

Shadows

• author: Christopher Delay
• URL(s):
  • Shadows
• graphics: hi-color
• interface: P&C ?
• platform: Dos, Win95 (not NT)
• source: no
• license: free for non-commercial use
• programming skills: intermediate
• notes: primarily intended for RPG

StoryHarp

• author: Kurtz-Fernhout Software
• URL(s):
  • StoryHarp
• graphics: static + speech output
• interface: text parser + voice recognition
• platform: Win32
• source: no
• license: commercial (trial version is free)
• programming skills: intermediate

StoryMaker

• author: Jim Burton
• URL(s):
  • StoryMaker
• graphics: static (?)
• interface: text parser (?)
• platform: Mac
• source: ?
• license: shareware
• programming skills: ?

SUDS

• author: Andy Elliot
• URL(s):
  • SUDS Adventures
• graphics: none
• interface: P&C
• platform: Win32
• source: no
• license: shareware
• programming skills: beginner

TADS

• author: Michael J. Roberts
• URL(s):
  • TADS Page
  • Plugh: a GUI to develop TADS programs
• graphics: none
• interface: text parser
• platform: multi
• source: yes
• license: free
• programming skills: advanced

TextGame

• author: RASTBBS, Inc
• URL(s):
  • RASTBBS, Inc
• graphics: static ?
• interface: ?
• platform: Win95
• source: no
• license: shareware
• programming skills: ?
• notes: network play, RPG

TROIACS

• author: ?
• URL(s):
  • TROIACS
• graphics: 3rd person
• interface: ?
• platform: Win32
• source: no
• license: free?
• programming skills: advanced

Verge

• author: BJ Eirich
• URL(s):
  • Verge
• graphics: VGA (hi-color planned)
• interface: ?
• platform: DOS (Win32 & Linux planned)
• source: no
• license: free for non-commercial use
• programming skills: advanced
• notes: primarily intended for RPG
  

WABFIT

• author: MRB Software
• URL(s):
  • WABFIT
• graphics: no
• interface: hypertext
• platform: HTML (WABFIT requires Win32)
• source: no
• license: shareware
• programming skills: intermediate
• notes: creates "choose-your-own-story" html files

WinQuill

• author: Nigel Arnold
• URL(s):
  • WinQuill
• graphics: static
• interface: text parser
• platform: Win32
• source: no
• license: free
• programming skills: beginner

World Builder

• author: Bill Appleton
• URL(s):
  • World Builder World
• graphics: static
• interface: text parser (?)
• platform: Macintosh
• source: no
• license: free
• programming skills: advanced

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Last modified: Sun Aug 19 16:58:18 IDT 2001