JASON ERMER
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Interactive Fiction

This page includes Jason's works of Interactive Fiction or IF, a smash-up of creative writing and computer programming.
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Untold Riches

You were reluctant to undertake another adventure with Professor d'Squarius (especially after the last near-catastrophe, in the Tomb of the Screaming Mummies), and from the moment you agreed to join the expedition, things have gone exactly the way they always do: horribly.

Untold Riches earned 8th place in the 21st Annual Interactive Fiction Competition (2015).
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Click here to play online.
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Escape From Santaland

Ugh. Christmastime at the mall. The last place you want to be, during the worst time of year to be there. All your shopping is done (mercifully!) and now, gifts in hand, all that remains is for you to remember where you parked. What could go wrong?

Escape From Santaland earned 4th place in the 17th Annual Interactive Fiction Competition (2011).

Click here to play online.
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Moon-Shaped

Grandmother promised to come for your birthday. When she doesn't arrive, you decide to make the trip to check on her -- for all you know she may have been eaten by a wolf! With a few supplies in your basket and your red cape tight around your shoulders, you are off to visit grandmother's cottage, deep in the woods...

Moon-Shaped earned 5th place in the 12th Annual Interactive Fiction Competition (2006).

Click here to play online.

Short works and tutorials...

The stories below are shorter works designed to introduce new players to either choice-based or parser-based interactive fiction. Among these materials is a tutorial project, "Lime in the Coconut," which includes the full source code and a step-by-step discussion of its implementation.
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Troll

The villagers whisper to their children about never crossing the old stone bridge after dark. You have heeded that advice... until tonight.

Troll is a short choice-based story created using with 2.0.

Click here to play online.
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Presto!

You are not the star of the show and, let's be honest, you never will be. Maybe tonight's the night you make a break for the backstage door!

Presto! is a short choice-based story created with Twine 2.0.

Click here to play online.
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Banana Bread of the Gods

Oddly, in all the myths and legends about the god of thunder, none have mentioned his love of baking.

Banana Bread of the Gods is a short parser-based story created with Inform 7.

Click here to play online.
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The Thieving Magpie

When a silver fork was missing from the dining room, Lucia blamed the servants... but you suspect it was that stupid bird again.

The Thieving Magpie is a short parser-based story created with Inform 7.

Click here to play online.

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Lime in the Coconut

​Your stomach has been upset since first day of vacation. No fun! The doctor suggested an island remedy: 'Put the lime in the coconut and eat them both up.' Sounds kind of gross, but perhaps that's worth a try...

Click here to play online.
Lime in the Coconut is a very short parser-based story designed as a tutorial project for programming with Inform 7.

The full source code is available both as a document and as slides for step-by-step discussion.
limecoconutsource.pdf
File Size: 26 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

limecoconutslides.pdf
File Size: 499 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Except where otherwise noted, content on this site is by Jason Ermer and licensed under
​a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International license (
CC BY-NC 4.0).
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