Interactive fiction, often abbreviated IF, describes software simulating environments in which players use text commands to control characters and influence the environment. Works in this form can be understood as literary narratives and as computer games. In common usage, the word refers to text adventures, a type of adventure game with text-based input and output. The term is sometimes used to encompass the entirety of the medium, but is also sometimes used to distinguish games produced by the interactive fiction community from those created by games companies. It can also be used to distinguish the more modern style of such works, focusing on narrative and not necessarily falling into the adventure game genre at all, from the more traditional focus on puzzles. More expansive definitions of interactive fiction may refer to all adventure games, including wholly graphical adventures such as Myst.
As a commercial product, interactive fiction reached its peak in popularity in the 1980s, as a dominant software product marketed for home computers. Today, interactive fiction no longer appears to be commercially viable, but a constant stream of new works is produced by an online interactive fiction community, using freely available development systems. Most of these games can be downloaded for free from the Interactive Fiction Archive (see external links).
The term "interactive fiction" is also occasionally used to refer to hypertext fiction, collaborative fiction, or even a participatory novel, according to the New York Times. It is also used to refer to literary works that are not read in a linear fashion, but rather the reader is given choices at different points in the text; the reader's choice determines the flow and outcome of the story. The most famous example of this form of interactive fiction is the Choose Your Own Adventure book series. For others, see gamebooks.
More on [ Interactive fiction ]

8-bit Adventure World, The - A database of adventures for 8-bit computers.
Annotated Bibliography of Interactive Fiction Scholarship - Ranked and annotated items, covering academic articles, fan or community web sites, influential amateur articles, and references to text adventures in mainstream literature. Focuses on the cultural and literary significance of text adventures.
Guess the Verb - Humorous text adventure by Crummycom.
IF Literacy - Recommended playing list for interactive fiction, compiled by Emily Short.
ifMUD: A MUD Forever Voyaging - A MUD for text adventure enthusiasts.
Interactive Fiction - IF stuff in general.
Interactive Fiction - Joe DeRouen's Home Page - Collection of game reviews he wrote for Computer Currents magazine, and selected links to IF resources.
Interactive Fiction Art Show - Annual competition for games which exclude traditional game elements from entries, and also try to lift any plot as much as possible.
Interactive Fiction Ratings - Public ratings and comments of Interactive Fiction games.
Interactive Fiction Review Conspiracy - A place for authors and reviwers to meet.
Meta Description: [ Information about the Interactive Fiction Review Conspiracy. If you're interested in getting reviews for your new game, then this is the place. ]
PDD's Adventure Page - The page for classic text adventure afficionados. Covers Scott Adams, Brian Howarth, Infocom, Level 9, and Magnetic Scrolls.
Meta Description: [ The page for classic text adventure
aficionados. Covers Scott Adams, Brian Howarth, Infocom, Level 9,
Magnetic Scrolls and more. ]
Prof. Dennis G. Jerz: Interactive Fiction - A collection of articles about interactive fiction.
rec.arts.int-fiction Frequently Asked Questions - General information for people new to interactive fiction.
Rising From Time's Ashes: The Best Free Interactive Fiction Of The Century - Michael Feir's collection of what he feels is the best freely available interactive fiction with reviews for each game.
Suite101.com: Interactive Fiction - Articles, discussion and links.
Meta Description: [ A new literary genre that originated in the 1970s and was made popular by computer games like ZORK and TRINITY. ]
The IF Beta Site Info Page - Offers a place where testers and authors can meet each other.
The Official YS Beginners Guide To Adventures - How to play an adventure, how to know which commands to type in, and all those little bits and pieces that'll help you get past the first post.
Meta Description: [ The Official YS Beginners Guide To Adventures article from Your Sinclair tribute site, with game reviews, and loads of other groovy stuff. ]
verbose - Paul O'Brian's Interactive Fiction page, featuring the games and reviews he's written, information about the webzine he edits, and lots of nifty IF stuff.
Meta Description: [ Paul O'Brian's Interactive Fiction page, featuring the games, essays, and reviews he's written, as well as lots of other nifty IF stuff. ]
Ye Olde Infocomme Shoppe - Lots of classic 1980s computer software for sale/trade, specializing in Infocom text adventures. Monthly collector's column, waiting list, links to other software collectors' pages.
Meta Description: [ Vintage computer software for sale/trade, specializing in Infocom text-based adventure games. Includes a collector's column, scans of rare items, and much more. ]
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