Re: Gareth's competition comments


16 Oct 1995 23:42:27 GMT

[Sorry, LD's article hasn't arrived yet, so I'll follow up from here...]
In article <YkULXhu00WB2M7RZxd@andrew.cmu.edu>,
Andrew C. Plotkin <erkyrath+@CMU.EDU> wrote:
>london@ERE.UMontreal.CA (London David) writes:
>> What IF is *not* is highbrow art. I do not expect to gain any insights
>> into the human condition through IF.

I cannot but disagree; there seems little point in fiction _other_ than to
'gain insight into the human condition' (whether or not this is your defn
of highbrow art is another matter).

Whilst in IF we seldom understand sufficient about the NP-characters
to learn from them, the author generally comes across more than in
novels. (If anything, it seems an excellent medium for authors to
present what they wish of themselves whilst remaining in control)

This is meant of 'proper' IF games; there are, of course, those games
designed purely to illustrate puzzles or language features.

I, for one, would certainly not bother with anything which didn't allow
(even encourage) me to learn something of 'the human condition' (I've just
read what I wrote and it scares me...)

regards, ct