I like text-based games (like from ifdb), but I don’t like sitting at attention in front of my computer like I do all day at work. Any ideas for how to play these effectively without being on a computer?
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I’ve hacked a Kindle Paperwhite & used an on-screen virtual keyboard to play these games. That worked OK, but the virtual keyboard is very imprecise and frustrating.
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I’ve similarly hacked a Kindle 3 (the last model to include a physical keyboard). I hoped the physical keyboard would do the trick. Unfortunately, the key buttons are convex & very stiff - which hurt my fingertips after even short play sessions.
Any other ideas? Or is this a fool’s errand?
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There’s not many good options. It’s a genre that was built specifically for a keyboard, after all. Everything that isn’t a laptop or desktop is gonna be a frustrating downgrade.
Maybe the answer is getting into adjacent genres of games. They aren’t the same, obviously, but there’s a lot of overlap with the adventure game genre, especially, and the visual novel genre is more distant but a lot more accessible away from a pc
Reigns feels like a good adjacent choice.
Maybe I am confused why you can’t play them on a smartphone?
A smartphone’s virtual keyboard would be worse (smaller) than the Kindle’s, wouldn’t it? Maybe I should try it though. I mean, I’m pecking this message on my smartphone’s virtual keyboard so…
Lol. That’s my thought. We use the virtual keyboards a lot already. Like the other poster said there are some drawbacks but I find it much easier than any physical mini keyboard (far less strain).
Smartphone software like messaging or notes is built with imprecision in mind. I don’t know about you, but I use the swype method (moving a finger continuously from key to key and lifting at the end of the word) and when writing a message I still spend like 50% of the time correcting mistakes from the virtual keyboard.
Because these are usually short messages, you’d instead likely be hunting and pecking the virtual keys, but without the tactile feedback of a real keyboard. For games that are all about text, it’s a preference thing.
Plus a phone comes with a ton of distractions that a dedicated device without notifications doesn’t. Sure, you could turn on do not disturb while playing a text game but that feels a little intense. Don’t bother me, it’s Zork time!!
And if you really think about it, your question is basically like asking why anyone would need a Nintendo Switch when mobile games have virtual controls.
I wasn’t trying to be dismissive. You bring up several good points. I asked because what seems to me the most obvious small form factor answer hadn’t been considered at all.
I don’t know if there are any existing implementations that work well enough yet for it to actually be relaxing, but it might be possible to set up a hands-free IF experience by hooking up speech-to-text and text-to-speech tools to the game.
OK, I’m a big text adventure fan too, as well as a programmer and hobbyist electronics tinkerer, and you gave me a great idea.
I want to take this cheap wireless home theater keyboard and see if I can replace the touchscreen with a tiny OLED display and power it all with a simple board running Linux for text adventure games. The biggest challenge might be getting everything to fit properly in the case, but if I can make it work I’d have a portable text “game boy”!
Whoa! That’d be sweet! If you go for it please post updates with pictures!!??
Will do! If I can get it all working (and that’s a big if) I’ll definitely post about it and create a guide. Total project will be like less than $35 so worst-case scenario I’m not out too much, heh.
Maybe this is overly simplistic, but I’m a couch gamer, and text based games on the TV with a wireless keyboard work great. Relax on the couch and otherwise it’s just like you’re physically at the terminal.
I know few people have a PC on the living room TV, but there are ways to stream it over there – e.g. with a Steam Link.
That’s not a bad idea. I keep a Linux machine in the living room attached to the TV with a wireless keyboard, so I’m already set up!
I have a living room PC - a mini pc plugged into my TV that I control with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse or game controller. It’s so comfortable just sitting back into a sofa to game. You could also get a laptop stand/lap tray for the keyboard for more comfortable typing on your lap.
Basically it doesn’t need to be either a desk or a handheld. You can have a halfway of a PC on your TV. I also dock my steam deck and play on my TV, which you could also use for IF if you have one.
Man, I miss Legend of the Green Dragon
I’ve had some fun with ‘Hosted Games’ on iOS recently and remember enjoying Lone Wolf as well if that helps
I’ve used some SSH tools to run Dwarf Fortress remotely from my phone. So I know it’s doable.
A Steam Deck or similar alternative? Modded Switch?
