Crystal Ball
From IFWiki
| Crystal Ball | |
|---|---|
| Game | |
| Main links | |
| Published | 1999 |
| Credits | |
| Author | Marian Taylor |
| Reception | |
| Events | |
| IFDB rating | 2 out of 5 (2 ratings) |
| Gameplay | |
| Interaction style |  Parser |
| Location |  One-room |
| Language | English |
| Accessibility | Colour: none. Graphics: none. Sound: none. |
| Technical details | |
| Authoring system | Alan 2.8 |
| Format | Alan 2.8 |
| License | Freeware |
| IFID | ALAN-C2AAD91E79BF334C8A7FA29BA1A422B1 |
| Browse the games database • Edit this page | |
How it begins
You might be anyone. You have entered a tent which contains a large glass globe on a table. You sit down on the only chair. You wonder if you should wait for a gypsy fortune teller or just examine the globe.
Notable features
- Minimal IF. Most standard commands are not implemented. Your verb list is apparently reduced to examine (x), push, wait, help, and quit. Likewise, there are few implemented objects; the globe, the button, and the Tarot cards are implemented, but the tent, table, and chair are not.
- Poetry. Each Tarot card is described with a sestina. You are told which six words are used to build each sestina.
- The maximum score of 22 is achieved by seeing all twenty-two sestinas.
Versions
Release 1.0
Date: 1999
- Crystal Ball (Marian Taylor as "Fatima"; 1999; Alan 2.8).
- An exhibit in Alan, by Fatima (1999), last compiled 07-04-99, Serial 990407, Release 1.0.
- IFID: ALAN-C2AAD91E79BF334C8A7FA29BA1A422B1
IFID links: IFDB - 1999 Spring IF Art Show: Entered in Still Life division. Winner of Best of Show.
- Download crystal.zip from the IF Archive.
- Contains crystal.acd and crystal.dat (the story files).
Links
N.B. Many IF Archive games are temporarily unavailable in the UK.
General info
- Crystal Ball (archived) - at Baf's Guide.
- Crystal Ball - at IFDB.
Reviews
- Crystal Ball - at IF Ratings.
Spoilers
Date: 1999