The King of Shreds and Patches
| The King of Shreds and Patches | |
|---|---|
| Game | |
| Main links | |
| Published | 5 August 2007 |
| Credits | |
| Author | Jimmy Maher |
| Reception | |
| Events | |
| IFDB rating | 4.5 out of 5 (91 ratings) |
| Gameplay | |
| Interaction style |  Parser |
| Literary genre |  Horror |
| Language | English |
| Cruelty scale | Polite |
| IFDB play time | 3 hours 45 minutes |
| Accessibility | Colour: none. Graphics: optional. Sound: optional. |
| Technical details | |
| Authoring system | Inform 7 |
| Format | Z-code 8 |
| License | Freeware |
| IFID | 96898EA8-B9B7-48E3-8B88-2A2FAEE36415 |
| Browse the games database • Edit this page | |
An Interactive Supernatural Mystery by Jimmy Maher
Adapted from the Call of Cthulhu tabletop RPG adventure by Justin Tynes
Original adventure copyright 1995 by Chaosium Inc.
This adaptation copyright 2007 by Jimmy Maher, with permission of Chaosium Inc.
How it begins
You are Robert Fletcher, owner and operator of a small printworks in Blackfriars, carrying the printworks key and a handwritten note from your friend, John Croft. Your bedroom in the rear of the printworks contains little more than the bed itself and your walking stick.
The note from Croft, dated January 14th, invites you to his home in Southwark, on the other side of London Bridge, to ring in the new year. You haven't seen him in some time since his travels abroad; you know him from the theatre and his strange connection to the late Christopher Marlowe. You decide to take Croft up on his offer and visit him.
Notable features
- This game includes real famous personages from the 17th century; playwright William Shakespeare and court advisor/alchemist John Dee appear as NPCs, while playwright Christopher Marlowe figures heavily into the game's plot.
Versions
Release 2 (IntroComp version)
Date: 5 August 2007
- The King of Shreds and Patches (Jimmy Maher; 05-Aug-2007; Z-code 8).
- Release 2 / Serial number 070803 / Inform 7 build 4U65 (I6/v6.31 lib 6/11N)
- IFID: 96898EA8-B9B7-48E3-8B88-2A2FAEE36415
IFID links: IFDB - Beta-testing by Katzy, Valentine Kopteltsev, Aaron Reed, Norvell Spearman and Jerome West.
- IntroComp 2007 Winner (1st place from 7 entries).
- Download introcomp07.zip from the IF Archive - All the IntroComp 2007 games. The story file for this game is shredspatches.z8.
Release 8 (Full version)
Date: 15 July 2009
- The King of Shreds and Patches (Jimmy Maher; 15-Jul-2009; Glulx).
Release 9 (Full version)
Date: 16 July 2009
- The King of Shreds and Patches (Jimmy Maher; 16-Jul-2009; Glulx).
Release 10 (Full version)
Date: 17 July 2009
- The King of Shreds and Patches (Jimmy Maher; 17-Jul-2009; Glulx).
- Release 10 / Serial number 090717 / Inform 7 build 5J39 (I6/v6.31 lib 6/11N)
- IFID: 96898EA8-B9B7-48E3-8B88-2A2FAEE36415
IFID links: IFDB - XYZZY Awards 2009: Winner of Best Setting. Finalist for Best Story.
- This version fixes a few bugs in the Tutorial mode and corrects some problems with the hint system.
- Download page at the official website of the game.
Links
N.B. Many IF Archive games are temporarily unavailable in the UK.
General info
- Official website.
- The King of Shreds and Patches (archived) - at Baf's Guide.
- The King of Shreds and Patches - at IFDB.
- The King of Shreds and Patches - announcement on RGIF (15 July 2009).
- SPAG #55: Editorial discusses the making of this game.
- Jimmy Maher: The King of Shreds and Patches - transcript of interview with Stay Forever podcast about the game (14 October 2024).
Reviews
- Reviews of the IntroComp version
- Review by Dan Shiovitz.
- Reviews of the full version
- Review: 1, 2, 3, and 4 by Carl Muckenhoupt (November 2009).
- Review (archive) by Emily Short at Play This Thing! (13 August 2009).
Spoilers
- SPAG Specifics analysis in SPAG #56 by Victor Gijsbers (16 November 2009).
- Walkthrough and maps by David Welbourn.
Date: 5 August 2007
Date: 15 July 2009
Date: 16 July 2009
Date: 17 July 2009