Games about IF

Introduction

Every genre produces works about itself, and IF is no exception. The following are IF games which discuss, parody or commentate upon interactive fiction or the interactive fiction community.

Exclusions

The following are not considered sufficient reason for inclusion:

• Incidental mention of IF (for instance, as a throwaway joke or easter egg).
• Experimental games which push the boundaries of conventional IF; although on some level these may be 'about' IF, their basic content may not be about IF.
• Parody of an individual game or specific IF genre (rather than the nature of IF); these should get their own list.
• Any game not intended as a game in its own right, such as CompXX.
• Mentions or appearances of IF authors or community members. These should be included in Category:Real people in games, but only listed here if the game deals with IF theory or the IF community.

Games About IF

• Ad Verbum (Nick Montfort; 2000; Z-code) explores the IF-as-riddle approach that Montfort later elaborated upon in Twisty Little Passages, names many entities according to their functional game role, and refers constantly to IF conventions such as kleptomania.
• The Backlot (A. Bomire; 2003; TADS 2). Similar to Janitor, the PC explores behind the scenes of various IF games.
• The Cabal (Stephen Bond, 2004, Z-code). Parodies IF community members.
• Guess the Verb! (Leonard Richardson, 2000, Z-code). Deals with the common guess-the-verb design problem.
• Janitor (Peter Seebach, Kevin Lynn; 2002; Z-code). The PC must reset a game world after a session of play.
• Sins Against Mimesis (Adam Thornton; 1997; Z-code). Deals with mimesis; a response to Roger Giner-Sorolla's Crimes Against Mimesis and discussions thereof.
• Stiffy Makane: The Undiscovered Country (Adam Thornton; 2001; Glulx). Lampoons various IF theory discussions and specific IF community members. Also a parody of AIF.
• When Help Collides (J.D. Berry; 2002; Z-code). Involves a personified help feature.