TADS
TADS, or Text Adventure Development System, is a computer program that helps people make their own text-based games. In these games, instead of seeing pictures or videos, you read descriptions of what's happening and type in what you want to do.
Think about when you play make-believe with your friends. You might say, "I'm a space adventurer flying my spaceship to explore the galaxy!" and your friends might say, "I'm a space alien who wants to steal your spaceship!" Then you might say, "I try to dodge the alien and fly to the nearest planet." They might say, "I shoot my laser gun at your ship!" And you would keep going back and forth like that, making up the story together.
TADS lets you make a game like that on your computer. You type in the description of a room or situation, and then you give options for what the player can do, like "open the door" or "pick up the key." When the player types in a command, TADS checks to see if it's an option you've given, and if it is, it follows the instructions you've written for what happens next.
So, if you were making a game set in a haunted house, you might write that the player is standing in a dark hallway with creaky floorboards. You might give them the option to go to the left or right, or to look at a painting hanging on the wall. If they choose to look at the painting, you might write that they see a spooky figure in the background, and they feel a cold breeze on their neck. And so on!
TADS is like a tool that helps you create a make-believe world for others to explore. It can be a lot of fun to play around with and see what kind of games you can make!
Think about when you play make-believe with your friends. You might say, "I'm a space adventurer flying my spaceship to explore the galaxy!" and your friends might say, "I'm a space alien who wants to steal your spaceship!" Then you might say, "I try to dodge the alien and fly to the nearest planet." They might say, "I shoot my laser gun at your ship!" And you would keep going back and forth like that, making up the story together.
TADS lets you make a game like that on your computer. You type in the description of a room or situation, and then you give options for what the player can do, like "open the door" or "pick up the key." When the player types in a command, TADS checks to see if it's an option you've given, and if it is, it follows the instructions you've written for what happens next.
So, if you were making a game set in a haunted house, you might write that the player is standing in a dark hallway with creaky floorboards. You might give them the option to go to the left or right, or to look at a painting hanging on the wall. If they choose to look at the painting, you might write that they see a spooky figure in the background, and they feel a cold breeze on their neck. And so on!
TADS is like a tool that helps you create a make-believe world for others to explore. It can be a lot of fun to play around with and see what kind of games you can make!