** Next Project **


			       ZORK ZERO
Genre: Fantasy					      Rating: probably Standard
System: definitely Extended	       Estimated Development Time: 10-12 months
As the name  implies,  a prequel to the  Zork  trilogy.  It would be set in the
Great Underground Empire,  and covering a long period of time,  from the end of
the reign of  Dimwit  Flathead  in 789 through the fall of the GUE in 883,  and
possibly through 948 (the year of the Zork trilogy).  It would almost certainly
end "west of a white house."  There would be some story, probably about as much
as Enchanter or Sorcerer.  For the most part,  though, it would be an intensely
puzzle-oriented game with a huge geography.


			      STATIONFALL
Genre: Science Fiction				   Rating: Standard or Advanced
System: Classic				   Estimated Development Time: 8 months
The long-awaited sequel to Planetfall. Since your promotion to Lieutenant First
Class in the Stellar Patrol of the Third Galactic Union following a commendable
job on Resida five years ago, you have failed to advance your rank or career at
all.  Elevation to LFC has meant that your routine of constant mopping drudgery
has been replaced by a routine of constant paperwork  drudgery,  and your harsh
commanding officer  Ensign  Blather  has been replaced by the  bubbleheaded and
bureaucratic Captain Measle. Your latest assignment: to shuttle over to Station
Alpha Beta Epsilon Gamma Omega 78-C-985 Sector Delta Delta VH-98,  in  order to
pick up a crate of new shuttle fuel requisition form requistion forms. You stop
by the robot pool  to pick up a robot aide for the trip ... one familiar figure
comes bounding toward you... "Hey, take Floyd!  Floyd best robot aide in pool!"
After a brief trip, you arrive at the station. It is deserted, your shuttle has
stopped working you can't raise your ship,  and Floyd has begun to act oddly...


			    MINUTE MYSTERIES
Genre: Mystery			             Rating: probably Standard or mixed
System: definitely Extended	          Estimated Development Time: 12 months
Four mini-mysteries, each set in the same locale,  but during different periods
of time.  I can see one set during the 1910's,  one during WWII, one during the
present,  and one at some point in the next  century.  For  the  location,  I'm
leaning toward a small cruise ship. (Naturally, I'd have to spend several weeks
on cruise ships doing research).  Some ideas for the  individual mysteries:  In
one of them,  it turns out that you were actually the killer, but are suffering
amnesia because of a blow received during a  struggle  with the victim  --  you
first think that the blow was inflicted by the murderer!  In another, you would
be the descendant of a character in one of the previous stories,  attempting to
prove the innocence of your relative, and getting mixed up in a new murder, and
having to solve both.  The last story,  set in the future, would also have some
sci-fi elements.


		ATTACK OF THE FREONS (and other stories)
Genre: Science Fiction				      Rating: probably Advanced
System: could go either way		  Estimated Development Time: 10 months
This is based on a fairly long short story I wrote a few years ago. It would be
a game with a good blend of story and  puzzle elements.  There would be 3 story
lines,  each  one  based  on a science fiction cliche  --  time  travel,  a mad
scientist, and invasion from outer space.  However, all three stories, which at
first seem totally independent,  end up tying together.  I won't say how;  even
the fact that they do at all should be kept top secret.


			    BLAZING PARSERS
Genre: Tales of Adventure			      Rating: probably Standard
System: probably Classic  		 Estimated Development Time: 8-9 months
The western comedy that Jerry started.  A lot of the basic design  and a little
bit of the implementation is already done. If you don't recall, the basic story
line is a  spaghetti western with all the usual characters and situations,  and
the basic gag is that there are  several  parsers  with different personalities
and degrees of competency that are constantly wandering "in"  and  "out" of the
game.  Another gag revolves around Mr. Smith,  who can imitate nearly anything:
"There is a bowling ball here." TAKE BOWLING BALL.  "Oops! It's only Mr. Smith,
doing his famous bowling ball imitation."  Or... "President Rutherford B. Hayes
is at the bar."  PRESIDENT HAYES,  HOWDY.  "As you begin speaking,  you realize
that it isn't  President  Rutherford B. Hayes after all,  but merely Mr. Smith,
doing his rather awesome President Rutherford B. Hayes imitation."


			   INTERACTIVE BIBLE
Genre: Fantasy? TOA?				      Rating: probably Standard
System: could go either way		Estimated Development Time: 8-10 months
Imagine the ad campaign:  "Have you always thought that God screwed it up?  Try
it yourself!" The opening room: VOID. Suggested first moves LET THERE BE LIGHT,
CREATE WORLD.  Imagine the response to EXAMINE LIGHT:  You see that it is good.
As the  "story"  progresses,  you would become other characters.  As Adam,  you
might decide to shun the serpent's apple,  stay in Eden and die of boredom;  as
Noah,  you could refuse to  build the ark and drown in the Flood,  or forget to
bring along two horses, changing the entire shape of human history. The writing
would naturally all be in shalts and begats and haths.


		       LEATHER GODESSES OF PHOBOS
Genre: Sci-Fi/Humor/Adult 			      Rating: probably Standard
System: probably Classic		   Estimated Development Time: 8 months
A titillating romp through universe to save earth from the evil  characters  of
the title.  Featuring lots of  anachronistic  sword fights aboard  interstellar
hyperspace battle cruisers,  seduction of planetary overlords,  encounters with
bizarre aliens who's main motives always seem to be to tear clothes off humans.
Very soft-core; see Barbarella for an example.


			   "THE VIABLE IDEA"
Genre: Mixed/Experimental		     Rating: probably Standard or Mixed
System: could go either way		   Estimated Development Time: 6 months
An idea I originally came up with as a way to  produce a game in much less time
than could normally be expected,  but which I think is an interesting idea even
without that need. Basically, one person (the Editor) designs a tiny "piece" of
a game -- a couple of rooms,  a few objects with action routines,  maybe even a
character.  Working from this,  in complete isolation,  five (or so) imps would
write a small mini-game (a couple of puzzles,  ten to twenty rooms) around that
original core.  The Editor would be  responsible for integrating the five ideas
together, blending the code, making sure that there wasn't any gross repetition
in the stories, and, of course, fixing bugs.  I think that seeing how different
people went in different directions from the same starting point would make for
an interesting interactive fiction experience.

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