PluginFrotz < Main

Downloads
release
dev builds
extras
themes
Documentation
manual
wiki
device status
Support
forums
mailing lists
IRC
Development
bugs
patches
dev guide
Wiki > Main > PluginIndex > PluginFrotz
---+!! Frotz Plugin

This [[PluginIndex][plugin]] is a port of Frotz to Rockbox. Frotz is a Z-Machine interpreter for playing Infocom's interactive fiction games, and newer games using the same format. It is included in the Rockbox builds and functions as a [[ViewerPlugin][viewer]] (you simply select the .z1 - .z8 files to launch them). It does not show up in the "Browse Plugins" list. Most modern games are in the .z5 or .z8 format but the older formats used by Infocom are supported. If you have games in Blorb format (.zblorb or just .blorb) they must be unpacked to get at the .z5/.z8 file inside, and any sounds/pictures/etc included in the blorb cannot be used.

Z-Machine games are text based and most depend heavily on typed commands. The virtual keyboard is used for text entry, both for typing entire lines and for typing single characters when the game requires single character input.

%TOC%

---

---++ Keybindings

The keybindings used by Frotz can be found in the Plugins chapter of your player's manual.
---

---++ Status

| *Todo* | *Status* | *Description* |
| Allow Frotz settings to be configured | %RED%0%%ENDCOLOR% | Default settings are always used for now |
| Colour support | %RED%0%%ENDCOLOR% | |
| Proper font support | %RED%0%%ENDCOLOR% | Will be somewhat awkward, and can only support user/system font |
| Unicode support | %RED%0%%ENDCOLOR% | |
| Better way to input text | %RED%0%%ENDCOLOR% | Add various input helpers such as choosing verbs from a list |

---

---++ Open Bugs

| *Bug* | *Description* |
| Preloaded input is displayed wrong | The Z-Machine spec decided that preloaded input should be printed by the game, not the interpreter; while preloaded input works and can be edited/deleted, the result prints both the preloaded input and the finally-accepted input which looks wrong. |

---

---++ Games

Do not ask for the Infocom games on the forums or IRC; these were commercial releases and thus it is illegal. Many of them are still available for purchase, though: check the Infocom homepage: http://www.csd.uwo.ca/Infocom/

Most modern Z-Machine games are free. Links to games/information:
   * The Interactive Fiction Archive, where many free modern works can be downloaded: http://www.ifarchive.org/
   * The specific folder on the if-archive containing Z-Machine games: http://www.ifarchive.org/indexes/if-archiveXgamesXzcode.html
   * The Frotz homepage (for the original Unix port): http://frotz.sourceforge.net/
   * A Beginner's Guide to Playing Interactive Fiction: http://www.microheaven.com/IFGuide/

---
CategoryPlugin: Z-Machine interpreter [H100%Y%, H300%Y%, H10%Y%, iPod 1G2G%Y%, iPod 3G%Y%, iPod 4G%Y%, iPod Color%Y%, iPod Mini%Y%, iPod Nano%Y%, iPod Video%Y%, iAudio M5%Y%, iAudio X5%Y%, Gigabeat%Y%, Sansa e200%Y%, Sansa c200%Y%, Sansa Fuze%Y%, MR-100%Y%]
r4 - 14 Sep 2010 - 11:10:24 - MichaelStummvoll
Parents: PluginIndex