Fahrenheit 451 (computer game)

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Fahrenheit 451
Studio Byron Preiss Video Productions
Publisher Telarium
Senior Developer Ray Bradbury , Byron Price
Erstveröffent-
lichung		 1984
platform Apple II , Atari ST , C 64 , DOS , Mac OS , MSX2
Game engine Spinnaker Adventure Language (SAL)
genre Text adventure
Game mode Single player
control keyboard
language English Spanish

Fahrenheit 451 is a computer game by the US company Telarium (formerly: Trillum) from 1984. It belongs to the genre of text adventures with graphics ( Interactive Fiction with Graphics ) and is based on the novel Fahrenheit 451 by the writer Ray Bradbury .

action

The science fiction adventure is based on a future vision in which the state forbids the possession and reading of books. The adventure takes place five years after the end of the novel. The player is the fireman Guy Montag , who is also the protagonist in the novel. In the novel, he had the task books to burn (at a temperature of 451 degrees Fahrenheit captures paper according to Bradbury, but not in reality, of course fire). At the beginning of the game, Montag already decided on a new path: he is now operating underground and trying to save microfilming of books that are stored in the New York Public Library and are destined for destruction. Montag is a persecuted public enemy who has to hide and change his identity in order not to be killed by the "fire brigade" - a state police force - or mechanical dogs. Classic literary quotations play a major role, which Montag learns in the course of the game and which provide him with help from other resistance fighters.

Game principle and technology

The upper 40% of the screen is reserved for drawn graphics that illustrate the current location, the lower part for text display and input. The game is controlled via the keyboard. The game commands, for example "take" for picking up an object, are entered via a text parser . The navigation between the theaters of action takes place via the indication of cardinal directions ("N" for "North", "S" for "South" etc.). Some actions in the game have a time limit. The game has a theme song and sound effects.

Production notes

Fahrenheit 451 was implemented for the platforms C 64 , DOS , Atari ST , MSX2 , Mac OS and Apple II . The MSX2 version is translated into Spanish and has new illustrations. The adventure builds on the characters and plot of the novel Fahrenheit 451 (Ballantine Books, 1953) by the writer Ray Bradbury and was developed by Bradbury under the direction of Byron Preiss and his company Byron Preiss Video Productions. Bradbury wrote an introductory story especially for the computer game. According to Preiss, the collaboration with Bradbury went well. The author of numerous science fiction novels was interested in the new design options for adventure development ("He brings the enthusiasm of a young boy - unbelievable, unbounded enthusiasm for something new").

reception

In the 1980s, in a review of a German computer magazine, the complex plot, the large number of people with whom the character interacts and the large number of locations were emphasized in addition to the graphics. An American reviewer emphasized the captivating texts ("gripping prose") and the special approach of the game developers when using literary quotations to achieve the goal of the game ("unique approach of obtaining and using literary quotations.").

An investigation into computer game history and theory from 1993 recognized the game Fahrenheit 451 as a "highly complex, interactive computer fairy tale". The adventure is "literature as it were, a game with classics and at the same time with the narrator, the player himself". In a study from 2005, Fahrenheit 451 was placed in a row with other adventure games from Telarium, which emphasized the closeness to literature and in which the narrative element was the focus.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ See Sharon Darling: Byron Preiss and Ronald Martinez. Trillium Software Developers . In: Compute! S Gazette, Issue 18, December 1984, pp. 52-58 (54).
  2. ↑ Overview of those involved in development and production under Fahrenheit 451 at MobyGames (English)
  3. ↑ Cf. Konrad Lischka: Where's the gasoline. The history of computer games from literature to sport and back again . Article from January 28, 2001, Telepolis, heise.de
  4. ↑ See Sharon Darling: Byron Preiss and Ronald Martinez. Trillium Software Developers . In: Compute! S Gazette, Issue 18, December 1984, pp. 52-58 (54, 58).
  5. ↑ Cf. Boris Schneider-Johne , Heinrich Lenhardt : Science Fiction Adventures . In: Happy Computer 5/1985, pp. 145ff.
  6. ↑ Gil Merciez: Fahrenheit 451 . In: Antic Amiga Magazine, Vol. 5 No. 1, 05/1985, p. 81
  7. ↑ Cf. Werner Faulstich : Of Trolls, Magicians, Power and Other Wondrous Adventures. Small introduction to interactive computer fairy tales . In: Journal for Literary Studies and Linguistics Volume 92 (1993), pp. 96-125 (p. 114).
  8. ↑ Cf. Werner Faulstich: Of Trolls, Magicians, Power and Other Wondrous Adventures. Small introduction to interactive computer fairy tales . In: Journal for Literary Studies and Linguistics Volume 92 (1993), pp. 96–125 (p. 117)
  9. ↑ See Konrad Lischka: Young technology with an old tradition. Reflections on the cultural history of computer games. Federal Agency for Civic Education, Bonn 2005 (Chapter Development - From Words to Images of Virtual Realities )