Alan
| Alan | |
|---|---|
| Authoring system | |
| Links | Home page Download |
| Developer | Thomas Nilsson |
| Format | Alan 3 |
| Interaction style | Parser |
| Systems | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Latest version | 3.0beta8 / 21 Sep 2021 |
| Status | Beta |
| Used by | Gargoyle, Spatterlight |
| Multimedia support | image and sound |
| Browse the software database | |
| Edit this infobox | |
Alan (Adventure LANguage) is an authoring system designed to make it easier for people unfamiliar with programming to write IF, or text-adventure games. It was created by Thomas Nilsson and Göran Forslund in 1985 and is continuously updated and maintained by Thomas Nilsson.
The language features a self-documenting, English-like syntax, possibly inspired by COBOL, and several built-in classes of objects commonly used in IF. Version 3 of Alan comes with complete object orientation, inheritance and an extensive library. It supports author defined player syntax and input checks, customization of built-in classes through inheritance, actors than can perform scripted actions, events that can be scheduled, and rules that monitor the game world and triggers when a particular condition arises.
Primary platforms are Windows, MacOSX and Linux. Interpreters are either commandline or GUI (e.g. WinArun) or slot-ins in Gargoyle or Fabularium.
(Version 2 of the system is now considered obsolete as version 3 is fully matured and has entered beta stage.)
Links
| Authoring systems | |
|---|---|
| By style | Parser • Choice • Parser-choice hybrid |
| By system | Browser • Android • iOS • Linux • macOS • Windows |
| Browse | Stable authoring systems • Search form • Drilldown |
| Other software | Interpreters • Utilities |