Heroic fantasy
From IFWiki
A subgenre of fantasy typified by medieval-level technology, magic and roving adventurer PCs. Other common features include:
- By contrast to the standard IF PC, who has no unusual abilities, the hero is likely to have abilities in magic and/or combat.
- A standard stable of fantastic humanoids (elf, dwarf, orc) and monsters (dragon, unicorn, troll).
- Cave crawls, treasure.
- A setting full of lazy medieval conventions.
- Elements lifted wholesale from fantasy role-playing games, particularly Dungeons and Dragons.
Classic Examples
- Heroes (Sean Barrett; 2001; Z-code)
- The Reliques of Tolti-Aph (Graham Nelson; 2006; Z-code)
- Wearing the Claw (Paul O'Brian; 1996; Z-code)
Parody
Perhaps because IF is not ideally suited to the conventions of heroic fantasy, parodies or less-than-serious examples of the genre are almost as common (and often better-received) than straight interpretations. Early cave crawls such as Adventure and Zork, which employed elements of heroic fantasy combined with irreverent jokes and out-of-place modern objects, can arguably be construed as parodies. Other examples include:
- Conan Kill Everything (Ian Haberkorn; 2005; Z-code).
- YAGWAD (John Kean; 2000; Z-code).