View source for Babel

''This page is about the TADS game by Ian Finley. For other meanings of Babel, see [[Babel (disambiguation)]].''


<table style="width:100%;margin-bottom:1em;clear:both"><tr><td>{{sci-fi}} {{horror}} {{drama}} {{building}} {{underground}} {{ifc2nd|1997|34}} {{xaw|1997|Best Story}}</td></tr><tr><td>{{xaf4|1997|Best Individual PC, Best Puzzles, Best Writing, Best Game}}</td></tr></table>

{{game infobox|title=Babel|image=|author=[[Ian Finley]]|publisher=n/a|released=Oct-1997|authsystem=[[TADS 2]]|platform=TADS 2|language=English|license=[[Freeware]]|color=none|graphics=none|sound=none|cruelty=Merciful}}

==How It Begins==
Your mind is cold and torpid. Slowly your senses come to you: you're lying on a hard surface; the air is tinged with disinfectant; it's dark around. You're clothed in a thin gown. You don't know who or where you are.

You get up and find yourself at the north end of a dimly lit hall. As you approach a feeble light at the other end of the hall, an eery blue glow arrests your attention, which you touch, as if by impulse. You feel a jolt of static electrity and then suddenly the sound of a terrified scream reaches you.

==Notable Features==
* The [[player character]] suffers from retrograde [[amnesia]] and will recover their memory during the course of the game.
* The protagonist is able to experience brief, emotionally-laden visions from the past just by touching objects.
* The protagonist maintains a calendar with a chronological list of past events as they are revealed.

==Trivia and Comments==
* The game takes place in an underground research facility in the Arctic region, presumably along latitude 74° N.

==Versions==
===Competition version===
* ''Babel'' ([[Ian Finley]]; Oct-1997; [[TADS 2]]).
** {{babel wanted}}
** [[IF Comp 1997]]: 2nd place of 34 entries.
** [[XYZZY Awards 1997]]: Winner of Best Story. Finalist for Best Game, Best Individual PC (David), Best Puzzles, Best Writing.
** Files in the <tt>tads/babel/</tt> directory:
*** <tt>babel.gam</tt> (435 KB; story file; [{{ifarchive link|games/competition97/tads/babel/babel.gam}} download]).
*** <tt>hints.txt</tt> (4.8 KB; hints; [{{ifarchive link|games/competition97/tads/babel/hints.txt}} download]).
*** <tt>walk1.in</tt> (4.8 KB; walkthrough; [{{ifarchive link|games/competition97/tads/babel/walk1.in}} download]).

===Version 3.1===
* ''Babel'' ([[Ian Finley]]; 11-Feb-2000; [[TADS 2]]).
** {{babel wanted}}
** Files:
*** <tt>Babel31.gam</tt> (455 KB; story file; [{{ifarchive link|games/tads/Babel31.gam}} download]).
*** <tt>Babel.exe</tt> (691 KB; Windows executable; [{{ifarchive link|games/pc/Babel.exe}} download])
*** <tt>babel-31.hqx</tt> (699 KB; Macintosh executable; [{{ifarchive link|games/mac/babel-31.hqx}} download]).

==Links==
===General Info===
* [http://www.feelies.org/game.php?id=34 Babel feelies]
* {{baf game|Babel|27}}
* {{ifdb game|Babel|z5xgyw0jbt9r3ah1}}.
* {{ifwizz|Babel|babel-(1997-en)}}.
* {{hotud game|Babel|19775}}

===Reviews===
* {{ifratings game|Babel|27}}.
* {{IFRO game|Babel|353}}
* {{spag review|b|babel}} - reviewed by [[Laurel Halbany]], [[Duncan Stevens]] and [[Paul O'Brian]].
* [http://spot.colorado.edu/~obrian/97rev1.html#babel Review] - by [[Paul O'Brian]].
* {{ifro review|328|Andrew Plotkin}}
* [http://members.cox.net/dns361/babel.html Review] - by [[Duncan Stevens]].

===Spoilers===
* [{{ifarchive link|games/competition97/tads/babel/hints.txt}} Hints] by Ian Finley.
* [{{ifarchive link|games/competition97/tads/babel/walk1.in}} Walkthrough] by Ian Finley.
* [{{ifarchive link|games/solutions/BabelMap.pdf}} Map] by [[Eric O’Dell]].

[[Category:Works]] [[Category:Games in 1997]] [[Category:IF Comp works]] [[Category:TADS 2 works]] [[Category:XYZZY Award winning works]]