Dan Shiovitz

Seattle-based author of interactive fiction. Note: Dan's nickname on the ifMUD is inky. He's a "wizard" there.

Dan Shiovitz (Inky), 2007. From GET LAMP.

Author Credits

• Lethe Flow Phoenix (1995; TADS 2).
• Jack's Adventures, or, On The Run in Fairyland with a Golden Goose and a Magic Guitar (as "Ben Scagels"; 1998; TADS 2). Textfire 12-Pack.
• Bad Machine (1998; TADS 2). Finalist for Best Individual PC and Best Use of Medium at XYZZY Awards 1998.
• Kids, don't eat your Halloween candy without having your parents inspect it first because there are SICKOS out there who will put RAZOR BLADES in it and you will CUT YOUR MOUTH and GET A POISONED INFECTION and DIE, all from eating your candy early. So don't do that (1998; TADS 2). Speed-IF 2.
• Coke Is It! (with Adam Cadre, David Dyte, Michael Fessler, Lucian P. Smith, Adam Thornton, and J. Robinson Wheeler; 1999; Z-code).
• I don't remember why this game is called "Onion" (1999; TADS 2). Speed-IF 4.
• Don't Fire Until You See The Yellows Of Their Niblets (1999; TADS 2). Speed-IF 5.5.
• You are a Chef! (2000; TADS 2). Speed-IF 8. Finalist for Best Writing at XYZZY Awards 2000.
• Pick Up the Phone Booth and Aisle (with Ola Sverre Bauge, Steve Bernard, Jon Blask, John Cater, Liza Daly, David Dyte, Stephen Granade, Iain Merrick, Rob Noyes, Dan Schmidt, Emily Short, and J. Robinson Wheeler; 2001; Z-code). Finalist for Best Use of Medium at XYZZY Awards 2001.
• Danger School (2001; TADS 2). Speed-IF 15.
• Max Blaster and Doris de Lightning Against the Parrot Creatures of Venus (with Emily Short; 2003; TADS 3). Illustrated by J. Robinson Wheeler. Spring Thing 2003: Winner. Also, finalist for Best Writing and Best Individual Puzzle at XYZZY Awards 2003.
• Where There's a Will (2005; Z-code). Mystery House Taken Over.
• The Corn Identity (the 1st IF Whispers Team; 2005; Z-code). IF Whispers.
• An Escape To Remember (the 2nd IF Whispers Team; 04-Jul-2006; Z-code). IF Whispers.

Tech Credits

• Wrote Snap, a joke authoring system.
• Wrote Jetty, a TADS 2 interpreter that one can run as an applet on a webpage.
• Wrote spec notes for Topaz, a virtual machine.

Review and Article Credits

• Wrote many many reviews; see his IF Stuff page, and also:
  • Reviews for IF-Review.
  • Reviews for Interactive Fiction Reviews Organization.
  • Reviews for SPAG.
  • SPAG Specifics of The Baron.
  • Short comments about IF Comp 1995.
• Wrote essays about IF:
  • How to Write a Great Game.
  • General Game-Design/Authoring Notes.
  • TADS vs Inform - a (vaguely) in-depth comparison.
  • Think Like a Player!.

Organizational Credits

• Was an official judge for EnvComp.

Testing Credits

• Moments Out of Time (L. Ross Raszewski; 2001; Z-code 6).
• Return to Ditch Day (Michael J. Roberts; 12-Jun-2004; TADS 3).
• Gamlet (Tomasz Pudlo; 01-Oct-2004; Z-code 5).
• Luminous Horizon (Paul O'Brian; 01-Oct-2004; Glulx).
• Beyond (Mondi Confinanti; 01-Oct-2005; Glulx, Z-code).
• Vespers (Jason Devlin; 01-Oct-2005; Z-code 8).
• Child's Play (Stephen Granade; 17-Jul-2006; Z-code).
• Floatpoint (Emily Short; 30-Sep-2006; Glulx). (Alpha-testing, beta-testing and design consultation.)
• Legion (Jason Devlin; 30-Sep-2006; Z-code 5).
• Möbius (J. D. Clemens; 30-Sep-2006; Z-code).
• The Traveling Swordsman (Mike Snyder; 30-Sep-2006; Hugo).
• An Act of Murder (Christopher Huang; 30-Sep-2007; Z-code 8).
• Lost Pig (Admiral Jota; 30-Sep-2007; Z-code 8).
• Connect (James Hudson; 16-Feb-2008; Z-code 5 and 8).

Game Appearances

As an NPC:

• Are You A Chef? (Adam Biltcliffe; 2000; Z-code).
• Badland Machine (Sam Kabo Ashwell; 2003; TADS 2).
• Yay Games (David Welbourn; 2004; Z-code).

Cameo appearance:

• Tragedy strikes at the XYZZY awards! (Adam Biltcliffe; 2001; Z-code). As inky, he takes part in the prologue's dialogue.

Other Credits

• Wrote the code for Alex, the parrot bot on ifMUD. (Alex isn't IF, but is of interest to most people who visit the ifMUD.)

Links

• IF Stuff - Dan's Interactive Fiction page.
• Dan Shiovitz' listing on Baf's Guide.

Interviews

• The SPAG Interview with Dan Shiovitz - SPAG #28, March 20, 2002.