Augmented Fourth: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 04:57, 5 February 2024

Comedy

Fantasy

Underground

XYZZY Awards 2000
Finalist - Best Individual NPC and Best Puzzles

Augmented Fourth

Author(s)	Brian Uri
Publisher(s)	n/a
Release date(s)	01-Apr-2000 21-Jul-2009 02-Jul-2013 01-Apr-2020
Authoring system	Inform 6.21
Platform(s)	Z-code 8
Language(s)	English
License(s)
Multimedia
Color effects	none
Graphics	none
Sound/Music	none
Ratings
Cruelty scale	Polite

Augmented Fourth is a light-hearted game in the vein of early traditional puzzle-based IF. In the game, you are an amateur musician applying for a post in the Royal Court of King Goosen of Papoosen. After your audition displeases the King, you are banished and tossed into a pit, where you discover an entrance into a very peculiar community tucked into a volcano.

The game was a finalist for Best Individual NPC (King Goosen of Papoosen), and Best Puzzles in the XYZZY Awards 2000.

How It Begins

"In ye go!" With a heave and a shove, two burly guards in matching green tights toss you into Orchestra Pit. As the earthen sides rush past you and sunlight dims, you have the sinking sensation that perhaps "Ode to a Duck" was not the best choice from your repertoire...

Notable Features

Magic system based on music; instead of casting spells, you play special songs. Magic helps solve some of the puzzles, but not all of them.
Cutscenes are used both to reward the player for making progress, and to partition out the storyline. The backstory will eventually provide the PC with motivation beyond the initial desire to escape from exile.
Several IF in-jokes, including the response to "undress" and an elaborate set of responses to "xyzzy". The description of the Darkness room is:
It is pitch black. You are unlikely to be tripped by a polydactyl raccoon.
Several reviewers remarked on how technically sound the game is; that is, although there is little that is innovative here, it's all done so well.
Several reviewers remarked on how clever the humor was; it's not just funny descriptions of things.
Some reviewers remarked on the game's Zork-like feel, without it actually being Zork.

Trivia and Comments

This is the author's only work of IF.
The original cover art was created by Rikard Peterson for the IF Cover Art Drive. The author created a new cover in 2020.
An augmented fourth in music is also known as the tritone. The term has another meaning in this game as well, but it is not revealed until the end.
"Nolava" is Avalon spelt backwards.

Versions

Release 1

Augmented Fourth (Brian Uri!; 01-Apr-2000; Z-code 8).
- Release 1 / Serial number 000401 / Inform v6.21 Library 6/10
- IFID: ZCODE-1-000401-8238
  IFID links: IFDB

Release 2

Augmented Fourth (Brian Uri!; 21-Jul-2009; Z-code 8).
- Release 2 / Serial number 090721 / Inform v6.21 Library 6/10
- Corrected a few minor bugs that always irritated the author, but not enough to render him willing to fix them during the previous nine years.

Release 3

Augmented Fourth (Brian Uri!; 02-Jul-2013; Z-code 8).
- Release 3 / Serial number 130702 / Inform v6.21 Library 6/10
- Fixed a couple bugs related to the Lively Jig that were identified by the most recent generation of avid players.

Release 4

Augmented Fourth (Brian Uri!; 01-Apr-2020; Z-code 8).
- Release 4 / Serial number 200401 / Inform v6.21 Library 6/10
- 20th Anniversary Edition, featuring updated cover art, an author retrospective, and various gameplay enhancements and bug fixes.

Links

Downloads

Download Aug4.z8 from the IF Archive - the story file.

Augmented Fourth Pages

The URI! Zone: Augmented Fourth - The author's homepage contains download links and reviews.
Augmented Fourth (archived) - at Baf's Guide (also includes ratings and reviews)
Augmented Fourth - at IFDB (also includes ratings and reviews)
Augmented Fourth - at Home of the Underdogs.

Reviews

Review - by Duncan Stevens for SPAG.
Review - "An Undiminished Chord" by Emily Short for IF-Review.
Review by Eric Crahan for the IF Review Conspiracy, hosted by Brass Lantern.
Augmented Fourth - at IF Ratings
Augmented Fourth - at IFReviews.org

Spoilers

Download Aug4Solution.zip from the IF Archive - the walkthrough and map.
Download Aug4Source.zip from the IF Archive - the source code.
Walkthrough and map by David Welbourn.
ClubFloyd transcript.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 <table style="width:100%;margin-bottom:1em;clear:both"><tr><td>{{comedy}} {{fantasy}} {{underground}} {{xaf2|2000|Best Individual NPC and Best Puzzles}}</td></tr></table>
-{{game infobox|title=Augmented Fourth|image=[[Image:Aug4 cover.jpg]]|author=[[Brian Uri]]|publisher=n/a|released=01-Apr-2000|authsystem=[[Inform]] 6.21|platform=[[Z-code]] 8|language=English|license=|color=none|graphics=none|sound=none|cruelty=TBD}}
+{{game infobox|title=Augmented Fourth|image=[[Image:Augmented Fourth small cover.jpg]]|author=[[Brian Uri]]|publisher=n/a|released=01-Apr-2000<br>21-Jul-2009<br>02-Jul-2013<br>01-Apr-2020|authsystem=[[Inform]] 6.21|platform=[[Z-code]] 8|language=English|license=|color=none|graphics=none|sound=none|cruelty=Polite}}
+Augmented Fourth is a light-hearted game in the vein of early traditional puzzle-based IF. In the game, you are an amateur musician applying for a post in the Royal Court of King Goosen of Papoosen. After your audition displeases the King, you are banished and tossed into a pit, where you discover an entrance into a very peculiar community tucked into a volcano.
+The game was a finalist for [[Best Individual NPC]] (King Goosen of Papoosen), and [[Best Puzzles]] in the [[XYZZY Awards 2000]].
 ==How It Begins==
-You are an amateur musician who failed to impress King Goosen of Papoosen with your rendition of "Ode to a Duck". That is why Rob and Jim, the guards in green tights, have tossed you into the very deep Orchestra Pit, and you are now falling to your doom, carrying nothing. If you survive the fall, Rob and Jim will generously toss in your trumpet after you, and you'll want to wait for the sea monsters to eat you.
+"In ye go!" With a heave and a shove, two burly guards in matching green tights toss you into Orchestra Pit. As the earthen sides rush past you and sunlight dims, you have the sinking sensation that perhaps "Ode to a Duck" was not the best choice from your repertoire...
-''Or,'' if you really want to, you could try to escape from the pit and maybe find some underground community that calls itself Nolava to explore instead.
 ==Notable Features==
@@ Line 17: / Line 19: @@
 ==Trivia and Comments==
-* The author planned a sequel called ''Robin Caruso'' but stopped 40% of the way through due to lack of time; see the author's ''[http://www.urizone.net/?redirect=http://www.urizone.net/Games/Caruso.php Robin Caruso]'' page.
+* This is the author's only work of IF.
-* "Novala" is Avalon spelt backwards.
+* The original cover art was created by [[Rikard Peterson]] for the [[IF Cover Art Drive]]. The author created a new cover in 2020.
+* An augmented fourth in music is also known as the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tritone tritone]. The term has another meaning in this game as well, but it is not revealed until the end.
+* "Nolava" is Avalon spelt backwards.
 ==Versions==
 ===Release 1===
-* ''Augmented Fourth'' ([[Brian Uri]]; 01-Apr-2000; [[Z-code]] 8).
+* ''Augmented Fourth'' ([[Brian Uri|Brian Uri!]]; 01-Apr-2000; [[Z-code]] 8).
 ** Release 1 / Serial number 000401 / Inform v6.21 Library 6/10
-** [[XYZZY Awards 2000]]: Was finalist for [[Best Individual NPC]] (King Goosen of Papoosen), and [[Best Puzzles]].
+** {{babel|ifid=ZCODE-1-000401-8238}}
-** {{ifarchive|games/zcode|Aug4.z8}} - the [[story file]].
-** {{ifarchive|solutions/|Aug4Solution.zip}} - the walkthrough and map.
+===Release 2===
-** {{ifarchive|games/source/inform/|Aug4Source.zip}} - the source code.
+* ''Augmented Fourth'' ([[Brian Uri|Brian Uri!]]; 21-Jul-2009; [[Z-code]] 8).
-** [http://www.urizone.net/?redirect=http://www.urizone.net/Games/Aug4Download.php The URI! Zone: Augmented Fourth download page]. All three of <tt>Aug4.z8</tt>, <tt>Aug4Solution.zip</tt>, and <tt>Aug4Source.zip</tt> can be downloaded from the author's site.
+** Release 2 / Serial number 090721 / Inform v6.21 Library 6/10
-** [http://www.urizone.net/?redirect=http://www.urizone.net/Games/Aug4Play.php Play it online] - at The URI! Zone.
+** Corrected a few minor bugs that always irritated the author, but not enough to render him willing to fix them during the previous nine years.
+===Release 3===
+* ''Augmented Fourth'' ([[Brian Uri|Brian Uri!]]; 02-Jul-2013; [[Z-code]] 8).
+** Release 3 / Serial number 130702 / Inform v6.21 Library 6/10
+** Fixed a couple bugs related to the Lively Jig that were identified by the most recent generation of avid players.
+===Release 4===
+* ''Augmented Fourth'' ([[Brian Uri|Brian Uri!]]; 01-Apr-2020; [[Z-code]] 8).
+** Release 4 / Serial number 200401 / Inform v6.21 Library 6/10
+** 20th Anniversary Edition, featuring updated cover art, an author retrospective, and various gameplay enhancements and bug fixes.
 ==Links==
-===General info===
+===Downloads===
-* [http://www.urizone.net/?redirect=http://www.urizone.net/Games/Aug4.php The URI! Zone: Augmented Fourth] - Homepage. Contains reviews and links.
+* {{ifarchive|games/zcode/|Aug4.z8}} - the [[story file]].
-* {{baf game|Augmented Fourth|433}}
-* [http://www.the-underdogs.org/game.php?id=2932 Augmented Fourth] - at [[Home of the Underdogs]].
+===Augmented Fourth Pages===
+* [http://www.urizone.net/aug4.uri The URI! Zone: Augmented Fourth] - The author's homepage contains download links and reviews.
+* {{baf game|Augmented Fourth|433}} (also includes ratings and reviews)
+* {{ifdb game|Augmented Fourth|cpwktis6qwh9ydn8}} (also includes ratings and reviews)
+* [http://www.homeoftheunderdogs.net/game.php?id=2932 Augmented Fourth] - at [[Home of the Underdogs]].
 ===Reviews===
-''Note: Most of the reviews listed below are collected on the game's homepage; see above.''
+* [http://www.sparkynet.com/spag/a.html#augmented Review] - by [[Duncan Stevens]] for [[SPAG]].
-* [http://members.cox.net/dns361/fourth.html Review] - by [[Duncan Stevens]].
+* [http://www.ministryofpeace.com/if-review/reviews/20010209.html Review] - "An Undiminished Chord" by [[Emily Short]] for [[IF-Review]].
-** [http://www.sparkynet.com/spag/a.html#augmented Review] - by Duncan Stevens for [[SPAG]].
 * [http://www.brasslantern.org/reviews/text/fourthcrahan.html Review] by [[Eric Crahan]] for the [[IF Review Conspiracy]], hosted by [[Brass Lantern]].
-* [http://www.ministryofpeace.com/if-review/reviews/20010209.html Review] - "An Undiminished Chord" by [[Emily Short]] for [[IF-Review]].
 * {{ifratings game|Augmented Fourth|425}}
 * {{IFRO game|Augmented Fourth|341}}
 ===Spoilers===
-* [http://www.urizone.net/?redirect=http://www.urizone.net/Games/Aug4Diary.php Debugging Diary].
+* {{ifarchive|solutions/|Aug4Solution.zip}} - the walkthrough and map.
+* {{ifarchive|games/source/inform/|Aug4Source.zip}} - the source code.
+* [http://plover.net/~davidw/sol/a/augme00.html Walkthrough and map] by [[David Welbourn]].
+* {{ClubFloyd|20200501}}.
-[[Category:Games]] [[Category:Games in 2000]] [[Category:Comedy]] [[Category:Fantasy]] [[Category:Underground]] [[Category:Z-code games]]
+[[Category:Works]] [[Category:Works in 2000]] [[Category:Comedy]] [[Category:Fantasy]] [[Category:Inform 6 works]] [[Category:Underground]] [[Category:Z-code works]]