Planetfall

Science Fiction Comedy Outer space

Planetfall is a science fiction interactive fiction computer game written by Steve Meretzky and published by Infocom in 1983. It was Meretzky's first game to be written for Infocom and it proved to be one of his most popular works and a best-seller for the company.

Planetfall
Author(s)	Steve Meretzky
Publisher(s)	Infocom, Activision
Release date(s)	1983
Authoring system	ZIL
Platform(s)	Z-code
Language(s)	English
License(s)	Commercial
Multimedia
Color effects	none
Graphics	none
Sound/Music	none
Ratings
Cruelty scale	Cruelty to be determined

How It Begins

WARNING: This entry contains spoilers The game starts with the user assuming the role of a lowly Ensign Seventh Class on the S.P.S. Feinstein, a starship of the Stellar Patrol. Overbearing superior Ensign First Class Blather assigns the player to mop decks, not exactly the glorious adventures promised by the recruiters on Gallium. But a sudden series of explosions aboard the ship sends the player scrambling for an escape pod, which eventually crash-lands on a nearby planet. There are signs of civilization, but curiously no traces of the beings that once lived there. Eventually encountering a helpful but childlike robot named Floyd, the player must unravel the mysteries of the single deserted structure on the planet, Resida, and find a way to get back home. As the fate of the planet's former inhabitants becomes clearer, a time limit also imposes itself.

Notable Features

WARNING: This entry contains spoilers

• In many earlier games, the battery power of the lantern had been limiting factor, Planetfall replaced this element with the somewhat more realistic requirement that the player sleep and eat regularly.
• The concept of a NPC sidekick (Floyd) was also new for Infocom games. Floyd would follow the player from location to location and interaction with him was required in order to complete the game.
• Reaction to Floyd's in-game death was hailed at the time as a telling sign of the emotional power of Infocom's games. Many players, it was widely reported, wept openly at the scene of Floyd's "death". Apparently, it was previously unthinkable that "a simple game" could move people to such a degree.

Trivia and Comments

• The sample transcript included in the Planetfall packaging was later turned into its own game: Spacestation (David Ledgard; 1998; Z-code). It was entered in IF Comp 1998 where it took 19th place.

Versions

Infocom releases

Initial Release

• Planetfall (Steve Meretzky, publisher: Infocom; 1983; Z-code).
  • IFID wanted. (Please replace this line with a babel template.)

Final Release

• Planetfall (Steve Meretzky, publisher: Infocom; 1983-85; Z-code).
  • Release 37 / Serial number 851003
  • IFID: ZCODE-37-851003
    IFID links: IFDB

This section is a stub. You can help by adding to it.

Activision releases

Planetfall is available on the Classic Text Adventure Masterpieces of Infocom CD.

This section is a stub. You can help by adding to it.

Links

• Planetfall - at IFDB
• Planetfall at Wikipedia.
• Planetfall at CSD.

Reviews

• Planetfall - at SPAG, reviewed by Graeme Cree and Alex Freeman.
• Review - by J. Robinson Wheeler.

Planetfall series by Infocom
Planetfall (1983)	Stationfall (1987)