What is MacFrotz?
MacFrotz is a front-end for the dFrotz interactive fiction engine that runs specially-compiled Z-Code fiction files. With MacFrotz you can play the classic Scott Adams Adventures, all the classic Infocom adventures like Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Planetfall, and Deadline, and a vast library of interactive fiction you've never heard of before. All you need is some Z-Code files.
Smart Input
Text adventures grew up on teletypes and VDTs so the interface is very sparse; typically a screen of text with a blinking cursor. Infocom adventures, with few exceptions, stick to this pure aesthetic. However much current interactive fiction combines text input, single-key prompts, and in-game menus. MacFrotz has an intelligent input system that prompts for the appropriate input.
Your Inventory
MacFrotz includes several enhancements to aid the intrepid adventurer.
- Shortcuts for common commands are included as menu items and buttons. Load and save games through standard Mac OS X file dialogs.
- A history list remembers your locations and actions. Click on any point in the history to revisit the scene of the crime.
- Directional buttons make it easier to run mazes. For Scott Adams style adventures - those that take two word commands - MacFrotz highlights the available exits.
- The appearance of the MacFrotz game window is fully customizable. And yes, you can have dozens of game windows open at the same time - priceless when you really need it.