February 2019 Issue
From the Editor
February 1st, 2019 by Stewart C Baker
This month’s issue is all about LOVE.
First up, though: heads up. We’re doing something differently with early access for our Patreon supporters and on-site subscribers. We’re committed to paying our authors for their work, and we’re hoping this helps us do that more sustainably.
If you’re not currently a subscriber and can’t afford to be, don’t sweat it: you’ll still be able to access the full issue (for free) on February 14th. (In fact, you can read our author interviews now!)
Now, on to the fun stuff. This month we’re publishing seven different games with seven very different takes on our favourite four-letter word—from the familial to the romantic and the complicated to the wistful.
Issue Contents
Cover
Fill the Void
by Laura De Stefani
A creature in need searches for love. Where can they find it?
[play game] – [read interview]
Essays
Rituals, Cheating, and The Dream of Possibility
by Sharang Biswas
We interact differently with different kind of texts. What kind of rituals do interactive fiction require?
[read essay]
Rat Chaos and the Preservation of Early Twine Games
by Anya Johanna DeNiro
What happens when early Twine games disappear? How can we prevent it?
[read essay]
Room Descriptions, Place, and Interiority
by Bruno Dias
A story’s setting can be much more than window dressing. How can you make the most use of it?
[read essay]
Games
Cheaper than Therapy
by Olivia Wood
They say that somewhere in the city there’s a witch who’ll help you numb the pain.
[play game] – [read interview]
BaoBao
by Cass Khaw & James Persaud
A young woman is sorting through her deceased mother’s personal computer and finds an AI in her way.
[play game]
Pretend You Love Each Other
by Olivia C Dunlap
We entered into the Affection Connection game show on Loth for the cash. One problem was we weren’t actually married, so the boss had to forge us some new identities. Another was that the other team was actually in love.
[play game] – [read interview]
The Vector III’s Potluck Signup Sheet
by Holly Schofield
A merchant spaceship crew embroiled in relationship difficulties takes extreme action—including a potluck.
[play game] – [read interview]
Unmaking, Unmade
by Grim Curio
Manipulate an eerie videotape and confront a dangerous infatuation.
[play game] – [read interview]
at 3am, I didn’t think of you
by Tai Jia Xuan
It’s late and you should be in bed. But at 3am, sometimes you find things that you can’t seem to forget.
[play game] – [read interview]
