IFLE Engine v0.4

Welcome to the Interactive Fiction Engine (IFLE) v0.4! This little engine written by Nikos Fakos (astric-games.itch.io). The engine is designed to create and play text-based adventure games, where players can explore rooms, interact with items, and solve puzzles.

>>Including a debugging version to  help you debug your games<<

1. Dependencies & Requirements

• Java Runtime Environment (JRE 8+) Ensure Java is installed. Test with java -version in your terminal. Download from Oracle or use OpenJDK.

7. Running the Engine

1. Run:

   java -jar ifle_engineV03.jar

8. Example Scenario

Goal: Unlock a door using a key.

1. rooms.txt:

   Starting Room A room with a locked door. [Starting Room:exits:@East Room] Key north  East Room A room with a chest. null Gold west

2. Items.txt:

   Key A shiny key. [Starting Room:exits:East ROom] The door unlocks!

3. Gameplay:
   • Player enters get key.
   • Player enters use key → Unlocks the east exit.
   • Player enters east room → Moves to East Room.
   5. Action System
   Actions use the format: [Target:Field:NewValue] Supported Targets:
   • Rooms: Modify description, items, exits, actions, or name.
   • Items: Modify name, description, action, or text when used.
   Examples:
   1. Change a room's description: [Attic:description:You see a hidden passage!]
   2. Add an exit to a room: [Starting Room:exits:east]
   3. Update an item's action: [Key:action:[Treasure Door:exits:east]]
   Nested Actions: Wrap multi-part actions in brackets: [[Attic:exits:up], [Attic:description:A ladder appears!]]

6. Commands & Gameplay

Player Commands:

• look : Re-display current room.
• [exit] : Move to a connected room.
• get [item] : Pick up an item.
• drop [item] : Drop an item.
• inventory : List inventory items.
• examine [item] : Show item details.
• use [item] : Trigger the item's action.
• save : Save progress.
• reset : Reset game to initial state.

Find out more on Builder's Manual.