The Quill

: "This article discusses the adventure game writing program. For other usages of the word" quill", please refer to Quill (disambiguation)."

Infobox VG| title = The Quill


developer = Graeme Yeandle
publisher = Gilsoft
designer = Programmer: Graeme Yeandle
engine =
released = 1983
genre = Construction kit, game creation, utility
modes = n/a
ratings = Suitable for all ages
platforms = ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, BBC Micro, Acorn Electron, Atari 8-bit family, Apple II
input = Keyboard

"The Quill" (formally known as "The Quill Adventure System") is a program to write home computer adventure games. Written by Graeme Yeandle, it was published on the ZX Spectrum by Gilsoft in December 1983. [cite journal |year=1983 |month=December |title=Handy quill opens-up adventure games |journal=Sinclair User |issue=21 |pages=48 |url=http://www.sincuser.f9.co.uk/021/softwre.htm |accessdate= 2007-09-19 ] Although available to the general public, it was used by several games companies to create best-selling titles; over 450 commercially published titles for the ZX Spectrum were written using "The Quill". [cite web |url=http://www.worldofspectrum.org/infoseekid.cgi?id=0006857 |title=Quill Adventure System, The |accessdate=2007-09-19 |work=World of Spectrum]

Development

Yeandle has stated [cite web |url=http://solutionarchive.com/Various/Interview_Graeme.php |title=Graeme Yeandle interview |accessdate=2008-03-08 |work=SolutionArchive] that the inspiration for "The Quill" was an article in the August 1980 issue of "Practical Computing" by Ken Reed in which Reed described the use of a database to produce an adventure game. After Yeandle wrote one database-driven adventure game, "Timeline", for Gilsoft, he realised that a database editor was needed, and it was this software which became "The Quill".cite web |url=http://www.yeandle.plus.com/advent/history.html |title=History of The Quill and PAW |accessdate=2007-09-19 |last=Yeandle |first=Graham]

After the original ZX Spectrum version, "The Quill" was ported to the Amstrad CPC, [cite web |url=http://www.cpczone.net/index.php?game=3242 |title=The Quill by Gilsoft for the Amstrad CPC |accessdate=2007-09-20 |work=CPCZone] Commodore 64,cite journal |year=1985 |month=January |title=Adventure Writer — US Quill |journal=Micro Adventurer |issue=15 |pages=13] [cite web |url=http://www.gb64.com/game.php?id=6128 |title=Quill, The - Adventure Writing System |accessdate=2007-09-19 |work=Gamebase 64] Atari 8-bit family, [cite web |url=http://www.atarimania.com/detail_soft.php?MENU=8&VERSION_ID=126 |title=AdventureWriter |accessdate=2007-09-20 |work=Atarimania] and Apple II. Versions were also published by CodeWriter, Inc. in North America (under the name of "AdventureWriter") and a versions by Norace in Danish, Norwegian and Swedish. A French version was also made by Codewriter. [cite web |url=http://www.atarimania.com/detail_soft.php?VERSION_ID=20331&MENU=8 |title=AdventureWriter |accessdate=2007-11-17 |work=Atarimania] In 1985 Neil Fleming-Smith ported "The Quill" to the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron computers for Gilsoft.Fact|date=September 2007

"The Quill" only allowed for the creation of text only adventures (also called interactive fiction), using a text interpretation process known as a "verb–noun" parser. Later an add-on called "The Illustrator" was made to let the user include graphics in the adventures. [cite journal |year=1985 |month=May |title=The Illustrator |journal=Your Spectrum |issue=14 |pages=33 |url=http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~jg27paw4/yr14/yr14_33.htm |accessdate= 2007-09-19]

Critical reception

"The Quill" was generally very well received by the computer press at the time of its release. "Micro Adventurer" described it as "a product [...] to revolutionise the whole microcomputer scene" and rated it "10 out of 10", [cite journal |last=Bridge |first=Tony |year=1983 |month=November |title=Revolution on The Quill |journal=Micro Adventurer |issue=1 |pages=19] [cite journal |last=Bridge |first=Tony |year=1984 |month=January |title=Imagination's the only limit |journal=Micro Adventurer |issue=3 |pages=9–10] while "Computer and Video Games" described it as "worth every penny of the £14.95 price tag", [cite journal |last=Schifreen |first=Robert |year=1983 |month=December |title=Games without tears |journal=Computer and Video Games |issue=26 |pages=90–91] while "CRASH" said it was "almost ludicrously underpriced for what it does and, more importantly, what it allows others to do." [cite journal |last=Mangram |first=Lloyd |year=1984 |month=May |title=The Quill |journal=CRASH |issue=4 |pages=49–50 |url=http://www.crashonline.org.uk/04/quill.htm |accessdate= 2007-09-21] "Sinclair User" were somewhat initially less enthusiastic, saying "no package, even if it is brilliant in the production of games using the sausage machine technique, will provide an answer to properly machine-coded and original games", [cite journal |last=Gilbert |first=John |year=1984 |month=February |title=Sprites put life into the games of your choice |journal=Sinclair User |issue=23 |pages=44 |url=http://www.sincuser.f9.co.uk/023/diysoft.htm |accessdate=2007-09-20] although later in 1984 they said "The Quill" produces programs on a par with handwritten commercial programs". [cite journal |last=Heath |first=Quentin |year=1984 |month=July |title=Imagination Unlimited |journal=Sinclair User |issue=28 |pages=127 |url=http://www.sincuser.f9.co.uk/028/mindgms.htm |accessdate= 2007-09-21]

"The Quill" was awarded "Best Utility" in the "CRASH" Readers Awards 1984. [cite journal |year=1985 |month=January |title="CRASH" Readers Awards 1984 |journal=CRASH |issue=12 |pages=104 |url=http://www.crashonline.org.uk/12/awards.htm |accessdate=2007-09-26]

Sequel

Following the success of the original, a second generation "Quill" was produced with more capabilities and sold under the name "Professional Adventure Writer".

References

External links

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