A Mind Forever Voyaging: Difference between revisions

A Mind Forever Voyaging
A Mind Forever Voyaging
Developer(s)	Infocom
Publisher(s)	Infocom
Designer(s)	Steve Meretzky
Engine	Z-machine
Platform(s)	Amiga, Apple II, Atari ST, Commodore 128, MS-DOS, Mac
Release	Release 77: August 14, 1985 Release 79: November 22, 1985
Genre(s)	Adventure, Interactive fiction
Mode(s)	Single-player

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A Mind Forever Voyaging (AMFV) is an interactive fiction game designed and implemented by Steve Meretzky and published in 1985 by Infocom. The game was intended as a polemical critique of Ronald Reagan's politics.^[1]

Plot

A map of *A Mind Forever Voyaging* world by Aaron A. Reed from *50 Years of Text Games* project

The story is set in the United States of North America, which is similar to the real-world United States, in the year 2031. The player controls PRISM, the world's first sentient computer.^[2]

PRISM is instructed by its creator, Dr. Abraham Perelman, to run a simulation of Senator Richard Ryder's "Plan for Renewed National Purpose". This plan is intended to address the nation's failing economy, the high teenage suicide rate, and to strengthen the nation's position in a nuclear arms race.

PRISM simulates the life of a man called Perry Simm, ten years after the plan has gone into effect. The player experiences some time in Perry's life. The plan appears to have had positive effects. Based on this simulation, the plan is deemed viable and preparations are set in motion.

However, Perelman feels that the ten-year simulation isn't enough, and makes PRISM do a simulation of the situation 20 years after the plan started, and then 30 years. Perelman is concerned by the simulations, but he needs more evidence to discredit the plan, as there are powerful people behind it. PRISM does a 40-year simulation, and with that still not quite satisfying Perelman, a 50-year simulation. The simulations show the situation becoming worse and worse with time.

PRISM goes into sleep mode while Perelman is preparing to present the findings to the government. When it wakes up, the facility is locked down by the military. Senator Ryder comes into Perelman's office and starts shouting at him. PRISM starts recording his words. After Ryder has left, suspicious "maintenance workers" come to the facility and make their way to PRISM's core, but PRISM renders them harmless. Then a news interface becomes available, and PRISM broadcasts the recording of Ryder's intimidation. The plan is thoroughly discredited and Senator Ryder is publicly disgraced.

Development

Meretzky, the author, said in an interview that his intent with the game was to convey a negative view of Reagan's policies.^[1] In another interview, he said that he had hoped for AMFV to cause controversy with its political content, expressing disappointment at the lack of hate mail.^[3]

Reception

Computer Gaming World stated that parts of AMFV are "transcendent".^[4] In a 1998 retrospective review, AllGame gave the Macintosh version three-and-a-half stars out of five, saying that the game provides fun exploration, but has hardly any replay value.^[5] In 2014, Adventure Gamers gave the game four stars out of five in its retrospective review, calling it "bold" and "innovative", but saying that it does not quite reach its goals.^[6]

Next Generation listed it as number 66 on their "Top 100 Games of All Time" in 1996, commenting that "This Steve Meretzky triumph is one of the few games ... to attempt something more deep in the interactive entertainment medium than killing or humor. It presents a grim view of a dark future not by telling you about it, but rather by letting you experience it and do things for yourself."^[7]

References

^ ^a ^b Scott, J. (2010). "Get Lamp" (Interview). Meretzky: "So that was my mission with A Mind Forever Voyaging. I wanted to kind of to show people what a warmongering, Christian Right-pandering, environment-trashing, rights-trampling asshole Reagan was."
^ "A Mind Forever Voyaging, Part 1: Steve Meretzky's Interiors". Filfre.net. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
^ "Leather Goddesses of Phobos: Hitchhiker's Guide with Sex". The Status Line. 5 (3): 1. Summer 1986. Archived from the original on December 27, 2004. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
^ Ardai, Charles (August–September 1987). "Titans of the Computer Gaming World / Part IV of V: Ardai on Infocom" (PDF). Computer Gaming World. No. 39. pp. 38–39, 46–47. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
^ Savignano, Lisa Karen. "A Mind Forever Voyaging (Mac) - Review". AllGame. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
^ Watson, Steven (August 15, 2014). "A Mind Forever Voyaging flashback review". Adventure Gamers. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
^ "Top 100 Games of All Time". Next Generation. No. 21. Imagine Media. September 1996. p. 47.

External links

A Mind Forever Voyaging at MobyGames
Overview of A Mind Forever Voyaging (archived)
Source text of The Prelude Book 3, Chapter Residence at Cambridge
The Infocom Gallery entry for A Mind Forever Voyaging with photos of all feelies, manual and decoder table
The Infocom Bugs List entry for A Mind Forever Voyaging
"How A Mind Forever Voyaging Took Aim at Right-Wing Politics", February 28, 2017 entry from Glixel
Infocom Cabinet: A Mind Forever Voyaging
A Mind Forever Voyaging in the Interactive Fiction Database

[GetLamp-1] Scott, J. (2010). "Get Lamp" (Interview). Meretzky: "So that was my mission with A Mind Forever Voyaging. I wanted to kind of to show people what a warmongering, Christian Right-pandering, environment-trashing, rights-trampling asshole Reagan was."

[2] "A Mind Forever Voyaging, Part 1: Steve Meretzky's Interiors". Filfre.net. Retrieved September 2, 2022.

[3] "Leather Goddesses of Phobos: Hitchhiker's Guide with Sex". The Status Line. 5 (3): 1. Summer 1986. Archived from the original on December 27, 2004. Retrieved March 6, 2017.

[4] Ardai, Charles (August–September 1987). "Titans of the Computer Gaming World / Part IV of V: Ardai on Infocom" (PDF). Computer Gaming World. No. 39. pp. 38–39, 46–47. Retrieved March 6, 2017.

[5] Savignano, Lisa Karen. "A Mind Forever Voyaging (Mac) - Review". AllGame. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved April 4, 2017.

[6] Watson, Steven (August 15, 2014). "A Mind Forever Voyaging flashback review". Adventure Gamers. Retrieved April 4, 2017.

[7] "Top 100 Games of All Time". Next Generation. No. 21. Imagine Media. September 1996. p. 47.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|1985 video game}}
+{{Lead too short|date=August 2024}}
+{{use mdy dates|date=October 2021}}
 {{Infobox video game
-|title=A Mind Forever Voyaging
+|title   = A Mind Forever Voyaging
-|image=A Mind Forever Voyaging Coverart.png
+|image   = A Mind Forever Voyaging Coverart.png
-|caption=Cover art
+|caption =
 |developer=[[Infocom]]
-|publisher=Infocom<br>[[Activision]] (C128)
+|publisher=Infocom
 |designer=[[Steve Meretzky]]
-|engine=[[Z-machine|ZIL]]
+|engine=[[Z-machine]]
 |released=Release 77: August 14, 1985
 Release 79: November 22, 1985
-|genre=[[Interactive fiction]]
+|genre=[[Adventure]], [[Interactive fiction]]
 |modes=[[Single-player video game|Single-player]]
-|platforms=[[Apple II series|Apple II]], [[Atari ST]], [[Commodore 128]], [[MS-DOS]], [[Apple Macintosh|Macintosh]], [[Amiga]]
+|platforms=[[Amiga]], [[Apple II]], [[Atari ST]], [[Commodore 128]], [[MS-DOS]], [[Mac (computer)|Mac]]
 }}
-'''''A Mind Forever Voyaging''''' (''AMFV'') is a 1985 [[interactive fiction]] game designed and implemented by [[Steve Meretzky]] and published by [[Infocom]]. It is Infocom's seventeenth game.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}} The game was intended as a polemical critique of [[Ronald Reagan]]'s politics.<ref name="GetLamp">{{cite interview
+'''''A Mind Forever Voyaging''''' (''AMFV'') is an [[interactive fiction]] game designed and implemented by [[Steve Meretzky]] and published in 1985 by [[Infocom]]. The game was intended as a [[polemic]]al critique of [[Ronald Reagan]]'s politics.<ref name="GetLamp">{{cite interview
 |last=Scott
 |first=J.
@@ Line 21: / Line 24: @@
 |quote= Meretzky: "So that was my mission with A Mind Forever Voyaging. I wanted to kind of to show people what a warmongering, Christian Right-pandering, environment-trashing, rights-trampling asshole Reagan was."
 }}</ref>
-{{citation needed span|''AMFV'' is not a conventional Infocom adventure, with a serious tone and political subject matter, and with only a single puzzle near the end of the game. The game is among Infocom's most respected titles, although it was not a commercial success.|date=June 2020}}
 ==Plot==
-[[File:A Mind Forever Voyaging screenshot.jpg|thumb|right|Screenshot of the start screen]]
+[[File:A Mind Forever Voyaging screenshot.jpg|thumb|right|The start of the game]]
+[[File:Mind-forever-voyaging-map.jpg|thumb|A map of ''A Mind Forever Voyaging'' world by Aaron A. Reed from ''50 Years of Text Games'' project]]
-{{unreferenced section|date=June 2020}}
-The story is set in the United States of North America, which is similar to the real-world [[US]], in the year 2031. The player controls PRISM, the world's first [[artificial general intelligence|sentient computer]].
+The story is set in the United States of North America, which is similar to the real-world [[United States]], in the year 2031. The player controls PRISM, the world's first [[artificial general intelligence|sentient computer]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.filfre.net/2014/04/a-mind-forever-voyaging-part-1-steve-meretzkys-interiors/ | title=A Mind Forever Voyaging, Part 1: Steve Meretzky's Interiors | publisher=Filfre.net | accessdate=2022-09-02}}</ref>
-PRISM is instructed by its creator, Dr. Abraham Perelman, to run a simulation of senator Richard Ryder's "Plan for Renewed National Purpose". This plan is intended to address the nation's failing economy, the high teenage suicide rate, and to strengthen the nation's postition in a nuclear [[arms race]].
+PRISM is instructed by its creator, Dr. Abraham Perelman, to run a simulation of Senator Richard Ryder's "Plan for Renewed National Purpose". This plan is intended to address the nation's failing economy, the high [[Teenage suicide in the United States|teenage suicide]] rate, and to strengthen the nation's position in a [[nuclear arms race]].
-PRISM simulates the life of a guy called Perry Simms, ten years after the plan has gone into place. The player experiences some time in Perry's life. The plan appears to have had positive effects. Based on this simulation, the plan is deemed viable and preparations are set in motion.
+PRISM simulates the life of a man called Perry Simm, ten years after the plan has gone into effect. The player experiences some time in Perry's life. The plan appears to have had positive effects. Based on this simulation, the plan is deemed viable and preparations are set in motion.
 However, Perelman feels that the ten-year simulation isn't enough, and makes PRISM do a simulation of the situation 20 years after the plan started, and then 30 years. Perelman is concerned by the simulations, but he needs more evidence to discredit the plan, as there are powerful people behind it. PRISM does a 40-year simulation, and with that still not quite satisfying Perelman, a 50-year simulation. The simulations show the situation becoming worse and worse with time.
@@ Line 37: / Line 38: @@
 PRISM goes into sleep mode while Perelman is preparing to present the findings to the government. When it wakes up, the facility is locked down by the military. Senator Ryder comes into Perelman's office and starts shouting at him. PRISM starts recording his words. After Ryder has left, suspicious "maintenance workers" come to the facility and make their way to PRISM's core, but PRISM renders them harmless. Then a news interface becomes available, and PRISM broadcasts the recording of Ryder's intimidation. The plan is thoroughly discredited and Senator Ryder is publicly disgraced.
-== Political content ==
+== Development ==
-Meretzky, the author, said in an interview that his intent with the game was to convey a negative view of Reagan's policies.<ref name="GetLamp"/> In another interview, he said that he had hoped for ''AMFV'' to cause controversy with its political content, expressing disappointment at the lack of hate mail.<ref>{{cite journal | url=http://www.resonant.org/games/infocom/Articles/NZT/lgop.html | title=Leather Goddesses of Phobos: Hitchhiker's Guide with Sex | publisher=The Status Line | volume=5 | issue=3 | date=Summer 1986 | page=1 | accessdate=6 March 2017 | journal= | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041227113701/http://www.resonant.org/games/infocom/Articles/NZT/lgop.html | archive-date=27 December 2004 | url-status=dead }}</ref>
+Meretzky, the author, said in an interview that his intent with the game was to convey a negative view of Reagan's policies.<ref name="GetLamp"/> In another interview, he said that he had hoped for ''AMFV'' to cause controversy with its political content, expressing disappointment at the lack of hate mail.<ref>{{cite journal | url=http://www.resonant.org/games/infocom/Articles/NZT/lgop.html | title=Leather Goddesses of Phobos: Hitchhiker's Guide with Sex | journal=The Status Line | volume=5 | issue=3 | date=Summer 1986 | page=1 | access-date=6 March 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041227113701/http://www.resonant.org/games/infocom/Articles/NZT/lgop.html | archive-date=27 December 2004 | url-status=dead }}</ref>
-The main part of the story is a series of simulations of the effects of the "Plan for Renewed National Purpose". The policies in the plan are: strong [[tax cuts]], strong [[deregulation]] of industry and public life, a strict "USNA first" [[trade policy]], a reintroduction of [[conscription]] and mandatory military service for criminals, a reduction in [[foreign aid]], the termination of [[subsidies]] for certain industries, and an emphasis on Christian values in education. The plan also includes two [[constitutional amendments]]: the term limit for the president is lengthened to 8 years, and the [[Executive (government)|executive branch]] is given more power.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}
-In the simulations, the player character sees the plan ultimately resulting in a total collapse of civilization. The USNA becomes more and more [[totalitarian]], ending in a world where buildings and infrastructure are falling apart, violence is abound and food is scarce.
 ==Reception==
-''[[Computer Gaming World]]'' states that parts of ''AMFV'' are "transcendent".<ref>{{cite magazine | author=Ardai, Charles | url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_39.pdf | title=Titans of the Computer Gaming World / Part IV of V: Ardai on Infocom | magazine=[[Computer Gaming World]] | issue=39 | date=Aug–Sep 1987 | pages=38–39, 46–47 | accessdate=6 March 2017}}</ref>  In a 1998 retrospective review, [[AllGame]] gives the Macintosh version three-and-a-half stars out of five, saying that the game provides fun exploration, but has hardly any [[replay value]].<ref>{{cite web | author=Savignano, Lisa Karen | url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=15118&tab=review | title=A Mind Forever Voyaging (Mac) - Review | publisher=[[AllGame]] | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141115060945/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=15118&tab=review | archivedate=15 November 2014 | url-status=dead | accessdate=4 April 2017}}</ref>  In 2014, [[Adventure Gamers]] gave the game four stars out of five in its retrospective review, calling it "bold" and "innovative", but saying that it does not quite reach its goals.<ref>{{cite web | author=Watson, Steven | url=http://www.adventuregamers.com/articles/view/26877 | title=A Mind Forever Voyaging flashback review | publisher=[[Adventure Gamers]] | date=15 August 2014 | accessdate=4 April 2017}}</ref>
+''[[Computer Gaming World]]'' stated that parts of ''AMFV'' are "transcendent".<ref>{{cite magazine | author=Ardai, Charles | url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_39.pdf | title=Titans of the Computer Gaming World / Part IV of V: Ardai on Infocom | magazine=[[Computer Gaming World]] | issue=39 | date=Aug–Sep 1987 | pages=38–39, 46–47 | access-date=6 March 2017}}</ref> In a 1998 retrospective review, [[AllGame]] gave the Macintosh version three-and-a-half stars out of five, saying that the game provides fun exploration, but has hardly any [[replay value]].<ref>{{cite web | author=Savignano, Lisa Karen | url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=15118&tab=review | title=A Mind Forever Voyaging (Mac) - Review | publisher=[[AllGame]] | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141115060945/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=15118&tab=review | archive-date=15 November 2014 | url-status=dead | access-date=4 April 2017}}</ref> In 2014, ''[[Adventure Gamers]]'' gave the game four stars out of five in its retrospective review, calling it "bold" and "innovative", but saying that it does not quite reach its goals.<ref>{{cite web|author-link1=Steven Watson (author) | author=Watson, Steven | url=http://www.adventuregamers.com/articles/view/26877 | title=A Mind Forever Voyaging flashback review | publisher=[[Adventure Gamers]] | date=15 August 2014 | access-date=4 April 2017}}</ref>
-''[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]'' lists it as number 66 on their "Top 100 Games of All Time" in 1996, commending the game for trying to be more "deep" than most other games.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=|first= |title=Top 100 Games of All Time |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]|issue=21 |publisher=[[Imagine Media]] |date=September 1996|page=47}}</ref>
+''[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]'' listed it as number 66 on their "Top 100 Games of All Time" in 1996, commenting that "This Steve Meretzky triumph is one of the few games ... to attempt something more deep in the interactive entertainment medium than killing or humor. It presents a grim view of a dark future not by telling you about it, but rather by letting you experience it and do things for yourself."<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Top 100 Games of All Time |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]|issue=21 |publisher=[[Imagine Media]] |date=September 1996|page=47}}</ref>
 ==See also==
@@ Line 53: / Line 50: @@
 *[[Simulated reality]]
 *[[Societal collapse]]
-*''[[Earth 2100]]''
 ==References==
@@ Line 66: / Line 62: @@
 *[https://web.archive.org/web/20170301235434/http://www.glixel.com/news/how-a-mind-forever-voyaging-took-aim-at-right-wing-politics-w469663 "How ''A Mind Forever Voyaging'' Took Aim at Right-Wing Politics"], February 28, 2017 entry from [[Glixel]]
 *[https://archive.org/details/InfocomCabinetAMindForeverVoyaging Infocom Cabinet: A Mind Forever Voyaging]
+*{{IFDB}}
 {{Infocom games}}
@@ Line 76: / Line 73: @@
 [[Category:Apple II games]]
 [[Category:Atari ST games]]
+[[Category:Classic Mac OS games]]
 [[Category:Commodore 128 games]]
 [[Category:DOS games]]
 [[Category:Infocom games]]
-[[Category:Mac OS games]]
+[[Category:Political video games]]
-[[Category:Video games set in North America]]
+[[Category:Single-player video games]]
+[[Category:Steve Meretzky games]]
+[[Category:Video games developed in the United States]]
 [[Category:Video games set in South Dakota]]
-[[Category:Video games set in the 2030s]]
+[[Category:Video games set in 2031]]
 [[Category:Video games set in the 2040s]]
 [[Category:Video games set in the 2050s]]
@@ Line 89: / Line 89: @@
 [[Category:Video games set in the 2080s]]
 [[Category:Video games set in the 2090s]]
-[[Category:Steve Meretzky games]]
-[[Category:Cultural depictions of Ronald Reagan]]
-[[Category:Video games developed in the United States]]
-[[Category:Video games using code wheel copy protection]]
-[[Category:Single-player video games]]