# Online Text Based Games **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 6, 2004, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-text-based-games/227911 "2004-02-06T22:37:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![xstalkerx89](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/f17d59/32.png) [@xstalkerx89](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xstalkerx89)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2004, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-text-based-games/227911/1 "2004-02-06T22:37:42Z")
Does anyone know any good Online Text Based Games? ---
**Author:** ![SanguineSpider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SanguineSpider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanguineSpider)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2004, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-text-based-games/227911/2 "2004-02-07T00:30:42Z")
Gemstone is a good one. ---
**Author:** ![emekthian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecae2f/32.png) [@emekthian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emekthian)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2004, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-text-based-games/227911/3 "2004-02-07T05:12:59Z")
There are some online versions of Zork. [http://thcnet.net/error/index.php](http://thcnet.net/error/index.php) ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2004, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-text-based-games/227911/4 "2004-02-07T05:18:30Z")
[The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy](http://www.douglasadams.com/creations/infocomjava.html). ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2004, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-text-based-games/227911/5 "2004-02-07T05:35:47Z")
Games? No. But I am a member of SPR (Sociopolitical Ramifications). I’ve been a member of that longer than the SDMB. Tripler Just do a Google search for it. ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2004, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-text-based-games/227911/6 "2004-02-07T08:00:02Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > [The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy](http://www.douglasadams.com/creations/infocomjava.html). Awesome, thanks for that link. I haven’t played that since I had an Apple //e. BTW, the full text of the book is available online with a bit of googling. ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2004, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-text-based-games/227911/7 "2004-02-07T08:20:32Z")
Also, check out [www.tads.org](http://www.tads.org) . There are tons of free text games, and it even makes it easy to write your own. ---
**Author:** ![Phnord\_Prephect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/df705f/32.png) [@Phnord\_Prephect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phnord_Prephect)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2004, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-text-based-games/227911/8 "2004-02-07T08:48:58Z")
Yup, Gemstone IV is one heck of a good text-based game. Lots of little problems and it’s the most expensive one out there, but man, it’s fun. It’s been around for nearly 20 years, it oughta be fun by now! ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2004, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-text-based-games/227911/9 "2004-02-07T09:01:49Z")
Maybe someday my posts will have content, not just links. Maybe someday every thread won’t remind me of something from H\*R, forcing me to post a link. But not today. [The SBemail.](http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail94.html) [The game.](http://www.homestarrunner.com/dungeonman.html) _D&R_ ---
**Author:** ![born\_too\_late](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba9def/32.png) [@born\_too\_late](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/born_too_late)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2004, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-text-based-games/227911/10 "2004-02-07T13:48:49Z")
Wow, that link to the hitchhiker’s game is great, but does anyone know how to save a game? ---
**Author:** ![Iteki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/eada6e/32.png) [@Iteki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iteki)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2004, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-text-based-games/227911/11 "2004-02-07T16:38:48Z")
Check out the link in my sig, it’s a multiplayer online text based game. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2004, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-text-based-games/227911/12 "2004-02-07T17:04:45Z")
Only some versions of Hitchhiker can be saved. You may have to find another. I got a PC emulator for my mac specifically to play it. I think it’s called Catakig. They have a saveable version. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2004, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-text-based-games/227911/13 "2004-02-07T18:56:00Z")
> [@Eleusis](#): > > BTW, the full text of the book is available online with a bit of googling. The full text of _all_ the books are available online. I bought every one in paperback hardcopy, though, so I don’t feel guilty downloading them, too. ---
**Author:** ![Elvez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8491ac/32.png) [@Elvez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elvez)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2004, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-text-based-games/227911/14 "2004-02-07T19:11:05Z")
[free download and Infocom history, etc. available here.](http://www.csd.uwo.ca/Infocom/) And yeah, I’m having Apple //e flashbacks. I still use a 5" floppy for a beer coaster. ---
**Author:** ![AntaresJB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c2a13f/32.png) [@AntaresJB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AntaresJB)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2004, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-text-based-games/227911/15 "2004-02-07T19:12:48Z")
This one’s fun, I posted about it a little bit ago: [The Most Lamentable and Excellent Text Adventure of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark](http://www.robinjohnson.f9.co.uk/adventure/hamlet.html). Enjoy. ---
**Author:** ![Psi\_Cop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@Psi\_Cop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Psi_Cop)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2004, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-text-based-games/227911/16 "2004-02-08T08:19:29Z")
I third Gemstone IV (known as GSIII until a few months ago). It’s 12 dollars a month for a basic account, but well worth it. Also, as mentioned, it’s been around continuously for since 1987. Other [play.net](http://play.net) games are also quite good, though they all have monthly charges. -Psi Cop ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2004, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-text-based-games/227911/17 "2004-02-08T12:06:54Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > The full text of _all_ the books are available online. I bought every one in paperback hardcopy, though, so I don’t feel guilty downloading them, too. A man after my own heart. Not gay, but not that there’s anything wrong with that.