Does anyone recall the Infocom game “Planetfall”? For those that don’t, this game is a text-adventure “go north, open door” type game I played on my trusty Commodore 64.
Early in the adventure you discover a disabled robot, which you repair through solving some puzzles. The robot’s name is Floyd and once repaird accompanies you for most of the game, issuing idiosyncratic (read idiotic) commentary to your actions.
This running commentary became unwittingly endearing. I mention this because one of the puzzles later in the game requires Floyd to sacrifice himself to win the game. When Floyd died, I was shocked - I actually was in mouring for a day.
What am I trying to say? It was a game I greatly enjoyed.
Years later, a novel was written that picked up where the game left off. The novel was called “Planetfall” Good name, eh?
When I saw this novel on the shelf, I snapped it up and began reading. I was immediately disappointed - what drivel, but I slogged through anyways. About 3/4 way through, though, I began to be sucked into this novel. Just when it was reaching a satisfying climax, I turn the page and it said, “To be continued in ‘Stationfall’” arrgghh!
I checked frequently at the bookstore for the arrival of “Stationfall” and oh joy, one year later it arrives.
I snapped this up and was even more disappointed. But again, the same thing happened 3/4 of the way through, and again I turn the page at a critical moment to read, “to be continued in Futurefall”
This was 1989.
I’m still waiting.
The author is Arthur Byron Cover. I have no idea if he’s dead or alive. A quick scan on the internet before posting revealed that “Futurefall” is “yet to be published.” As far as the end result is concerned, Mr. Cover is as good as dead.
