The Quill

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This article discusses the adventure game writing program. For other usages of the word quill, please refer to Quill (disambiguation).
The Quill
The main menu of The Quill (ZX Spectrum version).
The main menu of The Quill (ZX Spectrum version).
Developer(s) Graeme Yeandle
Publisher(s) Gilsoft
Designer(s) Programmer: Graeme Yeandle
Platform(s) ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, BBC Micro, Acorn Electron, Atari 8-bit family, Apple II
Release date 1983
Genre(s) Construction kit, game creation, utility
Mode(s) n/a
Rating(s) Suitable for all ages
Input methods 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.[1] 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.[2]

Contents

[edit] Development

Yeandle has stated[3] 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.[4]

After the original ZX Spectrum version, The Quill was ported to the Amstrad CPC,[4][5] Commodore 64,[4][6][7] Atari 8-bit family,[6][8] and Apple II.[6] 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.[4] A French version was also made by Codewriter.[9] In 1985 Neil Fleming-Smith ported The Quill to the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron computers for Gilsoft.[citation needed]

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.[10]

[edit] 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",[11][12] while Computer and Video Games described it as "worth every penny of the £14.95 price tag",[13] while CRASH said it was "almost ludicrously underpriced for what it does and, more importantly, what it allows others to do."[14] 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",[15] although later in 1984 they said "The Quill produces programs on a par with handwritten commercial programs".[16]

The Quill was awarded "Best Utility" in the CRASH Readers Awards 1984.[17]

[edit] Sequel

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

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Handy quill opens-up adventure games" (December 1983). Sinclair User (21): 48. 
  2. ^ Quill Adventure System, The. World of Spectrum. Retrieved on 2007-09-19.
  3. ^ Graeme Yeandle interview. SolutionArchive. Retrieved on 2008-03-08.
  4. ^ a b c d Yeandle, Graham. History of The Quill and PAW. Retrieved on 2007-09-19.
  5. ^ The Quill by Gilsoft for the Amstrad CPC. CPCZone. Retrieved on 2007-09-20.
  6. ^ a b c "Adventure Writer — US Quill" (January 1985). Micro Adventurer (15): 13. 
  7. ^ Quill, The - Adventure Writing System. Gamebase 64. Retrieved on 2007-09-19.
  8. ^ AdventureWriter. Atarimania. Retrieved on 2007-09-20.
  9. ^ AdventureWriter. Atarimania. Retrieved on 2007-11-17.
  10. ^ "The Illustrator" (May 1985). Your Spectrum (14): 33. 
  11. ^ Bridge, Tony (November 1983). "Revolution on The Quill". Micro Adventurer (1): 19. 
  12. ^ Bridge, Tony (January 1984). "Imagination's the only limit". Micro Adventurer (3): 9–10. 
  13. ^ Schifreen, Robert (December 1983). "Games without tears". Computer and Video Games (26): 90–91. 
  14. ^ Mangram, Lloyd (May 1984). "The Quill". CRASH (4): 49–50. 
  15. ^ Gilbert, John (February 1984). "Sprites put life into the games of your choice". Sinclair User (23): 44. 
  16. ^ Heath, Quentin (July 1984). "Imagination Unlimited". Sinclair User (28): 127. 
  17. ^ "CRASH Readers Awards 1984" (January 1985). CRASH (12): 104. 

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