FAQ:

Do I need any special soft to have a look at the game?

No. Any web browser with Java support will do. Just load the page INDY.HTM and press the button to play the game.


I have problems running the game properly with Micro$oft's Explorer and Netscape Navigator

I am afraid there are compatibility issues. For now, use IE 4.0 and Netscape 4.06, or better yet, a separate Java interpreter.
Specifically, MS Explorer 3.0 and Netscape 4.04 (and prior versions) are out of luck.


I use a recent version of Netscape with Linux Redhat 6, but it still doesn't work

There is a known bug in the standard Redhat 6 setup that makes Netscape crash with any Java applet.
The workaround seems to be this: when logged in as Root, type chkfontpath --add /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi


Why don't I get full sound & music support when running the game?

Java 1.1 (as included in all current browsers) had limited support for sound. The best option is to get a Java 1.2 Runtime.


Why can't I save games?

You are running the game as an Applet (ie. from within a web browser). Browsers' Java puts security restrictions upon Applets. You need to run the game as a java application to be able to save & load game positions. Read below.


What do I need to run the game as a Java Application?

You need to get a Java interpreter. Sun gives away a Java interpreter for nearly every hardware platform. Download the latest one from there, or from thousands of mirrors. For example, the file of the 95/98/NT version is called JRE1_2_2-WIN32.EXE and is 6 megabytes in size (compressed). The Macintosh version is available from Apple.
Notice that this will not upgrade your browsers' java to 1.2 level. This interpreter runs independently of any browser.
Alternatively, you can install the JDK 1.2 compiler suite, which obviously includes the interpreter.

Once you have it correctly installed, you launch the game by typing JAVA -jar INDY.JAR at the O.S. command prompt.
Also, if you use w95/98/NT and installed Java 1.2, you just need to double click on INDY.JAR to launch the engine as an application. No need to mess with the command line.


Do I need to be connected to the Net in order to play?

No. This is entirely off-line. No multiplayer here for now! But that could be included in future releases. ;-)


Why is the playing screen so small?

I wanted to recreate the appearence of 'old style' games. That's why the demo runs at 320x200. However, when you create your own adventure, you can specifiy any screen size. Check the tutorials for more details.
Also, when running the game as a Java application under Win32, you have a Full-Screen option.

I've played the demo, and now I want to create my own adventure. Where can I download the engine ?

You already have it! This is an all-in-one solution: the Indyjava application is both the runtime game engine and the adventure compiler. You just need to launch it as a Java application, and go to the menu File/Import . But read the tutorials first!


Where can I download the tutorial and documentation for the engine?

Full documentation is included in the ZIP file. The same documentation is also available on the web.


What file formats can I use to create games with the engine?

You can use all the file formats supported by the version of java you are running.
For java 1.1 this includes *.GIF (static and animated), *.JPEG, and a specific kind of *.AU files.
For java 1.2 this includes *.GIF (static and animated), *.JPEG, *.MID, *RMI, *.WAV, *.AU


What editors can I use to create such games?

You can create the adventure script in any Notepad-like text editor. UltraEdit is nice also (under Win32).
To create and edit graphics I suggest Paint Shop Pro (under Win32).


Do I need to learn JAVA to be able to create adventure scripts for the engine?

Not at all! The engine uses its own simple scripting language. Nothing in common with the language it was written in. Have a look at the language tutorial. However, knowledge of any computer language helps understanding this one faster, since it features classic constructs like IF-THEN-ELSE and FOR loops.


I don't see 'Import' in the menu bar!

You are running the game as an Applet (ie. from within a web browser). To develop adventure scripts, you have run the game as a java application (see above).


I have created my own adventure game with this engine. Can I send it to you?

Yes, please! I would be glad to have a look at your game and publish it here (if you want).


The game I have created works fine in Windows, but refuses to run in Unix or Mac

Check the filenames of images and sounds in your script. You probably used "\" instead of "/" as directory separator. The latter works everywhere. Also, be very careful with uppercase/lowercase in filenames.


Will there be some 3D version of this engine?

Mmmm... By chance, a Java 3D API just came out, so this is a possible feature for the next version. Maybe I will change the name and call it "Grim Fanjava" ?   ;-)


There should be some kind of editor to ease writting of scripts for the engine

Good idea!  Somebody should create that.   ;-)


Is this freeware? Why did you create all this?

The use of the Engine is free, for non-commercial use. Notice, however, that this is not an Open-Source project.
What I created is just what I would have liked to find years and years ago. The text-only adventures are still played and created today by aficionados with free compilers and interpreters, although the genre stopped selling long ago. I hope the diffusion of this project will prevent the 2D adventure genre from disappearing, too.


How can I contact you? Do you have ICQ?

No, I don't. Just email me. Also, I can sometimes be seen in the #monkey-island channel in DALnet.

IndyJava Road Map

This is the development plan for the project.

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