¿What is InPAWS?

Inpaws is a multiplatform tool to make interactive fiction games for the ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC. From a text file in Inpaws syntax (based on a PAWS adventure structure), it can create source files containing a database that you can load in any version of Gilsoft's Professional Adventure Writing System for various plaforms.

Inpaws allows you to create adventures for the ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC from a text definition you can compile in your PC

¿Why?

If you ever used Spectrum PAW you will know the complexity of developing a new adventure from scratch. All the locations, objects, messages, flags and processes are named by number, so you must write in other place the meaning of these numbers and refer to them when you extend or change your code. Also, although the interface was correct for the time PAW was released, nowadays it represents a rudimantary and ardous way of creating a new game. InPAWS tries to make development easier by avoiding (not 100%) the use of Gilsoft Editor.

Inpaws Features

  • PAW Database (adventures) generation in .tap/.SCE files, from a source text file in Inpaws language.
  • Import and use of graphics and character sets created in the PAW editor.
  • You can assign and use names for locations, objects, messages and flags, instead of the ugly codes all PAW programmer are used to.
  • Named constants for using in condacts.
  • Comments for better understanding of your source code.
  • Use of the OR operator (through the pipe symbol) in processes/response entries as well as in condacts inside entries
  • International characters support.
  • Compresses better than original PAW (not always)
  • Message definition directly in condacts. I mean, you can write [MESSAGE "This is a message"] instead of [MESSAGE 34] or [MESSAGE MyMessage] (later two also allowed)
  • More logical and clearer structure: the connections are defined close to its location. Also, the weight, words and initiallyat location are all in the object definition block.
  • You can define parts of Response, Processes, Vocabulary or Messages as needed, and near the locations or objects they are related to. No need to put them all together in a single block.
  • Extract databases from Z80 and SNA snapshots of 48k PAW adventures, to Inpaws source code that you can directly modifiy and recompile.
  • Complete english dcumentation.