C:\ZZTDOS>FEATURES>

Welcome to the Features section of DL
(ZZT DOS) Here you will find writing
and special features about the ZZT
world and opinions from Ringworm.

Digital Leprosy presents GOTM
(N/A) error read in file

Special Features
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- The Future of an Illusion

The ZZT community is still alive. Perhaps it is not as alive
as it once was, but nevertheless it exists. The MZX community
on the other hand is alive only in the sense that a rash is
alive, sparse... struggling for existance... itchy. Many have
criticized the ZZT community over the years, many have predicited
it's collapse, it's almighty fold. From TIM SWEENY's release of
ZZT so many years ago, the AOL days, IRC and ZZT.org... it seems
as if the community is always changing and evolving. What keeps it
alive? Why do so many people flock to a highly outdated system that
yields absolutely no profit? Simplicity. Creativity. Reasons like
these keep people coming to ZZT over MZX, but they also are the
lifeblood of entire ZZT way. People (usually disgruntled teenagers)
get to make their own video games, how cool is that? A lot of people
also like the friendship, chatting all day to people in #darkdigital
and #loungeact, inventing an entire pattern of ZZT-based slang. But,
the newbies that are so often flamed should be given more slack.
Newbies are the future of ZZT, everybody was a newbie once. Hell,
TIM SWEENY's games can be considered newbish by the constantly evolving
standards of the commune. The only way that newbies can develop and
metamorphisize into Middlebies and eventually the "leet" Oldbies,
they have to try making games. Sure they will suck at first...
but their skill will improve with time. (that is, if they don't
give up because they were horribly flamed by all the idle Oldbies
that don't even make games anymore.

- ZZT Mythology

Madguy was a zzt genious in the purest sense. He has a great sense of
humor. Didn't take himself or his work too seriously as to the point
that it wasn't fun for him to make anymore. He had a humble begining, yet
he made great early games. His RPG's Wartorn, and I'm presuming at least
the demo for the sequel (I don't think there actually was a finished sequel.)
had good graphics, good programming and GREAT gameplay. Wartorn also features
some really cool spell-esque moves like Digital and Pink. Madguy pioneered an
entire genre within the zzt community. The simulation genre. He did this with
the earth shattering, super ecliptic game BURGERJOINT. Which has exceeded to
win more awards than hairs on the chin's of ZZ TOP and gone down in history as
one of the best programmed games ever. It was an instant classic. How do you
follow up such a great game? You don't. Sadly enough this is the case. Madguy's
final game was Nextgame 33, an unfinished game. The 33 is for about 33 percent
finished as only two different pathways in this game were completed. The game
is absolutely hilarious as it is with great engines, action and graphical
splender. Madguy quit the zzt community one fateful day, as all ZZTers must
eventually. His name and memory will live on forever, on the mouths of ZZTers
let alone as reflections in almost every single game released since his time.

Remember Elektrosoft? DO YOU? HUH!?!?!? Most anybody who wasn't around
during the AOL years probably does not. Because of the difficult and
exclusive way the Zzt Archive is set up, it would be difficult for somebody
to find any games of theres... in fact they would probably have to accidentally
stumble upon one. Well Elektrosoft was an old, old ZZT company... full of what
today are considered ZZT Legends. BONGO was one of these members. Under his
creativity, Elektrosoft produced to games in the Gladiator series... two great
games. True, compared to the present GOTM winners, these games don't exactly
excel in progamming and graphics. But that wasn't important back then and should
not be so focused on in hindsight. The Gladiator series was a first of it's kind,
it featured heavy RPG/ADVENTURE action (if you like the Rhygar series you'll like
this), complete multiple game paths, weapon purchasing systems and great music.
These games also had a great storyline. Look for KSAGA.zzt and GLADIATR.zzt at
the archive today!

- My First Darkdigital Experience

I have thought for some time now that IRC is the devil. It wasn't
always that way. (insert dreamy wash effect now) I remember when I
was just a wee-lad about this tall. Lame Game had existed for a long
time between Rasconza and myself... we had made many games but had
only released the Omega Force demo on the AOL directory. We had no
knowledge of the zzt community beyond some websites here and there,
the Big Barrel of Zzt Files comes to mind. What I started to notice however
was a mythical place called Dark Digital. It was cameod in games, it was
talked about. I figured it was some crazy-ass group hallucination or a
BBS chat. One or the other. Traces of the legendary chat room grew in my
my head, never thinking I would go there. Didn't even knowing if it was
real. Eventually, I stumbled on ZZT.ORG and was very pleased. Omega Force
was released... Pirate's Quest was released... and I began making a new
game. Tut's Tomb SE, the breakthrough game of my ZZT life, and my first
Dungeon Game. It was reviewed by Zenith, it was praised on the ZZT.ORG
message boards. Anyway, that is besides the point. The point is, after
talking the message boards for awhile I found the section of the archive
that talked about IRC and how to download Mirc and Xircon. I got Xircon and
signed on... typing those breathtaking letters #darkdigital. I had no idea
of what to expect, I was nervous, I was curious. I entered the room under the
name Ringworm. I was aboslutely blown away when the elite oldbie Draco blurted
" Ringworm! "

:::What would YOU like to see on Digital Leprosy? Drop me a line.

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