E Ink Gaming Slate Brings Back 80s Text Adventures

In the early days of personal computers, graphics were quite basic, which is why text-based adventure games became so popular. The Ink Console seeks to revive this nostalgic feeling by blending an e-reader with a gaming platform.

The Charm of Text Adventures in the 80s

While today’s digital games offer immersive experiences with stunning visuals and fast-paced action, the text-based adventures of the 1980s were equally thrilling for players back then.

Players got lost in fantasy tales, experiencing an entirely different kind of adventure. Instead of diving into novels like The Hobbit or playing role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons, gamers found themselves glued to a screen, typing away on a keyboard for hours, completely absorbed in the story.

Daniel Puchau, also known as Dana from GreenBoy Games, is the creator behind the Ink Console. He says the project emerged from a desire to introduce the magic of classic text adventures, like the iconic Zork I, to new players who may not be familiar with these kinds of games.

The Ink Console: An E-Reader with a Twist

The Ink Console itself is essentially an e-reader with a 7.5-inch E Ink screen (800 x 480 resolution). Powered by a 32-bit dual-core processor, the device includes a modest 4MB of flash memory and 8MB of PSRAM. However, it does feature Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The system loads games via a built-in SD card reader.

The console will feature games in the form of “Gamebooks,” which present text-based adventures as stories. These will include everything from action-packed expeditions to deep-sea explorations, immersive sci-fi tales, and epic fantasy journeys.The player community will also create the content, thanks to an open-source Software Development Kit (SDK), in addition to the Ink Console team’s contributions.

The project page on Crowd Supply states, “Our You Create Software Development Kit empowers creators of all kinds – whether you’re a writer, artist, game designer, or storyteller – to bring your Gamebook to life. This toolkit requires no coding to use.”

Interactive Gameplay with Choices and Challenges

As the player progresses, the story unfolds and decisions can alter its path.Along the way, the player collects items like spells, weapons, or food and stores them in an inventory to help overcome challenges.

The console includes an analog joystick for navigation, a potentiometer for adjusting settings, and control functions. Puchau is also considering adding a mini keyboard module for dialogue-based games, though that’s still in the early planning stages. Other confirmed features include a built-in mono speaker, a 3.5mm audio jack, and stereo output. You can charge the device’s 5,000mAh battery via USB-C.

While the cost of this fun, retro-inspired device remains unknown, the project is expected to launch on Crowd Supply early next month, when the price and other details will be revealed. Footage of the working prototype is still coming soon, but a teaser video is already available to give a glimpse of what’s to come.

Read the original article on: New Atlas

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