Sugarlawn is a work of interactive fiction I wrote in 2018-19 and published in 2019. It’s a timed treasure hunt game where the goal is to collect as much cash as possible via the valuables you pick up. Sugarlawn was inspired by Ryan Veeder’s Captain Verdeterre’s Plunder. The cover photo is by MSMcCarthy Photography.
Awards
- 4th place – 2019 Interactive Fiction Competition
- 1st place – Miss Congeniality, 2019 Interactive Fiction Competition. (The Miss Congeniality side competition is based on the authors’ votes.)
- Nominee, Best Puzzles, 2019 XYZZY Awards
- Nominee, Best Implementation, 2019 XYZZY Awards
Reviews and Other Mentions
- There are several reviews on Sugarlawn‘s IFDB page.
- The game’s thread on intfiction.org during IFComp 2019
- The Short Game podcast discussed the game.
- The Verb Your Enthusiasm podcast discussed the game.
- Victor Gijsbers has a lengthy review at his Gaming Philosopher blog.
- Thomas Mack reviews the game at IFComprehensive.
- Christopher Huang reviews the game at his Breakfast Reviews.
Places in Which I Discuss the Game
- Design notes on the game, published shortly after IFComp 2019
- Current high score list
Walkthrough/Hints
- Victor Gijsbers created a detailed set of hints for the game at intfiction.org.
Some Quotes
- “Let me stress that the game is a lot of fun.” – Victor Gijsbers, the Gaming Philosopher blog
- “Brilliant, absolutely brilliant.” – Stian, intfiction.org
- “an excellent puzzle and optimisation game” – Dannii Willis, intfiction.org
- “I do love this game, it is extremely addictive!” – Sarah-Adams, intfiction.org
- “It’s like shrimp and grits, a potentially bland base given an explosive blast of flavour, spice, and Southern charm, with sweet, strong coffee to keep you going back for more.” – Christopher Huang, Breakfast Reviews
- “I think people will be playing this one for years.” – MathBrush, IFDB
An Exercise for the Reader 