I like text-based games (like from ifdb), but I don’t like sitting at attention in front of my computer like I do all day at work. Any ideas for how to play these effectively without being on a computer?

  • I’ve hacked a Kindle Paperwhite & used an on-screen virtual keyboard to play these games. That worked OK, but the virtual keyboard is very imprecise and frustrating.

  • I’ve similarly hacked a Kindle 3 (the last model to include a physical keyboard). I hoped the physical keyboard would do the trick. Unfortunately, the key buttons are convex & very stiff - which hurt my fingertips after even short play sessions.

Any other ideas? Or is this a fool’s errand?

  • echo64@lemmy.worldEnglish
    7·
    3 years ago

    There’s not many good options. It’s a genre that was built specifically for a keyboard, after all. Everything that isn’t a laptop or desktop is gonna be a frustrating downgrade.

    Maybe the answer is getting into adjacent genres of games. They aren’t the same, obviously, but there’s a lot of overlap with the adventure game genre, especially, and the visual novel genre is more distant but a lot more accessible away from a pc

  • fkn@lemmy.worldEnglish
    83·
    3 years ago

    Maybe I am confused why you can’t play them on a smartphone?

    • GrappleHat@lemmy.mlOPEnglish
      1·
      3 years ago

      A smartphone’s virtual keyboard would be worse (smaller) than the Kindle’s, wouldn’t it? Maybe I should try it though. I mean, I’m pecking this message on my smartphone’s virtual keyboard so…

      • fkn@lemmy.worldEnglish
        11·
        3 years ago

        Lol. That’s my thought. We use the virtual keyboards a lot already. Like the other poster said there are some drawbacks but I find it much easier than any physical mini keyboard (far less strain).

  • e0qdk@kbin.social
    4·
    3 years ago

    I don’t know if there are any existing implementations that work well enough yet for it to actually be relaxing, but it might be possible to set up a hands-free IF experience by hooking up speech-to-text and text-to-speech tools to the game.

  • circuitfarmer@lemmy.worldEnglish
    4·
    3 years ago

    Maybe this is overly simplistic, but I’m a couch gamer, and text based games on the TV with a wireless keyboard work great. Relax on the couch and otherwise it’s just like you’re physically at the terminal.

    I know few people have a PC on the living room TV, but there are ways to stream it over there – e.g. with a Steam Link.

    • GrappleHat@lemmy.mlOPEnglish
      2·
      3 years ago

      That’s not a bad idea. I keep a Linux machine in the living room attached to the TV with a wireless keyboard, so I’m already set up!

  • BananaTrifleViolin@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    3 years ago

    I have a living room PC - a mini pc plugged into my TV that I control with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse or game controller. It’s so comfortable just sitting back into a sofa to game. You could also get a laptop stand/lap tray for the keyboard for more comfortable typing on your lap.

    Basically it doesn’t need to be either a desk or a handheld. You can have a halfway of a PC on your TV. I also dock my steam deck and play on my TV, which you could also use for IF if you have one.