Taro Ogawa

Hi all. I loved the game “Enlightenment” (entered in IFComp 3 in 1998). It provided a unique feel that I would like to find in another game. I’ve searched several times over the last decade for information on the author, Taro Ogawa, but he seems a ghost. The only other work released under that name was a joke game called “Encryptment”.

Based on the polish, robust implementation, and obvious love of the genre put into Enlightenment, I have difficulty believing that this is the author’s ONLY published work. I have long suspected Taro Ogawa to be a pseudonym, though I could be mistaken.

Does anyone have any information on this author, or even any games that provide a similar feel to Enlightenment?

I have no inside information, but the author listed an Australian Navy e-mail address which would seem to be difficult to fake, and there does seem to be a Taro Ogawa in the Australian Navy, so I suspect it’s his real name.

matt w, your search fu is the best.

I wouldn’t say Encryptment is a joke game. It’s not IF, of course - finding out what it is is part of the fun (in fact, once you find out what it is, you CAN argue that it’s an extreme sort of IF, according to Graham Nelson).

Perhaps try TO HELL IN A HAMPER as another clever one room layered puzzlebox.