Glulx interpreter recommendations

I’m finishing up a game in Glulx for this year’s IF Comp, and moving into beta testing. I’d like to make sure that the game runs on as many platforms as possible; ideally, I’d like to test web, Windows, Mac, Unix, IOS and Android. Which interpreters should I use?

The game doesn’t use a lot of fancy Glulx features - just a title graphic and the occasional font change. Even so, I found a couple of issues in Parchment / Quixe. And so far, I haven’t found an interpreter that will start on Mac.

My personal choices in Mac: Gargoyle, Lectrote, Spatterlight, and Zoom. On PC, I prefer Windows Glulxe (Winglulxe?)

I don’t know if this is related or a personal glitch on my system, but I currently am also unable to get any standalone Glulx interpreter except Lectrote to work on my Mac (OSX-Sierra).

Gargoyle was my preferred default. My backups were Spatterlight and Zoom. A game run in any of these will display the first page of text, but will not allow typing or input. I’ve noticed a game with a graphics and music “when play begins” will show the image and play the sound, but subsequently accept no input.

Lectrote works great, but does not support sound. HTML web pages released with an interpreter also work (which I believe is how Lectrote functions) similarly with no sound.

A patched Gargoyle for Mac is available at github.com/erkyrath/garglk/releases . I’m not sure it works for everybody – I think I saw a further bug report – but it’s better.

I don’t think many modern-day IF authors really wants to deal with this. Isn’t it time-consuming enough to create a game, let alone validate it against every version of every possible app, every type of browser, on every possible platform?

It is 2018. Every device is always on, always connected. Having to mange a game on all those interpreters is not a complexity this community needs anymore… Should I have to check if my game is Netscape compatible too?

I’d love to see the IF Comp partner with Itch.io as a IF game jam. That’s the only place I would need to upload my game, beta it, or care how it looks. Itch.io and a compatible browser for my laptop, tablet or phone.

Plus I really prefer my game executable not be publicly downloaded. Keep control with the authors for how and when they distribute.

Perhaps this would be a first real step to truly make IF relevant beyond its current community walls.

No, but the original poster does want to. So we’re answering the question.

Thank you so much for this link, Zarf. The Gargoyle is now happy and working with sound again!