Decker's Delight Links (24.Aug.11)

Seems it's been over a year since them Decker's Delight Links last appeared on Gnome's Lair and, well, it also seems the time has come for them to return, albeit in a slightly altered way. I am after all taking a few days off computers and cities, and I sincerely believe this particular link list will cater to your every -every!- gaming need for the next 10 days or so. Feel free to click it to exhaustion. Try to ignore the fact that it's rather short; I'm short on time myself. Got to pack.

So, where to start eh? Well, the relatively new and definitely excellent Electron Dance blog seems like a lovely place, what with its excellent Rescue on Fractalus! piece and that David Fox interview follow-up. Retro gamers, adventurers and (r)ageing Lucasarts fanboys/girls should immediately apply.

The rest should instead take a virtual stroll to the newly reopened and elegantly refurbished Elderly Gamer blog. Elderly is back (having escaped the trans-dimensional cellar of this very Lair), in high spirits (despite the sad loss of a certain leprechaun) and with a brand new helper (Alf apparently). Console gaming and Tom Waits are happy.

As for aspiring (and proper) indie developers too busy to read, they could have a look at this comprehensive Indie Resources guide by Pixel Prospector. It's a treasure trove of information covering everything from inspiration to marketing. RetroDreamer's piece on Media Kits might be a handy nice thing to round things up.

Then again, if you are into reading dear reader (see what I did there?) there's something else for you to check out: Life Support. A science fiction novelette by Verena Kyratzes of The Book of Living Magic fame. This of course reminds me to remind you to actually play The Book of Living Magic if, despite following this blog, you haven't done so yet. It's an amazing game, it is.

For something less whimsical, extremely short and joyfully disturbing give Hero's Adventure a try. It will only take a minute, yet you will discover just how demented Terry Cavanagh can actually be.

Traditional point-and-clickers, on the other hand, can find out more about the adventurous re-imagining of the Count of Monte Cristo via this lovely Enter the Story review by the Hardy Developer's Journal; you know, that excellent source of indie adventuring goodness. And don't forget to check the AGS blog out too.

In case you were somehow reminded of the Atari ST you'll be elated to know that The Joy of Sticks has gone on and created an amazing online repository for classic, ST-related, gaming magazines. It's apt name is none other than The Atari ST Magazine Archive. 

More retro gaming fun can be had over at the Recycled Thoughts of a Retro Gamer blog where magisterrex has been covering a variety of subject from ancient copy protection schemes to American McGee's Alice. Oh, and while you're wondering whether American in a proper name for an American, you can also download a fantastic 1981 TSR catalog in PDF.

The analog fun oddly continues over at Rock Paper Shotgun where Robert Florence writes about the Shadows over Scotland, while explaining why everyone should be playing the excellent Call of Cthulhu RPG. It's my favourite pen and paper pass-time you know.

Now, as I really have to pack and this wouldn't be a proper Decker's Delight Links post without something by Richard Cobbett, here are two brilliant articles: A-Fforde-able Adventure and the 9:05 Crapshoot. Read them carefully; I'll be asking questions.