Robotfindskitten
| Company type | Free software / Video game |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 1997 |
| Founder | Leonard Richardson |
| Products | robotfindskitten (game) |
| Website | robotfindskitten |
robotfindskitten (commonly abbreviated as rfk) is a "Zen simulation" title initially created by Leonard Richardson for the MS-DOS platform.
Game
In robotfindskitten, a free game featuring an ASCII-based interface, players guide a robot character (represented by "") on a quest to locate a kitten, which appears as a randomly selected symbol among numerous other characters. When the robot encounters these symbols, the game reveals whether the object is the sought-after kitten or one of many amusingly described "Non-kitten Items" (NKIs). The gameplay contains no failure states; however, an optional modification can introduce a slight chance of the robot being "destroyed" by an NKI. Simon Carless characterized the experience as "less a game and more a way of life," highlighting its straightforward yet entertaining exploratory nature.
The original release was the only submission in a 1997 competition organized by the now-defunct webzine Nerth Pork, which invited participants to interpret "robotfindskitten." The idea originated from Jacob Berendes, though initial entries depicted scenarios where kittens were harmed by robots.
Following Richardson’s 1999 Linux port, robotfindskitten saw increased recognition, leading to the creation of an official website and community mailing lists. Since then, it has been adapted to over 30 different systems, including POSIX, Dreamcast, Palm OS, TI-99/4A, the Z-machine, Sony’s PSP, and Android. Various graphical iterations have also emerged, such as an OpenGL version showcasing the robot emblem on a rotating cube. Furthermore, some remakes function as educational programming examples for languages like Gambas.
External links
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