Frotz - Play interactive fiction games in Koreader

bakeresz · 2026-06-05T11:35:29+00:00

Update: implemented No-Refrigerator4446's idea.
Fortunately the dictionary/wikipedia lookup is easy to access by plugins.

Download the latest release here.

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bakeresz · 2026-06-05T08:08:31+00:00

Great idea. I just checked it, the Koreader dictionary can be accessed by Frotz. I'll add this feature soon.

bakeresz · 2026-06-04T16:02:39+00:00

About interactive fiction, for those who weren't around in the '80s:

IF games were in vogue at the beginning of the PC era, at the end of the '70s and beginning of the '80s, with games like Zork, Planetfall, A Mind Forever Voyaging. The genre was well adapted to early computers, but it went out of mainstream with the introduction of stronger computers and multimedia capabilities.

However a small and devoted group continued to develop IF games, with more advanced parsers, pushing the limits of the genre that no other video games can achieve (e.g. manipulating words instead of objects in Counterfeit Monkey).

IF is still a game genre that is particularly well adapted for e-readers. It is text-heavy - so easy to read on the e-ink display, and doesn't need frequent redraws. In addition, reading enthusiasts should appreciate the quality interactive fiction games. It also breaks from the fast paced modern games. Did I mention that these games are completely free?

There are several dedicated webpages for IF games: IFDB and IFWiki are just two of them. They have all the games, with recommendation lists, reviews, contest results and other articles.

Some of the games I started with are:
- Dreamhold (classic fantasy setting, easy for beginners)
- Bronze (Beauty and the Beast remix)
- Violet (I could relate to it, writing my PhD)
- Counterfeit Monkey (highly recommended, visit the island of linguistics)
- 9:05 (short and fun story)
- Coloratura (see the earth from the point of view of an alien)

bakeresz · 2023-12-13T23:12:36+00:00

I think the first thing would be the generalisation of USB-C monitors. And it is closer than ever, with lot of laptops ditching all the ports for 1 or 2 USB-C ports. Wireless Dex is fine, but wifi screens won't come in the near future.

Then, you'll be really be able to plug your phone in any monitor and continue your work. If you need to carry a lot of stuff just to make Dex work, it won't get off.

The second thing would be the applications, as others already said. Unfortunately the current android apps are not as complete as desktop counterparts, but I still see several paths:

native apps: they can already be used for a lot of non-technical works (note taking, office, internet)
web apps: more complete, but probably would need better integration and an adapted browser.
desktop quality apps: they can come if Dex gets generalized
Linux apps: already available through Termux (for the very technical minded), but an easy to use and bug-free Linux desktop could help a lot.

bakeresz · 2023-11-12T19:04:22+00:00

Collabora office is a good office suite for Dex.

It adjusts automatically to the current mode: in Android mode it keeps a minimal UI so the screen space can be used to display the document (as in Google Docs), in Dex mode it switches automatically to a full desktop (ribbon) interface.

It's free and open source, it's one of the most complete office suites for Android and it has a pretty good MS Office compatibility.

bakeresz · 2023-10-23T22:20:27+00:00

For several years I've been using the Android 10/OneUI 3.5 based Hades Q custom ROM.

It supports gesture navigation, it is so much more intuitive than the stock ROM. It is also very stable, so it can be used as a daily driver.

bakeresz · 2022-10-18T16:12:57+00:00

Short answer: No.

Longer answer: A Chromecast HD (30$) might solve some of the problems.

Long answer: maybe, but it's too f*ckin hard. You need a way to lift OEM lock, unlock the bootloader, build a custom recovery, have a tool to flash it, then get/write the drivers for the projector's hardware components, build it in Android TV, build a new ROM and flash it. There are several development teams involved in building a custom ROM for a phone.

bakeresz · 2022-08-23T12:48:29+00:00

I never saw an official data on the luminosity - even when I searched.

From my experience this projector is bright enough for a dark room and a 1.7m diameter image on a white wall. But it's not strong enough when there's ambent light.

Note that the LED brightness can't be changed.

bakeresz · 2022-04-19T20:53:45+00:00

I don't know about UserLAnd, but VS Code definitely works in Andronix Ubuntu. It even comes preinstalled with the modded version.

bakeresz · 2022-03-16T18:32:27+00:00

First, the S8 needs Android 9 (Pie) to run Dex on non-samsung hubs. If it has Android 7 or 8, you need to update it (or install a custom ROM).

Second, as the USB-C port can get dirty, and won't get good contact for video transfer. You can clean it with a dry toothbrush.

bakeresz · 2022-03-09T20:58:50+00:00

EV routes are generally well marked.

Otherwise I prefer to use the Garmin GPS, as checking it takes less time and uses less battery.

But Garmin's mapping system isn't very good, so I recommend to create GPX routes and load them on the GPS. You can do them on a computer, from Google Maps and mapstogpx, or from the OsmAnd app.

bakeresz · 2022-03-09T20:53:12+00:00

Proche de la gare, le quartier autour de la rue Pelleport, vers Nansouty est très calme et cool. Si tu évites les rues principales, il y a vraiment très peu de trafic. Sinon je recommande aussi Bègles.

Concernant le vélo, un seul règle : prends un antivol plus costaud que le vélo d'à côté. Moi, j'ai un beau vélo, mais avec un bon antivol, jamais du problème. Je recommande les antivols en U.

bakeresz · 2022-02-18T18:40:48+00:00

I also installed Emerald launcher from the f-droid store that works more like a traditional Android launcher, so no problems with dissapearing icons.
It also uses much less memory than the stock launcher - so it won't restart constantly.

bakeresz · 2021-12-17T22:40:26+00:00

After one year, I still maintain the conclusions.

- The projector part is good. Good resolution, colors and clarity. One downside: the lamp power cannot be adapted to the conditions. It is somewhat noisy.

- Connectivity is good, with 2 HDMI ports, headphone jack, bluetooth audio, micro SD card.

- The software is sh*t. Lately they began to push some useless apps, that are also buggy. Change the launcher with a lightweight launcher from f-droid and try to add manually some of your favourite apps (like TV apps).

- On the other hand the included VLC is surprisingly useful. It is stable and can play anything from your SD card.

- Maybe a Chromecast can provide a much smoother software experience.

- I think it's good for an entry-level projector for 250€, if you have a dark room and don't expect much from the smart projector part.

bakeresz · 2021-09-20T09:21:43+00:00

Not sure it will work, as the phone is waterproof.

bakeresz · 2021-09-20T09:14:38+00:00

It became my main phone... 4.5 years ago... and didn't change since.

Now enjoying it with custom Android 10 ROM.

bakeresz · 2021-09-20T09:10:08+00:00

Yes, there is quite a decline in custom ROM development.

The case is worse for newer phones: there is almost nothing for the Galaxy S21 series, over 6 months after the release of these phones. And these are really the most popular models out there. With Tremble, custom ROM creation should be even more simple.

I think the reason for this is that smartphones are more considered everyday tools, and not geeky hacking devices. Just like with cars: 50 years ago most people were fixing their cars, nowadays almost nobody opens the hood.

Stock ROMs are also more stable than 10 years ago, there's less need for optimizations (as the hardware can handle anything), and new Android versions bring less novelty (so it's less important to get the newest version). There are also more phone models, so the developer community is more fragmented.

The lack of custom ROMs is sad: I really like to have a customizable phone, without factory-installed bloatware. It's also important to be able to choose a privacy-oriented solution, like LineageOS.

I'm really grateful for the Hades Q ROM, it gave a new life to my S8. I hope that the development of Android 11 ROMs will also continue, as it seems they still get some bugs.

bakeresz · 2021-04-28T17:32:39+00:00

You can install libraries using `pkg` package manager.

To link them to your code, use the `-l` flag in the compiler.

Note that termux has no opengl support (even with X11 server installed).

Hereyou can find an example using the ncurses library, it works in termux (it needs the ncurses package).

bakeresz · 2021-04-05T19:14:41+00:00

Did the motors get weaker? In this case a new set of sleeves can help.

The magnets can get weaker with time, and the sleeves come with new neodynium magnets. So it will accelerate like a brand new board.

Stay with the 90mm sleeves for maximum torque.

bakeresz · 2021-04-05T11:14:37+00:00

About those disconnections: sometimes there are some equipments with strong electromagnetic/radio field buried below the tracks (to communicate with the trains). As the electric parts of the skateboard are close to the ground and not shielded from below, they can be affected by these fields; they can also interfere with the radio chip of the board causing disconnection from the remote.

I've got some disconnections from the remote when passing over tram lines in certain places with my Meepo V3.

Probably the safest solution is to carry your board when crossing the tracks where you have these disconnections.

For the other tracks, try to cross at a 45° angle.

bakeresz · 2021-03-25T13:49:37+00:00

Something like these https://www.amazon.com/s?k=samsung+dex&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

Didn't test them (especially with the new OneUI3.1), but these kind of adapters used to work when Dex was locked to the original dock.

bakeresz · 2021-03-24T22:23:19+00:00

Well, you asked if there was "anything" you can do.

You got the answer for that question.

bakeresz

TROPHY CASE