Scott Andrew

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Posted July 13, 2025.

The Phantom at three weeks

I didn't expect anyone to acutally play The Plot of the Phantom, but I also didn't think it would turn up on waxy, Boing Boing, and Hacker News either. It feels apt that it was old school Web 1.0-style blogging that contributed the most to people trying out the game.

This very unserious game I abandoned writing when I was 14 is now the most-viewed thing I've produced. People are asking for clues and mapping out the dungeon on their own accord. A reader kindly made an entry for it at the Interactive Fiction Database and included a review, which concluded "this is a game you play to feel empathy with the author, not because of its excellence standing alone." Perfect.

Based on feedback, I built a new hinting system into the game. Type "hint" to get up to three (and only three!) clues to get unstuck. There's also a few new Easter eggs and a slew of tiny improvements.

I'm glad people are enjoying it! Although I regret that I didn't track how many players erased the whiteboard in the Office Room!


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