> "Captain Blood's constraint was to make a universal text adventure game, playable by every player on the planet and transcending languages," notes Ulrich. "I liked the icon-based language, such as 'Me love you' and 'You beautiful you strong'. It worked in every language, and I realised that by combining a hundred words/icons, you could express a real scenario with humour." This means of communication, dubbed the Universal Protocol of Communication - UPCOM - became the main gameplay of Captain Blood.
The icon-based language still seems novel. Many games have tried to continue this, but few to such an extremely ubiquitous degree.
The icon-based language still seems novel. Many games have tried to continue this, but few to such an extremely ubiquitous degree.