instead ☆

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Description:
Interpreter of simple text adventures

Type: Formula | Tracked Since: Dec 28, 2025

Links: Homepage | formulae.brew.sh

Category: Productivity

Tags: gaming text-adventure interactive-fiction lua development

Install: brew install instead

About:
Instead is an interpreter designed for playing and creating simple text adventures, often referred to as 'gamebooks'. It uses a Lua-based scripting engine to manage game state, narrative flow, and user interactions. This tool provides a lightweight, cross-platform environment for interactive fiction enthusiasts and developers.

Key Features:

Lua scripting engine for game logic
Cross-platform support (Linux, macOS, Windows)
Simple XML-based format for game resources
Integrated development environment for creators

Use Cases:

Playing classic and modern text adventures
Developing interactive fiction or gamebooks
Creating educational narrative experiences

Alternatives:

Frotz – Frotz is a Z-machine interpreter for classic Infocom games, whereas Instead focuses on a Lua-based engine for modern interactive fiction.
Twine – Twine is a web-based tool for creating non-linear stories, while Instead provides a downloadable interpreter and a Lua-based scripting environment.

Version History

Detected	Version	Rev	Change	Commit
Sep 15, 2025 1:29am		0	VERSION_BUMP	41a3d94f
Sep 14, 2024 9:03am		0	VERSION_BUMP	ae4a8109