The 2008 Interactive Fiction Competition is on, and you can judge it.

Since 1995, writers have created text-based computer adventures for the annual competition--space operas, medieval quests, and countless other stories that allow the reader to guide the plot. Here's a short introduction to the genre:

"In interactive fiction you play the main character. You type commands which determine the actions of the character and the flow of the story. Each piece of interactive fiction presents locations, items, characters and events. You move about, exploring and learning."

As digital readers grow in popularity, these authors could guide the future of book-design. But don't take our word for it. Judge the for yourself. Download this year's interactive games on this page, and follow the directions at the top to unpack them. After you've played five or more games, follow this link to vote for your winning stories. Votes are due by November 15th, 2008.

(Via Grand Text Auto)