If you're an author of IF, check out the rules. If this sounds like a good place to release your next game, feel free to participate.

If you're a player of IF, you're welcome to take part as a judge. We're also looking for people to donate prizes.

Beta testing your entry is encouraged! Authors and testers can connect at if.game-testing.org or in the "Game Announcements and Beta Testing" forum at intfiction.org.

In addition, you can read about the history of the Spring Thing, and find some cool games to download and play. And if you have any questions, you can email me at:

May 12, 2014: The voting period has closed and the votes are being tabulated.

The Spring Thing would like to thank the following people:

Adam Cadre, for starting the competition;
Greg Boettcher, for organizing and running it from 2004 to 2013;
Mike Snyder, for writing the voting program and for running a mirror;
Peter Seebach, for past hosting and technical help;
Stephen Granade, for occasional advice; and
the prize donors, for their generosity.

Obviously, the general purpose of Spring Thing is to promote interactive fiction. More specifically, there are three aims that make the Spring Thing different from the annual IF Comp:

1. To provide a place for promoting medium-sized to long works of interactive fiction.
2. To provide some springtime relief to the dry season between the autumn deluges of the IF Comp.
3. To encourage excellence in game authorship and discourage shoddiness.