I've just learned about Alternate Reality Kit. I've searched through the archive and it was mentioned in passing a couple of times but I don't think this article was ever posted: https://worrydream.com/refs/Smith_R_1987_-_Experiences_With_The_Alternate_Reality_Kit,_An_Example_of_the_Tension_Between_Literalism_and_Magic.pdf . There is also a relatively recent video upload (video comes from 87 but it was uploaded only three years ago) which shows a more mature version in action: . Its similarity to the system that I'm developing is just uncanny! I'm very interested in learning more about it. I tried to follow its history to figure out why it was abandoned but I've only been able to track that its development eventually led to the Self language () which honestly seems like a step back from the original. I have my theories about why it might have been abandoned (which is that educational software is hard to sell) but would love to learn more about it from the people who might know more. Or maybe there are other systems that might have been derived from it?

The Alternate Reality Kit video - just wow! ...also loving the ending 😅