Most visits to Wakefield begin with something practical. How much biochar do I need? Which product fits the job? What should I mix it with?
Those are good questions. We spend a lot of time answering them. But it can’t be business all the time. Occasionally, there should be room for a small detour. Perhaps past a weathered shed. Perhaps into a conversation with someone who has rather strong opinions about hats.
That is the idea behind The Garden Between Conversations, a little text adventure tucked inside CharBot.
A different kind of conversation
The garden is our nod to Zork and the text-based games of yesteryear: places built from words, where looking closely and trying an idea were part of the pleasure. You read a scene, decide what to do, and type your next move. Your imagination supplies the scenery.
Today’s chat-based AI agents owe something to that tradition. Long before chatting with a computer became an everyday activity, text adventures invited people to use ordinary language to explore a world and make things happen. The technology was different, and the games could be particular about your wording, but the appeal feels familiar: type something, get a response, and see where the exchange takes you.
The connection has come full circle, with researchers using games such as Zork to test AI agents’ ability to understand language and act on it.1 Our little garden is a chance to revisit that history—or discover its charms for the first time. There is still something satisfying about a few words opening a door.
Here, that scenery includes a peculiar garden, a mouse with things to communicate, and a gnome who may eventually let you call him Bart. You have a few small puzzles to untangle and a way home to discover. The gnome has opinions about your situation. His willingness to help with the actual work is another matter.
You do not need to have played an old text adventure to enjoy this one. Speak naturally, ask questions, examine things, and see what happens. Some details help you along. Others are there because somebody thought a garden ought to contain something worth stopping for.
Finding your way in
You might discover the garden by telling CharBot you’re bored, asking for a little fun, or asking whether it has a secret. If it offers an invitation, say yes to step inside.
For a direct route, open CharBot on the Wakefield website and ask:
Let me explore the garden.
The garden opens in its own conversation panel. Read the scene and make your first move. “Look around” is a good place to start; “inventory” reminds you what you are carrying.
If you would like a nudge, ask for a “hint.” Ask for “help” when you want more direct guidance. You can also type “verbose” for fuller descriptions or “concise” to keep things brief.
The main path is short. Allow roughly 10–15 minutes if you feel like wandering, though your pace and curiosity will decide that. There is no need to inspect every object or chase every joke.
To leave early, type “exit game,” then use the ← CharBot button to return to product questions. Finish the adventure and you will be offered a downloadable certificate—a small keepsake for a rather unusual errand.
For the curious: optional spoilers ahead
You can stop reading here and discover the rest yourself. The notes below reveal a few optional amusements, one small hint at a time, in the spirit of an old adventure-game hint book.
Already finished? Type “new adventure” in the garden panel to revisit these discoveries. That starts a fresh run. If you are still playing, you can linger before the final climb; completing the ending closes that adventure.
Read a small hint: something old
Once you find your way into the shed, give the workbench a closer look.
Reveal more
There is an old Apple IIe and a floppy disk. Examine them, try the power switch, or insert the disk. The computer remains resolutely nonfunctional. Its place in the garden is an affectionate salute to those earlier adventures.
Read a small hint: a little courtesy
Some objects deserve more than a passing glance. One might appreciate a greeting.
Reveal more
When you discover the mirror, say hello or offer a compliment. It has a high opinion of itself, but it is kind enough to make conversation.
Read a small hint: take in the view
On your way home, take a pause if a bench presents itself.
Reveal more
The halfway landing has a scenic overlook. Look around, then examine whichever distant shape catches your attention. The views are little tributes to the worlds of Zork; they are scenery to enjoy, rather than places you need to reach. Look before continuing upward—the next climb completes your adventure.
Sources and notes
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Building stronger semantic understanding into text game reinforcement learning agents Describes text games, including Zork, as testbeds for agents that understand and interact through language. View Source ↩
