The Flavorplex Text Adventure Company was founded as Flavorplex Corporation in 1953, originally with the intention of developing the world's most realistic food flavorings. The serendipitous discovery of the Nelson Mimesis Field in 1971 allowed the company to shift its focus from improved butter substitutes to the development of the technology that made early text adventures possible.
In 1978, the mimesis field generator was developed, allowing directional mimesis generators (with all their attendant hazards) to be replaced with safer and more reliable forms of mimesis. This device, called a Z machine, was instrumental in the widespread adoption of text adventures. Old-style mimesis generators are still used for industrial applications, but are strictly licensed for safety reasons.
The company's most widely-known product is, of course, the standard qualifying adventure used to prepare adventurers for the wild and risky world of text adventuring. This adventure has remained the standard for over thirty years, although the underlying technology has been updated several times. It remains the accepted standard to this day.
In 2000, Mr. Nelson stepped down from his role as company director to enjoy a well-earned retirement, but the company has remained in the family, with his son taking over the day-to-day operations of the firm.