Together Retro: Zork

[BogusMeatFactory]

No I didn't die, it just was an unsuccessful attack everytime so I fled.

This is one of the big problems with Zork. When attacking, you are not always successful. It is seemingly random when you succeed and when you fail.

[noiseredux]

Thank goodness you could save!

[Nemoide]

Anyone actually playing a physical version of this?

I've spotted a couple of Commodore 64 versions on eBay...

Yeps, I have three of the Zork games for Apple II with boxes and feelies and everything. Infocom games are fun to own because they tend to come with all kinds of cool extra stuff. Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy comes with the most of anything I own: danger-sensitive sunglasses (made of cardboard), a "Don't Panic" button (I have two so I wear one from time to time... it's gotten more compliments than any other button I've ever worn), a miniature space fleet (empty plastic bag), and "genuine fluff."
Unfortunately, all Zork I has is an extremely unhelpful but kind of neat looking map and a manual that describes the history of the Great Underground Empire.
It's basically "old-time geek humor" consisting of people with names like Dimwit Flathead, Granola Mines, a guy who was rumored to be a rope salesman... kind of dumb stuff like that!

I'll start fiddling around with the game tomorrow!

[noiseredux]

so while I'm having fun exploring and all, I am curious... is there some sort of goal I'm aiming for? Or is not knowing part of the experience?

EDIT: OMG, the Loud Room is obnoxious. I thought there was a glitch in the game at first and restored a save. :\

NOTETOSELF: save1 = Troll Room

[Nemoide]

I booted it up and started fooling around... FLOOD OF NOSTALGIA. Man this game brings me back SOMETHING FIERCE. I want to start playing for real all over again... but I know that if I do that I'll probably never beat Zork II.

The goal of Zork I is kind of random.

You know that trophy case in the house? FILL IT WITH TREASURE.

[noiseredux]

The goal of Zork I is kind of random.

You know that trophy case in the house? FILL IT WITH TREASURE.

what??? WHAT?!?!?! Are you joking? Wow. I could have easily played this game for a month and never had a hunch that that's what my goal was going to be. Ugh.

[ExedExes]

so while I'm having fun exploring and all, I am curious... is there some sort of goal I'm aiming for? Or is not knowing part of the experience?

Someone didn't read the article on the main page (or couldn't cuz the last paragraph has a real tiny font, I contacted RB about that and no fix yet)

There's a set of 20 treasures that you have to get back to your trophy case, and get as close to 350 end game points as you can.

If anyone hasn't tried it yet, start a new game and throw the leaflet at yourself The game feels pity for you.

[Nemoide]

The Japanese Saturn version of Zork looks really interesting. It has a bunch of kanji I'm not familiar with, so I'm pretty sure I won't be able to play it anytime in the foreseeable future... but it still looks SUPER-NEAT.

[ExedExes]

Finally got around to starting this. I love the number of words the game understands. I've been typing more funny commands than actually playing.

The troll went down easy for me, 2 hits and no health lost. Brought the first treasure back to the house.

[Nemoide]

So I walked-through Zork I to get a refresher on the setting, MAN I FORGOT WHAT BULLSHIT SOME OF THESE PUZZLES ARE. Somehow, the way you get past the Cyclops is simultaneously really clever and really stupid.
So I was never able to get a solid handle on the setting for the game and now I remember why: THIS GAME IS ALL OVER THE FRIGGIN' PLACE. An ancient Egyptian room? An inflatable plastic raft? Battery-powered lantern? Elvish sword?
I forgot how crazy-go-nuts this was!

Oh well, I'll probably get started on Zork II tomorrow... we'll see how far I get before I go crawling to the internet for help...