From: chris_...@next-generation.com (Chris Charla)
Subject: New Zork text adventure from Marc Blank / NG Magazine Ad
Date: 1997/07/06
Message-ID: <chris_charla-0607971440330001@snews.zippo.com>#1/1
X-Deja-AN: 255099236
Organization: Imagine Games Network
Newsgroups: rec.games.int-fiction,rec.arts.int-fiction
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: I'm sorry if anyone is offended by the ad-like nature of this post,
but it is something I think the readers of both the groups it is posted to
will be interested in.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The August issue of Next Generation magazine is winging its way to
subscriber right now (so the NDA on this info is over).
Accompanying Activision's new Zork: Grand Inquisitor game will be a new
Zork text adventure from Marc Blank. The game, Zork: Undiscovered
Underground, is "about half the size of Zork I," according to Marc, and
was written (as you might expect) with Inform.
Next Generation has a complete preview of Zork: Grand Inquisitor, as well
as a short interview with Marc Blank in the August issue.
Next Generation Online should have the exclusive download of Undiscovered
Underground available sometime in August (it will also be available on
Activision's page a couple of days after we put it up).
Anyway, it'll be the first Zork text adventure in a decade. Cool, huh?
-Chris Charla
Next Generation
Check out NG Online at:
http://www.next-generation.com
Part of the Imagine Games Network
From: adca...@unix.amherst.edu (mr microphone)
Subject: Re: New Zork text adventure from Marc Blank / NG Magazine Ad
Date: 1997/07/07
Message-ID: <33c17397.0@amhnt2.amherst.edu>#1/1
X-Deja-AN: 255366003
References: <chris_charla-0607971440330001@snews.zippo.com>
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Organization: odds
Newsgroups: rec.games.int-fiction,rec.arts.int-fiction
Chris Charla (chris_...@next-generation.com) wrote:
: Accompanying Activision's new Zork: Grand Inquisitor game will be a new
: Zork text adventure from Marc Blank. The game, Zork: Undiscovered
: Underground, is "about half the size of Zork I," according to Marc, and
: was written (as you might expect) with Inform.
This is too amazingly cool for words.
I wonder what Blank's relationship with Activision is, and if he
worked on ZGI.
And didn't someone say that ZGI was originally written as a text
game? Or was that Nemesis? Or both? It'd be nice to see those, but
"Undiscovered Underground" is basically a brand-new Infocom game.
How great would it be if Blank regrouped with Meretzky and any
other Infocommies still interested, recruited some fresh blood,
and plunged back into the text-game scene?
--
"There's no use even trying because it's hopeless. All of our dreams are
dying of overdoses. All of our plans are lying in ten-car road wrecks.
There's just no point in crying; you know it's hopeless."
Future Bible Heroes, "Hopeless"
From: ow...@best.com (JID)
Subject: Re: New Zork text adventure from Marc Blank / NG Magazine Ad
Date: 1997/07/07
Message-ID: <owls-0707971833300001@owls.vip.best.com>#1/1
X-Deja-AN: 255382214
References: <chris_charla-0607971440330001@snews.zippo.com>
<33c17397.0@amhnt2.amherst.edu>
Organization: The Trinity Guardian, San Francisco Bureau
Newsgroups: rec.games.int-fiction,rec.arts.int-fiction
In article < 33c17...@amhnt2.amherst.edu>, adca...@unix.amherst.edu
(mr microphone) wrote:
>How great would it be if Blank regrouped with Meretzky and any
>other Infocommies still interested, recruited some fresh blood,
>and plunged back into the text-game scene?
My heart just stopped. From your lips to the Implementors'
ear-like appendages!
Joey
****************************************************
American Gothic fanatic or just a tourist in Trinity?
Read The Trinity Guardian: http://www.best.com/~owls/AG/
****************************************************
Guildenstern: He's -- melancholy.
Player: Melancholy?
Rosencrantz: Mad.
Alice: But I don't want to go among mad people.
Cheshire Cat: Oh, you can't help that, we're all mad here.
(From "Rosencrantz & Guildenstern in Wonderland")
****************************************************
Johanna "Joey" Drasner: owls @ best . com (San Francisco)
****************************************************
From: erky...@netcom.com (Andrew Plotkin)
Subject: Re: New Zork text adventure from Marc Blank / NG Magazine Ad
Date: 1997/07/08
Message-ID: <erkyrathECzJv9.2yv@netcom.com>#1/1
X-Deja-AN: 255429124
Sender: erky...@netcom7.netcom.com
References: <chris_charla-0607971440330001@snews.zippo.com>
<33c17397.0@amhnt2.amherst.edu> <owls-0707971833300001@owls.vip.best.com>
Organization: Netcom On-Line Services
Newsgroups: rec.games.int-fiction
JID (ow...@best.com) wrote:
> In article < 33c17...@amhnt2.amherst.edu>, adca...@unix.amherst.edu (mr
> microphone) wrote:
> >How great would it be if Blank regrouped with Meretzky and any
> >other Infocommies still interested, recruited some fresh blood,
> >and plunged back into the text-game scene?
> My heart just stopped. From your lips to the Implementors' ear-like
> appendages!
Er, far be it from me to speak for Them, but just maybe there's a big
difference between creating a freeware game for fun -- like we've been
doing -- and forming a full-time text adventure company -- which none of
us have even come close to doing?
This message brought to you by the local campaign for "Yes, I'm really
looking forward to a new Blank game, but can we keep our feet on the
ground here, please?"
(With a generous donation from the workers' union of "Besides, if I was
going to plunge into the text-game scene full-time, I wouldn't sit around
waiting for an Infocom Implementor to give me the go-ahead. What have
they got that I haven't got?" :-)
--Z ("besides name recognition.")
PS: ("...and humility.")
--
"And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these were the
borogoves..."
From: adca...@unix.amherst.edu (mr microphone)
Subject: Re: New Zork text adventure from Marc Blank / NG Magazine Ad
Date: 1997/07/08
Message-ID: <33c28956.0@amhnt2.amherst.edu>#1/1
X-Deja-AN: 255559961
References: <chris_charla-0607971440330001@snews.zippo.com>
<33c17397.0@amhnt2.amherst.edu> <owls-0707971833300001@owls.vip.best.com>
<erkyrathECzJv9.2yv@netcom.com>
Organization: odds
Newsgroups: rec.games.int-fiction
Andrew Plotkin (erky...@netcom.com) wrote:
: Er, far be it from me to speak for Them, but just maybe there's a big
: difference between creating a freeware game for fun -- like we've been
: doing -- and forming a full-time text adventure company -- which none of
: us have even come close to doing?
Never said they couldn't keep their day jobs.
: This message brought to you by the local campaign for "Yes, I'm really
: looking forward to a new Blank game, but can we keep our feet on the
: ground here, please?"
Why?
: (With a generous donation from the workers' union of "Besides, if I was
: going to plunge into the text-game scene full-time, I wouldn't sit around
: waiting for an Infocom Implementor to give me the go-ahead. What have
: they got that I haven't got?" :-)
Well, that's a whole different subject. It's possible for someone
to want to design text games and also want the Implementors to get
back together, or any combination of the two sentiments or lack thereof.
--
"There's no use even trying because it's hopeless. All of our dreams are
dying of overdoses. All of our plans are lying in ten-car road wrecks.
There's just no point in crying; you know it's hopeless."
Future Bible Heroes, "Hopeless"
From: erky...@netcom.com (Andrew Plotkin)
Subject: Re: New Zork text adventure from Marc Blank / NG Magazine Ad
Date: 1997/07/08
Message-ID: <erkyrathED0qvD.AF8@netcom.com>#1/1
X-Deja-AN: 255586040
Sender: erky...@netcom.netcom.com
References: <chris_charla-0607971440330001@snews.zippo.com>
<33c17397.0@amhnt2.amherst.edu> <owls-0707971833300001@owls.vip.best.com>
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Organization: Netcom On-Line Services
Newsgroups: rec.games.int-fiction
mr microphone (adca...@unix.amherst.edu) wrote:
> : This message brought to you by the local campaign for "Yes, I'm really
> : looking forward to a new Blank game, but can we keep our feet on the
> : ground here, please?"
> Why?
"All questions that begin with the word 'why?' can be answered with the
word 'money.'"
(I'm about to spend the summer writing text adventures full-time. It's
called "quitting my job." It will go on until I get a new job, or until my
bank account is empty (at which point I'll get a new job). It will be a lot
of fun. It will not be a sustainable lifestyle.)
--Z
(Well, text adventures and texturefnoob additions.)
--
"And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these were the
borogoves..."
From: adca...@unix.amherst.edu (mr microphone)
Subject: Re: New Zork text adventure from Marc Blank / NG Magazine Ad
Date: 1997/07/09
Message-ID: <33c2fe08.0@amhnt2.amherst.edu>#1/1
X-Deja-AN: 255645315
References: <chris_charla-0607971440330001@snews.zippo.com>
<33c17397.0@amhnt2.amherst.edu> <owls-0707971833300001@owls.vip.best.com>
<erkyrathECzJv9.2yv@netcom.com> <33c28956.0@amhnt2.amherst.edu>
<erkyrathED0qvD.AF8@netcom.com>
Organization: odds
Newsgroups: rec.games.int-fiction
Andrew Plotkin (erky...@netcom.com) wrote:
: mr microphone (adca...@unix.amherst.edu) wrote:
: > : This message brought to you by the local campaign for "Yes, I'm really
: > : looking forward to a new Blank game, but can we keep our feet on the
: > : ground here, please?"
: > Why?
: "All questions that begin with the word 'why?' can be answered with the
: word 'money.'"
The question wasn't "Why can't Infocom reform in all its commercial
glory," but rather, "Why must we 'eep our feet on the ground?'"
Heck, you're quitting your job to write text games full-time, Mr. Practical.
And anyway, I don't really know that text games are so unmarketable.
It would seem so, and if I were a betting man, I'd bet so.
But does anyone have the sales figures for "Masterpieces," "Lost Treasures,"
and the various other Infocom rereleases? There must be *some*
reason Activision keeps repackaging that old stuff, and I doubt they'd
waste the effort on a commercial flop.
--
"There's no use even trying because it's hopeless. All of our dreams are
dying of overdoses. All of our plans are lying in ten-car road wrecks.
There's just no point in crying; you know it's hopeless."
Future Bible Heroes, "Hopeless"
From: Marc Blank <mbl...@eidetic.com>
Subject: Re: New Zork text adventure from Marc Blank / NG Magazine Ad
Date: 1997/07/09
Message-ID: <33C3CC9C.4512@eidetic.com>#1/1
X-Deja-AN: 255800980
References: <chris_charla-0607971440330001@snews.zippo.com>
Organization: None
Reply-To: mbl...@eidetic.com
Newsgroups: rec.games.int-fiction,rec.arts.int-fiction
Chris Charla wrote:
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Note: I'm sorry if anyone is offended by the ad-like nature of this post,
> but it is something I think the readers of both the groups it is posted to
> will be interested in.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> The August issue of Next Generation magazine is winging its way to
> subscriber right now (so the NDA on this info is over).
>
> Accompanying Activision's new Zork: Grand Inquisitor game will be a new
> Zork text adventure from Marc Blank. The game, Zork: Undiscovered
> Underground, is "about half the size of Zork I," according to Marc, and
> was written (as you might expect) with Inform.
>
> Next Generation has a complete preview of Zork: Grand Inquisitor, as well
> as a short interview with Marc Blank in the August issue.
>
> Next Generation Online should have the exclusive download of Undiscovered
> Underground available sometime in August (it will also be available on
> Activision's page a couple of days after we put it up).
>
> Anyway, it'll be the first Zork text adventure in a decade. Cool, huh?
>
> -Chris Charla
> Next Generation
>
> Check out NG Online at:
> http://www.next-generation.com
> Part of the Imagine Games Network
Chris, et al...
To set the record straight, I had nothing to do with the programming of
the game, only the design and text (along with Mike Berlyn).
- Marc
From: jcom...@typhoon.xnet.com (Jason Compton)
Subject: Re: New Zork text adventure from Marc Blank / NG Magazine Ad
Date: 1997/07/10
Message-ID: <5q1ris$kmv@flood.xnet.com>#1/1
X-Deja-AN: 255889948
References: <chris_charla-0607971440330001@snews.zippo.com>
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<erkyrathECzJv9.2yv@netcom.com> <33c28956.0@amhnt2.amherst.edu>
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Organization: XNet - Chicagoland's Regional ISP (630) 983-6064
Newsgroups: rec.games.int-fiction
mr microphone (adca...@unix.amherst.edu) wrote:
: But does anyone have the sales figures for "Masterpieces," "Lost Treasures,"
: and the various other Infocom rereleases? There must be *some*
: reason Activision keeps repackaging that old stuff, and I doubt they'd
: waste the effort on a commercial flop.
Well, Masterpieces was very inexpensive to produce and was very cheap on
the shelves, and it sounds like Activision set the supply just about
right--maybe a little on the tight side, but they're not stuck with a ton
of useless CDs they can't sell. Masterpieces is, what, less than a year
old, and already it's been licensed out with 8 other titles in a Mac
bundle for $30. So I don't think Masterpieces made a whole ton of cash,
and that's considering that it was, what, 36 games?
--
Jason Compton jcom...@xnet.com
Editor-in-Chief, Amiga Report Magazine Anchor, Amiga Legacy
http://www.cucug.org/ar/ http://www.xnet.com/~jcompton/
Move forward... ...was my friend's only cry
From: adca...@unix.amherst.edu (mr microphone)
Subject: Re: New Zork text adventure from Marc Blank / NG Magazine Ad
Date: 1997/07/10
Message-ID: <33c5365d.0@amhnt2.amherst.edu>#1/1
X-Deja-AN: 256018076
References: <chris_charla-0607971440330001@snews.zippo.com>
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<5q1ris$kmv@flood.xnet.com>
Organization: odds
Newsgroups: rec.games.int-fiction
Jason Compton (jcom...@typhoon.xnet.com) wrote:
: of useless CDs they can't sell. Masterpieces is, what, less than a year
: old, and already it's been licensed out with 8 other titles in a Mac
: bundle for $30. So I don't think Masterpieces made a whole ton of cash,
: and that's considering that it was, what, 36 games?
31, I believe. And, FWIW, "7th Guest" was on an earlier
comp by the same company. Not that Masterpieces made anything
close to 7th Guest, but it's not proof of failure (or even mediocrity).
--
"There's no use even trying because it's hopeless. All of our dreams are
dying of overdoses. All of our plans are lying in ten-car road wrecks.
There's just no point in crying; you know it's hopeless."
Future Bible Heroes, "Hopeless"
From: adca...@unix.amherst.edu (mr microphone)
Subject: Re: New Zork text adventure from Marc Blank / NG Magazine Ad
Date: 1997/07/10
Message-ID: <33c56d22.0@amhnt2.amherst.edu>#1/1
X-Deja-AN: 256063946
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mr microphone (adca...@unix.amherst.edu) wrote:
: Jason Compton (jcom...@typhoon.xnet.com) wrote:
: : of useless CDs they can't sell. Masterpieces is, what, less than a year
: : old, and already it's been licensed out with 8 other titles in a Mac
: : bundle for $30. So I don't think Masterpieces made a whole ton of cash,
: : and that's considering that it was, what, 36 games?
: 31, I believe. And, FWIW, "7th Guest" was on an earlier
Forgot the contest winners. Sorry, guys. But there were still only
31 non-freeware games on the disc. (30 now that Zork I can be gotten
from Activision's website.)
--
"There's no use even trying because it's hopeless. All of our dreams are
dying of overdoses. All of our plans are lying in ten-car road wrecks.
There's just no point in crying; you know it's hopeless."
Future Bible Heroes, "Hopeless"
From: graem...@aol.com (GraemeCree)
Subject: Re: New Zork text adventure from Marc Blank / NG Magazine Ad
Date: 1997/07/23
Message-ID: <19970723185800.OAA21248@ladder02.news.aol.com>#1/1
X-Deja-AN: 258363968
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X-Admin: ne...@aol.com
>>Forgot the contest winners. Sorry, guys. But there were still only 31
non-freeware games on the disc. (30 now that Zork I can be gotten from
Activision's website.)
>>
No, actually, there are 39 games in Masterpieces; 33 of the 35
Infocom games (all except Hitchhiker's and Shogun), and the 6 contest
winners.
From: erky...@netcom.com (Andrew Plotkin)
Subject: Re: New Zork text adventure from Marc Blank / NG Magazine Ad
Date: 1997/07/23
Message-ID: <erkyrathEDsMJL.3Cq@netcom.com>#1/1
X-Deja-AN: 258406076
Sender: erky...@netcom16.netcom.com
References: <33c56d22.0@amhnt2.amherst.edu>
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Organization: Netcom On-Line Services
Newsgroups: rec.games.int-fiction
GraemeCree (graem...@aol.com) wrote:
> >>Forgot the contest winners. Sorry, guys. But there were still only 31
> non-freeware games on the disc. (30 now that Zork I can be gotten from
> Activision's website.)
> No, actually, there are 39 games in Masterpieces; 33 of the 35
> Infocom games (all except Hitchhiker's and Shogun), and the 6 contest
> winners.
Ok, 32 non-freeware games. Picky, picky. :)
--Z
--
"And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these were the
borogoves..."
From: graem...@aol.com (GraemeCree)
Subject: Re: New Zork text adventure from Marc Blank / NG Magazine Ad
Date: 1997/07/27
Message-ID: <19970727145400.KAA00635@ladder02.news.aol.com>#1/1
X-Deja-AN: 259426982
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>>Ok, 32 non-freeware games. Picky, picky. :)
Zork 1 may be available for free download, but it isn't freeware, is
it? They still have to keep their copyright on Zork, Dimwit Flathead, and
the like.
I don't believe that Zork 1 has the status of, say, Mystery House,
which is completely in the public domain.
From: pat...@syix.com (Patrick Kellum)
Subject: Re: New Zork text adventure from Marc Blank / NG Magazine Ad
Date: 1997/07/27
Message-ID: <5rg9ne$i06$1@neko.syix.com>#1/1
X-Deja-AN: 259499057
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Newsgroups: rec.games.int-fiction
For some reason, GraemeCree was chatting and out came these words of greatness:
> Zork 1 may be available for free download, but it isn't freeware, is
>it? They still have to keep their copyright on Zork, Dimwit Flathead, and
>the like.
Freeware means that although it is for free use, it is still under
copyright. Public Domain means total lack of copyright.
Patrick
---
"Pity there are no Martians to witness the spectacle of a kind of 15-foot
beach ball suddenly falling out of the sky and bouncing all about."
- Description of the Mars Pathfinder landing on Mars.
From a New York Times News Service story by John Noble Wilford
From: graem...@aol.com (GraemeCree)
Subject: Re: New Zork text adventure from Marc Blank / NG Magazine Ad
Date: 1997/07/30
Message-ID: <19970730233100.TAA05846@ladder01.news.aol.com>#1/1
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Newsgroups: rec.games.int-fiction
>>Freeware means that although it is for free use, it is still under
copyright. Public Domain means total lack of copyright.
>>
Okay, maybe it is Freeware then. Okay, here's a question. I'd like
to be able to give people copies of the first version of Zork 1 (Version
5) because it has so many amusing bugs that appear nowhere else. I'd also
like to give out the Solid Gold edition of the game with online hints,
because Activision hasn't been using it in their releases. If the game is
Freeware, does this mean that I can do it?
From: Al Petrofsky <alba...@wco.com>
Subject: Re: New Zork text adventure from Marc Blank / NG Magazine Ad
Date: 1997/08/04
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Newsgroups: rec.games.int-fiction
graem...@aol.com (GraemeCree) writes:
> Okay, here's a question. I'd like
> to be able to give people copies of the first version of Zork 1 (Version
> 5) because it has so many amusing bugs that appear nowhere else. I'd also
> like to give out the Solid Gold edition of the game with online hints,
> because Activision hasn't been using it in their releases. If the game is
> Freeware, does this mean that I can do it?
As has been pointed out, the strict answer is that you are not allowed
to do this. A compromise that I would suggest, however, is to release
a byte-by-byte exclusive-or of your obscure version and a widespread
version. This allows anyone who has one of the two versions to
reproduce the other, but is useless to anyone who has neither.
This technique was used by Stephan Jokisch in 1995 to distribute a
sound version of Lurking Horror
<URL:ftp://ftp.gmd.de/if-archive/infocom/missing-files/lhsound.zip>.
As far as I know, Activision has never complained, and I can't imagine
them ever doing so.
I would definitely like to see these curiosities, so I hope you take
this suggestion. Feel free to ask for technical assistance.
-al