Zork I
Developer(s)	Infocom
Publisher(s)	Personal Software / Infocom
Designer(s)	Tim Anderson, Marc Blank, Dave Lebling and Bruce Daniels
Engine	ZIL
Platform(s)	Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Apple II, Apple Macintosh, Atari 8-bit, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Commodore 128, Commodore Plus/4, CP/M, DOS, TRS-80, NEC PC-9801
Release date	December 1980
Genre(s)	Text adventure
Mode(s)	Single player
Media	3½" or 5¼" disk
System requirements	No special requirements
Input methods	Keyboard

Zork I: The Great Underground Empire is an interactive fiction computer game written by Marc Blank, Dave Lebling, Bruce Daniels and Tim Anderson and published by Infocom in 1980. A video game developer is a software developer (a business or an individual that creates Video games A developer may specialize in a certain video Infocom was a Software company, based in Cambridge Massachusetts, that produced numerous works of Interactive fiction. VisiCorp was an early personal computer software publisher Its most famous products are VisiOn and VisiCalc. A "game designer" is a person who designs Video games or one who designs traditional games such as Board games Video Games Designer A video game designer Tim Anderson is a Computer programmer who helped create the Adventure game Zork, one of the first works of Interactive fiction and Marc Blank is an American Computer game designer and Game programmer. P David Lebling (born 1949 was an Interactive fiction Game designer, or Implementor, at Infocom. A game engine is a software system designed for the creation and development of computer and video games The Z-machine is a Virtual machine that was developed by Joel Berez and Marc Blank in 1979 and used by Infocom for its text adventure games In Computing, a platform describes some sort of Hardware architecture or Software framework (including Application frameworks, that allows The Amiga is a family of Personal computers originally developed by Amiga Corporation. The Amstrad CPC is a series of 8-bit Home computers produced by Amstrad Plc during the 1980s and early 1990s Macintosh, commonly nicknamed Mac is a Brand name which covers several lines of Personal computers designed developed and marketed by Apple Inc The Atari 8-bit family is a series of 8-bit Home computers manufactured from 1979 to 1992 The Atari ST is a home / Personal computer that was commercially available from 1985 to the early 1990s The Commodore 128 ( C128, CBM 128, C=128) home / Personal computer was the last 8-bit machine which was commercially The Commodore Plus/4 was a Home computer released by Commodore International in 1984 CP/M (Control Program for Microcomputers is an Operating system originally created for Intel 8080 / 85 based Microcomputers by Gary Kildall DOS, short for "Disk Operating System" is a shorthand term for several closely related Operating systems that dominated the IBM PC compatible market TRS-80 was Tandy Corporation 's desktop Microcomputer model line sold through Tandy's Radio Shack stores in the late 1970s and early The NEC PC-9801 (or the PC-98 for short is a Japanese Microcomputer manufactured by NEC. See also [[Game classification]] Video games are categorized into Genres based on their Gameplay interaction In video gaming, single-player refers to the variant of a particular game where input from only one player is expected throughout the course of the gaming session Digital media (as opposed to analog media) usually refers to Electronic media that work on digital Codes. A floppy disk is an increasingly Obsolete data storage medium that is composed of a disk of thin flexible ("floppy" Magnetic storage medium encased A floppy disk is an increasingly Obsolete data storage medium that is composed of a disk of thin flexible ("floppy" Magnetic storage medium encased In Computing, a keyboard is an Input device partially modelled after the typewriter keyboard which uses an arrangement of buttons or keys Zork was one of the first Interactive fiction Computer games and an early descendant of Colossal Cave Adventure. Zork II The Wizard of Frobozz is an Interactive fiction Computer game published by Infocom in 1981. Zork III The Dungeon Master is an Interactive fiction Computer game written by Marc Blank, Dave Lebling, Bruce Daniels Beyond Zork (full title Beyond Zork The Coconut of Quendor) was an Interactive fiction Computer game written by Brian Moriarty and Zork Zero The Revenge of Megaboz is an Interactive fiction Computer game, written by Steve Meretzky and published by Infocom in Spellbreaker is an Interactive fiction Computer game written by Dave Lebling and released by Infocom in 1985, the third Wishbringer The Magick Stone of Dreams is an Interactive fiction Computer game written by Brian Moriarty and published by Infocom Return to Zork is a 1993 Adventure game in the Zork series for the PC and Apple Macintosh. Zork The Undiscovered Underground (or ZUU for short is an Interactive fiction Computer game written by former Infocom Implementors Infocom was a Software company, based in Cambridge Massachusetts, that produced numerous works of Interactive fiction. Activision Inc is an American Video game developer and publisher. FrobozzCo International is a fictional monopolous conglomerate from the Infocom text adventure Zork universe The Z-machine is a Virtual machine that was developed by Joel Berez and Marc Blank in 1979 and used by Infocom for its text adventure games AFGNCAAP (pronounced Afghan-cap or Afghan-cop is a satirically politically correct Initialism for " Ageless Faceless Gender-Neutral Culturally-Ambiguous The Zork books were a series of four books written by S Eric Meretzky, which took place in the Fictional universe of Zork. A personal computer Game (also known as a computer game or simply PC game) is a Video game played on a Personal computer, rather Marc Blank is an American Computer game designer and Game programmer. P David Lebling (born 1949 was an Interactive fiction Game designer, or Implementor, at Infocom. Tim Anderson is a Computer programmer who helped create the Adventure game Zork, one of the first works of Interactive fiction and Infocom was a Software company, based in Cambridge Massachusetts, that produced numerous works of Interactive fiction. Events Notable releases Mattel releases the Intellivision Video game console. It was the first game in the popular Zork trilogy and was released for a wide range of computer systems, followed by Zork II and Zork III. Zork was one of the first Interactive fiction Computer games and an early descendant of Colossal Cave Adventure. Zork II The Wizard of Frobozz is an Interactive fiction Computer game published by Infocom in 1981. Zork III The Dungeon Master is an Interactive fiction Computer game written by Marc Blank, Dave Lebling, Bruce Daniels It is Infocom's first game.

Contents 1 Plot 2 Feelies 3 Notes 4 Releases 5 Quotes 6 Notes 7 External links

Plot

The game takes place in the Zork calendar year 948 GUE (although the passage of time is not notable in gameplay). The player steps into the deliberately vague role of an "adventurer". The game begins near a White House in a small, self-contained area. Although the player is given little instruction, the house provides an obvious point of interest.

When the player enters the house, it yields a number of intriguing objects: an ancient brass lantern, an empty trophy case, an intricately engraved sword, etc. Beneath the rug a trap door leads down into a dark dungeon. But what initially appears to be a dungeon is actually one of several entrances to a vast subterranean land--the Great Underground Empire. The player soon encounters dangerous creatures, including deadly grues, an axe-wielding troll, a giant cyclops and a nimble-fingered thief. A grue is a fictional predator from the Zork series of Interactive fiction games by Infocom. A troll is a fearsome member of a race of creatures from Norse mythology. In Greek mythology and later Roman mythology, a cyclops (ˈsaɪklɒps or kyklops ( Greek) is a member of a primordial race of

The ultimate goal of Zork I is to collect the Twenty One Treasures of Zork and install them in the trophy case. Finding the treasures requires solving a variety of puzzles such as the navigation of two brutal mazes and some intricate manipulations at Flood Control Dam #3.

Placing all of the treasures into the trophy case scores the player 350 points and grants the rank of "Master Adventurer. " An ancient map with further instructions then magically appears in the trophy case. These instructions provide access to a stone barrow. The entrance to the barrow is the end of Zork I and the beginning of Zork II. Zork II The Wizard of Frobozz is an Interactive fiction Computer game published by Infocom in 1981.

It is possible to score all 350 points in 231 moves (and complete the game completely in 236 moves). ^[1]

Feelies

Infocom did not begin their tradition of including feelies, or extra items related to a game, until the 1982 release Deadline. Infocom used the term feelie to refer to the extra content included with the boxed versions of their Interactive fiction Computer games Feelies differed Events December 27 - Starcade, a Video game Television Game show, debuts on TBS in the United States Later re-releases of the game, however, were packaged with:

• The booklet The Great Underground Empire: A History, by "Froboz Mumbar"
• A map roughly corresponding to a portion of the game's area

Although the back of the Zork I "Grey box" depicted a zorkmid coin included with the other feelies, production difficulties led to the coins' omission from the packages. Zorkmid coins were not included as feelies until the release of the Zork Trilogy boxed set.

Notes

The opening text of Zork I is among the most famous descriptions in computer games:

West of House

You are standing in an open field west of a white house, with a boarded front door.

There is a small mailbox here.

This is quite simplistic when compared to Infocom's later games, many of which started with screenfuls of introductory text.

Several of the game's situations and descriptions have become iconic within the field of interactive fiction, such as the brass lantern and the "Elvish sword of great antiquity".

Zork I also introduced the famous grue, a "sinister, lurking presence" who kills adventurers who go exploring in the dark. A grue is a fictional predator from the Zork series of Interactive fiction games by Infocom. Grues appeared (or, at least, were mentioned) in many subsequent Infocom adventures, right up to the 1997 graphic adventure Zork Grand Inquisitor, published by Activision. Activision Inc is an American Video game developer and publisher.

The name of Aragain Falls was created by spelling the word Niagara backwards. The Niagara Falls are massive Waterfalls on the Niagara River, straddling the international border separating the Canadian province of Ontario

"Fweep" is the sound that the vampire bat makes. In Sorcerer, "Fweep" is also the name of a spell that changes the caster into a bat. According to the Sorcerer InvisiClues hint book, the bat is repeating the last word he ever heard as a human—if the bat was previously a human, of course. InvisiClues were hint Booklets sold by Infocom to help players solve Puzzles in their Interactive fiction Computer games Before

The currency in NetHack is the zorkmid. NetHack is a single-player Roguelike computer game originally released in 1987.

Releases

The original version of Zork I was published by Personal Software and simply called Zork. VisiCorp was an early personal computer software publisher Its most famous products are VisiOn and VisiCalc. It was distributed in clear plastic bags containing only the game disk and a 36-page booklet. Infocom's first "self-published" version of Zork I was in the so-called "Folio" format which included a single piece of paper describing how to run the game. The feelies noted above were only introduced when Zork I was re-released in the "Grey box" format.

Zork I was one of five Infocom games that were released in Solid Gold format with in-game hints.

There is also an abridged version, called Mini-Zork I, dated November 24, 1987. Events 380 - Theodosius I makes his adventus, or formal Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) Mini-Zork was released free of charge as a promotion.

A German language version was developed, but never released. The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. An unfinished version of this story file, dated January 13, 1988, has made its way into public circulation. Events 532 - Nika riots in Constantinople. 888 - Odo Count of Paris becomes King of the Franks Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) The German is evidently non-native, containing many spelling and grammar errors. It is known that Jeff O'Neill worked on this version. Jeff O'Neill (b 1958 is an American Video game developer. As an Implementor at Infocom he wrote two of Infocom's original Interactive

A Japanese version was released for the Sega Saturn and PlayStation in 1996. The is a 32-bit Video game console that was first released on November 22 1994 in Japan, May 11 1995 in North America The PlayStation (abbreviated PS, PSone, PS1, or informally as PSX) is a 32-bit fifth generation Video game console Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) This Japanese version includes graphics, sound effects, music, and auto-mapping. Of course, it was only released in Japan.

Fans remade Zork I as a 3d game using the Neverwinter Nights game engine. The remake is titled Zork I: The Great Underground Empire. ^[2]

Quotes

Zork is a source for many famous quotes. These are sometimes used in other interactive fiction games, or as a knowing identification between fans.

• [upon entering a dark place, initially the attic or basement] "It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue. " - The idea of dark places being dangerous because of a grue is well known in interactive fiction. A grue is a fictional predator from the Zork series of Interactive fiction games by Infocom. Wil Wheaton used this line as a form of recognition in the opening of his keynote address at the Penny Arcade Expo. Richard William "Wil" Wheaton III (born July 29, 1972) is an American Writer and Actor. The Penny Arcade Expo ( PAX) is an annual gamer festival held in Washington state, USA ^[3]
• [when entering the command "plugh" or "xyzzy", magic words from Colossal Cave Adventure] "A hollow voice says 'Fool. Colossal Cave Adventure (also known as ADVENT, Colossal Cave, or Adventure) (Crowther 1976 Crowther Xyzzy is a magic word from the Colossal Cave Adventure computer game Colossal Cave Adventure (also known as ADVENT, Colossal Cave, or Adventure) (Crowther 1976 Crowther '"^[4]
• [Wandering a maze in the basement] "You are in a maze of twisty passages, all alike. " — This phrase, also from Colossal Cave Adventure, has inspired a number of references, including inspiring the title of Nick Montfort's scholarly work on interactive fiction, Twisty Little Passages. That the rooms are all alike and thus difficult to map is a common problem, one discussed by Graham Nelson. ^[5]

Notes

External links

• Play Zork I: The Great Underground Empire online at iFiction. org
• Infocom-if.org's entry for Zork I
• All three Zork games downloadable for PC and Mac
• Zork: The Great Underground Empire at MobyGames
• Zork I Technical Info and Screenshot
• Zork I information and overview

• The Infocom Bugs List entry for Zork I
• Zork 1 Walkthroughs

MobyGames is a Website devoted to cataloging computer and video games, both past and present

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