Newsgroups: rec.games.int-fiction
Path: nntp.gmd.de!Germany.EU.net!EU.net!howland.reston.ans.net!news.sprintlink.net!alfa02.medio.net!netnews.nwnet.net!serval.net.wsu.edu!unicorn.it.wsu.edu!i9717029
From: Matthew Murray <i9717029@wsunix.wsu.edu>
Subject: Re: Trivial questions about older games 
In-Reply-To: <Pine.ULT.3.90.950228113258.22186C-100000@bigdog.engr.arizona.edu> 
X-Sender: i9717029@unicorn.it.wsu.edu
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.91.950307080648.7526B-100000@unicorn.it.wsu.edu>
Sender: news@serval.net.wsu.edu (News)
Organization: Washington State University
References: <3itv9n$nfo@cantua.canterbury.ac.nz> <Pine.ULT.3.90.950228113258.22186C-100000@bigdog.engr.arizona.edu> 
Mime-Version: 1.0
Date: Tue, 7 Mar 1995 16:10:03 GMT
Lines: 43

On Tue, 28 Feb 1995, Chuck wrote:

> 
> 
> On 28 Feb 1995, Brendon Wyber wrote:
> 
> >   1)  In Zork, who closes the trap-door on you when you go through it?
> >       I thought it was the thief but it will sometimes close after he has 
> >       been defeated. WHat must you do before it stops...
> 
> The dungeon master closes it behind you.  It's been a long time, so don't 
> ask my why I know that.  I forgot exactly when it stops closing.  It's 
> either when you find another way out or another way in to the dungeon 
> (those aren't exactly the same thing since there are one way entrances 
> and exits).  
> 
> 

     You probably remember it from the original mainframe Zork.  I don't 
remember in Dungeon--I never played that all the way through, but to my 
knowledge, it isn't explained, per se, in Zork III when you finally meet 
the Dungeon Master.  I need to replay these games--it's been too long, 
but I suppose that does make sense.
     Really the biggest problem I had with the commerically released 
Zorks is that I, II, and III don't make exactly a whole lot of sense in 
themselves--you really need to play all three, in order, to make sense 
out of it.  But that's really the biggest gripe I have about Zork.  They 
were, after all, trying to market Dungeon which, at the time, was far too 
big to be released on that era's storage media <a tear comes into the 
eye>.  But Dungeon was more cohesive and better put-together, primarily 
because all parts of the game worked together and fore-shadowed 
themselves.  But in terms of design, implementation, and everything else, 
the commerical Zork games are far superior.
     There are times I wish it was 1981 again.  <sigh>

*******Matthew Murray at mmurray@wsu.edu or i9717029@unicorn.it.wsu.edu*******
******************************************************************************
GT   d? H- s:+>+: !g p? !au>+ a-- w+>++ v+>++ C++(+++) UO+ P? !L>L !3>3 E----
     N++(+++) K->K W--- M+>+++ V-- po Y+>++ t(+)@ 5+++ j1 R- G' tv+(++) b+>++
     D--- B e>+ u+ h+>++ f+(-) !r>r+(++) n--(---) !y+>+
******************************************************************************
***Actor - Computer game wizard - B5 fanatic - German speaker - First tenor***

