"All the Grues The History·of Zork-Part II That Fit, We Print" ID4t Ntw lnrli Wimta See Page 3 VOL. 4 ... No. 2 SPRING 1985 INTERMOLECULAR EDITION Wishbringer™: The Story of Your Dreams Festeron's not a bad place to live. ·Evil One. The Magick Shoppe It's a little seaside town with a owner's beloved cat has been kid­ picturesque church, a charming napped, and the ransom is an old-fashioned movie theater and a enchanted stone called sparkling bay. There's that Wishbringer . famous tourist attraction, When you leave the Magick Pleasure Wharf, and the Free Shoppe, after agreeing to help its Public Library with its collection proprietress find her cat, the of historic artifacts. There's even charming world of Festeron has a miniature lighthouse. disappeared, familiar people and The only thing Festeron places gone or twisted into doesn't have is a couple of sinister forms. Goldfish have dragons or princesses to spice turned into piranhas, trolls guard things up. But that's okay. You bridges, grues lurk in caves, and spend a lot of time daydreaming, your little post office has become creating a Magick world that you a fortress-like tower. Overseeing can' visit whenever you want. this skewed environment is the The only problem is your boss, Evil One and her omnipresent Mr. Crisp, who always shows up henchmen, the Boot Patrol. when you're just about to polish As you venture through the Included in evezy Wishbringer package are a sealed envelope containing the off the dragon. grotesque realm of the Evil One, ransom note and a glowing Wishbringer stone. Mr. Crisp doesn't spice up your you'll befriend mythic creatures life - he's more like a thorn than and evade the traps that have a dragon. But as mail clerk, you been set for you. And, like the do what he tells you to do, Magick sword of your daydreams, Mail Order: whether it's selling a stamp or the Wishbringer stone will be delivering a letter. And, strangely there to give you help when you Fulfillment Beyo.nd enough, it's the letter he asks you need it. to deliver one day that makes According to legend, Wish­ your life in good old Festeron as bringer holds seven Magick Your Wildest Dreams exciting as your dreams. wishes. The wishes, which are Having trouble finding StGicross™ We have moved our fulfillment listed in The Legend of Wish­ Here at Infocom, we like to InvisiClues'" or Enchantei" for service to a different company tum fantasies into reality. In bringer booklet included in the your Osborne? Many of our (note the new address) and we are package, . may each be used only Wishbringer, our newest readers have made use of our confident that their service will introductory-level fantasy, you once. To invoke a wish, you must direct order service. Every game be both accurate and speedy. have both the Wishbringer stone are the Festeron mail clerk seek­ and InvisiClues booklet we make (Most orders should be processed ing the extraordinary in the land and a specified object in hand. For is available by calling our toll-free and shipped within 24 hours of of the picturesque. example, "LUCK will bring good order number, (800) 262-6868, or receipt. That rivals even the old fortune, if ye hold a Horseshoe by mailing your order to: Zork Users Group!) The special-delivery letter Mr. and the Stone in thy possession. 11 Crisp asks you to take to Ye Olde Infocom, Inc. We apologize for any inconven­ Magick Shoppe turns out to be a ... Wishbtinger P.O. Box 478 ience our previous fulfillment ransom note from the mysterious continued on page 5 Cresskill, NJ 07626 service may have caused you and assure you that from now on no Unfortunately, in the past effort will be spared to provide some of the orders were mixed-up you with the service you expect Don't Stick This in Your Ear ... or slow to be processed. and deserve. B Admit it. You were excited when with an official Infocom ''I GOT you first got your very own int~r­ THE BABEL FISH" t-shirt. active fiction version of The These 100% cotton t-shirts are InfoNews Roundup Hitchhiker's Guide to the black with the same bright letter­ Galaxy'", weren't you? You can't ing as the front of your Hitch­ Party Tricks ring out. Moments later, a body is fool us - we know you wore hiker's game package. They come found, shot twice in the chest, your peril-sensitive sunglasses in 4 sizes (S, M, L, and XL), and A sumptuous mansion in Las near the indoor swimming pool. while driving, and nobody c;ould are available directly from In­ Vegas, once owned by Elvis Examination reveals that the vic­ get you to take your "DON'T focom (you may use the enclosed (Presley, not Flathead) . A party tim has a knife wound in his PANIC" button off for weeks - order form, or call our toll-free with nearly a thousand guests, back; yet strangulation is in­ you even wore it in the shower number [800-262-6868]) . The sipping drinks and discussing dicated by marks around his (painful, but it was worth it) . price? Just $7.95 . And considering everything from politics to local neck. A red drink nearby turns Now there's a safer, more socially how excited you must be about scandals. A band serenading the out to be a banana daiquiri with acceptable way to show your ex­ this, we're sure you'll want two crowds in the ballroom. red food coloring added. citement about Hitchhiker's, or three! B Suddenly a scream, and shots .. InfoNews continued on page 5 PAGE2 THE NEW ZORK TIMES SPRIN"G 1985 Dear Editor: Facts" column. But fortunately, Ode to a Planetfall Player MAIL BAG I just received my Winter 1985 this omission is but a very minor Planetfall is a wonderful game, edition of The New Zork Times, (and hopefully temporary) flaw in After I played it, I wasn't the To "Max the Knife" Dornbrook: and, needless to say, I was ex­ your terrific newsletter and line same. You know, Max, back when cited. I look forward to each and of interactive fiction. The Stellar Patrol is invincible, you were running the Zork Users every issue. But as I read this one, James Funkhouser With their ships made of steel Group (ahh, for the good old I saw the most distressing and lead. days) you were a real down to headline I have ever read: "Max Their motto is: To Boldly Go earth guy. But since you were Sacks Yak Facts. 11 How could you Dear Info-Folks or editor (as you Where Angels Fear To Tread. hired at Infocom and given a do this?? If your defense is the please}: Ode to a Zork Player cushy job as Product Manager survey mentioned, I must remind Recently, upon arrival of your The roses have lost their luster, (sneer) you seem to have forgot­ you that the average Zorker is not Winter '85 issue of The New ten about the little people (i.e., like the average person in a And I have lost my love. Zork Times, my wife and I were The heavens have lost their the type of people that Compu­ magazine survey. Some people surprised by the scathing article, News (double-sneer] ignores in its actually rely upon yak facts for moonlight, "Max Sacks Yak Facts". We were And all the stars above. polls). And what the little people their very existence. I therefore shocked! I guess we fall into the want is yaks. Back in the Fall believe that I speak for many The sky is plagued with lonely 0.1% who like to read "a darkness, 1984 issue when you started other NZT readers when I say significant amount about yaks." printing Yak Facts, I hoped that THE WORLD NEEDS MORE The orchids rot with rue. It seemed so long ago that we The world is dark and you might come down off your YAK FACTS! Perhaps even an were delighted by these Yak Facts high horse long enough to do interactive yak game is in order. meaningless, in the Fall '84 issue. The Mrs. I've been eaten by a grue. something to correct the severe To demonstrate the importance and I were sure that the new issue paucity of yak news in computer of the yak in daily life, I have in­ would hold more of these won­ -Jared A. Sorensen gaming newsletters. But then you cluded these facts that need drous facts, only to be slapped in (sixth grade) go and cancel the Yak Facts. It's desperately to be more widely the face by your yak-hating still not too late, Max, and "if you known: editors. Beneath the rug my adventure began correct this grievous error the lit­ 1) The typical yak is much, So as a final farewell to those The way was fraught with tle people may just go back to much larger than the typical good ale days of yak (?), we offer danger and reward calling you Mike. housecat (and much, much more these final bits of yak facts: Vanquish a troll and find the On the lighter side, I would useful). Did you know that .. like to congratulate everyone at . Flood Control Darn #3 is 3$ shadow man Infocom for their successes. So far 2) Well-instructed yaks can be tall as 42% large bull yaks.