“All the Grues ® The History of — p. 6 That Fit, We Print” InfoNews Roundup — p. 9 The New Zork Times Puzzle — p. 12 VOL. 4. . . .No. 1 WINTER 1985 INTER-ATOMIC EDITION : “The Hottest New Business Product of 1985”

On November 1st, at a press confer- games. ence in New York City, Cornerstone also simplifies data announced Cornerstone™, the first in entry. Whenever you've entered a new line of interactive business sufficient characters for Cornerstone software. to know what you want, it will Cornerstone is a full-featured complete the rest. Cornerstone will relational database management also check that your input meets system. Data management programs specified constraints (such as have traditionally fallen into two minimum or maximum values). And distinct camps: simple-to-use at any point, you can press the programs with very limited capabili- OPTIONS key to see a list of all ties, and full-featured programs that allowable data values. (A lexicogra- require the user to have program- pher in a cage?) ming skills (or to hire a consultant who does). Cornerstone was Why Business Products? designed to put all the power of this See page 6 second group into the hands of non- programmers. The other mainstay of Cornerstone With Cornerstone you can design, is flexibility. You're never locked build, and use sophisticated data into one way of doing things. If you management applications without need to look at your information in a writing a single line of code. These new way, you can create a new applications could be almost report in seconds (with no limit to anything — a personnel system, a the number of reports). If you need client-tracking system, or a roster of to add a third phone number for current Stellar Patrol assignments. Uncle Morris (he always tries to Once you've designed your database, keep one step ahead of the police), you can use Cornerstone for five Cornerstone opens up more room in major activities: storing large quan- his record — without adding wasted Cornerstone: The sophisticated database system for the non-programmer. tities of data, selecting data meeting space for everyone else. In fact, all specified criteria, sorting data in a information in Cornerstone is of particular order, calculating new variable length, so there's never a data, and reporting the data. In addi- need to specify how long anything Infocom Brings Hitchhiker’s tion, Cornerstone can convert data to will be. The ultimate test of flexibil- Back to Public Radio or from many other software ity is the ability to redefine your programs, such as word processors database. With Cornerstone you can We are proud to announce that Info- considered this radio serial the best and spreadsheets. do that at any time. com has now made it possible for all rendition of The Hitchhiker's Guide. In true Infocom tradition, Corner- Cornerstone comes with a wide radio listeners to pick up Hitch- If you have never heard it, you will stone is special in its style of interac- variety of tools to make it easy to hiker's! Before it was an interactive find it funny, outrageous, mind-bog- tion. But in contrast to the games, learn and to use. There's a Beginner's story, before it was a TV show, gling, and well worth listening to. Cornerstone is designed to make Guide with ten interactive lessons. before it was converted into four Beginning in January 1985, every decision clear and simple. There's an Owner's Handbook that phenomenal best-selling books, The episodes will be made available to ™ Most of the time, all you have to do explains, in clear English, all the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy was public radio stations across the coun- is select an option from a menu. Cor- features of the program. There's even a twelve-part radio serial on Britain's try for inclusion in their schedules. nerstone then responds with a new a ready-to-use Client Tracking BBC. Now Infocom is sponsoring a Check local program listings for menu, or tells you that it's ready to system database, designed to keep rebroadcast of the entire serial on times — each station puts together execute your command. For all other client histories, generate mailing National Public Radio (NPR). its own schedule independently. If activities, Cornerstone displays a labels, and maintain a directory of This is radio as you've never heard your local public radio station is not form for you to fill in. At any point, names and addresses. All these mate- it before. Conceived and written by carrying the show, call to point out if you're not sure what to do, you can rials come in a unique box that , The Hitchhiker's that it is available and that you are press the HELP key. This will give continues Infocom's tradition of Guide radio serial is hilarious and interested in it (phone calls are you a detailed description of your award-winning packaging. The box contains some of the best sound surprisingly effective). So tell your exact position and all your current is made of heavy molded plastic; its effects ever produced. Before the friends ... and don't forget your options. It's like having your very top swivels down to double as a interactive story came out, many towel. own programmer in a cage. There's workstation, and is capable of hold- more text in these HELP screens ing an open manual. Who’s broadcasting? than in two entire ...more Cornerstone on page 9 See “Listen Up” on page 4 PAGE 2 THE NEW ZORK TIMES WINTER 1985

involved in running a business: sales staff, product support staff, and the costs EDITORIAL involved in getting information (ads, press conferences, trade shows, sales literature, newsletters...) to the retailer and consumer. This overhead easily Thoughts on Software Piracy adds another $5 to $10 in cost per unit. Adding all these costs together results

in games that cost the manufacturer $13 to $24 to produce. Since the manu- facturer receives an average of 40%, a retail price of between $32 and $60 is At Infocom, we take an unusual approach to the prevention of software required for the product to break even. You can easily see why prices are piracy. Rather than spending large amounts of time, effort, and money on what they are and why most software companies still can't seem to make a go designing ever-better anti-piracy techniques (our games come virtually of it. unprotected on a number of machines), we spend our time improving the Ironically, software piracy hurts not only the companies whose games are games and the packaging in order to make them more of a value. Our think- pirated but all of today's honest consumers who will have fewer good titles ing is that a game which provides a lot of enjoyment will be worth spending from which to choose. In short, piracy threatens to destroy the industry, some money on, and we feel that our games are somewhat less likely to be pulling down the good companies and the bad companies alike. The person pirated on that account. who feels a game is too expensive can do what the rest of us do when faced We are in a fortunate position. Our technology allows us to create sophisti- with the same problem — vote with his wallet and not buy it. How many of cated works of interactive fiction in less time than others might take. In us would steal a car (even with the keys in the ignition) simply because it's addition, our "machine independence" — our ability to develop a game that overpriced? will run on dozens of microcomputers — allows us to spread our very large Software and its documentation are subject to copyright protection; nearly development costs (over $300,000 per game) over a larger number of total every country in the world provides this protection of "intellectual property." units to be sold. And lastly, consumers consider our interactive fiction to be Without it, there would be little incentive to invest time and effort in writing the best on the market. games, books, movies, or music. The copyright promotes these activities by Unfortunately, most of the other companies in our industry don't have it so assuring those who undertake them that they will be able to reap their rewards easy. They tend to buy their products from independent developers, who get (if any). Penalties are clear: violators are subject to fines of up to $50,000 and an advance against royalties and a percentage of the revenues; they have trou- prison terms of up to 5 years. Since violations are a federal offense, the FBI ble differentiating their products from competing ones, increasing advertising has become increasingly involved in the enforcement of the laws. costs; and they must translate each product from machine to machine if they Earlier this year, Infocom was instrumental in the formation of the Software are to sell large volumes, which is both costly and time-consuming. All of Publishers Association (SPA). A prime concern of the SPA has been to com- this has led to the present sad state of affairs in which very few software bat piracy. We ask our consumers to help Infocom, the rest of the industry, companies are profitable. The end result of this trend will be fewer new titles and software consumers in general, by reporting flagrant violations of the law released, more me-too products, and less innovation, none of which are in the to us directly or to: Software Publishers Association, Suite 1200, 1111 19th consumer's best interest. Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036, (202) 364-0523. Please include any When pirates offhandedly joke about the "absurdly high price" of software relevant information, such as price lists, phone numbers, and passwords, if as if it were some tremendous windfall to software manufacturers, they fail to such information is available. realize that computer software is not a mass-market item. If each game sold We at Infocom take great pride in producing what we believe to be the millions of units, then the six-figure development and marketing costs would finest-quality interactive fiction available on personal computers. We have be lowered to less than a dollar per unit. However, very few games sell as always tried to create the best-value product possible, and we are grateful for many as 50,000 units (most sell far fewer), often leaving a cost per unit of $5 the support of our consumers, whom we consider our partners in our efforts. to $10, not even including the cost of manufacturing, which can easily reach Only with the good-faith efforts of both manufacturers and consumers can we $3 to $4 in the small quantities produced. And don't forget the overhead all look forward to an exciting future for home computer software.

® Come Work In Beautiful The New Zork Times

Managing Editor Michael “Mike” Dornbrook Puzzle Editor Steven “Steve” Meretzky What Editor Barry “BJ” Jacobson Why Editor Paul “Catfish” DiLascia How would you like to join a team of professionals whose claim to fame is quality? Infocom is growing by leaps and bounds, and we need professionals in product I see no sports editor here Sports Editor development, sales, marketing, testing and administration. Letters Editor Jennifer Fine Ask Jennifer Editor Li’l Jennifer Fine If you’re looking for a brand new opportunity with proven success, consider a Photo Editor “Shamblin’ Steve” Meretzky career with Infocom. But move fast. . . while we’re still in the process of building.

Cartoon Editor Jeff “Jeff” O’Neill Our business and game software company offers excellent benefits including History Editor Tim “Chomper” Anderson health, dental and life insurance, and tuition reimbursement. Suspected Editor “Cheerful Dave” Lebling To find out about job opportunities at Infocom, please send your resume to Editorial Editor Marc “Mark” Blank Donna McCarron, Infocom, Inc., 55 Wheeler Street, Cambridge, MA 02138. We are an Editing Editor Jon “Caesar’s” Palace equal opportunity employer. Production Manager Angela “The Whip” Raup

© 1985 Infocom, Inc., 55 Wheeler St., Cambridge, MA 02138

Zork is a registered trademarks of Infocom, Inc. Enchanter, Sorcerer, Starcross, Suspended, , Deadline, The Witness, Suspect, Infidel, , Cutthroats, , InvisiClues and Cornerstone are registered trademarks of Infocom, Inc. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a trademark of Douglas Adams. WINTER 1985 THE NEW ZORK TIMES PAGE 3

The Shrinkwrapped Falcon by A. Dashiell Meretzky

It was a hot September day, the kind promotion meant to introduce green- Infocom. signed a quick lease on some where horseflies seem to be making horns to interactive fiction, was Brogmus looked straight at me for warehouse space outside of town, their last desperate mischief before ready for production, but Invisi- the first time, and I saw how hollow and that helped the boys dig out from vanishing for the long, cold winter. I Clues™ hint booklets, being pack- his eyes were. It was obvious the under the avalanche of stored goods. sat in my office, feet perched aged for the first time for sale in man hadn't slept for weeks, which Finished goods began to creep off carelessly on my cluttered desk, and stores, were crowding the Samplers clicked with rumors I'd heard about the assembly line. gazed out the window at Charlie the off the assembly line. his working until three or four in the It was clearer than a new plate- Hot Dog Man — ageless Charlie, Brogmus had broken into a cold morning. "Normally at this time of glass window that these steps weren't still beating leather down Wheeler sweat. "That's not all," he continued, the year, our packaging company enough. Infocom chalked up record Street after all these years. nervously lighting up a cigarette. would just drag in some extra September sales of over 100,000 I didn't have anything to do, or at Now I knew things were really workers for a graveyard shift, but games, and by the third week in least nothing worth taking my feet serious. I'd never seen Brogmus with local unemployment bottoming October monthly sales soared into down off my desk for. I'd just smoke before. out at three percent, there just aren't six figures again. The back-order list finished a job, a game-writing job, I had every right to be worried. any bodies to hire. The bottom line is was longer than the beer lines at Fen- and it'd paid a truckload of smackers, Everything Burnin' Ernie had said so simply that we're selling the stuff way Park and growing by the day. and I was in no hurry to get myself far meant that Infocom was in hot faster than we can put it together. Suddenly, something Brogmus had another case. water up to its disk drives, but now Will you take the case?" said as a joke came back to me as an A horsefly landed on the tip of my he spilled the really bad news. My first inclination was to say no. idea. I went to him with a plan, and shoe. I took aim with a rubber band, Several computer manufacturers had A situation like this was bad news, a he chewed on it for a while before but a sudden motion startled it into spitting out a terse reply. "Let's go flight before I could shoot. I wheeled see the boss." around, and saw Ernie Brogmus Brogmus led me into the office of standing in my doorway. the InfoPrez, a tough cookie who I I quickly dredged up my mental knew wouldn't bend an inch for a file about Brogmus and found that it hurricane. I quickly laid out my plan: was pretty thin. "Burnin' Ernie" he Sunday shifts using Infocom was called by his friends in the trade employees. We'd boost production (of which he had many) and also by and morale in one dramatic sweep! his enemies (of which he had none). The InfoPrez was reluctant at first; He'd been Infocom's Production would people accustomed to office Manager since about mid '83. It was work stand up to the rigors of seven said that not a single game got pack- hours on an assembly line? aged without Burnin' Ernie knowing I was betting the rent that they about it. He had a rep for handling would; I was going for broke. I told any problem himself without missing the InfoPrez that I'd stake my reputa- a breath. I knew that if he was tion on it. In the few weeks I'd been coming to me, it could only mean working on this case, I'd come to trouble. Big trouble. appreciate what a bunch of troopers I waved Brogmus over to a swivel these guys and dames at Infocom chair near the window. He was Burnin’ Ernie Brogmus, left oversees the Infoassembly line. It’s his job as were. smiling, but I could see worry Production Manager to know everything — and he does. Brogmus and I worked late into the beneath it. Worry, and perhaps a bit night and spread the word through of fear. He sat staring at the floor. placed large orders, one of them for monster; it could devour a fellow's the grapevine; I posted a sign-up list "You look like a man with a prob- over 100,000 units. All of them career without a trace. But then I for volunteers to work that first lem," I said. "Spill it." wanted the product, and they wanted looked at Burnin' Ernie's tired face, Sunday. I left space on it for twenty He did so, at first tentatively, as it fast. At the same time, Infocom and I saw the faces of thousands of names. By midnight I was sawing though the creatures in the Zork® was preparing to switch all twelve of disappointed customers around the wood. poster that dominated my office wall its current games over to new, com- world — "Sorry, Ma'am, we're all When I got to my office the next might be listening and jeering, but pletely redesigned packaging. A out of Zork II" .... "Sorry, son, I morning at 9:30, the list had thirty- after a spell the hesitation left. His caravan of trucks was lined up at the couldn't find Seastalker™ anywhere." five names and was growing like story gushed out, and I saw at once company that does our packaging, Suddenly I heard myself saying yes. yeast in an oven. I felt the first break that this would be no ordinary job. burying the building beneath an ava- I knew this wouldn't be some easy in the case; I began to see the light at Production was in a worse mess lanche of boxes, manuals, brochures, one-day nut to crack, so I checked the end of a tunnel. than a horse stable after a big meal. labels, postcards, catalogs, buttons, into a tiny office on the seedy That first Sunday was a revelation. Three new products were coming matchbooks, Egyptian stamps — the basement section of the building These Infocommies, forty strong, over the next eight weeks, and all of list was endless. To top it all off, where I knew the Production types worked like gangbusters; and when them looked like they'd be hot items. Brogmus explained, this was all hap- hung out. The smell of hopelessness the quitting bell blared at five, I On top of that, orders for the new pening at the brink of the Christmas and despair hung in the air — the practically had to wrestle each one version were still backed season. Autumn has traditionally odor of old, stale package glue and off the line to lock up the place. If I up from the summer, and 3½-inch been a nightmare time for Brogmus, decaying corrugated cardboard. hadn't brought a buddy of mine along disks were still scarcer than fish in a and this one was shaping up to be the The week began to speed by like to snap some shots, I think I'd be tree. The Four-In-One Sampler, a biggest sales season ever for calendar pages in a B-movie. We ...more Falcon on page 8 PAGE 4 THE NEW ZORK TIMES WINTER 1985

Dear Editor, I received my first copy of The Mail Bag New Zork Times a few days ago, and I was particularly pleased with your

article, "How the Witness Came to Dear Editor: Be," by Stu Galley. Of all the games I received my New Zork Times, you have written, the Zork series is Vol. 3, No. 3, yesterday. I am now my favorite. Why not do an article working on Contest Number 3. My on how it came to be, for the educa- 11-year-old son and I are long-time tion of all of the new personal com- fans of Infocom, have purchased all puter owners, like myself? of them, and solved most of them. I have a TRS-80 Model 4 and Zork My loyalty will remain in spite of the I, Zork II, and Zork III. Your games very sad fact I noted in the Times. bring a great deal of challenge to me Listen Up Do you know, dear Editor, that in and all my friends that have dared to The following public radio stations have already decided to broadcast the Puzzle Number One only 1 of 10 try them. Keep up the good work. Infocom-sponsored Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. These are the stations winners was female and in Puzzle Emile Deen which have made a commitment as of December 5, 1984. More are expected Number Two, again, only 1 of 10 to pick it up during the next few weeks. For dates and times of broadcast, winners was female. Am I to believe: (Your wish is our command. —Ed.) check local listings or call the station. If your local public radio station is not 1) Females don't play Infocoms listed here (approximately 200 are not), call and point out that there are many 2) Females don't enter Infocom To The New Zork Times Editor: interested people in your area. The show is being provided to them for no contests Sometimes when I read all of the charge — all they have to do is make a time slot available. 3) Females don't get the right an- comments that people write in to a swer so don't qualify to win magazine, I just agree with them and ALABAMA St. Louis ...... KWMU 4) Females just don't get their continue reading. However, I Birmingham ...... WBHM MONTANA names pulled out of the hat as win- Mobile ...... WHIL recently received my summer issue Missoula ...... KUFM ners of your New Zork Times, and after ALASKA NEBRASKA 5) The Times staff — except for Barrow ...... KBRW finishing the "Mail Bag", I just had Omaha ...... KIOS "Angela" — is male and you "guys" Kodiak ...... KMXT to offer my own opinion. I work for NEW YORK fixed the contest!!! McGrath ...... KSKO Hewlett-Packard and just bought a Binghamton ...... WSKG Do you want this unfair practice to Wrangell ...... KSTK Canton ...... WSLU house and have a family, and as you continue? Do you want to be boy- CALIFORNIA New York ...... WNYC-FM might guess, I don't have a lot of cotted — girlcotted?? — by NOW? Berkeley ...... KPFA Oswego ...... WRVO time to play my Infocom games. But Fresno ...... KVPR How do you propose to solve this NORTH CAROLINA when your newsletter arrives, it Los Angeles ...... KCRW-FM dilemma? Chapel Hill ...... WUNC reminds me how much I love to play Pasadena ...... KPCC Perhaps I could sew some ribbon Charlotte ...... WFAE them. I enjoy every part of your Sacramento ...... KXPR-FM and lace on my contest entry (a de- Fayetteville ...... WFSS letter, and people ask me what I'm San Francisco ...... KCSM-FM lightfully feminine thing to do), and NORTH DAKOTA chuckling about while I'm reading it. COLORADO you could pick it as a winner; I could Fargo ...... KDSU I suppose that it reminds me of the Denver ...... KUNC-FM Grand Forks ...... KFJM win a T-shirt, and you would be ab- excitement I feel when playing the FLORIDA OHIO solved. games, and there are also several Gainsville ...... WUFT Cincinnati ...... WVXU-FM Oh well, it was worth a try! Jacksonville ...... WJCT funny parts to the letter. I can't thank Kent ...... WKSU Frobozz! Frobozz! Frobozzle! GEORGIA you enough for providing a standard OKLAHOMA Margaret Sebastian Atlanta ...... WABE by which all other games should be Norman ...... KGOU LaGrange, IL ILLINOIS measured, and for giving me hours OREGON P.S. I like the new difficulty ratings, Chicago ...... WBEZ-FM and days of challenge, excitement, Ashland ...... KSOR packaging, and especially prices!! WNIU-FM and fun! I applaud your creativity, Portland ...... KBOO-FM Edwardsville ...... WSIE thoughtfulness, and sense of humor KOAP-FM (Your letter touched a sore spot. We Peoria ...... WCBU and openness (to the public with Rock Island ...... WVIK TENNESSEE try very hard to keep sex bias out of your newsletter). Memphis ...... WKNO our games — in most, there is noth- IOWA Nashville ...... WPLN Thank you so very much! Fort Dodge ...... KTPR ing to indicate the sex of the player. TEXAS Robert Ross We have found, possibly because of INDIANA Corpus Christi ...... KKED Milipitas, CA Indianapolis ...... WIAN-FM this, that women use Infocom's inter- Houston ...... KUHF-FM KANSAS active fiction more than the average ...... KPTF-FM Dear Infocom, Lawrence ...... KANU UTAH software product. Pierceville ...... KANU Logan ...... KUSU Sadly, however, women still ac- Here is my entry to The New Zork LOUISIANA Salt Lake ...... KUER count for only one out of six Infocom Times puzzle. This one was too easy: Baton Rouge ...... WRKE VIRGINIA users. The five conclusions you listed I solved it without even DOING the MAINE Harrisonburg ...... WMRA are not true. The actual reason is puzzle! The answer was pretty Bangor ...... WGBH-FM WASHINGTON that women have been underrepre- obvious. Next time, please make the MICHIGAN Seattle ...... KUOW sented as computer and software NZT puzzle a bit more challenging. I Detroit ...... WDET-FM Washington, D.C...... WETA-FM users. know you're good at that kind of MINNESOTA WEST VIRGINIA We will continue to do our best to stuff. Or perhaps you could hold a Minneapolis ...... KBEM Charleston ...... WVPN interest more women in our prod- "creativity" contest, the kind Softalk MISSOURI WISCONSIN ucts; by doing so, we hope to interest used to offer. Columbia ...... KOPN Kenosha ...... WBTD more women in microcomputers in Speaking of Softalk, does anyone Point Lookout ...... KSOZ Milwaukee ...... WYMS-FM general. —Ed.) at Info-Labs know what became of Rolla ...... KUMA Rhinelander ...... WXPR Softalk Publishing? All I got was a Springfield ...... KSMU WINTER 1985 THE NEW ZORK TIMES PAGE 5

"death notice" and a subscription to Houston, TX A+ magazine. I was thinking you'd P.S. Please (perhaps) print these in know, you having been one of The New Zork Times. Thanks. Softline's most prominent advertis- (Your wish is our command. —Ed.) ASK JENNIFER ers. ™ I found something in Sorcerer for Dear Zorks: your bug department. It is this: you Jennifer is one of the dedicated We liked " Moon" and did some can open Belboz' journal with the Customer Support representatives words: key, fine; however, you can't close it. who answer Infocom's Technical Grue Moon — I saw him standing You get an "it's already open" Hotline, providing support for users alone message. Call the exterminator! who need immediate assistance on Without a lamp in his hand Is it possible to call somewhere technical matters. This month, Jenni- Without a light of his own. (hook up in the Source?) to get the fer provides answers to some of the Grue Moon — you knew just what I mainframe Zork via modem? That most common questions and lurked there for. would be fun to do. I've always problems that she receives calls You heard me saying a prayer for wanted to play the original Zork. about. Hopefully, dealing with the Someone I really could snare for. Are you going to convert the old most common problems in this forum And then there suddenly appeared games into the new packaging? If will help thousands of users avoid ™ before me not, will the third Enchanter match expensive long-distance phone calls. Someone without any repellent. the first two? It would look nice on However, if you have a technical I heard somebody whisper "Please my shelf. problem other than one of those don't eat me" BRING BACK ZORK IRON- listed here, don't hesitate to call the And when I did the moon had turned ONS! Technical Hotline, (617) 576-3190. to coal. Sincerely, But try not to call between 2:30 and Grue Moon — now I'm no longer Alexander Eulenberg 3:00; that's when Jennifer is taking a-gurgling her nap. Without a dream in my heart (Concerning the puzzle, your wish is Without a meal of my own. our command. As for Softalk, they Why do I get a "fatal error" when were forced into bankruptcy by I try to boot my disk? I've been lurking on the railroad creditors. It was sad and sudden — My daddy told me that these errors All the live long night. they had assets but didn't have are caused by little goblins. Some of I've been lurking on the railroad enough ready cash to pay all the these goblins live in the disk drive, Waiting for Zorkers to come by. bills when they were unexpectedly and some live in the disk itself. If Don't you see the dumb fools demanded. We will all miss the you send me your disk, I'll give it to coming, Softalk magazines. Tommy here at Infocom, and he'll Without repellent, torch, or light? All of our games are being con- tell me whether there are any goblins Now my mouth starts a dribblin'. verted to the new packaging, and all living in your disk. If there are, we'll I'm going to eat those fools alive. new games will be packaged in the send you a brand new disk without new standard. Zorker won't you come any goblins in it. If there aren't, I'll Save and Restore aren't working We have been considering T-shirts, Zorker won't you come send you back your disk. Then you'll in my game. but we're not sure what people would Won't you come without a light? have to take your disk drive to the That's goblins again. prefer. If you would be interested in Zorker won't you come store where you bought it, and have I found a bug in the game. Infocom T-shirts, please write in with Zorker won't you come them kick out the goblins. I don't like to hear about bugs; your suggestions. —Ed.) Won't you come without a light? they're really scary. In fact some- Someone's in the kitchen with One of the things that was sup- times at night in bed in the dark you Hey Guys! Donald. posed to be in my game package can hear them scurrying around on I was sitting around letting my Someone's in the kitchen with that wasn't in it. the floor and you have to keep your restless mind wander, and came up grue. Oops, sorry! Occasionally, workers eyes closed absolutely tight with with some amusing acronyms. Someone's in the kitchen with on the assembly line goof when your blanket completely wrapped 1. Flathead is the supreme Donald they're making up a package. In fact, around you or else they'll attack and G.R.U.E. — (Great Ruler of the Cooking up some Zorkers stew. I was working on the assembly line eat you up. But if you call me or Arlene and Peter Zajicek just last month [see story on page send me a letter, and tell me the bug Underground Empire) ™ 2. Lord Excessive's job descrip- Memphis, TN 3 — Ed.] assembling Deadline and the name of the game and the tion: F.R.O.T.Z. — (Flathead Reigns packages, and I realized after doing release number, I'll pass it along to Over The Zorkers) Dear Duf, around 700 that I was putting in someone who isn't so afraid of bugs. 3. The Zork Bank: F.R.O.B.O.Z. On many games I've noticed the pieces of my bubble gum instead of Z. — (Flathead's Ridiculously letters GUE used. What does GUE "Pills Found Near the Body." I didn't Can you give me a hint? Official Bank Of Zealous Zorkers) stand for? tell anyone, though, 'cause I was No! I can't and I won't. And if you 4. Toughness of solving problems Curious in Luling Texas afraid they'd spank me. don't stop asking me, I'll throw a Anyway, just send me a letter with tantrum! I'm only here for important in Zork series: P.L.U.G.H. — (Duffy is away on a case, so we (Prevents the Losers Underground some proof of purchase, like the tek ... tek ... technikul matters. If you thought we'd try to handle this one. sales slip from the game, and I'll need help playing the game, you can from Gaining Hope) GUE is an abbreviation for Great 5. Status of Krill after being send along the missing piece. It order a hint booklet by calling (800) Underground Empire, where the might take me a while, though, 262-6868. By the way, hint booklets defeated: K.R.I.L.L. — (Krill Really Zork trilogy is set. It is frequently Is a Lonesome Loser) 'cause a lot of the pieces are kept on are printed in invisible ink which you used after dates; for example, 785 top of a cabinet and only the grown- get to develop yourself — they're Hope you enjoy them. Stay tuned GUE would indicate the year 785 of. for additional insanities ... ups can reach up there. really neat! the Great Underground Empire. — Karl L. Romlke Ed.) PAGE 6 THE NEW ZORK TIMES WINTER 1985

that adds humor and wit to the games Why Business Products? would make Cornerstone a night- mare to use. If you told your by Paul DiLascia The Hist database "Show me all the letters from Fred," you probably wouldn't be amused if it responded, "F, R, E, When the editor asked me to write an Cornerstone. D." At Infocom, we believe in using article explaining why Infocom has Cornerstone shares another impor- the right interface for the task at In the beginning, back in the 1960's, ventured into business products, I tant quality with our interactive hand. DEC (Digital Equipment Corpora- thought: Hmmph. Why business fiction. And that's its emphasis on As to the claim that business tion) created the PDP-10, a medium- products, indeed! I could just as well you, the intrepid player (called, in products are dull, I point out in sized computer. The "10", as it was ask, why games? business circles, the user). Corner- defense that different people have called, became popular at many Nevertheless, this question often stone makes you the architect of your different ideas about what's fun. research installations, and a great arises in the minds of Infocom fans own database and allows you to Some folks spends their time deal of software was written for it, when they learn that Infocom — manipulate information the way you manipulating bits of information some of which is still far in advance famous for its best-selling games, want. Cornerstone is designed for its they call "price-earning ratios" and of systems on more modern producer of a whole genre of interac- users. "bond equivalent yields"; others like machines. At MIT's Artificial Intelli- tive fiction, and home of Floyd — In developing Cornerstone, we've to keep track of every last X-Men gence Lab, an operating system has now introduced Cornerstone, its tried at every step to anticipate what issue in their Marvel Comics called ITS (Incompatible Time- first business software product. a sane (or insane) person might collection. Still others delight in sharing System) was written for the They want to know what's going attempt to do next. There's a critical comparing tasting notes for different 10. ITS was designed to make soft- on. Business software? Does every- difference, however, between vintages of Mouton Rothschild. ware development easy. The design- one at Infocom now wear a blue pin- Cornerstone and the games. While Judging from the early responses, ers of the system assumed that it striped suit and read the Wall Street the games strive to make life diffi- people like these will be pleased would have a small, knowledgeable, Journal every morning? Have we cult — constantly thwarting your with Cornerstone. Some testers have friendly group of users, so they did finally lost our marbles — or maybe best efforts, posing enigmas, even told us Cornerstone is what they've not include any security features. we've transcended even ourselves? leaving you dead in some remote sought for years. Some even claim Around 1970, the ARPAnet was After all, business is serious, stuffy, wasteland — in Cornerstone, we've it's fun! invented. ARPAnet made it possible boring. done everything we can think of to At Infocom, our idea of fun is for researchers all over the country So I accepted the challenge, hop- make things easy. You'll never need producing sophisticated, quality (indeed, all over the world) to ing to dispel some of these illusions. InvisiClues to use Cornerstone, software products that erode the bar- communicate with each other, and to We began developing Cornerstone because we've given it a HELP key riers between people and computers. use each other's machines. In those in 1982, over two years ago. which supplies hints and suggestions It's what we do best. Cornerstone halcyon days, access was unre- Infocom's strategy all along was to that are so apropos, it's like having a continues the tradition. That's why stricted; you could get on from any compete in the business arena. We wise friend always near. we made it. machine connected to the net, or by just didn't tell anyone. We knew There are other differences, too. Yet I fear there remain some knowing an appropriate phone Infocom's software technology could When people first play — I mean unsatisfied skeptics who continue to number. Budding hackers from be applied successfully to business use — Cornerstone, they sometimes wonder, "Why business products?" around the country soon discovered products as well as to games. ask why we didn't use a natural For them, I leave this quote from that this made a wonderful play- The games are sophisticated language interface as in our games. Brian Berkowitz, one of the prime ground. They also discovered that programs as far as software goes. The answer is this: Natural language movers of Cornerstone: "We pick the there were some computers at MIT Writing a program that can respond is inherently ambiguous, and hardest thing to do — and then we with some neat stuff on them and no intelligently to an arbitrary verbali- ambiguity is just what you don't implement it." security — anyone who could con- zation is no easy task. , want in a database. The equivocation nect to the machines could log in. , and Joel Berez Also around 1970, a language designed a special high-level called MUDDLE (later renamed language called ZIL (Zork Imple- MDL) was developed as a successor mentation Language) and an entire to LISP. It never succeeded in fully development system just so they replacing LISP, but it developed a could write large, complex game loyal user community of its own, programs that would fit on small primarily at MIT's Project MAC microcomputers. It's this technology (now called the Laboratory for that gives Infocom an edge over its Computer Science) and especially in competition. the Dynamic Modelling Group (later A similar technology was devel- the Programming Technology oped to produce Cornerstone, our Division). The Dynamic Modelling new database system. It too is Group (DM), in addition to its other written in a specialized high-level accomplishments, was responsible language, and it too is a very sophis- for some famous games. The first of ticated program. Cornerstone these was a multi-player graphics comprises over 75,000 lines of code. game called Maze, in which players Some claim it's the biggest program wandered around a maze shooting ever put on a single floppy disk. To each other. Each user's screen write Cornerstone in assembly showed the view of the maze that his language would be a Herculean task, or her computerized alter-ego saw, not worth attempting by sane updated in real time. Dave Lebling mortals. As it is, it took a staff of was among those chiefly responsible Brian “Spike” Berkowitz: “We pick the hardest thing to do — and then we programmers over two years to write (to blame?) for the existence of the implement it.” WINTER 1985 THE NEW ZORK TIMES PAGE 7

parser (Marc finally became obsessed with it, and wrote the last ory of Zork — First in a Series 40 or 50 of them himself). And it was easy to add new rooms, objects, by Tim Anderson and creatures (I won't discuss the difficulty of adding new concepts yet). game. Zork, like Adventure, survived only The next game of note was Trivia because it was played by people (who says research labs aren't ahead outside the small community that of their time?), an ongoing "can you developed it. In the case of top this" contest for the truly crazed. Adventure, this was possible because Trivia, unlike Maze, could be played it was written in FORTRAN and by network users, and achieved wide could run on practically any popularity on the ARPAnet. Marc machine. Zork was written in MUD- Blank wrote the second version, and DLE, which ran on only some PDP- I maintained/hacked it; it was actu- 10s. Its user community was the ally a legitimate test of a database group of "net randoms" that infested system the group used for a research the MIT systems; remember that we project. had no security at all at this time. In early 1977, Adventure swept the DM had developed an active ARPAnet. Willie Crowther was the community largely because of original author, but Don Woods Trivia. Since Trivia was pretty dead greatly expanded the game and by the time Zork came along, there unleashed it on an unsuspecting weren't many other things for the network. When Adventure arrived at randoms to do, so they hung around MIT, the reaction was typical: after waiting for the next game. Early everybody spent a lot of time doing players of Zork ranged from John nothing but solving the game (it's McCarthy, the inventor of LISP (we estimated that Adventure set the actually have a copy of the connec- entire computer industry back two tivity matrix that McCarthy used weeks), the true lunatics began to instead of a map), to twelve-year- think about how they could do it olds from Northern Virginia. No one better. Adventure was written in ever officially announced Zork: FORTRAN, after all, so it couldn't people would log in to DM, see that be very smart. It accepted only two- someone was running a program word commands, it was obviously named Zork, and get interested. They hard to change, and the problems would then "snoop" on the console were sometimes not everything one of the person running Zork, and see could desire. (I was present when that it was an Adventure-like game. , one of the DM'ers, From there, it only took a little more figured out how to get the last point effort to find out how to start it up. in Adventure by examining the game Marc Blank’s sketch for an underwater problem designed for, but never put For a long time, the magic incanta- with a machine-language debugger. into, the original Zork. The treasures would have been pearls and a trunk of tion was ":MARC;ZORK"; people There was no other way to do it.) jewels. who had never heard of ITS, DM, or By late May, Adventure had been PDP-10s somehow heard that if they solved, and various DM'ers were Marc, Bruce, and I sat down to was a (more-or-less) working game. got to something called "host 70" on looking for ways to have fun. Marc write a real game. We began by It probably wasn't as big as Adven- the ARPAnet, logged in, and typed Blank was enjoying a respite from drawing some maps, inventing some ture, and was certainly less than half the magic word, they could play a medical school; I had just finished problems, and arguing a lot about the size of the final version, but it game. my master's degree; Bruce Daniels how to make things work. Bruce still had the thief, the cyclops, the troll, Although Zork in June 1977 was was getting bored with his Ph.D. had some thoughts of graduating, the reservoir and dam, the house, infinitely more primitive than, say, topic; and Dave Lebling was heartily thus preferring design to implemen- part of the forest, the glacier, the , it still had pretty much the sick of Morse code. Dave wrote (in tation, so Marc and I spent the rest of maze, and a bunch of other stuff. The same flavor. The Flathead family MUDDLE) a command parser that Dave's vacation in the terminal room problems were not as interesting as was represented, in the person of was almost as smart as Adventure's; implementing the first version of those that came later: it took time for Lord Dimwit Flathead the Excessive, Marc and I, who were both in the Zork. Zork, by the way, was never people to learn how to write good ruler of the Great Underground habit of hacking all night, took really named. "Zork" was a nonsense problems, and the early parsers Empire; and the official currency advantage of this to write a prototype word floating around; it was usually wouldn't support complicated was the zorkmid. Bruce was respon- four-room game. It has long since a verb, as in "zork the fweep," and solutions anyway. What we had done sible for the purplish prose where vanished. There was a band, a may have been derived from right was all in the "substratum." these were first mentioned. bandbox, a peanut room (the band "zorch." ("Zorch" is another There was a well-defined (and Many of the details of the GUE was outside the door, playing "Hail nonsense word implying total easily-changed) theory governing were whimsical (if not silly), but we to the Chief"), and a "chamber filled destruction.) We tended to name our interactions among objects, verbs, weren't completely immune to with deadlines." Dave played and programs with the word "zork" until and rooms. It was easy to drop in reality. In those days, if one tested the game, saw that it was they were ready to be installed on the new parsers, which happened wandered around in the dark area of pretty awful, and left to spend two system. frequently, since everyone and his the dungeon, one fell into a bottom- weeks basking in the sun. By the time Dave got back, there uncle tried his hand at writing a ...more Zork on page 11 PAGE 8 THE NEW ZORK TIMES WINTER 1985

. . .Shrinkwrapped Falcon. . . man who'd just discovered religion. (continued from page 3) "This is great! Whaddya say we start dragging these guys in on Saturdays, Suspect Author Suspected convinced now that I'd hallucinated huh?" His excitement was conta- by Dave Lebling the whole thing. gious, and soon we had not only a The next day, Brogmus was like a Saturday shift going, but weekday evening shifts as well. None of the A few hours after the start of this Finally, the detectives searched the Infocom people were losing their year's Halloween party, my wife body and found another letter that spirit, and they were turning up with Janet said, "Would you mind getting pointed to still more evidence husbands and wives and mothers and my makeup kit out of the bedroom? I implicating someone else. The sisters and brothers and friends, all need to touch up my blood." Since murderer tried to flee, but he was hungry for some honest labor. she was costumed as a vampire, and captured and handcuffed on the November went by like a whirl- the blood dripping from one corner second floor of the house as he tried wind. Five weeks after that first of her mouth was getting a little to make his escape. Justice was Sunday on the assembly line, with tired-looking, I thought nothing of it. done, just in the nick of time. Thanksgiving dinner still a fresh I noticed that the bedroom door was In the end, a vast conspiracy memory, Brogmus came to see me. closed, so I knocked first (parties headed by my wife, Janet, and the He was smiling as always, but now being what they are). No one co-host of the party, Rick Moore, the haunted look was gone. He answered, so I opened it, and there, was revealed. While I had been dumped a report on my desk. "Look lying half-dead on the bed, was one writing Suspect™, Janet had been at what our folks have done on the of the party guests! With her last writing this frame-up. While the assembly line: 62,000 games, plus reserve of strength, she staggered Infocom testers were finding bugs in another 6,000 Samplers and 21,000 from the room and collapsed onto Suspect, they were also finding bugs hint books!" the living room floor, strangled! in the frame-up. And while I was It was no surprise to me, and I told Naturally, I followed her, wonder- helping to set up the party, the him so. "I knew all along these folks ing what was going on, and no conspirators were putting the final were solid gold." sooner did she die than I was touches on the play. "We're out of the woods," he said, accused of killing her. Almost For weeks afterward Janet would "all set to glide through to Christmas. immediately, "Sergeant Duffy" and periodically say, "You're sure you How can I thank you enough?" the "Detective" arrived on the scene didn't suspect anything?" I never "You're thanking the wrong guy," I and began making a case for my had. told Brogmus, pointing at the report. guilt. In a thick Irish accent, the I never was a very good detective. "It's those guys and dames from detective interrogated a suspicious Infocom who cast all the right magic group of my friends and fellow spells when it counted." And if any Infocommies. The evidence was of you good people reading this got overwhelming, and it was looking or gave an Infocom game for Christ- pretty grim. There was an (obviously Get Graphic mas, try and keep that in mind. forged) incriminating letter signed in As for me, I'm back with my feet my handwriting, and (obviously Infocom is going graphic! up on the desk just killing time perjured) testimony from people Wait — if you're falling off your chair just now, stand up, dust , at the Infoassembly waiting for the next case, or for the who had seen me with the victim in yourself off, and sit back down. line, doing his famous imitation of horseflies to return in June, which- a local sub shop. Compose yourself. And then Waldo. ever comes first. compose the graphic we desire — for inclusion in The New Zork Text of Infocom Memo Distributed Times. Since our interactive text (it's been November 28, 1984 said) is worth a thousand pictures, we'd like to reap the harvest of your Once upon a time, in the little king- volunteers poured forth from every cranberry sauce, while the king con- imaginations. Draw a cartoon and dom of Infoproduction, good King village and every department to bat- sulted with his advisors once again. send it to us. If we print your cartoon Brogmus looked out from the tle the monster. And the king made a wise decision in the NZT, you'll win the Infocom window of his castle, across the Good King Brogmus, and his to halt the battles, for he knew that game of your choice. goldfish-filled moat, and saw that a brave knight Sir Eric, led battle after even though volunteers were still Cartoons will be printed 4¼ inches danger threatened the land — a battle against the mighty dragon, and streaming in from every corner of wide and 5 inches deep — give or danger in the form of the terrible each time they wounded it deeply, the land, to continue the campaign take a couple of inches — so draw dragon Backlog. but each time it rose to threaten the might only arouse the equally terrify- your cartoons proportionally (but So King Brogmus met with his kingdom again. Then, one day, ing dragon Overstock. don't fold your entries). Draw the wise men, and his soothsayer cut following the greatest and most So the heralds went forth through- cartoons in black ink only; no pencil open a floppy disk and spilled its tiresome battle of all, after the out the land, thanking the good or color illustrations. All submis- entrails to get a reading of events to dragon had suffered sixty thousand people of the kingdom for their help sions become the property of come. Finally, after many days, the wounds (plus another six thousand and their courage. And King Infocom, Inc. king emerged from the catacombs of wounds in its sampler and twenty Brogmus looked out across the moat, Send your cartoons to: NZT his castle with a plan. thousand wounds in its ), content in the knowledge that Cartoons, Infocom, Inc., 55 Wheeler And the king's heralds went forth it roared a final bellow of fire and Backlog would never threaten the Street, Cambridge, MA 02138. throughout the land, stopping at expired. The kingdom was safe at kingdom again, and everyone lived Make sure you tell us what game every mailbox and calling for volun- last. happily ever after. you want to win, what computer you teers to slay the dragon. And though And the people rejoiced, and ate Until the next Christmas season??? want it to run on, and where we Backlog was huge and terrifying, dragon meat, with stuffing and should send it. WINTER 1985 THE NEW ZORK TIMES PAGE 9 InfoNews Roundup InvisiClues Appear Omni Magazine Lauds InvisiClues Disappear Games Survey in Stores Hitchhiker's Guide from Stores by Family Computing

Infocom stories are hard: they have The December 1984 issue of Omni That's right! InvisiClues have been Reveals All! puzzles, mazes, conniving bad guys, magazine called Infocom's version of disappearing from store shelves so The results of a "Games Survey" twists, double-twists, red herrings, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy fast that the InvisiClues hint booklets were published in the December and hidden clues. And that's what "riotous" and selected it as one of the have been the number 1 book on 1984 issue of Family Computing makes them so much fun. Ten Best Computer Games of 1984. Softsel's Hot List ever since their magazine. Readers were asked to But sometimes you can get debut on October 8, 1984. When this name their favorite game-making stuck — not just momentarily A Dazzling Dozen issue went to press, InvisiClues were companies. Not surprisingly, Info- stumped, but really, truly, hit-your- number 1 for 10 straight weeks. com garnered more votes than any head-against-the-wall, rip-the-disk- In mid-October, Infocom was ship- other company. And we didn't even into-tiny-little-pieces stuck. That's ping 12 stories. And 13 of them were New Infocom Games vote! when you need an InvisiClues hint on the top-30 Hot List™! Respondents to the survey also booklet. The Hot List shows the best-selling Hit Charts chose Marc Blank as one of their InvisiClues hint booklets are avail- software week by week, and is pub- ™ favorite game designers. As author able for all Infocom games. The It didn't take long! Cutthroats , The lished by Softsel Computer Products, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, of Deadline and co-author of Zork I, clues are printed in invisible ink, so Inc., the country's largest software Zork II, Zork III, and Enchanter, you'll never see a clue accidentally. and Suspect are already on several distributor. All of our stories had best-seller lists, including Softsel's in Marc ranks as one of our favorite A special marker is included with been on the Hot List before, and we game designers too. each booklet, and with it you can the United States and Frantek's in see most of them on the list every Canada. develop only the clues you want to week. But the week of October 15, see. The clues generally progress 1984, was a record for us: never Max Sacks Yak Facts from a gentle nudge in the right Infocom Wins Award before have we had so many prod- A recent poll by CompuNews maga- direction to a full answer. ucts on the same list. Since most Until recently, you could buy With so many products on the Soft- zine reveals that a staggering 97 companies are delighted to see even percent of all interactive fiction InvisiClues only through the mail, one of their products on the Hot List sel Hot List, Infocom should win directly from Infocom. But now you some sort of an award, don't you gamers have no interest in reading every now and then, you can imagine about yaks. Only 0.4 percent can go to your friendly neighborhood how proud we are. think? Well, we did! software dealer and buy your Invisi- At the Fall 1984 COMDEX indicated a slight interest in reading How did we manage 13 out of 12? about yaks, and a mere 0.1 percent Clues there! Every InvisiClues hint Commodore distributes Zork I for (Computer Dealers' Exposition) held booklet tells you how points are in Las Vegas, Nevada, Softsel and liked to read "a significant amount the , and Infocom about yaks." Two-and-a-half percent scored, includes amusing sugges- distributes Zork I for all the other Business Week presented Infocom tions, and comes with the special with an award inscribed "Most Titles of the respondents refused to answer major personal computers. Both the question. Infocom Product marker and a complete map of the made it to the Hot List, so Zork I on the Hot List (Recreation)." This is game. (Suspended™ and Seastalker the second year in a row that Info- Manager Michael "Max" Dornbrook actually appeared twice! immediately announced that Infocom hint booklets don't come with maps When this issue of the NZT went com has received that coveted award. since maps are included in the game Infocom is displaying the award in would continue its long-standing to press (in December), Zork I had policy of not printing anything about package.) Each InvisiClues hint enjoyed 118 weeks on the Hot List its now-famous Trophy Case, which booklet retails for $7.95. That's a is located in the reception area of yaks in The New Zork Times. (the Hot List is only 118 weeks old), (Actually, Michael Dornbrook's small price to pay, especially when Zork II 114 weeks, and Deadline 116 Infocom's headquarters in Cam- you can't eat, sleep, or get on with bridge, Massachusetts. nickname is "Mike" or "Mikey." But weeks. And if you think that's "Max" made a better headline.) your life because you can't solve a impressive ... puzzle.

. . .Cornerstone available at the end of January. The (continued from page 1) list price will be $495. In the mean- As you can probably tell, we're time, if you have any questions, drop pretty excited about Cornerstone. us a line or give us a call at (617) And we're not alone. One major dis- 576-3190. tributor has said that Cornerstone [Editor's note: A free demonstration "will be the hottest new business disk of Cornerstone will be made product of 1985." Another has said, available in a month. If you are in- "Every once in a while, a product terested, address your request to changes the shape of the microcom- Barnaby, c/o Infocom, 55 Wheeler puter market. Cornerstone, Infocom's St., Cambridge, MA 02138.] new database management system, is just such a product." At COMDEX in Las Vegas, Infocom The first release of Cornerstone is strutted its stuff: interactive fiction and for the IBM PC, PC XT, PC AT, and Cornerstone. Thousands of people — retailers, computer manufacturers, press, 100% compatibles. Cornerstone and end-users among them — visited the requires a minimum of 256K of Infocom booth, picked up DON’T memory and two disk drives (or one PANIC buttons, and saw the hottest new floppy and a hard disk), and will be business product of 1985. PAGE 10 THE NEW ZORK TIMES WINTER 1985

. . .Puzzle #5 6,H The brass lantern in the Zork series GU______R T HAR K - T___UN - BESN______A P (continued from page 12) is powered by kerosene. P____OE T 3,O The ambassador from Blow'k- 6,I The empty cigarette pack in Infidel W____H I Z bidden-Gordo has no translator. is a Marlboro pack. 4,A A brass bell can be found in the 6,J The S.S. Hollywood is one of the 4 ___THE D______U NGE ON MA______S T ER Temple in Zork I. shipwrecks near Hardscrabble R_____A LPH S______T I LES 4,B Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet Island. P_____HONG was Dave Lebling's model for 6,K Rotgrubs are usually around 3 Starcross™. inches long. F_____L OY D 4,C The gold coffin is too large to put 6,L The Technology Museum includes in the trophy case. a model of a Frobozz Magic Cave T___I P R______ANDA L L 4,D The Weasel's real name is William Digger. BEL______BO Z Richert. 6,M You rented your cowboy outfit L______E S LIE R______OB NE R 4,E Marvin is a product of the Sirius from a store called Costumes-To- K____I N G DU__NCANTH______RAX Cybernetics Corporation. Go. E______N S I GN B______L A T H ER 4,F Aragain Falls is the source of the 6,N The only exit from the Radiation _____ Frigid River. Lab is east. SENSA 4,G wrote Planetfall 6,O Pete the Rat got his nickname from and Suspect. tattling on a crewmate. L____OR D D______I MW IT F______L AT H E A D 4,H The Wizard of Frobozz only cast 7,A George Robner's record collection MO______NICA L______I N DER spells beginning with the letter Z. includes a Hebrew Prayer Service. 4,I Infidel takes place near the Nile 7,B There are 69,105 leaves in the leaf T___H E W______I Z ARD OF______F ROBOZZ River. pile in the Clearing. ZOE___ B___L Y 4,J Auda has four grasping extensions. 7,C The MCS Starcross was con- ____ 4,K Infocom is located at 66 Wheeler structed in 2178 at the Luna City I R I S Street. Docks. K_____R I L L 4,L Monica's eyes are blue. 7,D Cutthroats was a collaboration 4,M All of the trees in Zork III are between Michael Berlyn and Phil SE______RGE ANT D_____UFFY unclimbable. Wolper. W____A L DO_ 4,N The top speed of the Lawanda- 7,E Monica's mother was named G______EORGE RO______BNER Kalamontee shuttle is 35. Virginia. ? 4,O One of the cakes in the Tea Room 7,F Flood Control Dam Number 3 is has purple icing. composed of 370,000 cubic feet of ANSWER: 400 5,A Infidel was the first Infocom's Tales concrete. of Adventure. 7,G Cerberus has three heads. 5,B The Dining Room of the Robner 7,H Zaphod Beeblebrox has three Solution to Puzzle Number Three New York, NY mansion has a fieldstone fireplace. heads. 8. Robbie Bain 5,C A babel fish, if swallowed, allows 7,I Belboz is a member of the Circle of Here is the solution to the puzzle Morristown, NJ one to understand any language. Enchanters. from the Summer '84 NZT. The 9. Ed Champ 5,D The Snark resembles a giant cock- 7,J All three Infocom mysteries were central column reads "How many Lake Grove, NY roach. set in the USA. points in Zork Two?" making the 10. Tony Yankovsky 5,E Marc Blank's signature appears on 7,K Sgt. Duffy handcuffs Stiles to a one of the Hitchhiker's destruct davenport. final answer "400" or "400 points." Brooklyn, NY orders. 7,L Waldo is impervious to the acid There were 191 entries, of which 11. Zafer Berkun 5,F You can fold up the cot in Infidel. mist. 153 (80%) had the correct answer. Sheboygan, WI 5,G The grue repellent in Zork II smells 7,M The Brass Lantern restaurant is on The most common incorrect answer 12. Andy Plotkin like old socks and burning rubber. the corner of Berez and La Vezza. was "How many robots in Zork Rockville, MD 5,H The Witness™ takes place on a 7,N The red goo in the survival kit Two? Two" (13 entries). The next 13. Sharon Lynch Thursday evening. tastes like cherry pie. 5,I The crystal trident is found in the 7,O There are eight locations in the most frequent wrong answer was Silverton, OR Atlantis Room. Land of Shadow. "How many points in Zork III? 14. Margaret Sebastian 5,J The weasel aliens live near the 8,A In Starcross, the closest unknown Seven" (7 entries). There were a Lagrange, IL green airlock. mass is UM91. number of humorous wrong answers 15. Lewis Morton 5,K Earl Davis Jackson is the Editor of 8,B The original Infidel package was that were close — "How many Merion, PA The Washington Representative. shaped like a pyramid. spells/vaults/dogies in Zork Two?" 16. Bob Bray 5,L Alligators live in the river near the 8,C The Aquadome blueprints were Other answers included "Fred," San Jose, CA encampment in Infidel. drawn by J. Parker. 5,M If you turn on the Linders' radio at 8,D Sam Ostmann is the president of "69,105" and "Yes, a pelican." 17. Gary Laskowski 10:20pm, you will hear Ozzie King's Point Realty. Twenty-five names were chosen Roseville, MI Nelson's Orchestra. 8,E An amulet can be found at the randomly from the correct entries. 18. Richard Ruffner 5,N There are skeletons in Zork I, bottom of the lake in Zork II. Here's a list of T-shirt winners: St. Louis, MO Starcross, Infidel, and Hitchhiker's 8,F The berzio potion increases mus- 19. Alex Mueck Guide. cular coordination. 1. David Sams Massapequa, NY 5,O Sharon Kemp attended MIT. 8,G On the sub, Tip reads a copy of Pasadena, CA 20. Stewart Vachal 6,A Whiz cannot leave the area around "Science World." the Central Chamber. 8,H Ford Prefect is a Vogon captain. 2. Om Prakash II Yorba Linda, CA 6,B McNabb's pride and joy is his tulip 8,I The Ashcroft's dog is a Doberman Holliswood, NY 21. Bill Shubert garden. Pinscher. 3. Edward Stiles Acton, MA 6,C In Deadline, there is no way for 8,J The Terror was trapped using a North Royalton, OH 22. Bill Duba your character to get killed. scroll with the KULCAD spell. 4. Mindy Miller Livermore, CA 6,D The robot in Zork II was built by 8,K There are six Guardians of Zork. Clay, NY 23. Jeff Segawa the Frobozz Magic Android Com- 8,L There are six cars in the Linder 5. Michael Rosenberg Kaneohe, HI pany. garage. 6,E In Cutthroats, your watch is bat- 8,M There are six members of the Aqua- Pittsburgh, PA 24. John W. Kennedy, Jr. tery-powered. dome crew. 6. Don Naurocki Chatham, NJ 6,F Leslie Robner's maiden name was 8,N Veronica Ashcroft's ball was held Mission Viejo, CA 25. Mike Surgent Swanson. on Valentine's Day. 7. Michelle Forrest Lynn, MA 6,G Sorcerer is the third game in the 8,O The animals in the Topiary are Enchanter series. (continued on next page) WINTER 1985 THE NEW ZORK TIMES PAGE 11

harmless. 10,I The bartender in Suspect is working 9,A The artifact's force field projector his way through law school. has four settings. 10,J The AIMFIZ spell is found in 9,B The scroll containing the OZMOO Enchanter. spell is found in the Gallery. 10,K Only "Doc" Horvak can give you 9,C According to the Guide, peanuts the Universal Tool. help replace protein lost during 10,L Admission to Bozbarland is two matter transference. zorkmids. 9,D One character in Suspect is cos- 10,M The diary in the Planetfall package tumed as a giant cockroach. begins on July 22. 9,E Fort Griffspotter is located near the 10,N The Heart of Gold's shipboard ocean. computer is named Ralph. 9,F The Treasury of Zork contains 10,O The Wizard of Frobozz has a shares of FrobozzCo stock. stuffed hawk in his Trophy Room. 9,G There are two Mirror Rooms in 11,A Rose Ellingsworth lives in Cam- Zork I. bridge, MA. 9,H The pills found near Marshall 11,B In Zork III, the waybread is origi- Robner's body were LoBlo. nally found at the Cliff Base. 9,I Your lab in Seastalker is equipped 11,C The unicorn has a silver key hang- with a Computestor. ing from its neck. 9,J The Round Room has five exits; 11,D The cover price of True Tales of one is to the Loud Room. Adventure magazine is $1.50. 9,K The first number the band plays in 11,E The Scimitar has two extensor Suspect is "Breathless." claws. 9,L Planetfall includes a brief arcade- 11,F Senator Asher is the first person to style action sequence. find Veronica's body. 9,M The artifact has four docking ports. 11,G The INVENTORY command is a 9,N Floyd's favorite song is "The Ballad feature of every Infocom game. of the Starcrossed Miner." 11,H Cabeza Plana and Mareilon were Above, Steve Meretzky (left) and Douglas Adams at a press conference in 9,O The red button in the dam's Mainte- ancient cities of Quendor. New York City to promote The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Below, nance Room turns on the lights. 11,I The pair of candles in Zork I, if Dorothy Meretzky (Steve’s mother) and Betty Rock (Senior Customer Sales 10,A Tor Books distributes four paper- extinguished, can be re-lit. backs based on the Zork series. 11,J You cannot pick up the Linders' Representative at Infocom) crash the press conference. 10,B Krill's soul is imprisoned in a tiny cat. crystal jar. 11,K An ionic diffusion rasp is located in 10,C The dragon in Zork II guards the the Engine Room of the Heart of entrance to the Volcano. Gold. 10,D Phong is the Robners' butler. 11,L Tracks in the snow provide an im- 10,E Zork is a registered trademark of portant clue in Suspect. Infocom. 11,M Tracks in the mud provide an im- 10,F Monica's Workshop adjoins the portant clue in The Witness. Garage. 11,N A seawall protects the mouth of 10,G The Stellar Patrol is a wing of the Frobton Bay. Fourth Galactic Union. 11,O Dimwit, Babe, and J. Pierpoint 10,H The Wizard of Frobozz wears a Flathead are mentioned in Zork II. fedora.

. . . Zork (continued from page 7) less pit. Many users pointed out that river were sunlit (and even reachable a bottomless pit in an attic should be from outside), but others were dark. noticeable from the ground floor of The major problem resulted from the the house. Dave came up with the new concept Marc introduced: notion of grues, and he wrote their vehicles. In the original game, there description. From the beginning (or were rooms, objects, and a player; almost the beginning, anyway), the the player always existed in some living room had a copy of "US News room. Vehicles were objects that & Dungeon Report," describing became, in effect, mobile rooms. recent changes in the game. All This required changes in the (always changes were credited to some group delicate) interactions among verbs, of implementers, but not necessarily objects, and rooms (we had to have to those actually responsible: one of some way of making "walk" do the issues describe Bruce working something reasonable when the for weeks to fill in all the bottomless player was in the boat). In addition, anything that changes the world contents far exceeded what a player pits in the dungeon, thus forcing ever-resourceful Zorkers tried to use you're modelling changes practically was allowed to carry. The boat was packs of grues to roam around. the boat anywhere they thought they everything in the world you're two separate objects: the "inflated The first major addition to the could. The code for the boat itself modelling. boat" object contained the objects, game, done in June 1977, was the was not designed to function outside Although Zork was only a month but the player carried the "deflated river section, designed and imple- the river section, but nothing kept the old, it could already surprise its boat" object around. We knew noth- mented by Marc. It survives largely player from carrying the deflated authors. The boat, due to the details ing about this: someone finally unchanged in Zork I, but illustrates boat to the reservoir and trying to of its implementation, turned into a reported it to us as a bug. As far as I very well the problems of building sail across. Eventually the boat was "bag of holding": players could put know, the bug is still there. reality. There were minor problems allowed in the reservoir, but the practically anything into it and carry [Coming up in the next issue: Zork of consistency — some parts of the general problem always remained: it around, even if the weight of the Assumes an Alias.] PAGE 12 THE NEW ZORK TIMES WINTER 1985

NEW ZORK TIMES PUZZLE NUMBER 5

Take a piece of graph paper. Make a grid eleven boxes tall and fifteen boxes wide. Starting at the top Puzzle #3 left corner, number the horizontal rows from 1 to 11, and letter the vertical columns from A to O. Below are 165 statements, some true, some false. The "coordinates" before each statement The Solution correspond to a box in your grid. The number is the row and the letter is the column. If the and statement is true, color in the corresponding box in your grid. If the statement is false, leave that box blank. The Winners When you have finished, your grid will contain a picture, message, or graphic of some kind that evokes a particular location in a particular Infocom game. To correctly answer the puzzle, just put the name of the location and the name of the game in the answer space below. see page 10

1,A The unicorn is never seen in the 1,L Floyd's friend Lazarus was a clean- 2,H Richard Ashcroft is Veronica's Infidel. Carousel Room. ing robot. older brother. 3,E Infocom's technical hotline is (617) 1,B The first rod you find on the alien 1,M The Chamber of Ra has an altar and 2,I The Summer '84 New Zork Times 576-3190. artifact is the black rod. five exits. was printed on white paper. 3,F Cochrane went to the ball costumed 1.C There is only one exit from the 1,N The orange cable is found inside 2,J McGinty smokes a pipe. as an astronaut. Room of Nephthys. Fred. 2,K Enchanter InvisiClues is the long- 3,G Tricia MacMillan is a native of 1,D Baxter is Marshall Robner's 1,O There are four tents in the encamp- est of Infocom's hint booklets. Earth. brother-in-law. ment in Infidel™. 2,L The two chalices in the temple 3,H Transit Control Area and Skywalk 1,E The KULCAD spell can be used 2,A Waldo, Poet and Whiz all think Iris alcoves have the same weight. Gamma are joined by a sloping only once. is cute. 2,M The number of the escape pod you corridor. 1,F The parrot in the Shanty has a peg 2,B Marshall Robner was killed on the use in Planetfall™ is 42. 3,I The GONDAR spell quenches fire. leg. night of July 8, 1982. 2,N The Mary Margaret and the Night 3,J Zork III takes place in the year 948 1,G The lever in the Cryogenic Area 2,C Mr. McNabb's first name is Alvin. Wind are identically equipped. GUE. revives a clone of you. 2,D The famous Gabrillic Hyphenated 2,O Three people have solved the 3,K Zoe Bly is the Commander of the 1,H The thief will never steal the plati- Woman can be found on Accardi-2. "Impossible" version of Suspended. Aquadome. num bar. 2,E Seastalker is a collaboration 3,A Deadline was released before Zork 3,L The gold coin in Cutthroats depicts 1,I Infocom released five new games between Stu Galley and Jim III: The Dungeon Master. King Peter II of Spain. in each of 1983 and 1984. Lawrence. 3,B Monica Linder has a friend named 3,M King Duncanthrax was an ancestor 1,J The rainbow turtle is discovered on 2,F The Winding Stair climbs the Terry. of Lord Dimwit Flathead. the beach. northeast tower of Entharion's cas- 3,C The Planetfall package contains 3,N Gurthark-tun-besnap resembles a 1,K The Glass Maze has 27 compart- tle. three post cards. giant mouse. ments. 2,G Bozbarland has two roller coasters. 3,D Frank Webster was your boss in ...more Puzzle #5 on page 10

ANSWER: Location ______Game ______Name: ______Address: ______C.S. 6237 ______Farmingdale, NY 11735 T-shirt Size (S, M, L, XL): ______

CONTEST RULES: 1. All entries must be submitted on this form. No copies accepted. 2. All entries must be received by July 1, 1985. 3. Up to 25 prizes will be awarded. If more than 25 correct answers are received, a drawing will be held to determine the winners. Void where prohibited by law.

PRIZE: A New Zork Times Puzzle Winner T-Shirt

RETURN TO: Infocom NZT Puzzle 55 Wheeler Street Cambridge, MA 02138