"All the Grues Weather: Tilick fog, followed by a brief but savage downpour. That Fit, We Print" Wfte New lnrli Wimes

VOL. 4 ... No. 2 - SUMMER 1985 - INTER.FER.ON EDITION New Release:

A Mind Forever Voyaging, the You are PRISM (Perelman­ first advanced-level science fic­ Randu Introductory Soliptic tion story from , is for Machine) : the first intelligent, true text-adventure buffs. Why? self-aware computer. You have Because it has more locations to been created to enter a simulation visit (several hundred), more of Rockvil, years in the future, things to do, more responses, and and return with recordings· of a larger vocabulary (1800 + what life would be like if the Plan words) than any of our previously were to be introduced. While released products. you're busy exploring the future, The story takes place in 2lst­ the scientists and programmers century Rockvil, South Dakota. who created you are honing and The United States of North perfecting the simulation's An1erica has fallen prey to in­ parameters. Thus, as the story credibly high unemployment and progresses, you can travel further crime rates. Political indif­ and further in time, watching ference, perhaps caused by Rockvil prosper as the Plan suc­ backward educational systems or ceeds, or perish as it fails. Only Items from Dr. Perleman 's desk are contained in every A Mind Forever diminishing national resources, you can tell on what course the Voyaging package. has swept the nation. Exploiting country sets itself by adopting the this opportunity, Senator Richard Plan. Ryder has develop the Plan for a While there are several puzzles Run For Your Lives! It's Renewed National Purpose, to keep players on their toes, stressing patriotism and a return designer (author FOOBLITZKY to American values as they were of and Sorcerer, and co­ at the country's peak, the 1950s. author of The Hitchhiker's Guide A Unique Graphics Strategy Game The public, desperate for a to the Galaxy) concentrated more change, embraces the Plan, but on immersing the player in a Infocom? Graphics! other computer game on the many high government officials vast, highly detailed, realistic No, hell hasn't frozen over. market. are unsure whether it will suc­ world; a vision of the destiny of Pigs haven't sprouted wings. But But the really important thing ceed. That is where you come in­ Infocom is announcing its fust about any game is how much fun to the picture. Continued on Page 3 non- game - it is, how enjoyable it is to play, and it does have graphics. not whether it does or doesn't "It's a hoax," you're thinking. have graphics. And Fooblitzky is InfoNews Roundup ''Infocom would never use graph­ a winner. Already, there are ad­ ics to illustrate locations in text dicts at Infocom. Event Marc "Mark" Blank, Jon "Buck­ adventures. Infocom hates Logic, deduction, chance, and ingham" Palace, Mike "Max the graphics." Well, yes and no. social interaction are all big parts This time it was not a mansion Knife" (Stan) Dornbrook, and Infocom has yet to see com­ of Fooblitzky - just like deduc; but a museum; there were no even the Professor himself. The puter graphics that add to the tive reasoning is a big part of murders, no clues, not a puzzle to presentation drew a standing­ quality of a text adventure. There Clue® and Mastermind~ be solved. Not unless you found room-only crowd (thanks to Max, may be ways in which graphics (Fooblitzky reminds some people it a puzzling experience to have a who was seen before the party could be used more subtly to of a cross between those games, good time. The event was the removing the auditorium's 200 enhance your mental imagery. even though its theme is com­ Wishbringer announcement, and folding chairs!). But with today's machine resolu­ pletely different.) Fooblitzky is a a good time was had by all . The party was more than any­ tions, and even with proposed ad­ multiplayer game - 2, 3, or 4 This party was held in the Field one could have wished for, vancements in technology, people can play. The name Museum of Natural History in especially if you were one of the graphics can't begin to compete ''Fooblitzky'' was chosen Chicago. And it was no coin­ seven lucky prize winners. In­ with the scenes and characters because it's easy to remember cidence that Summer CES was in focom drew names from a crystal you can imagine. Therefore, In­ and incredibly difficult to Chicago as well. The press, punch bowl to award the prizes. focom still firmly believes that pronounce. distributors, and many of our These gifts each brought a real­ words paint the most vivid im­ Okay, so the name is goofy. own Infoployees (including life chance to experience one of ages in your mind. The game is goofy. But it's Wishbringer implementor "Pro­ Wishbringer's seven magic Of course, there is a place for sophisticated goofiness. fessor'' ) attended wishes: binoculars for Foresight; graphics today: in a completely The roots of Fooblitzky go back an evening of music, dancing, a lucky Chinese gold coin for different setting and in a com­ more than 2 years. and the 3 p's: presentation, Luck; an all-weather camera for pletely different kind of game. and wanted to prizes, and pastries. Over 300 Rain; a twilight helicopter ride And Fooblitzky is a completely develop something unique, people joined us to celebrate the over Chicago for Flight; a crystal different kind of game. In fact, something totally different from release of our 16th title. ball for Advice; a Watchman Fooblitzky is all graphics, and Those who attended were has more graphics in it than any Continued on Page 3 treated to speeches from our own Continued on Page 3 PAGE2 THE NEW TIMES SUMMER 1985

In Frobs we trust (and so Dear Sirs: #1) I believe I have found a bug, should you), I was intrigued by your photo­ or at least a typo. In the Fortran Mail Bag David Alan Hoag IV translation of Zork for the feature, "Searching for the Relics Placentia, CA of the Emu, 11 which appeared in PDP-11/VAX-ll (translated from Dear Infocom: the Spring '85 issue of The New MDL for the ARPANET), the dam You will notice that the number tour guidebook claims that What a great puzzle! I solved of entries was down this time. Zork Times. I look forward to puzzle number 5 two days after seeing the proper photographs in FCD#3 is composed of "3. 7 cubic Also, don 't forget that The New feet of concrete. 11 To the best of receiving my latest copy of The Zork Times Puzzle Winner your next issue. Incidentally, I New Zork Times, but I had to recently participated in a research my knowledge, it is very dif­ T-shirts can 't be bought - you ficult, if not impossible, to take a replay Zork II to determine must solve the puzzle to own project at Hellespont Historical 1 lump of concrete measuring one whether ''FEEL FREE' was in the one. -Ed. Institute which uncovered startl­ Crypt Anteroom or the Crypt. I ing evidence that the Emus were foot by one foot by three point seven feet and build a structure had made a Zork II map, but I NOT wiped out by the encroach­ Hi the size of FCD#3. While on the loaned it out, and my friend lost I ment of western man, but were topic of the guidebook, how it. He claimed a little guy with a I was really making progress on instead conquered by a race of come the present day versions of beard and pointy hat just popped the NZT puzzle in the Winter malignant Yaks native to moun­ don't mention the work in, waved a wand, mumbled issue. I have all the Infocom tainous New Zealand. A fellow 11 force of "384 slaves, 34 slave something like "Filch, and the games and spent hours and hours researcher proved this invasion drivers, 12 engineers, 2 turtle map just vanished. The loss had researching the questions and fill­ possible by successfully travers­ d9ves, and a partridge in a pear occurred some time ago, and this ing in my grid. I had a ways to go ing the treacherous waters be­ tree" or the command team of current puzzle was just the but felt I was on the right track tween New Zealand and "234 bureaucrats, 2,347 motivation I needed to play the when I was called on to babysit a Tasmania in a coracle made en­ secretaries (at least two of whom game again to remap Zork II's friend's cat. tirely of spun Yak hair. The world. To make a long story short, the creatures the Europeans could type), 12,256 paper shuf­ cat, unknown to me, had a crav­ discovered were the sad remnants flers, 52,469 rubber stampers, I must say, however, that I ap­ 245, 193 red tape processors, and preciate the definitive Infocom ing for graph paper and ate my of their proud race, who quickly almost complete grid. (She gave died of culture shock upon ex­ nearly one million dead trees?" trivia encyclopedia the puzzle Keep The Times coming. solution provides. Nobody I birth to a litter of black and white posure to gunpowder weapons, checked kittens just yesterday.) canvas, and "pick-a-path" game Marc Egazarian know had ever thought to count Blauvelt, NY the leaves, and sure enough . . . I would like to make a com­ booklets (a primitive form of In­ there are 69, 105 (I went back and ment on the gender of computer teractive Fiction!) . I hope this sets P.S. Would somebody mind counted)! Other surprises (at least gamers. Many of us have names the record straight. writing The Hitchhiker's Guide for me) wer~ the folding cot, and or nicknames that could either be Stefan Jones . for the TRS-80 Model ill, please? the Linder'S. radio. It just once male or female. I write to a lot of Lucust Valley, NY Thanks. again proves why Infocom has gamers and I find they usually the finest interactive fiction: at­ assume I am male. After finding Stardate 8411.04 (It may be impossible in the real tention to detail! out I am definitely female they world to build a dam with such a express surprise such as "I didn't To the staff of the NZT, prefer­ small piece of concrete, but this I've tried other adventure know GIRLS PLAYED computer ably Marc "Mark" Blank: games, but as soon as the next In­ is a fantasy, remember! Actually, games!" Then when I tell them I In reply to your "Call the Ex­ it was intended as a joke; it is not focom adventure is available, am 49 + they are shocked almost I terminators" article (NZT:vol. 3 a typo. Ed.) B they are forgotten and am once to silence. I just hope by that again happily lost in another time they realize I'm just as world of Infocom's making. hooked on games as anyone else. According to the statistics I suspect a lot of your Chris's, you 've published, the number of Leslies, Robins, Pats, etc. are IDitt New lnra Wimes people responding to the NZT female. puzzle is on the rise. Worse, the Looking forward to more number of correct answers are puzzles and newsletters soon. Managing Editor Jennifer "Jen" Fine also climbing. What chance does Pat Smith Left Field Dave "Hollywood" Anderson a 33 year old programmer from Puzzle Editor Steven "Rock" Meretzky California have against all of Dear NZT: those youngsters from around the Voyaging Editor Tomas "Tom" Bok country? Ah well, it really doesn't I was shocked to see that in the Spons Editor Jeff "Jeffrey" O'Neill matter. I can, after all, afford a article about music in the Great Photo Editor Paul "PG-13" Gross T-shirt« At least I still have my Underground Empire, there was Editor Michael "Stan" "Max" Dornbrook no mention of one of the FrobozzCo stock options, but I do Exterminated Editor Gary "Gary" Brennan miss the fame and prestige that foremost GUE heavy metal winning the NZT puzzle bestows bands, Motley Griie. Canoon Editor Jeffrey "Jeff" O'Neill on one. Lee Kilpatrick InfoNews Editor Paul "144" Gross Should you be hurting for good Houlton, ME History Editor Stu "Noisome Stu"· Galley material to publish next issue, Editing Editor Jon "Caesar's" Palace To the New Zork Times: feel free to use this letter in your Publisher Michael "The Beast" Dornbrook Mail Bag section, or write me for Seen on a truck on the Inter­ Production Manager Cindy "Cynthia" Curtis a free brochure. The brochure state in Arizona: Q 1985 lnfocom, Inc., 115 CambridgePark Drive, Cambridge, MA 01140 tells about how I could write for Zork Hardware Co. The New Zork Times, work ·for El Paso, TX Zork is a registered trademark of Infocom, Inc . A Mind Forever Voyaging, Cornerstone, Cuttbroats, Infocom, or create the next great Now there's Zork hardware to go Deadline, Enchanter. Fooblitzky, Infidel. Jnv:isiClues, Planetfall, . Sorcerer, Stazcross, American interactive fiction with the Zork software? Love Suspect, Suspended, Wi&hbringer , and The Witness arc trademarks of lnfocom, Inc. The adventure. Hitcbbiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a trademark of . Clue is a registered trademark of your games - keep 'em coming. Parker Bros. Coke is a registered trademark of the Coca Cola Company. Diplomacy is a registered Well, as the wizard said: Susan Heller trademark of Avalon Hill, copyright 1976. Mastermind is a tradcmuk of lnvicta Plastics. The Whop­ per is a registered trademark of The Burger King Corporation. ''Finish! 11 Tuscon,AZ SUMMER1985 THE NEW ZORK TIMES PAGE3

rency) and sell items at pawn New Zork Times, you can buy shops and work in restaurants to Fooblitzky before anyone else! Run, it's Fooblitzky get more foobles. Players can also Research shows that the people or just plain lie to the other get smacked by cars at street who learn Fooblitzky the fastest Continued From Page 1 players. Unless you're the crossings, or get flashed by the and enjoy it the most are the peo­ multiple-personality type, you Chance Man and squashed by a ple who enjoy Infocom's interac­ falling piano. Through all this, text adventures - or any other can't play Fooblitzky by yourself. tive fiction the most. each player tries to deduce and kind of computer game. They {If you don't have any friends and then obtain the 4 "correct" items Therefore, for a limited time, hired a crazed crackerjack artist, your family is no longer returning needed to win. Since the 4 items Fooblitzky is available ONLY Brian Cody, and a programming your phone calls, tough nuggies.) change each time you play, no 2 through The New Zork Times. magician, Poh C. Lim. More Fooblitzky is intellectually games are alike. That's right: For the first six recently, Paula Maxwell joined challenging, requiring a sharp months, Fooblitzky is available the graphics group as an artist. mind, careful note-taking, and a Fooblitzky is unlike any game exclusively to YOU, since you Together they played board penchant for chattering teeth and you've ever played before. And read The New Zork Times. Once games, computer games, video flipping hot dogs. It's not a shoot­ Infocom is proud of that. Fooblit­ you learn Fooblitzky and play it games, mind games ... . They em-up arcade-style game requir­ zky opens up new frontiers in with your friends, you'll love it. discussed game theory: what ing joystick coordination, so even computer gaming, and that's You'll become an Infocom am­ made a game interesting, chal­ adults can play! A game typically what Infocom is all about. bassador, spreading the word lenging, intricate, multifaceted, takes 1 to 2 hours to play. Fooblitzky is so different and about Fooblitzky. When Fooblit­ and replayable. And then they Players move around the innovative that Infocom's zky is released to the rest of the designed Fooblitzky. "city" of Fooblitzky on sidewalk marketing department hit upon a world, everyone will have heard People play against each other squares, much like you move different and innovative of it and will want the new game. in Fooblitzky, not against some tokens around a board game. marketing approach. Because But you don't have to wait: you poor, misguided computer. The Players can buy items at stores you're a special customer of In­ can start enjoying the new game fun is in trying to bluff, outsmart, with "foobles" {the unit of cur- focom' s, because you read The now. n

Forever Voyaging, are now entire­ their machines, using the A Mind Forever Voyaging ly within our capabilities. Unlike "classic" system. the new Whoppe~ or new Coke~ Meretzky began work on the "plus," the latest development this revolutionary gaming tech­ project by writing a short, intrigu­ Continued From Page 1 system from Infocom, designed nology promises to please the ing fictional piece, which intro­ to complement our currently­ tastes of even the most discrimi­ duces the player to the concept of mankind. A Mind Forever Voyag­ used "classic" system. "Plus" nating player, allowing for more artificial intelligence, as well as ing represents Infocom's greatest will be available for most of just about everything (game to the main characters and step yet away from games, and machines that have 128K or more bugs being no exception). Finally, themes of the story. This short toward true fiction: a serious, of internal RAM, allowing us to this size increase should not be story, part of an issue of "Dakota often chilling, look at the future more than double the size of our . seen as "the beginning of the Online Magazine," is found in of the human race, reminiscent of products. In fact, the entire Zork end" of our support for machines the game package, along with the such great works of science fic­ trilogy could have fit into one with under 128K of memory. instruction manual, a full-color tion as 1984 or Brave New World. game if we'd had the "plus" Owners of smaller computers can map of Rockvil, a ''2lst-century'' What makes an epic game like system at our disposal in 1981. rest assured that we will continue plastic pen, and a Class One this possible? Interactive fiction Thus, large projects, like A Mind to produce plenty of products for Security Mode Access Decoder. B

InfoNews Roundup limelight. A + magazine said that treasures). The W.H. Smoth ment says that Wishbringer is ''a "with this game, Infocom Ga.me of the Year Award was great introduction for newcomers demonstrates (again) that the all­ presented to Infocom for Hitch­ to the Adventure Experience, and Continued From Page 1 text adventure is ideal for a hiker's by The British Micro­ is suitable for all ages." The murder mystery . . . . What computing Awards of 1985. All praise extends well beyond the for Freedom; and a telescope for makes the game truly exciting are New Zork Times subscribers puzzles of the game, characteriz­ Darkness. And the prizes didn't the more than ample opportuni­ were invited to attend the award ing Moriarty's writing style as end there. Infocom also donated ties for failure. You can really get ceremony which took place on carrying "a fondness for $2500 to "A Child's Wish Come yourself in a lot of trouble here.'' June 12th in London. Unfor­ Lovecraft, Hawthorne, and things True" - an organization that In another Apple interest tunately, the person assigned to that go bump in the night." fulfills the wishes of children magazine, "Suspect is another the mailing of the invitations was who are terminally ill. And if you great mystery from Infocom; a · busy trying to get by a tiny New News at Infrobozz think all these people were lucky, company that seems unable to vicious poodle; consequently, we Can you name the sixteen soft­ just imagine all the luck that your write a bad game.'' Congratula­ were unable to mail the invita­ ware titles that run on the new very own Wishbringer Magick tions to implementor P. David tions in time. The person respon­ Atari ST? If not, we'll give you a stone will bring .. .. Lebling for adding yet another sible for this error has since been hint: Zork 1, Zork Zork genre to his list of game writing sacked! n, m, Deadline . . . and Wishbri.nger. fortes. Reviews And if you haven't gotten past Thanks to the Micro Group {that Suspect reviews have been turn­ Speaking of the overwhelming the aforementioned poodle nutty bunch of microscopic pro­ ing up faster than clues for the acclaim for Meretzky and Adams' yourself, then you ·probably grammers) the Atari ST will NOT murder of Veronica Ashcroft. collaboration (known affec­ haven't played our latest title, be the hot new machine with NO Suspect, om: latest murder tionately as "HHGG"), we've Wishbringer. The reviews for the software to brag about. And keep mystery, shadowed by the over­ chalked up another award to put first game by "Professor" Brian your eyes peeled {doesn't that whelming acclaim for Hitch­ in the trophy case {and there Moriarty have been nothing short hurt?) for the . Can you hiker's, has recently been receiv­ would be room if it weren't so of glowing, but don't take our name sixteen software titles that ing its well-deserved spot in the full of those silly Zork I word for it. Computer Entertain- run on the Amiga??? n PAG/!4 - - THE NEW ZORK' TIMES SUMMER1985 The History of Zork---The Final(?J

by Stu Galley The key to their design wa5 an SPECIAL TO The New :ZOrk Times imaginary computer chip called the "Z-machine. 11 This chip would be able to run Zork (or at The year: 1979. As Tim Anderson were good was Zork. They wish­ least part of it) if the program has recounted in previous install­ ed that Zork's wonderfulness (or were coded in a special, very ments in this series, Zork was "taste and winnage" in M.l.T. compact language. Then the one large computer game, about a jargon) could somehow be design called for each personal megabyte in size - as large as it brought to more people. But very computer to have a program (call­ could be and still fit in its original few people had access to the large ed a Z-machine Interpreter Pro­ home, a DECsystem-10. Marc computers that could run Zork. gram or ZIP) that would interpret Blank and designed More and more poeple were the special Z-machine language beginning to buy personal com­ and wrote the program, with the and make the computer act t~_<: help of Bruce Daniels and Tim. puters - like the Radio Shack same way that a real Z-machfue They had met and worked TRS-80 Model I or the Apple II - would. In order to get Z9~ -.~it~ .· together in a research group at but those computers were too ten in this special ·tan&uage, ~ M.I.T., and now the group was small to run Zork. Or were they? another language was invented,. · / " losing valuable talent through called Zork Iµiplementat1on. .

conversation. One topic of conversation was "the good old days" at M.1.T., and one reason that the old days time. SUMMER 1985 THE NEW'ZORK TIMES .. PAGES Chapter: MIT, MDL, ZIL, ZIP of the Adventures for machines solution to the Loud Room puz­ production facilities, an advertis­ with 16K bytes of memory and zle, which was added only after ing agency, and so on - and, far from the classic counter­ the first users of Zork I asked so most of all, money. But we threw earthiness of the Colossal Cave in often for hints for that puzzle.) caution to the wind, and hired the original Adventure, Zork can Mort Rosenthal (who later found­ be felt and touched - experi­ ed Corporate Software Inc.) as enced, if you will - through the market~~manager, who found a care and attention to detail the time-Sh~ral' office in Boston's authors have rendered. . . . (A) venerable Faneuil Hall most excellent and memorable work of computerized fiction." Mike Dornbrook was enlisted again to fulfil! mail orders for per­ sonalized hints. Joel collected

It now appeared that we had two choices: to negotiate and contract with another publisher PS had several good features: it land to hope for more satisfac­ was the first true publisher of tion), or to take the plunge and Mike Dornbrook was enlisted software developed by others; it become a publisher. We definite­ to test Zork I for bugs and other was the leading publisher of com­ ly preferred the second choice, bad features, because he had puter games at the time; and it but that required office space, some experience with computers had strong ties to Software Arts but no experience with the Inc., where VisiCalc was in­ •Zork I came under the wing of PS's original Zork, exactly like our in­ vented (requiescant in pace), and • •Jn December 1984, after a long legal tended audience. (One of his con­ New Products Manager, a fellow tangle with Software Arts over where Zork I was demonstrated named Mitch Kapor, who later found­ VisiCalc, Visicorp eventually merged tributions was the alternate - in February 1980. PS agreed in ed Lotus Development Corp. into one of its own spin-off companies and, some say, more logical - June to publish Zork I and sent us and disappeared. PAGE6 THE NEW ZORK TIMES SUMMER 1985 Third Title for '85 Coming Soon At Infocom, we believe that good things come in threes. Our third interactive fiction story this year will be one of those things. It's for those of you who are two­ thirds done with our second trilogy. It's for those of you who want something three times harder than Sorcerer, or three times more exciting than En­ ---- chanter. It's for those of you who want to know if there's life after AIMFIZ. Dave Lebling, co-author of the Zork trilogy and Enchanter, has been spied writing spell scrolls, polishing his crystal ball, and muttering incomprehensible \.\HE HAS TI-llS SAME £)£AM EVERV N16tiT.••• '' syllables under his breath. What it all means, only time (and the ~:!es~s~~ :ll.The New Zo~ NZT Cartoon Winner Among the many amusing and and are fonunate enough to win, your entries. All submissions well-drawn cartoons submitted your prize will be a free Infocom become the property of Infocom, for this issue's cartoon contest, game of your choice. Inc. Be sure to send your cartoon Yak Facts .•/ the eventual winner is the work to: of Andy "Inksipper" Speer of Here are the rules. Canoons NZT Canoons, Infocom, Inc., Did you know that . . . Waltham, Massachusetts. He will be printed approximately 4 ~ 125 CambridgePark Drive, Cam­ inches wide by 5 inches deep, so bridge, MA 02140. And don't ... when overloaded or ex­ receiv:.es a copy of Planet/all for draw your cartoons proponional­ forget to include a separate sheet hausted, the yak will lie down, his Commodore 64 and our con­ If ly. Entries must be in black ink that tells us who you are, what hiss, spit and kick, and refuse to gratulations. you dare to take (not in pencil or in color) on game you wish to win, your com­ move? on the competition and cross pens with your Infocom brethren, white unlined paper. Do not fold puter system, and where you live. ... when asked ''What is your D favorite mammal," 5 out of 7 game writers did NOT choose They're back; yaks? (Significantly, when asked Puzzle Number 5 Winners the same question, 7 out of 7 C-64 versions yaks did not choose game Once again, our incorruptible Duxbury, MA writers.I compatible with random number generator 13. William Frenchu ... no yak in captivity has ever C-128 machines selected 25 lucky T-shirt Hopewell, NJ lived more than 3 weeks, winners: 14. Robert Dionne although wild yaks have a life For the past 2 years many of In­ 1. Thomas Anthony Dingbaum Pon Jefferson Station, NY span of over 90 years? focom's interactive fiction titles Millersville, MD 15. P. DeGano ... the silent, black-and-white, for the Commodore 64 were 2. David Gleeson Grand Terrace, CA available exclusively from Com­ 1922 version of The Wizard of Oz Van Nuys, CA 16. Ray Button ill modore. Our agreement with ft:atured a cowardly yak instead 3. Judy Bezz.one Roseville, CA them has now expired. Zork I, of a cowardly lion? ("Yaks and Sacto, CA 17. Brandy Brooks tigers and bears, oh my!") Zork II, Zork m, Demlline, Star­ cross, Suspended, Cutthroats, 4. David Bennett Lynchburg, VA ... the hair of wild yak is black and Suspect are now available Bexley, OH 18. Greg Swieringa and shen, except on the flanks from us in new Infocom 5. Ruth Anderson-Barnett Anoka, MN and tail where it forms a long, packages. Those of you who pur­ San Diego, CA 19. Bruce Stedwell shaggy fringe? chased the Commodore 128 will 6. David Gatewood Lake Havasu City, AZ .... a newborn yak is called a be pleased to know that all of our Charlottesville, VA 20. Andy Plotkin yaklet and usually arrives in a lit­ Commodore 64 titles will also 7. Jeff Williams Rockville, MD run on your machines. B ter of 30 or more? Nashville, TN 21. Larry Pedersen ... domestic yaks, which breed CORRECTION 8. Dave Kassing Atlanta, GA freely with domestic cattle, are Gresham, OR 22. Fred Nemec often piebald black and white? SORRY! Due to space restric­ 9. Tom "Floyd" Wright Tustin, CA tions, we are unable to run the Midland, MI .... The Witness author Stu photo essay "Searching for the 23. Ted Murach Galley is a former yak trainer? Relics of the Emu" in this issue. 10. Amy Hinshaw Western Springs, IL Loma Linda, CA ... wild yaks live in large herds of We hope to find enough room in a 24. Michael McSurley females, young bulls, and calves fonhcoming issue to run this in­ 11. Gary Laskowski Wilmington, DE (the mature bulls staying together teresting and provocative feature. Roseville, MI 25. Mike Lipinski in smaller groups)? D D 12. Mark Hausherr Millers Falls, MA B SUMMER 1985 THE NEW ZORK TIMES PAGE7 Interactive Sohball: > LOOK AROUND You are standing in an open field >wHo AM I? >WHO AM I TO ARGUE THE C. You race toward the bag, col­ west of a white plate. There is a You are "Hollywood" David Ander­ CALL? liding with the first baseman. There catcher here. son, HOA for short, which you're You are David "Julio" Cavallo. Alter­ is an awful "crunch!" For a moment, The late afternoon sun is a fiery not. No, you tower over most trolls natively, Crazy Legs. You are th ief­ everything becomes .. . Dark orange ball on the horizon. and second basemen. And, for­ like on the basepaths. Winningly You can feel nothing, hear sooth, you have a not undeserved wide-ranging in the left field. With a nothing, see nothing, smell nothing, >INVENTORY reputation as a slugger, be it lean­ Cyclops hunger at the plate. But taste nothing and you don't even You have: ing over a bar or leaning over home these better than standard-level know your own batting average. a bat plate. For the moment it's the latter: skills mean vastly more than mere >1 a Hawaiian shirt (being worn) personal glory on the field. Yes, they You're the batter. But this time You have: your heart (also being worn, on mean job security. No, that's the something goes awry. Maybe it was broken your nose in 4 places your sleeve) a too-poor grip on the bat. Maybe it cynic talking. Talent translates into was a too-firm grip on the beer can. opportunity for pride in the name of D. You wisely amble over toward >WHO AM I? You sent a Iii' nubber up along the lnfocom. the ice chest, shrugging your You are southpaw vice president third base line. Okay, Julio, what do you want to shoulders while keeping your head Marc Blank. The shirt is the mock­ First base is northeast of here, do now? held high, "a trick few people can touristy uniform, and the heart's in and you can see the ice chest to the do, as it requires a lot of technically the right place (not a bug) because east. > ARGUE THE CALL (go to para­ complex deltoid muscle work." Like what is at stake here is no less than Okay, Hollywood, what do you graph E) stealing signs from the opposing bragging rights to the Eastcoast want to do now? catcher, a teammate reads your Software Softball League. >CALL OFF THE ARGUMENT (go mind, tossing a cool one in your Off to the north, the pitcher lobs >RUN NORTHEAST (go to para­ to paragraph F) direction. It goes down well. an arching white ball in your graph C) direction. A. Which ball do you mean, the E. Since you were right on top of Okay, Marc, what do you want to > WALK EAST THEN EMPTY THE white ball or the fiery orange ball? the play, credibility is yours. The do now? ICE CHEST THEN ENJOY THE (I assume you mean the white man's foot was three car lengths off BEER (go to paragraph D) ball.) the bag. Not even in the same area >SWING AT BALL (go to para­ Slash! The haft of your bat con­ code. The other team argues that graph A) nects with the pitch! But since this "proximity" and " informality" You 're sitting in the cool shade is softball and not' mortal combat, somehow equals "out." Proximity: >TAKE THE PITCH (go to para­ of a large drooping tree that you merely send a harmless pop-up Sure, in the same sense Hawaii is a into the field. Walking to the bench, graph B) dwarfs the sidelines between first contiguous state. In the same sense you mutter something about the space shuttle is "on the pad" and home. The home team is up KNOWING better than to have half an hour after liftoff. The "infor­ It's one of those tea kettle days to bat. swung at the first pitch. mality" argument itself breaks in summer w hen Massachusetts A t ea mmate dribbles a • • • You have flied out •• • down, analogous to a "fight for m ight as w ell be spelled M -i-s­ grounder to third. There is a play Better luck next at-bat. peace." s-i -s-s-i-p-p-i . Infocom vs. Lotus. at first. Or rather there would Lotus is l i k e N ew England have been a play had the first F. Just as well. Losing the battle B. Taken. hastens with winning of the war. weather . Can't make up their baseman's foot not been pulled Your patience pays off, as on the Hail lnfocom, victors deserved. End­ m inds. Half dozen of their guys off the bag by a w ild throw. The next pitch you watch the right ing the regular season and starting show up. They import som e of runner is safe. Or i s she? The op­ fielder stopping short of the fence the playoffs, the team is leading the ours; the game's for fun, evi­ posing team collapses upon first as the ball sails over it. (Your score league with a record of 7·1 , having denced by the ice chest , which is base l ik e an implosion, eager to just went up by 1 run ! You now have bested the likes of Lotus, Spinniker, overfull. make the unbiased call of " Out!" 3 runs out of an eventual 14.) et al. Hail lnfocom, indeed. D

(Left) Deep in the hole at short, Jeff 0 'Neill scoops up a hard-hit takes a bite of Liz Cyr-Jones ' arm. Coach Hollywood Dave Anderson, grounder. (Right) Max Buxton, Gayle Syska, Linda Mazzotta, Spencer who frowns on intra-team cannibalism, looks away. In the background Steere and Renata Sorkin enjoy the game while Andrew Kaluzniacki is Chris Gugger's 77 Plymouth Grand Fury. PAGEB THE NEW ZORK TIMES SUMMER 1985

NEW ZORK TIMES PUZZLE NUMBER7

This puzzle is based entirely on in­ I. Your SW Contra sector V. Price of special delivery to GG. ADeline-exchange phone formation in the game packages number. Festeron. number of the Brass themselves. The following J. Length of the GUE Tech W. Phi value of AXOl at the Lantern restaurant. phrases correspond to numbers, magic course, in weeks. time the mass detector HH. Excelsior Tower suite and are arranged in numerical K. Length, in days, of Ell­ output was made. number of Coates, Shavely order by those numbers. Except - ingsworth' s trip from El X. Arthur's street number on & Coates. one is out of order. The correct Menhir to the campsite. answer is the letter or double­ Country Lane. II. Turgid Eddy's post office letter of the phrase that is out of L. Age of the knight who was Y. Marshall Robner's weight, box number. numerical order. sent to Lord Nimbus. in pounds, at the time of Jj . Year that the Sao Vera M. Depth of the Frobton Bay his death. sank. shipping channel, in Z. Model number of Joo Jan­ KK. Year that King's Point A. Seconds a hellhound takes meters. ta's Super-Chromatic Peril­ Realty was founded. to devour a human twelve N. Length of the Linder mar­ Sensitive Sunglasses. LL. Year of the Fianna' s ship­ times its size. riage, in years. AA. Number of pounds lost by wreck. B. In the Local History Series, 0 . Crotches produce this several National Inquisitor MM. Year of the unsuccessful the number of "The amount times their weight staffers. Ellingsworth expedition. Legend of Wishbringer." in trot each day. BB. Street number on Wiscon­ NN. Publication year of /1 Four C. Number of Ensign Lim's P. Page number that ''There sin Avenue of Costumes Shipwrecks Off Hardscrab­ planet in the Ash-Down Goes the Neighborhood'' Unlimited. ble Island. /1 system. article begins on. CC. Depth of the HMS Intran­ 00. Zip code of Rose Ell­ D. " Foreign" newsstand price Q. Length of the Mazy sigent wreck. ingsworth. of Popular Enchanting, in Margaret, in feet. DD. Outfitters Intemational's PP. Receipt number for cowboy zorkmids. R. Volume of Ellingsworth's street number on Wharf costume. E. Row of the postal grid hieroglyphic cube, in cubic Road. QQ. Linder's street address on where the poodle is inches. EE. Number of years that Lyman Drive. located. S. Number of pocket Gregory Franklin served as RR. William Cochrane's F. Number, in the S-513 calculator functions on a Central Mentality. business zip code. series, of the Ultramarine Mark IV with that option. FF. Number of thrills awaiting SS. The "zip code" of the Bioceptor drawing. T. Amount of Outfitters Inter­ you on "The Galaxy's Magick Shoppe, with G. Number of questions that national's price increase for Playground,'' Accardi-3. hyphens removed. EJ Detective Anderson asked diving cages. Leslie Robner. U. Monthly subscription rate H. Nate's price for dragon for the Santa Ana Register, Solution to NZT Puzzle Number Five scales, in zorkmids. in 1938 pennies. Puzzle Five produced a fairly low number of entries for an admittedly "Expert Level" puzzle, but most of the entries we received were cor­ ------~------rect. If you answered the 165 True-False questions correctly, and blackened the corresponding squares on your grid, you would have ANSWER: wound up with the following graphic: Name:

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 November 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 This is the message over the doorway in the Crypt Anteroom in Zork II. RETURN TO: Infocom There were exactly 100 entries, of which 70 were correct. For the six NZT Puzzle people who answered "Crypt" - close, but no cigar. The most com­ 125 CambridgePark Drive mon wrong answer was the Royal Puzzle from Zork m. Many of the Cambridge, MA 02140 wrong answers were understandable: the Maze in Zork I, the Map Room in Enchanter, the Dark in Hitchhiker's. Other wrong answers were very cryptic: the Burial Chamber in Infidel, Forest Path in Zork I, ------Shuttle Car Betty in Planetfall, and the Tool Shed in Deadline. EJ