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Source code for Zork, Hitchhiker’s Guide, and other Infocom games

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Re: Source code for Zork, Hitchhiker’s Guide, and other Infocom games

#21
> In general, Infocom games were created by taking previous Infocom source code, copying the directory, and making changes until the game worked the way the current Implementor needed. Structure, therefore, tended to follow from game to game and may or may not accurately reflect the actual function of the code.

Some things never change...

EDIT: this is how I do most of my personal projects!

Re: Source code for Zork, Hitchhiker’s Guide, and other Infocom games

#24

> In general, Infocom games were created by taking previous Infocom source code, copying the directory, and making changes until the game worked the way the current Implementor needed. Structure, therefore, tended to follow from game to game and may or may not accurately reflect the actual function of the code. Some things never change... EDIT: this is how I do most of my personal projects!

Well, they worked for them, so why should they?

Re: Source code for Zork, Hitchhiker’s Guide, and other Infocom games

#25

"Zork I is a 1980 interactive fiction game" Surely, these were called Adventure Games at the time. I never recall them being called that.

The box art calls it Interactive Fiction: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/ac/Zork_I_box_ar...

EDIT: Some more info on the origins; apparently it was first used by an early creator of such games (Robert Lafore), and then picked up by Infocom: https://www.filfre.net/2011/09/robert-lafores-interactive-fi...

Re: Source code for Zork, Hitchhiker’s Guide, and other Infocom games

#26

> In general, Infocom games were created by taking previous Infocom source code, copying the directory, and making changes until the game worked the way the current Implementor needed. Structure, therefore, tended to follow from game to game and may or may not accurately reflect the actual function of the code. Some things never change... EDIT: this is how I do most of my personal projects!

I think this has to do with the authors being more literary than tech savvy.

Re: Source code for Zork, Hitchhiker’s Guide, and other Infocom games

#27
post #15

This is the correct link, not the one on the HN post: https://github.com/historicalsource?tab=repositories As a zipfile because someone is bound to get that repo taken down. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1S1CgtZNEKS8VITqTAWAkeyO0LBf...

It looks like they might have added some things since you made your archive. The zip you posted is missing the following repos: stationfall suspect suspended trinity wishbringer witness zork-german zork zork1 zork2 zork3

stationfall had a book released with it that I thought was hilarious at the time.

Re: Source code for Zork, Hitchhiker’s Guide, and other Infocom games

#28

My that looks like LISP!

Basically the history goes Lisp -> MDL -> ZIL

MDL and Lisp kinda co-evolved, and some MDL features (lambda lists, maybe others?) made it into the evolutionary branch that lived.

Re: Source code for Zork, Hitchhiker’s Guide, and other Infocom games

#29
post #12
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are plenty: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z-machine

Z-Machines aren't compilers, they're virtual machines that can execute the compiled output. There's no (known) compiler that still exists that can compile ZIL into Z-code. edit: except for zilf, as mentioned, but it's not functional for even zork 1.

Not functional? Warnings aren't errors. Maybe it's just better at catching potential bugs...

Re: Source code for Zork, Hitchhiker’s Guide, and other Infocom games

#30

"Zork I is a 1980 interactive fiction game" Surely, these were called Adventure Games at the time. I never recall them being called that.

The box art calls it Interactive Fiction: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/ac/Zork_I_box_ar... EDIT: Some more info on the origins; apparently it was first used by an early creator of such games (Robert Lafore), and then picked up by Infocom: https://www.filfre.net/2011/09/robert-lafores-interactive-fi...

that would be the right term.

you can see the evolution in cga vga games like quest for glory 1 or kings guest 1 or even space quest 1 you still had the console style input but was replaced with the menu bars that most remember from adventure games.

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