The 1977 source code for ZORK has been recovered from MIT tapes and released on github. I cloned the repository at github.com/historicalsour… and the official MIT github set is at github.com/MITDDC/zork
Oh, look, it took off. I made a documentary on text adventures. Website is here: getlamp.com - it's open licensed so you can see it on youtube, etc. If you want, it's here: youtube.com/watch?v=o15itQ…
@textfiles @JonLupa I opened up the repo to see markdown and JSON files. These Zork folks were ahead of their time!
@textfiles Huzzah! I played Zork on... I don't know what. My older brother coded it up. It was very probably the first computer game that I ever played.
@textfiles Who has 2 thumbs and can say they and their friend was pictured in the Durham Sun newspaper with the caption, "solving complex computer programming problems" while in reality, actually playing ZORK at Duke University Computer Kamp.
@textfiles @dilletante OMG that code has all the topographic simplicity of APL, brevity of COBOL, and control flow elegance of BASIC.
@textfiles This is thanks to the stellar work of my colleagues, the archivists & copyright librarians at the @mitlibraries! Enjoy! archivesspace.mit.edu/repositories/2…
@textfiles It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.
@textfiles @SuperNerdMike OMG I loved these!!!
@textfiles GUYS, GUYS: Hear me out here: Multiplayer... Zork... via SSH
@textfiles @hybr1z Few years ago I extracted all the descriptions and mapping data and rebuilt this entire game by hand in a MUD with an extended storyline so now ppl can play Zork as a multiplayer coop game with a fully mature combat system -- Amongst a few continents worth of other content. Fun!
@textfiles Installed and running in 4341 by 1985...
@textfiles I don´t know what precious scanned C64 work you did because the scanned mags quality is shameless ! unreadables!!
@textfiles Now I have a new Alexa skills project.
@textfiles thank goodness I found this on a rainy cold weekend after I've mowed the yard, or I'd be divorced by Monday
@textfiles How does it compare to '500 point adventure' the first text game I played?
@textfiles it took this long? how did this not happen before now...
@textfiles I have had the entire MDL source code (printed out from the Dover printer in Tech Square) stores in velobound volumes in the back of my bookcase for years. It will be interesting to compare.
@textfiles Am I remembering correctly that if you beat one of the Zorks it printed a map to its sequel? My dad had all of them.
@textfiles I never could get out of the ditch under the bridge. Many happy and frustrating hours playing this as a teenager.