The Adventurers Guild: Missed Basic: Past Zork

Written by Joe Pranevich

Welcome again to Past Zork! I admit that I’ve struggled with this recreation. It is not that it is a unhealthy recreation, however I’ve problem motivating myself to play or write about it. Each time I attempt, my consideration drifts elsewhere and I discover one thing else to do. I am nearly shocked I have never opted to color my toilet by now. This ought to be unattainable – this can be a Brian Moriarty recreation! It is a Zork recreation! That is Infocom! I’ve performed my fair proportion of duds for this weblog — and I will admit, a nasty recreation may be charming in its personal manner. Each one in all them impressed me to write down, typically an excessive amount of. Past Zork is the primary recreation the place my major feeling is one in all mediocrity. It ought to be a greater recreation and my power is sapped. This session not less than ended properly and I hope that I can sustain this constructive motivation to lastly end and price one of many ultimate video games in our marathon.

Final time, I wanted hints to progress, together with a serious one for fixing the riddle on the lighthouse entrance. After navigating the construction and battling attention-grabbing monsters — from replicating mud devils to a creature with numerous eyes — I opened a chest on the very prime. What occurred subsequent was sudden: I used to be teleported to a celestial realm stuffed with unicorns. They didn’t like me a lot and banished me again to earth with a warning that they might not be so pleasant subsequent time. I nonetheless have many unsolved puzzles, with maybe the biggest being that my character hasn’t “discovered the plot” but. We (the participant) know what’s going on and that we’re questing for the Coconut of Quendor, however all my protagonist is aware of is that she had a sudden urge someday to do a fetch quest for a cook dinner in a close-by inn and earlier than she knew it she was attempting on armor and being insulted by unicorns. What’s her motivation?

This week, because the title suggests, we’ve lastly found the plot. Let’s get on with it!

The “scroll of recall” turns out to be useful!

With all of my hints exhausted and at a lifeless finish due to the rejection of the unicorns, I resolved to spend time experimenting with all the things. Sadly, “all the things” consists of objects within the shops that I haven’t been in a position to afford. To do that, I might iterate over a save file, promoting my stuff and shopping for the costlier objects till I had an opportunity to play with nearly all the things. A couple of objects are past my worth vary even then, however I used to be in a position to check out a majority of the objects discovered within the recreation’s three retailers.

The “Scroll of Recall” causes a glowing magic phrase to look within the air in our location. Utilizing that phrase permits us to journey again to the place the spell was solid at any time and there doesn’t seem like a restrict to the use, besides which you can solely set the vacation spot as soon as. This seems like one other manner south from Zeno’s bridge, however it could possibly be wanted to get again right into a locked area or the same future puzzle.
The “Stick of Eversion” turns issues briefly inside out, however not in any manner that seems instantly helpful. I attempt, for instance, to show the portray on the wharf inside out to “free” the ship that’s painted on it, however that’s not the proper strategy.
The “Cane of Annihilation” will destroy nearly any creature, however the one one I wish to destroy (the Monkey Grinder by the Guildhall) can take in its energy into his hurdy gurdy as a substitute.
The “Potion of Dying” does precisely as is indicated on the label. There’s a puzzle in King’s Quest VI the place our character has to die to realize entry to the afterlife, however I don’t in any other case know what it could be helpful for.
The “Potion of Forgetfulness” causes me to neglect the entire map and all of our recognized objects. I don’t see a manner that helps us, however maybe a villain later within the recreation can learn our ideas and we have to neglect one thing.
The “Scroll of Safety” improves the armor class of no matter we’re sporting, however solely works as soon as. (It’s the identical because the “Honing” spell, aside from armor.) We should always maintain off on utilizing it till now we have the perfect armor.
The “Scabbard of the Blade of Entharion” has an unwieldy identify and is generally ineffective with out the matching blade, however it does permit us to recuperate 4 HP per flip whereas out of fight as a substitute of 1. It’s not tremendously useful.

I may actually use one in all these.

Simply itemizing objects is already getting boring, so let me reduce to the chase and say that I spent a very long time attempting issues. Bear in mind the spade that we captured off of the ghoul north of Zeno’s Bridge? I attempted digging with it in a number of locations. Close to the Christmas city, I get useful responses that I have to have the “correct device” to write down the safety glyph, however neither the spade nor the rest I’ve appears to be it. I discovered a enjoyable case the place the umbrella flies out of your fingers in case you solid the “Levitate” spell on it, fully defeating my concept to Mary Poppins could manner down off Zeno’s Bridge. I attempt ensuring that I don’t carry the horseshoe into the “Airplane of Boastful Unicorns” (based mostly on a clue about how a lot they hate equine subservience), however they don’t reply any in a different way. I do a number of issues and little or no works.

In the long run, I begin studying clues posted within the feedback. The primary clue upsets me and turns my middling dislike of the sport to one thing extra pronounced. It additionally reveals that I by no means would have solved the puzzle alone as a result of I by no means would have tried it:

Now we have to assault the newborn hungus. The one that’s drowning in quicksand together with his mom crying close by. Now we have to assault a drowning child. We. Have. To. Assault. A. Drowning. Child. If that is actually the one answer, I hope somebody has a listing of the worst textual content journey recreation puzzles of all time and I hope that is on it. I additionally needed to restore again to even do that as a result of I rescued the newborn some time in the past and being a great samaritan with out attacking the newborn first places us into an unwinnable state.

Don’t ever assault a child hungus.

I don’t even know methods to write this up correctly, however attacking the newborn hungus causes the mom to seethe with rage. (Together with one retrogaming fanatic.) She expenses at our character and can observe us all by means of the jungle. You may additionally recall that the jungle incorporates a “see-saw” idol puzzle the place the Crocodile’s Tear jewel is in a temple with an odd see-saw ramp. If we climb as much as get the jewel, our weight causes the ramp to tip and ship us right into a darkened room in the midst of the temple. If the mom hungus is following us, we will trick her into standing on the underside of that see-saw. As a result of she may be very heavy, now we have little problem climbing up and grabbing the jewel. Puzzle solved? Not to date.

She will get offended and expenses up the ramp. Within the temporary ensuing melee, she swallows the jewel accidentally and we’re plunged into the temple’s cell anyway. We discovered just a few methods out final time (“eversion” and “sayonara” spells each get us out, to not point out “recall”) after which should take care of a still-angry mom who has now eaten the treasure we had been after. Luckily, this appears to be the proper use of the “eversion” spell as we will momentarily flip the mom hungus inside-out to get the jewel. She will not be having a terrific day, though she is fortunately not harmed by the expertise.

As soon as that’s all achieved, we will return to the newborn hungus and at last rescue him utilizing the “levitate” spell. The mom appears relieved and heads off into the jungle along with her child, by no means to be seen once more, however little doubt cursing the insane girl that has fully ruined her day earlier than saving her baby. She should be so confused.

The jewel itself doesn’t appear to have a use besides as one thing to promote; not one of the store keepers will inform me something about it, apart from it’s value 1000 zorkmids. That lets me buy the rest I would need, however I have already got a goal in thoughts: the hourglass. I believe we all know the place that goes already.

Actually, “making” photos with the ferret is my favourite a part of the sport.

Chances are you’ll recall from our final outing that there’s an archway with an hourglass image on it within the ruined metropolis north of Zeno’s Bridge. I buy the hourglass and head there. I nonetheless don’t know the proper solution to cross the bridge, however we will get throughout by summoning the pterodactyl and flying throughout. This leads as you may anticipate to a staple puzzle within the Zork collection: time journey.

Flipping the hourglass whereas standing underneath the arch transforms the world into an odd north-south hall. We rapidly uncover that strolling north takes us into the longer term whereas strolling south takes us into the previous. I verify south first and emerge right into a scene on the plaza the place two princes are preventing. One prince is beheaded and his horse is killed earlier than I’ve time to determine what to do.

If I’m going to determine this out, I’m going to should be organized. I sharpen my pencil and take good notes:

The furthest south results in a “timeless, dimensionless void” the place solely the archway stays. Not that a lot to do there.
Subsequent is a savannah stuffed with volcanoes and dinosaurs.
Additional in time is a forest clearing the place primitive huts dot the riverbank. We can’t discover the huts or depart the clearing. As earlier than, we’re at all times caught to simply the world instantly across the archway.
Subsequent is a younger and thriving metropolis. The plaza is a plaza now, crammed to the brim with folks. An orator is giving a speech at one finish.

Regardless of so many makes an attempt, the AI refuses to attract a Greek-style orator with no microphone.

The speech appears necessary, so let me recount it right here in full:

The orator stills the throng with a wave of his hand.

“Our fathers constructed this metropolis on the Place The place the Nice Waters Meet,” he cries. “The fitting to call the One River belongs to us!”

The throng roars its approval.

[…]

“The infidels from the east management the One River’s mouth,” continues the orator. “However we, who dwell on the joinings of the Rivers Phee and Bor, WE management the supply.” The throng whistles. “Because the daughter takes the identify of the daddy, so shall the One River be recognized by the place of its delivery!”

“Pheebor!” roars the throng. “Hail the River Pheebor!”

[…]

“Phee-bor! Phee-bor!” chants the throng.

“Now we have no quarrel with the town to the east,” claims the orator (amid shouts on the contrary). “But when they proceed to slight our heritage with the wretched identify Borphee” (the group hisses), “we will smite them from the face of the land!”

The throng goes wild, and carries the orator away on its shoulders.

Oh boy! We all know the place that is going. Borphee is a metropolis talked about in a number of different Zork video games, beginning with Sorcerer (however retroactively added into the re-release handbook for Zork II). Pheebor is clearly going to lose this particular battle. Unusually, that means that Borphee ought to be simply to the east, however that metropolis is Accardi-by-the-Sea. Maybe Borphee is simply off our Past Zork map, additional northeast? If it does seem on this recreation, I haven’t discovered it but.

Struggle is hell.

Simply to the longer term from right here is the battlefield that I briefly noticed earlier. It feels a bit just like the Napoleonic Wars, with trenches ripped into the town streets and fight on horseback. I pay extra consideration this time and see a “tall, proud man sporting a wonderful helmet”. He’s Prince Foo, however he isn’t lengthy for the world as a darkish knight on horseback arrives and assaults.

“Begone, thou japanese fop! […] By no means shall the River Pheebor yield its sacred identify.”

The black rider cuts off the prince’s head which rolls into a close-by trench. Earlier than I can get to it, his horse can be killed and falls on prime. Replaying this scene just a few occasions, the sport appears to make it unattainable for me to get the helmet so it should be necessary. I can’t wait within the trench to retrieve it, and if I attempt to seize it earlier than the prince’s horse is killed, the sport simply kills the horse sooner. My “Amulet of Bok” doesn’t work whereas time-traveling, so I can’t enhance my power to maneuver the horse both. (I didn’t convey the employees of levitation. I can convey it later.) I journey ahead in time to the latest aftermath of the battle and attempt to dig with the spade, however I’m unable to search out the helmet that manner.

I proceed looking out the time zones:

We arrive at the moment day simply after the battle aftermath; going any additional takes us into the longer term.
The following hop ahead reveals an empty plaza however now lined in frost from an Arctic chill. International cooling?
The following stage additional reveals the entire space lined by a glacier. Is that this one thing that the villain of the sport will trigger? Why precisely is the longer term a frozen wasteland? (There was a interval within the 70s and 80s the place some scientists postulated that we’d have “world cooling” as a substitute of “world warming”. These scientists are seemingly embarrassed now, however this could possibly be what Moriarty is referencing.)
The following stage reveals that the glaciers have receded, however each hint of the town is now gone. As a substitute, we’re close to some form of freeway the place “unusual mechanisms of steel and glass” zoom throughout the panorama.
Additional north is simply desolation the place unfastened, charred earth is all that continues to be of a civilization that when existed. I get some actual Trinity vibes right here.
The farthest future is a timeless, dimensionless void as soon as once more.

Sadly, I need to depart this time journey puzzle un-solved. I think that we have to someway discover the helmet after the battle, however none of my digging in any of the time zones has revealed something of worth. The ditch was very deep, in any case. Does the sport have a steel detector? I’ll want to consider this additional. Till then, I restore again (as a result of I can’t afford to waste a use of the whistle) and see what else I can resolve.

We’ve been to the top of the universe. It was scary.

In brief: I resolve nothing. I stay caught precisely the place I used to be caught earlier than, solely now I do know in regards to the time journey puzzle. I’ve been cautious, however I allowed myself to take a look at one other one of many clues posted within the earlier remark part. I can’t recall the precise wording now (and I don’t wish to verify for threat I spoil one thing else accidentally), however it mentioned that there was one thing within the chest that I missed after getting back from the land of the unicorns.

Each time I ever returned from the unicorns, I reset my recreation again to an earlier level. I simply assumed that there could be an object or answer that will permit me to befriend the unicorns and that I shouldn’t waste my solely journey to their dimension on a failure. Apparently, not less than as I perceive this commenter, that’s precisely what now we have to do. I’ve been so involved about ending up in a “strolling lifeless” state (a wise worry contemplating the difficulty with the hungus puzzle) that I assumed that upsetting the unicorns was one.

Even so, I ought to point out that the sport doesn’t exit of its solution to inform you something is within the chest after you get again. (You need to explicitly “look into” chest, not “study” it.)

> study chest

The oak chest is compact and durable, in all probability the craft of Atharian dwarves. No latch or keyhole is seen, however a brass plate is affixed to the open lid.

Trying inside reveals a palimpsest and a “imprecise define”. Because of the identification expertise on the magic store, I be taught that the palimpsest is a “Gate” spell, presumably to return again to the land of the unicorns. I’m additionally informed that the “imprecise define” is ineffective… “not less than on this airplane of existence.” Perhaps I ought to take it to a special airplane?

Anticipating one other journey to the unicorns, I take advantage of the “Gate” spell (“Smee” on this playthrough) and arrive on the “Ethereal Plain of Atrii”. If this is identical as the place the unicorns are, I’m in a very totally different space. As a substitute, this seems to be extra like a shadow realm adjoining to our personal. As I discover, I discover curtains suspended in mid-air that take us to the a number of retailers that now we have seen all through the sport. (We can’t re-enter the curtains to get again to Atrii, not less than not in any apparent manner.) Checking my stock, the “imprecise define” has now grow to be a “section blade”. That sounds spectacular. I wield it as I map this new a part of the world.

ChatGPT retains wanting to place our heroine in a gown.

As we strategy the a part of the map blocked by lightning within the “actual” world, we discover one other imprecise define within the sky blocking our path. Given that’s how the section blade seems within the different world, I take advantage of it to chop the blockage and we’re in a position to go by means of!

On the astral airplane roughly over that lightning plain, a bunch of Implementors sit round a desk consuming snacks. They’re nonchalant, chatting and taking part in with a coconut. They appear bored by my arrival. “Isn’t this the feeb that used the phrase ‘wair’ just a few strikes in the past?” one says. Sure, I did make that typo. They should be gods! If they’re gods, they’re gods which might be unhealthy at taking part in catch as a result of one tosses the coconut… and misses.

A cheerful trying Implementor catches the coconut and glares down at you with silent contempt.

[…]

“Catch!” cries the cheerful-looking Implementor, lobbing the coconut excessive within the air.

“Bought it!” a loud-mouthed Implementor jumps out of his seat, steps backwards to seize the falling coconut… and plows immediately into you.

Plop. The coconut skitters throughout the plain.

What ought to I do? Properly, I’m going to attempt to finish the sport by grabbing that coconut!

> get coconut

As you attain in direction of the coconut, a vortex of laughing darkness boils up from underfoot.

“Extra firm,” sighs the cheerful trying Implementor.

You again away from the zone of darkness because it spreads throughout the Plain, reaching out with lengthy black fingers, looking out, looking out…

Slurp! The coconut falls into the attention of the vortex and disappears, together with a stack of lunch meat and bits of cutlery from the Implementors’ desk. Then, with a ultimate chortle, the vortex attracts itself collectively, turns sideways, and sparkles out of existence.

“Ur-grue?” asks the one girl Implementor?

“Ur-grue.” nods one other.

The primary villain of the sport?

Studying the handbook, I additionally be taught that Ur-grue are fallen Implementors. If this one seems to be Michael Berlyn, I’m going to snicker and snicker.

“That is awkward,” remarks a loudmouthed Implementor. “No telling what the ur-grue may do with the Coconut. He may crumble the foundations of actuality. Plunges the world right into a thousand years of darkness. We’d even have to purchase our personal lunch!” The opposite Implementors gasp. “And it’s all her fault,” he provides, pointing at you with a drumstick.

“So,” sighs one other Implementor, toying together with his sun shades. “The Coconut is gone. Stolen. Any volunteers to get it again?”

One after the other, the Implementors flip to take a look at you.

I’d say it’s unanimous, smiles the cheerful-looking Implementor.

[…]

A light-mannered Implementor empties his goblet of nectar with a gulp. “Right here,” he says, holding it out for you. “Carry this. It’ll hold the thunderbolts off your again.”

There’s a lot plot-related to unpack, however as an individual that has learn and written about Infocom for longer than I care to contemplate, I can’t assist however be distracted by the Implementors. What number of of them can we establish? To date, now we have briefly seen 5 of them:

The “Cheerful” Implementor
The “Loud-Mouthed” Implementor
The “Girl” Implementor
The “Sun shades” Implementor
The “Gentle-Mannered” Implementor

Of these, the one we may be positive of is the girl as a result of Amy Briggs was the one feminine Imp on the time of Past Zork, not less than who had acquired public recognition. Different good guesses could be Stu Galley for “Cheerful”, Steve Meretzky for “Loud-Mouthed”, Dave Anderson for “Sun shades”, and Brian Moriarty himself for “Gentle-Mannered”. That’s a greatest guess for now and we’ll see if any extra Imps are talked about later or if we get any extra clues both in-game or within the supply code. I’m not going to verify now for worry of spoiling any upcoming puzzles.

Both manner, once I take the goblet out of his hand I’m whisked again to the true world.

Consistency is poor, however not less than she is sporting pants!

With my new goblet, I can lastly discover one other space: the “Area of Frotzen”. That is the lightning-blocked space that’s simply to the west of our beginning place and roughly the place the Implementor Picnic was being held on the Airplane of Atrii. In brief:

I discover a four-leaf clover. It’s going to in all probability enhance my luck, however just like the horseshoe I haven’t discovered methods to use it.
A scroll. I establish it as a “Scroll of Mischief” that’s “enjoyable at events”. Which may be, however once I solid it, it solely rearranges somebody’s garden furnishings distant. I’ll look out for a garden furnishings monster.
We discover three scarecrows watching three fields of corn, however two of the fields are lifeless. My hunch is that one thing is particular in regards to the scarecrow guarding the still-living subject, however I don’t instantly determine what.
A lone butterfly flits across the subject. I can get it to land on the rim of the goblet (the Implementors had been consuming “golden nectar”), however I don’t see what to do subsequent.
There’s a group of “corbies” (like crows?) that block the trail north, plus a “large corbie” flying above. The handbook means that it could possibly detect and assault shade inside 200 blots and we all know from the billboard that the sector is just 90 blots extensive. My guess is that we will lure it with the butterfly-on-goblet, however I don’t see how to do that but.

That is the place I’m caught. I mistakenly dropped the goblet within the subject and don’t have a latest save. This concerned a variety of swearing and one other week of dropping curiosity within the recreation earlier than I may sit all the way down to it once more.

One final thing earlier than I’m going…

A Shock Resolution

I had already completed all of my taking part in and was drafting this put up when inspiration struck: I had a terrific concept for the time journey puzzle. Anybody that has performed these textual content adventures know that always options come within the bathe or when you’re having dinner. Our brains work on the puzzles within the background someway after which inspiration strikes.

Right here is my inspiration: bury a truffle.

After we arrive up to now, we don’t have sufficient time to get into the ditch safely earlier than the prince comes and is beheaded. We then don’t have sufficient time to get the helmet earlier than the horse comes and crashes on prime of it. However what if we throw a truffle in? I nonetheless have one of many specifically preserved “Fountain of Youth” truffles that final some time so I toss it in simply earlier than the prince falls to his demise. The minx may be very excited once I do that, implying that I should be heading in the right direction.

Sadly, what comes subsequent is disappointing: I zip into the rapid aftermath of the battle when the town is collapsing into empty rubble. Absolutely, I’d be capable of discover the truffle then? However the minx doesn’t even shake a whisker. I assumed for positive that was the top of this concept, however for completeness I might verify the opposite time durations. I stepped into the longer term one period at a time, every time being upset that there isn’t a truffle to be discovered. Solely once I arrive on the ultimate cease earlier than the void, the desolate plain strewn with boulders, does the minx lastly perk up. It digs a gap, revealing a truffle (which it instantly eats) and the helmet! Eons later, someway each the buried chocolate and the helmet are nonetheless protected regardless of being buried underneath a plaza, a freeway, and a glacier. I’ll take this as a win since I wanted one so badly. I don’t even have time to establish the helmet or see what occurs once I put on it. (It doesn’t shield you from decapitation!) I’ll try this subsequent time.

Right here is my barely up to date record of unsolved puzzles. I solved 2.5 of them this time from my earlier record:

How do I get the unicorns in heaven to love me? Did I dead-end myself by not going there accurately the primary time?
How can we get to the manor within the southeast of the map?
The place is the compass rose to manage the wind?
What’s the “appropriate” solution to cross Zeno’s bridge? I can nonetheless solely cross to the north utilizing the pterodactyl, however I can return south utilizing both the “recall” or “gate” spells.
How do I defeat or get previous the monkey grinder? The frog-sorcerers are within the guildhall and our character nonetheless hasn’t met them.
How do I re-make the glyph within the mountains to maintain the Christmas tree monsters at bay? I assume it will give me no matter is within the reliquary.
How do I get previous the mass of corbies blocking the trail? I think it’s associated to the large corbie and the butterfly? (And what’s up with the scarecrows and the lifeless/alive corn?)
The place is the coconut and the Ur-Grue?

Time performed: 3 hr 55 min
Whole time: 13 hr 55 min
Rating: Stage 6 Feminine Peasant
Stock: Battleaxe (wielded), rumpled scroll, goblet with a butterfly on the rim, imprecise define, scroll of Gating, scroll of Recall, ring of Shielding, employees of Levitation, pack, chocolate truffle, four-leaf clover, silver decoration, scroll of Honing, cane of Annihilation, wand of Anesthesia, lantern, vial, whistle of Summoning, rod of Sayonara, stick of Eversion arrow, scroll of Safety, leather-based tunic, amulet of Bok, 7 zorkmids– and extra stuff in different save information for my experiments together with a magical helmet

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