Is there another version of Zork 1 that doesn't do inventory management?

Playing
#1

I’ve just come back to IF after a long time and have had a good time with Anchorhead and Cragne Manor, both of which I’m enjoying immensely and both of which allow you to basically ‘take’ everything you want with no limits. I’ve now decided I should try and play Zork but am getting really annoyed with the limits on inventory. I’m playing the version from IFDB, but is there a version somewhere without the awful limits to what I can carry?

I’m honestly not sure if I have it in me to continue playing if I’m constantly having to guess what to drop in order pick up something else. It’s just not fun…

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Infocom Game Mods - 2021 Friendly Versions
#2

I don’t think so. But that was just another puzzle of the game. Back 40 years or so when I played it, there was no internet and we relied on letters sent to various magazines and then hope for an answer. It meant that these games would go on for days or weeks. This was reasonable as they cost most of us a sizable portion of our income/allowance.
My advice is that you need to patiently work things out. Save often. Stop and think a bit. It doesn’t have to be done in an instant. Where’s the enjoyment in that?

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#3

While Zork deserves all the kudos for its rich history and groundbreaking innovation and the rich game world etc etc etc, it’s (in my opinion) a bit dull to play from a 2020 point of view. Picking something else from the list might be worth considering.

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#4

I don’t think anyone has made that modification to Zork. You could, pretty easily. And turn off the lamp battery timer and some other features that count as annoyances in these modern (post-1990!) times.

Wasn’t someone making a modified Planetfall with similar updates? I’m sure I saw that mentioned, but I can’t find the link.

In some sense this is “ruining” the original experience, but let’s be serious – there’s plenty of Zork to enjoy without the special fun of going upstairs to leave stuff where the thief can’t steal it, and carefully turning off your lamp each time.

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Best "modern" way to play old Infocom games?
#5

I made a modified Zork 1 with unlimited carry capacity and unlimited light from the lantern. You can download it and try it here.

The only changes are that I increased the values on the variables LOAD-MAX, LOAD-ALLOWED, FUMBLE-NUMBER and a value in the table LAMP-TABLE.

I always try to find a central place where I can leave all my stuff. In Zork 1 it usually ends up being the troll room. You also can put things inside other things to increase your carry capacity. One
famous trick is to put stuff in the inflated boat and then deflate it.

There’s also two cases when you can be “walking dead”.

  1. The Thief needs to do a delicate thing before he is deposed of.

  2. You need two light sources in one place. You should not destroy the torch as a light source before you have solved the puzzle where you need two light sources. But maybe the candles and/or the matches will work in this case? I don’t know…

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#6

@heasm66 has beaten me to it but I was about to say, we can easily “mod” it for you.

You’ve just given me a wicked idea… (I haven’t said wicked idea since I was 13, not sure where that came from)… I’m off to post and start the “Infocom Mods Scene” :slightly_smiling_face::+1:

Adam

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#7

You’re probably thinking about Infocom’s Planetfall, modernized. I haven’t looked at it much myself, because my interest in Infocom modding doesn’t stretch far beyond bug fixing.

(Fun fact: This version used to have a bug - now fixed - that caused you to use up food even faster than you did in the original version!)

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#8

I changed the code in my hastily whipped up mod of Zork 1 to include some of the suggestions from the other thread.

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#9

Yep, that was it. Thanks.

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#10

I think many of the titles would benefit from the same “modernising”. It’s continuing the legacy of the games, which is after all a great way to pay homage to them.

The idea of updating them, making them more appealing and playable to the gamer of today, is (I think) really exciting.

Adam

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