Whither Infocom

Judging from the traffic this blog received the past two Wednesdays, my two regular readers are still expecting a Blogging Infocom update.  And it’s coming.  I’m part way through the second Zork title and I think I’ve found the source of my disinterest in providing regular entries here.  I’ve alluded to it before, and here it is.  I’ve become convinced that I have nothing to add to the ‘Zork‘ discussion.  The first three Zork titles were an early cornerstone to what was then a gaming industry in its infancy.  Zork laid the foundation for what would become one of the most storied companies in gaming history.  The tales and personalities of those heady days at Infocom have become the stuff of legend.  Papers, books and even movies have been made about Will Crowther’s original Adventure and it’s microcomputer siblings.  The text in all the various blog postings and game reviews could probably fill the Library of Alexandria, were anyone brave (or foolish) enough to print it all out.

So here’s what’s going to happen.  In the interest of completing the project as I had originally envisioned it, I will go ahead and play through the Zork titles as I said I would and simply note that I’ve completed them and am moving on to more interesting titles.  And I do get a break between Zork II, where I’m about half way through what is a really great game, and the third Zork title as Infocom released Deadline before Zork III.  I know that’s not much fun for the three of you that come here, but it’s the only way I can convince myself to keep at this.

There’s nothing I can write about Zork that hasn’t already been, and by more talented and verbose scribes than myself.  There’s no map I can make, no original opinion I can give.  I’m not simply hiking a path forged by others who came before me.  By now, the trail has been cleared and paved over with asphalt, and safety handrails have been installed everywhere.  There’s a National Parks Service hut collecting an entry fee and what was once undiscovered county is now a well-traveled tourist trap.  Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to add money to the meter in the pay parking lot that’s been set up over to the west of the house.  I’ll stop and pick you up a souvenir t-shirt from the gift shop on my way back.