Playing Zork 1 on a CP/M emulator on Linux (2021) | Hacker News Reader

Playing Zork 1 on a CP/M emulator on Linux (2021)

kevinboone.me

35 pointslinuxkernal14 comments

There's a simpler way now, I wrote a golang based CP/M emulator which uses the local filesystem, instead of "disks".

You can clone the repository, or run the docker image, and be playing zork in minutes - I even put together a repository containing a collection of vintage CP/M software (which includes Turbo Pascal, and Zork 1, 2, & 3).

Quick start:

     docker run --pull=always -t -i ghcr.io/skx/cpmulator:master
     ..
     A>
     A>G:
     G>ZORK1

The emulator lives here https://github.com/skx/cpmulator

Collection of software, grouped by theme, here: https://github.com/skx/cpm-dist

Reminds me of RunCPM, which also uses folders rather than disk images:

https://github.com/MockbaTheBorg/RunCPM/

RunCPM also provides a link to the author's CP/M software archive.

I still keep a Kaypro II hooked up in my garage mostly just to show people Zork on a tiny green display in a suitcase sized luggable computer as God intended.

It is pitch dark. You are likely to be eaten by a Grue.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nigRT2KmCE

Kill dragon

With what? Your bare hands?

Yes

Congratulations! You have just vanquished a dragon with your bare hands!

This was a childhood highlight moment for me. I'd been playing Adventure for ages just having fun without realizing there was a huge world beyond the snake.

Heh. Cool. I still remember playing Zork as an undergrad in MDL running under TOPS-20 on a DECSYSTEM-2060 at NE43. So much better than hack or rogue when I was stuck on a problem.

The most fun thing that I do with the RC2014 computer I built is play Zork.

Chuck Bartowski would be proud

I played this in both ms-dos and dosbox.

We have web based AI illustrated versions now

https://zork.coze.org/

Was this vibe-coded project ever actually tested?

Head north from the house, and then head north again so that you're on the path winding through the forest where there's a large tree. Climb the tree. Observe the picture which inexplicably shows you back at the house.

And not only that, it's a completely different architecture than the house shown at the beginning of the game.

Description:

  >climb 
  Up a Tree
  You are about 10 feet above the ground nestled among some large branches. The nearest branch above you is above your reach. Beside you on the branch is a small bird's nest. In the bird's nest is a large egg encrusted with precious jewels, apparently scavenged by a childless songbird. The egg is covered with fine gold inlay, and ornamented in lapis lazuli and mother-of-pearl. Unlike most eggs, this one is hinged and closed with a delicate looking clasp. The egg appears extremely fragile.

Image shown when climbing the tree:

https://zork.coze.org/zork1/assets/images/ink_engraving/up-a...

Image shown when you first start the game:

https://zork.coze.org/zork1/assets/images/ink_engraving/west...

Try "GIVE TROLL TO TROLL"!

Spoiler:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31846457

Very nice.

FWIW, frotz can be used to play these games on Linux and *BSD. See for these type games:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45392164

The article from the link above is below. You should be able to get some games from it.

https://web.archive.org/web/20261019201930/https://eblong.co...

Reply on news.ycombinator.com