Since Zork was released in 1977, it expanded into a huge franchise that was recognizable across the globe. Through it's popularity it evolved and grew with technology. From this success, Zork began producing more titles that started to include graphics, animation, colour and eventually appeared in 3D!
The focus on 3D:
Although Zork stilled played as a text adventure and now had the inclusion of 3D graphics, it still managed to create a stunning atmosphere. From these selected images below, you can see how each screen replicates different surroundings within the game. This gives the story more 'meat' and depth, which allows us as the player to finally see what the game tried to explain from the beginning. Places that are supposed to have an 'emotion' can now be portrayed within the imagery without heavy use of text. It is instantly easier to react to your surroundings as you progress through the game, as you can see what is happening around you. However, I still personally preferred the idea of having no graphics, so it was purely up to the gamer to imagine the fantasy world. There is more room for a player's imagination to run free, to experiment and enjoy a world they can create themselves.
Although Zork stilled played as a text adventure and now had the inclusion of 3D graphics, it still managed to create a stunning atmosphere. From these selected images below, you can see how each screen replicates different surroundings within the game. This gives the story more 'meat' and depth, which allows us as the player to finally see what the game tried to explain from the beginning. Places that are supposed to have an 'emotion' can now be portrayed within the imagery without heavy use of text. It is instantly easier to react to your surroundings as you progress through the game, as you can see what is happening around you. However, I still personally preferred the idea of having no graphics, so it was purely up to the gamer to imagine the fantasy world. There is more room for a player's imagination to run free, to experiment and enjoy a world they can create themselves.
I found a video that shows some game play footage of 'Return to Zork' it is interesting to see how sound, animation and graphics are used to tell the story. I also noticed how the text adventure, became more based as a point click type game. Lack of focus as text to write a command but more based on clicking at areas to move around the world. Although text is still used to explain parts of your surroundings. I also like how you can access an inventory of all the items you have collected.
Here is a screenshot from an earlier Zork without animations, but still used the point and click system with coloured graphics:
This style has been replicated in many games from past to present. Point and click based games are usually found within games like investigation games, puzzles and some adventures. Text is still used to connote story and game play, but with the inclusion of graphics invites the player to be able to physically explore there surroundings and have the freedom to interact with anything they see. Text based adventures restrict that exploration. Some examples of these games are:
. Professor Layton
. Monkey Island
. Disc World
. Broken Sword
Monkey Island
DiscWorld
All of these games have been incredibly successful within combining text based adventures with graphics. It produced a new genre of video game that is still incredibly popular today.
Zork also managed to make a various number of fictional books that were both ideally used to give the game an actual plot. Although I like the way Zork originally focused on inviting the player's to use their imagination and create their own story, it just seemed to be a little hollow without knowing anything about this fantasy world. All the creatures, environments, characters, items and treasures, it felt so odd that there was no explanation of the concept. However, after Zork's success, Infocom began publishing various books that explained the entire realm of the game.
Some books differ slightly with others, most obvious of course is the story but also the type of books they actually were. Some Zork books were actually written paper versions of the game, that also included back story. So instead of playing on a computer, you played through the book through similar mechanics of choice, but instead of 'cheating' your way through, the game play was determined with the use of a Die. The books that interest me the most are the ones that are based around events and back story that take place in the world of Zork. With that in mind, I decided to purchase a book myself to read through and figure out more about the game's story focus. I wanted to be able to understand more about the world from different perspectives than the traditional narrative from the 1970's game.
Some books differ slightly with others, most obvious of course is the story but also the type of books they actually were. Some Zork books were actually written paper versions of the game, that also included back story. So instead of playing on a computer, you played through the book through similar mechanics of choice, but instead of 'cheating' your way through, the game play was determined with the use of a Die. The books that interest me the most are the ones that are based around events and back story that take place in the world of Zork. With that in mind, I decided to purchase a book myself to read through and figure out more about the game's story focus. I wanted to be able to understand more about the world from different perspectives than the traditional narrative from the 1970's game.
Bibliography:
. Google Images
. Youtube
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