[Trunkyo]

It's still on my older PC, I just installed it to my current one (XP) using the special setup, so I'm ready to go too!

[DustyShinigami]

Would it be possible to try something different and have 2 community playthroughs at the go - Zork Grand Inquisitor and Gabriel Knight 3?

I seem to be more inclined to go through GK3 at the moment. I'm not too fussed about ZGI at this stage. Still undecided about getting it. The ones who wanna play Zork could play seperately lead by Fienepien and the ones who wanna play GK could be lead by Andrea.

If no one fancies this idea then could we have a playthrough of GK3 after Zork? I would like to play GK3 as soon as possible but i could hold out for a bit.

[AndreaDraco83]

Let's hear from the others too. I'm fine with a double playthrough and I'm fine with waiting until the Zork playthrough is over

[Jelena]

Since I can't get my copy of G.K3 work on any of my computers (a shame isn't it Andrea? ) I'm only interested in the Z.G.I playthrough.

[colpet]

I'm working on Dracula Origin right now. I've only got enough brain cells for 2 games, so I'd rather just play Zork GI.
I was rather hoping at some point we run through the GK games in succession, for a future playthrough.

[AndreaDraco83]

Originally Posted by colpet

I was rather hoping at some point we run through the GK games in succession, for a future playthrough.

It would really be awesome!

[Fien]

Originally Posted by AFGNCAAP

I'd go as far as to say that it will be a problem except for the very beginning and the very end. At least I remembered the whole main part as very non-linear. Of course we can always set the breakpoints as "the moment you solve this-or-that puzzle or meet such-and-such creature" but people who take a long way to do that, making a lot of yet-unnecessary progress on the way, will then be able to spoil the game for others by discussing it.

Hm, I don't know how to approach this. Weren't all the previous playthroughs based on essentially linear games?

I've been giving this some thought. And went through my old ZGI notes. It doesn't have to be a problem if we don't divide the game in small episodes. Here's my plan.

First episode, starting today or tomorrow and ending Star Day or Sand Day if everybody is okay with that: we stop playing when the subway is fully functional, meaning you could actually board a train if you really wanted to.

Better not read the rest if you haven't played ZGI already.

Spoiler:

That way new players can solve the first few puzzles after we go down the well, and explore GUE tech and the Dungeon Master's grounds. Everything else hinges on the use of the subway, so that's a good place to stop. IMO, a better one than the well. (Too short.)

The next episode will be nonlinear and therefore longer than the first one: all the way to a fully functional time tunnel. The only catch is Hades. The part starting with the phone puzzle, Charon, etc. can be done before or after using the time tunnel in the Dungeon Master's house. But everybody can play the game any way they like, we should simply agree not to discuss Hades in the second episode.

The third episode will cover discussion of Hades and finding the 3 artefacts. We stop at the prison. That leaves us with a short fourth episode. Or we could have just three long episodes.

I'd be interested in a linked play but unfortunately I'm having technical problems on my new PC (yes, again!), so I re-installed ZGI on an older computer without internet connection.

Personally, I would prefer a GK playthrough after this one because I want to participate in both.

[Fien]

For new players:

- Seasoned adventurers probably won't need most of the How to Play section in the manual, but it offers some useful info about the inventory, the F-keys, etc.
- Be prepared to die. Save often. Dying is oldfashioned fun though, and restoring is fast. My own mission for this replay is discovering all the extras, including the many different ways to die.
- Panning is left <--> right only. But don't forget to look up and down every once in a while or you'll miss important stuff.

Let's restore Magic to the Great Underground Empire!

PS: Repeating actions like knocking, interacting with creatures and objects, may result in new humorous comments.

[seagul]

I finally got the game installed on my computer.
So now i can be part of the playthrough!
But first i have to do some research on the history of Zork. I have forgotten nearly everything. I remember there was a whole world, but unhappily i don't remember.

Sounds great how you subdivides the game, Fienepien.

[Jelena]

Originally Posted by Fienepien

First episode, starting today or tomorrow and ending Star Day or Sand Day if everybody is okay with that: we stop playing when the subway is fully functional, meaning you could actually board a train if you really wanted to.

I've started today. But what is Star Day and Sand Day?

I'm having technical problems on my new PC (yes, again!), so I re-installed ZGI on an older computer without internet connection.

I'm also having tech problems and am currently using the old computer without internet connection. It would still be interesting to hear how that multiplayer option works.

[seagul]

From the Encyclopedia Frobozzica:

Each week has seven days, known as:
Sand Day
Mud Day
Grues Day
Wands Day
Birthday
Frob Day
Star Day

[Jelena]

This game includes so much wit I can almost not grasp everything.
There are fun remarks all the time.

[colpet]

Originally Posted by Jelena

This game includes so much wit I can almost not grasp everything.
There are fun remarks all the time.

It's hard to belive it's the same developers as Zork Nemesis, which had a completely different tone. I played about half of Return to Zork, and it is a humorous game.
I probably won't get to play until the weekend, so I'll add my comments then.

[Fien]

Ah yes! The Encyclopedia Frobozzica... good of you to mention it, seagul. It's very useful for looking up things. One word of caution. The later, updated versions contain major spoilers for the three graphic games: Zork Nemesis, ZGI and Return to Zork. So if you haven't played these already, you're better off with the original 1993 version.

Originally Posted by Jelena

This game includes so much wit I can almost not grasp everything.
There are fun remarks all the time.

Everybody is bound to miss some fun references to the old games, unless you've played all of them. Which I have not.

[Fien]

I managed to die 8 times already in the first episode.

For your information:
- The computer in Jack’s workshop shows a screen from the Infocom adventure Planetfall.
- Dismembur = December (noticeboard GUE Tech)
- The Encyclopedia Frobozzica is your friend if you want to look up stuff like spenseweed, grue, implementor.

Speaking of utterly useless trivia... I seem to remember there’s not just Port Foozle but also a Fort Poozle in one of the old Zork games. I can’t find anything on the Internet however, so I probably got it all wrong. Does anyone happen know what I’m talking about?

Quote of the Day: “What a load of yipple dung!” (Antharia Jack).

And here’s a nice pic of yipple.



"The yipple is a master of disguise, able to alter form to match its surroundings. If disturbed in the wild, some yipples may bite. They make wonderful pets, but should never be allowed to rest in the cookie jar if guests are expected. Yipples are violently allergic to many kinds of animal wastes."

[AndreaDraco83]

I think I reached the first pit stop, so I'm here to report my first segment of adventure

Spoiler:

I've just simplified the Subway Instructions and Dalboz has said that I could press any button to reach the correspondent stop. Is this the right place to stop for our first segment?

A little disclaimer: I'm playing the Italian translated version, so I don't know how is the original voice acting but I can assure you that the Italian one is really top-notch.
____________________

My first impressions: the graphics are still great, in my opinion, even after all these years, and the music helps creating a nice atmosphere. The voice acting is just the perfect icing on the cake: every character has his own distinct voice, and the actors deliver their line with the right dose of sarcasm. The setting is intriguing and I spent a lot of time just clicking and examining everything.

The first thing I noticed, after a few minutes spent wandering around Port Foozle, is the quality of the writing. Really incredible. The propaganda voice messages are both clever and fun, and they reminded me of George Orwell's 1984, which I think was a clear reference for the writers/developers.

The second thing I noticed is that - even if, usually, I don't like comedic or whimsical adventures - I was always smiling, as I explored Port Foozle, the first portion of the Underground Empire and especially the University, and sometimes literally laughing out loud (for example, at the scene with the wonderful Y'Gael). I stopped for a bit, asking myself why, and I realized that the quality of the writing is so high that even the most zany lines are imbued with a cleverness pretty rare in other comedic adventures (at least as far as I'm concerned) and it is this wit that makes the exploration of Zork so compelling, at least for me.

I really liked the spellbook addition and - like in Quest for Glory - I found that this particular, magic-oriented gameplay adds a great deal to the game, both in terms of creative thinking required from the player and freedom of approach. Plus, the sound effect that plays when a spell is selected is so funny that, sometimes, I found myself just trying all the spells on a certain things just to hear it.

The commentary provided by Dalboz, though, was really what won me over. I always loved adventures with a narrator capable of providing a sort of sarcastic relief (like Virginia Capers in Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers) and Dalboz is just perfect: his quaint remarks and amusing descriptions are a pleasure to hear, and - since I'm a Zork newcomer - it helps making me feel at home by explaining things that otherwise would be left unclear.

In this first segment, I found the puzzles quite easy, and that's really a plus in my book because this way I can fully concentrate on the setting and the story. There are two things, though, that stumbled me and I don't know if I simply can't resolve them for now or if I already have overlooked something.

Spoiler:

1) I couldn't get past "Harry"
2) I revealed the scroll inside the tree with the purple blossoms, but I couldn't retrieve it. I tried with the Elvish Sword, but Dalboz told me the violence wasn't the answer

In the end, just a couple of questions:

1) In the previous games of the series do these characters (Dalboz, Anthara Jack, Y'Gael and so on) appear?
2) Is the playable character, AFGNCAAP, the same in all the games or is (s)he supposed to be a different one every time?
3) From the previous games, is there one of them that is directly tied to the story of Zork Grand Inquisitor?

[seagul]

Originally Posted by Fienepien

Everybody is bound to miss some fun references to the old games, unless you've played all of them. Which I have not.

That's one of the reason why we play it together: we are smarter that way.

I read only the first sentence Andrea wrote, because i want to read it after i played till meetingpoint.
But my version is in german. So maybe some jokes are very different because simple translation would not work in german? It would be nice to compare the "foreign" languages italian and german with the english version.

[Jelena]

I still haven't finished the first part but still want to post some impressions. I'm playing Z.G.I for the second time and it's really nice to come back to this crazy world and relive the adventure. I love the way the game pokes fun at us Adventure gamers. I've for instance just died by falling into a bottomless pit and while falling I married another adventurer and had three kids. Hilarious!

Originally Posted by AndreaDraco83

The first thing I noticed, after a few minutes spent wandering around Port Foozle, is the quality of the writing. Really incredible. The propaganda voice messages are both clever and fun,

Definitely top notch quality, but that loud speaker with propaganda almost drove me nuts the first time I played the game. I kept paying too much attention to what he said, thinking it could be clues to puzzles.

[AndreaDraco83]

Originally Posted by Jelena

I've for instance just died by falling into a bottomless pit and while falling I married another adventurer and had three kids. Hilarious!

I didn't found it! Where can I trigger this death sequence? I want to see it!

[Fien]

Originally Posted by AndreaDraco83

I didn't found it! Where can I trigger this death sequence? I want to see it!

Spoiler:

Outside GUE Tech. Either before or after the 3 pillar puzzles. If you have already solved them, don't enter through the window, choose death right in front of you!

Here are some other ways to die.

Spoiler:

Don't hide after setting fire to the doll.

Spoiler:

Repeatedly try to steal the can without turning up the volume of the speaker.

Spoiler:

Enter the well without the lamp.

Spoiler:

Enter the well with the lamp and then climb up again.

Spoiler:

Throck the grass at GUE Tech.

Spoiler:

Attack the beehive at the Dungeon Master's house with your sword.

Spoiler:

And a very nice one at GUE Tech, which I won't spoil for you if you haven't discovered it yet.

Yep, you have reached the pit stop.
No, you haven't overlooked anything.

I don't remember any of the characters from the previous games I've played. That's not saying much, because Y'Gael must have been in at least one of them. Of course there were other Dungeon Masters before Dalboz. If characters are not in the 1993 edition of the Encyclopedia Frobozzica, then they are new.