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General discussion (archive)New release: The Zork Anthology(216 posts)(216 posts)
(216 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted January 18, 2011
Today's second release is, beyond doubt, the most oldschool one in GOG.com's history. Read below to find out why.

The Anthology includes Zork I, Zork II, Zork III, Beyond Zork, Zork Zero, and Planetfall. This means six titles in total, all hailing from the 1980s, weighing in at a whopping nine megabytes. Yep, that means just around one floppy disk per game.
That means plain text and gameplay based on text input, but beneath the rough exterior lies a beauty that's hard to find in more modern games. Countless unforgettable situations and descriptions from the Zork series have become iconic in more contemporary fiction, both printed and interactive.
With such timeless and absolutely enthralling games, set in a crazy, surreal world, packed with a witty narrative and sarcastic, dark humor, what's there not to love?
So light your bronze lantern, pick up that Elvish sword of great antiquity and embark on a journey to (re)discover the world of Zork. You will not be disappointed.
Posted January 18, 2011
have just been checking, and the zork trilogy can still be downloaded for free, and abandonia still have zork 1 & 2 and return to zork available for download.
Posted January 18, 2011
these are great games. I still remember playing these on my old c64. I look forward to having the rest of these great games. Wish there was some way to get that great free crap that was included in the boxes. It is titles like these that make me appreciate what GOG is doing and I will SUPPORT them in any way possible. keep it up guys!
Posted January 18, 2011
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hooston: have just been checking, and the zork trilogy can still be downloaded for free, and ******** still have zork 1 & 2 and return to zork available for download.
The Zork Trilogy was freeware but only for a limited time, its no longer freeware. Once the site you mentioned see that gog have them up for sale, they will probably change the download link to a link that send you to the gog page for it. At least thats what they have done in the past.
Post edited January 18, 2011 by Ralackk
Posted January 18, 2011
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WiNG: How come there is no HD wallpaper of this one? :P
We made one especially for you, enjoy! :)
Attachments:
zorkhdwallpaper.jpg (45 Kb)
Posted January 18, 2011
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WiNG: How come there is no HD wallpaper of this one? :P
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Venom: We made one especially for you, enjoy! :)
SAVED. Thanks!!!
Posted January 18, 2011
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hooston: have just been checking, and the zork trilogy can still be downloaded for free, and ******** still have zork 1 & 2 and return to zork available for download.
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Ralackk: The Zork Trilogy was freeware but only for a limited time, its no longer freeware. Once the site you mentioned see that gog have them up for sale, they will probably change the download link to a link that send you to the gog page for it. At least thats what they have done in the past.
Nonsense. International law states that you can't make something freeware and then take that back. Once freeware, always freeware. If it's ever been freeware, it still is.

It's logical too: if it was no longer freeware, those who downloaded it when it was freeware would now have an illegal copy. In other words, what you say is nonsense - a game can NEVER EVER be "no longer" Freeware. Either it is, or isn't.
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WiNG: How come there is no HD wallpaper of this one? :P
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Venom: We made one especially for you, enjoy! :)
Woo! The detail is amazing!
Post edited January 18, 2011 by Red_Avatar
Posted January 18, 2011
The games use DOSBox for DOS compatibility? I find this a bit surprising, as the games use Infocom's own Z-machine engine for which specific interpreters exist (think ScummVM for text adventures). Frotz, the most popular of these interpreters, has been ported to just about any platform imaginable (including Gameboy Advance, for instance).
Posted January 18, 2011
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Red_Avatar: Nonsense. International law states that you can't make something freeware and then take that back. Once freeware, always freeware. If it's ever been freeware, it still is.

It's logical too: if it was no longer freeware, those who downloaded it when it was freeware would now have an illegal copy. In other words, what you say is nonsense - a game can NEVER EVER be "no longer" Freeware. Either it is, or isn't.
Well maybe freeware isn't the right term, but a program can't be offered for free for a limted time?
Posted January 18, 2011
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Red_Avatar: It's logical too: if it was no longer freeware, those who downloaded it when it was freeware would now have an illegal copy. In other words, what you say is nonsense - a game can NEVER EVER be "no longer" Freeware. Either it is, or isn't.
You can't retroactively change the status of those copies, but you can, as the owner of the IP, change the distribution rights at the current time; this means that those who got copies while it was freeware have legit copies, but the software must now be paid for or else you're using an illegal version. Simple as that.
Posted January 18, 2011
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Red_Avatar: a game can NEVER EVER be "no longer" Freeware. Either it is, or isn't.
Can you elaborate on this? The logic doesn't make sense.
Posted January 18, 2011
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Red_Avatar: Nonsense. International law states that you can't make something freeware and then take that back. Once freeware, always freeware. If it's ever been freeware, it still is.

It's logical too: if it was no longer freeware, those who downloaded it when it was freeware would now have an illegal copy. In other words, what you say is nonsense - a game can NEVER EVER be "no longer" Freeware. Either it is, or isn't.
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Ralackk: Well maybe freeware isn't the right term, but a program can't be offered for free for a limted time?
Being made free and being freeware is not the same. Dosbox is free, it's not freeware for example.

Zork was made freeware, though, and freeware means it's totally legal to be spread around for free.
Posted January 18, 2011
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Red_Avatar: Being made free and being freeware is not the same. Dosbox is free, it's not freeware for example.

Zork was made freeware, though, and freeware means it's totally legal to be spread around for free.
I'm sorry but the status of Zork was never changed to freeware. Activision released the game for free a period and opened redistribution rights but that is all.

Now they changed that and are offering the software as payware.

Please show me proof that Zork was ever made freeware by the IP holders.
Posted January 18, 2011
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Red_Avatar: Being made free and being freeware is not the same. Dosbox is free, it's not freeware for example.

Zork was made freeware, though, and freeware means it's totally legal to be spread around for free.
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AndrewC: I'm sorry but the status of Zork was never changed to freeware. Activision released the game for free a period and opened redistribution rights but that is all.

Now they changed that and are offering the software as payware.

Please show me proof that Zork was ever made freeware by the IP holders.
Okay I stand corrected - despite many sites misusing the term freeware, it seems indeed Activision never made it freeware but screwed around with it. Odd since it was included for free with an Android phone app I have.

If it HAD been released as freeware, it still would be, though. But that's an entirely different discussion but it's one I followed before and a lawyer in copy right was involved who said that you could never get prosecuted for distributing software that was once freeware ergo even if a company CLAIMS it's no longer freeware, there's no legal power behind that.
Posted January 18, 2011
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Red_Avatar: freeware means it's totally legal to be spread around for free.
Only in your wildest dreams. The first two GTA games are freeware but they can only legally be distributed by Rockstar (or distributors authorized by Rockstar.) Beneath a Steel Sky, Lure of the Temptress, Teenagent; same difference. Freeware, more often than not, is distributed with such license terms.
Posted January 18, 2011
AndrewC has got that one right. Activision released the three Zork games for free for a period of time. Unfortunately it's not the case right now.

As for Abandonia, they offer other games for free as well, but still it doesn't mean these games are freeware - Monkey Island for example!
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This is my favourite topic
Community
General discussion (archive)New release: The Zork Anthology(216 posts)(216 posts)
(216 posts)