#z-machine

by Max Fog

ZIL: Zork Implementation Language. Used by Infocom for their wide range of well-known games, including classics such as its namesake, Zork, as well as Trinity, Plundered Hearts, and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. In the previous article in this series, I studied how the Z-machine – a virtual machine compiled from ZIL code – evolved from its first version, z1, through to z6, with new capabilities added all the time amidst market competition. I examined the improvements made from z-machine version 3 to 5, including colors, status lines, file size, and finally – due to increases in RAM and file capacity, as well as more complex capabilities – the release of the new-parser of version 6. This included the ability to reference objects from other rooms, and style more complex input structures – such as three objects in one command, a feat I accomplished for my debut game, Milliways: the Restaurant at the End of the Universe. In the following articles, I will be writing about my personal experiences in coding the 2023 IFComp game, Milliways: the Restaurant at the End of the Universe. But for you to understand anything I say, I’m going to have to teach you how ZIL works first.

Read the full article on The Rosebush.

Infocom's Moonmist for the PC-9800

Analyzing Infocom's "Moonmist" from a philosophical perspective requires delving into its narrative structure, thematic elements, and gameplay mechanics, interpreting them in light of broader existential, ethical, and epistemological themes.

1. The Search for Truth in a World of Illusions: "Moonmist" is a detective-themed text adventure game set in a haunted castle, where players must uncover the truth behind a series of mysteries. This quest for truth in a world filled with secrets, lies, and illusions echoes the philosophical journey of discerning reality from appearances. The game's emphasis on gathering clues and making deductions parallels the philosophical inquiries of epistemology – the study of knowledge, its nature, and how we come to understand truth.

2. The Nature of Identity and Deception: As players interact with various characters, each with their own secrets and agendas, "Moonmist" invites players to contemplate the nature of identity. The characters’ hidden motives and the masks they wear to conceal their true selves resonate with the philosophical exploration of authentic versus artificial identities. The game challenges players to consider the extent to which identity is a construct, shaped by social interactions and personal secrets.

3. Ethical Decision-Making and Moral Ambiguity: Throughout the game, players face choices that require ethical decision-making, often in situations where the moral implications are ambiguous. This aspect of "Moonmist" aligns with moral philosophy, challenging players to navigate complex ethical dilemmas where the distinction between right and wrong is not always clear. The game encourages players to weigh their decisions and consider the ethical ramifications of their actions.

4. The Ghostly and the Supernatural as Metaphors: The ghostly and supernatural elements in "Moonmist" can be interpreted metaphorically, representing unresolved past issues, hidden fears, or repressed emotions. From a philosophical perspective, these elements can be seen as manifestations of the subconscious mind, exploring how unaddressed aspects of our psyche can haunt us, much like the ghosts in the game.

5. The Role of Perception in Shaping Reality: "Moonmist" requires players to rely heavily on textual descriptions to navigate and interact with the game world. This reliance on descriptive language to construct a mental image of the setting and events highlights the role of perception in shaping our understanding of reality. The game serves as a reminder that our perception of the world is often based on incomplete information, subject to interpretation and personal biases.

6. Solitude, Isolation, and the Individual's Journey: The game's setting, a remote and eerie castle, creates a sense of isolation and solitude. This setting can be philosophically interpreted as a representation of the individual's journey in seeking truth and understanding. The solitary experience of the player, navigating the mysteries of "Moonmist" alone, mirrors the solitary nature of philosophical inquiry and the personal quest for knowledge and self-understanding.

by Max Fog

Infocom is well-known in the interactive fiction community for classics such as Zork, Deadline, and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, as well as more experimental pieces such as Trinity, Plundered Hearts, and A Mind Forever Voyaging. In the 1980s, Infocom became a fundamental part of the history of IF and shaped the IF world as we know it today. The first way they did this was probably the most obvious. The games that Infocom made pushed boundaries in every direction – from classic puzzle games like Zork, to puzzleless atmospheric types like A Mind Forever Voyaging, all the way through to Choose Your Own Adventure (CYOA) games like Journey (which, while unpopular both at the time and now, was an example of early point-and-click CYOA). The games they released did wonders in introducing over a hundred thousand people to the entire broad and diverse world of interactive fiction, and inspiring people to make their own text games. The second way is more obscure, but just as important. It’s the Z-machine.

Read the full article on The Rosebush.

Infocom's Planetfall for the PC-9800

Reviewing Infocom's "Planetfall" from a philosophical perspective involves an exploration beyond its surface as a pioneering interactive fiction game, delving into its narrative structure, thematic elements, and the broader existential, ethical, and sociopolitical implications it presents.

1. Isolation, Existentialism, and the Human Condition: "Planetfall" places the player in the role of a low-ranking space fleet ensign who crash-lands on an alien planet. The ensuing narrative of survival and exploration in an isolated environment can be interpreted through the lens of existential philosophy. The game echoes themes of existentialism, particularly the notion of confronting the absurdity of existence. The player's struggle for survival and sense of isolation on an alien planet resonates with the existentialist idea of individuals facing an indifferent universe, where they must create their own meaning and purpose.

2. Bureaucracy, Authority, and Individual Agency: The game begins with the protagonist serving on a spaceship under a hierarchical, bureaucratic system, often engaging in menial tasks. This setting can be viewed as a critique of bureaucratic systems and their dehumanizing effect, reminiscent of Kafkaesque themes. The protagonist's eventual crash and subsequent autonomy on the alien planet can symbolize a break from oppressive structures, inviting philosophical contemplation on the nature of authority, the individual's role within larger systems, and the quest for personal agency.

3. Environmentalism and Responsibility Towards Other Lifeforms: As the player navigates the alien planet, interacting with its ecosystem and non-human entities, the game subtly addresses themes of environmentalism and ethical responsibility towards other forms of life. The player's actions towards the planet's environment and inhabitants raise questions about humanity's relationship with nature and the moral obligations we hold towards non-human entities and ecosystems.

4. The Role of Technology and Human Reliance on Machines: "Planetfall" features a notable character, a robot named Floyd, who assists the player. This relationship highlights the interdependence between humans and technology, prompting reflection on the philosophical implications of our reliance on machines. It raises questions about the bond between humans and artificial entities, the potential emotional connections with non-human companions, and the ethical considerations of creating sentient machines.

5. Discovery, Curiosity, and the Pursuit of Knowledge: The game's emphasis on exploration and discovery taps into the philosophical theme of human curiosity and the pursuit of knowledge. The player's journey on the alien planet, filled with unknowns and mysteries to uncover, mirrors the human quest for understanding and the desire to make sense of the unknown, a fundamental aspect of the human condition.

6. Solitude and the Search for Companionship: Throughout "Planetfall," the player experiences solitude, with Floyd as the only companion. This solitude can be interpreted as a reflection on the human need for social interaction and companionship. The game invites players to explore the emotional and psychological impact of isolation and the value of companionship, even when it comes from non-human sources.

Holy Grail of Rocket Propulsion Is Like Star Trek's Impulse Drive

If you remember that Z-machine in Sandia's Laboratories a few weeks ago that is expected to produce break-even fusion energy, well the same principle involved in the Z-machine is going to be used to drive spacecraft.

The machine responsible for this is what the researchers are calling the "Charger-1 Pulsed Power Generator" and it will be using a stable isotope of hydrogen (deuterium) and Lithium 6 in a crystal structure. The machine will propel spacecraft using a continuous z-pinch process generating enormous thrust, researchers say it will generate "millions of pounds of thrust...on the order of Saturn-V-class thrust"

If you don't remember how the z-pinch process works or didn't click this link, here is a run down.  The Z-Machine works by firing an electrical charge into a thin tungsten wire array, called a liner, which vaporizes the wires turning the array into a super hot sheet of plasma. Awesome right? As a result of the current being shot into the wires and the plasma sheet, there is a magnetic field created which is compressed on account of Lorentz forces creating a electromagnetic pulse that electrifies the metal objects in the room. This is called a z-pinch process and the imploding magnetic fields onto a target cause fusion.

Of course, more research is needed for this and as well the fusion from the z-pinch process needs to be self sustaining first. When this thing is up and running however it should be able to reach speeds of about 62,600 miles per hour allowing travel from Earth to Mars in just six weeks. I guess we will have to wait until 2013 (when Sandia will test the z-machine with real fuel) to know if this is truly possible. Via uah.edu

Get this: Parchment allows you to play Z-machine and Glulx interactive fiction in a browser.

What's that?

OK, here's how this works. This is for those authoring interactive fiction using the language Inform (which comes in two distinct flavors: Inform6, which looks like computer code, and Inform7, which to the untrained eye looks deceptively like plain English. Typically you do this in the Inform IDE, where you can compile it so it runs on one of two virtual machines: z-machine, or glulx.

Normally you would then distribute the compiled code, and the player would need to install a special piece of software known as an interpreter, and get one that supports the format (z-machine or glulx, remember?). Gargoyle is an example of such an interpreter. 

With Parchment, you can let the player skip the whole "figuring out which interpreter to use, download it, install it, load the game in the interpreter" step and just play the game straight in a web browser. Pretty neat, huh?

Best thing: If you're writing a game in Inform, the Inform IDE will even take care of packaging the game with Parchment, you just click "Release along with an interpreter".

Parchment: http://iplayif.com/