Christopher Drum has ported Infocom's Z-machine, specifically the Unix version 1.1, to a single executable using Cosmopolitan Libc. This allows classic Infocom text adventures, which were originally designed for various platforms, to run natively on modern operating systems (Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD) without emulation or VMs. The porting process involved minimal code changes, primarily focused on resolving system call discrepancies between the original Unix environment and Cosmopolitan's compatibility layer. This approach leverages Cosmopolitan's ability to build statically linked, universally compatible executables, effectively "resurrecting" these classic games for contemporary systems while preserving their original codebase.
Steve Meretzky recounts his experience collaborating with Douglas Adams on the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy text adventure game. Adams, while brilliant and funny, was easily distracted and prone to procrastination. Meretzky’s role involved structuring the game, implementing puzzles, and essentially translating Adams' humor and ideas into a playable format. Despite the challenges posed by Adams' working style, Meretzky emphasizes the positive and enjoyable nature of their partnership, highlighting Adams' generosity and the creative freedom he was given. The result was a game faithful to the spirit of the Hitchhiker's Guide universe, showcasing both Adams' unique wit and Meretzky's puzzle design skills.
Hacker News users discuss Steve Meretzky's collaboration with Douglas Adams on the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy game, praising Meretzky's work on the game and Infocom's text adventures in general. Several commenters share personal anecdotes about playing the game in their youth, highlighting its humor, innovative puzzles, and lasting impact. Some discuss the challenges of adapting Adams's distinctive humor to an interactive medium, acknowledging Meretzky's success in capturing the spirit of the books. The thread also touches on the technical limitations of the era and the ingenuity required to create compelling experiences within those constraints, with some mentioning the feelies included with the game. A few commenters express interest in Meretzky's perspective on modern interactive narrative design.
"Zork: The Great Inner Workings" explores the technical underpinnings of the classic text adventure game, Zork. The article dives into its creation using the MDL programming language, highlighting its object-oriented design before such concepts were widespread. It explains how Zork's world is represented through a network of interconnected rooms and objects, managed through a sophisticated parser that interprets player commands. The piece also touches upon the game's evolution from its mainframe origins to its later commercial releases, illustrating how its internal structure allowed for complex interactions and a rich, immersive experience despite the limitations of text-based gaming.
Hacker News users discuss the technical ingenuity of Zork's implementation, particularly its virtual machine and memory management within the limited hardware constraints of the time. Several commenters reminisce about playing Zork and other Infocom games, highlighting the engaging narrative and parser. The discussion also touches on the cultural impact of Zork and interactive fiction, with mentions of its influence on later games and the enduring appeal of text-based adventures. Some commenters delve into the inner workings described in the article, appreciating the explanation of the Z-machine and its portability. The clever use of dynamic memory allocation and object representation is also praised.
Summary of Comments ( 39 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43677909
Hacker News users generally praised the project for its clever use of Cosmopolitan Libc to create truly portable Z-machine binaries. Several commenters expressed nostalgia for Infocom games and appreciated the effort to preserve them. Some discussed the technical aspects, like the benefits of static linking and the challenges of porting old code. A few users offered suggestions, such as adding features like save/restore functionality and improving the command-line interface. One commenter pointed out the potential for running these games on embedded systems thanks to Cosmopolitan's small footprint. The overall sentiment was positive, with many excited about the possibility of playing classic text adventures on modern and diverse platforms.
The Hacker News post "Show HN: Resurrecting Infocom's Unix Z-Machine with Cosmopolitan" sparked a discussion with several interesting comments.
One commenter expressed excitement about the project, noting the historical significance of Infocom and the Z-machine and praising the elegance of using Cosmopolitan Libc to create a single executable that runs across multiple operating systems. They specifically highlighted the advantage of not needing to compile separate binaries for different platforms.
Another commenter delved into the technical details, explaining how Cosmopolitan Libc achieves its cross-platform compatibility. They described how it leverages the common subset of system calls present in various operating systems, effectively abstracting away the underlying platform differences. This commenter also touched on the clever use of "polyfills" within Cosmopolitan to bridge any gaps in functionality between different systems.
A further comment focused on the practical implications of this approach. They appreciated the simplified distribution process made possible by having a single executable. This, they pointed out, makes it significantly easier to share and run the software, eliminating the complexities of managing platform-specific builds.
Several commenters reminisced about their experiences with Infocom games and the Z-machine, showcasing the nostalgic appeal of this project. These comments added a personal touch to the discussion, highlighting the lasting impact of Infocom's work.
A more technically-inclined commenter questioned the performance implications of using Cosmopolitan Libc. They wondered if the abstraction layer introduced any overhead compared to native compilation. However, another commenter countered this concern, arguing that the performance impact is negligible in most cases, especially given the relatively low computational demands of running a Z-machine interpreter. This exchange offered a balanced perspective on the potential trade-offs involved.
Finally, a commenter inquired about the project's license and its implications for distribution and modification. This practical question highlighted the importance of licensing considerations in open-source projects.
Overall, the comments on the Hacker News post reflected a mix of technical appreciation, nostalgic enthusiasm, and practical considerations. They demonstrated a genuine interest in the project and its potential to bring classic Infocom games to a wider audience.