the masterpieces of infocom
Rusty Wright
I just ordered this cd from Activision (see the web page at
http://www.activision.com/infocom/masterpieces).
For those who haven't heard about it this is like the Lost Treasures
of Infocom I and II except that it's everything on one cd (including
Leather Goddesses of Phoebos), and incldues all of the manuals and
hint books on the cd in Adobe Acrobat .pdf files. All for a measly
$19 if you order it from Activision. Dunno if any stores have it.
I have some questions:
1) It's back ordered and should ship in September. Is it new and
that's why it's back ordered? Does anybody else already have it?
Please comment on it if you do.
2) Do the .pdf files include all of the paraphenalia that came with
the original games; the newspapers, id cards, and such, that often
contain essential clues for solving the game? I seem to remember that
the Lost Treasures were missing some essential stuff for some of the
games.
3) It includes 6 previously unreleased games that were winners of the
SPAG Interactive Fiction Contest. Are these Infocom games, written by
the usual Infocom writers? If not, what's the story on them?
Robert A. DeLisle
Rusty Wright (ru...@tuna2.berkeley.edu) wrote:
: I just ordered this cd from Activision (see the web page at
: http://www.activision.com/infocom/masterpieces).
: For those who haven't heard about it this is like the Lost Treasures
: of Infocom I and II except that it's everything on one cd (including
: Leather Goddesses of Phoebos), and incldues all of the manuals and
: hint books on the cd in Adobe Acrobat .pdf files. All for a measly
: $19 if you order it from Activision. Dunno if any stores have it.
If you gave the magic word, it is $13.95 + $6 s/h (+ tax for some)
: I have some questions:
: 1) It's back ordered and should ship in September. Is it new and
: that's why it's back ordered? Does anybody else already have it?
: Please comment on it if you do.
I ordered it last week (Wed) and it arrived on Friday (Airborne).
They must have run out.
: 2) Do the .pdf files include all of the paraphenalia that came with
: the original games; the newspapers, id cards, and such, that often
: contain essential clues for solving the game? I seem to remember that
: the Lost Treasures were missing some essential stuff for some of the
: games.
Most things seem to be there (if you can read them), but whatever was
missing on LTOI is still missing--visit gmd.de for these files.
I found that the Acrobat included does work with my Epson, but the
catch is--I can't read them. The big print is ok, but not normal type.
I have a nice set of boxes which I have now filled in for Infidel.
The squiggles turned out to be item names found in that room.
I have a lovely copy of Paranoia dots. The hints do print ok.
: 3) It includes 6 previously unreleased games that were winners of the
: SPAG Interactive Fiction Contest. Are these Infocom games, written by
: the usual Infocom writers? If not, what's the story on them?
Ah! A newcomer! There was a contest last year (and this year again)
for games written with either TADS or INFORM and winable in two hours.
This year any game is welcome with the same 2 hour limit.
The games included are the top six, I guess. Not all were my
favorites. The authors are all frequent posters to this group. Some
have written other games before (and some after).
The contest games must be freeware. Too bad all the games were not
included.
Admiral Jota
Rusty Wright <ru...@tuna2.berkeley.edu> writes:
>I have some questions:
>1) It's back ordered and should ship in September. Is it new and
>that's why it's back ordered? Does anybody else already have it?
>Please comment on it if you do.
Several people do have it (I am sadly not yet one of them). Some people
have managed to order it directly from Activision (they're probably the
reason the rest of us are on backorder! ;-P ), and some have actually
found it in the stores. It is a relatively new product, and it seems to
be more popular than Activision expected -- hence, the backordering.
>2) Do the .pdf files include all of the paraphenalia that came with
>the original games; the newspapers, id cards, and such, that often
>contain essential clues for solving the game? I seem to remember that
>the Lost Treasures were missing some essential stuff for some of the
>games.
I believe that everything vital is included -- although some things may
have been placed in the wrong files. I believe some important things were
placed in either a hints/solutions file or in a map file.
>3) It includes 6 previously unreleased games that were winners of the
>SPAG Interactive Fiction Contest. Are these Infocom games, written by
>the usual Infocom writers? If not, what's the story on them?
No, these are recently created games, made by the readers of
rec.arts.int-fiction. These people are generally fans of Infocom, but
have no direct association with them (that I know of). Each year, a
contest is held for writers of interaction fiction, and the readership or
rec.games.int-fiction and rec.arts.int-fiction are invited to vote on the
entries. Those six games are the winners from last year's competition.
Hope this answers your questions :)
--
/<-= -=-=- -= Admiral Jota =- -=-=- =->\
__/><-=- http://www.tiac.net/users/jota/ =-><\__
\><-= jo...@mv.mv.com -- Finger for PGP =-></
\<-=- -= -=- -= -==- =- -=- =- -=->/
Kevin Lo
In article <sv686j5...@tuna2.Berkeley.EDU>, ru...@tuna2.berkeley.edu
says...
> For those who haven't heard about it this is like the Lost Treasures
> of Infocom I and II except that it's everything on one cd (including
> Leather Goddesses of Phoebos), and incldues all of the manuals and
> hint books on the cd in Adobe Acrobat .pdf files. All for a measly
> $19 if you order it from Activision. Dunno if any stores have it.
This has been the "big debate" (stores carrying it). I just
grabbed the last copy at Best Buy in Orlando, so I guess they are selling
them, albeit in limited numbers.
> I have some questions:
>
> 1) It's back ordered and should ship in September. Is it new and
> that's why it's back ordered? Does anybody else already have it?
> Please comment on it if you do.
I think that's because nobody could ever find it in stores, so
they all went directly to Activision, putting them out of stock. Or maybe
they're just confused, and have tons of them sitting in the back under a
different title from that in the computer. :)
> 2) Do the .pdf files include all of the paraphenalia that came with
> the original games; the newspapers, id cards, and such, that often
> contain essential clues for solving the game? I seem to remember that
> the Lost Treasures were missing some essential stuff for some of the
> games.
As far as I can tell, the .PDF files do contain all the needed
material, including Lurking Horror's ID card, Moonmists' maps, and the
Leather Goddess' "comic book". Though it might be missing some things
that I just haven't needed yet...
> 3) It includes 6 previously unreleased games that were winners of the
> SPAG Interactive Fiction Contest. Are these Infocom games, written by
> the usual Infocom writers? If not, what's the story on them?
The 6 unrelased games are those that won the IF Contest -- A
Change in the Weather, The Magic Toyshop, The Mind Electric, Toonesia,
The One That Got Away, and Uncle Zebulon's Will.
--
^
_' `_ * Kevin Lo -- http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/1070/
.-~' `~-. - k...@nexusprime.org - HTML / Perl / C / Java
( ' __. ` ) - Callsign: KF4JXF - AKA Radnor & FDC Merlin
`-'' ``-'
Dan Dalton
so far the only store I saw it in was Best Buy and I too bought the last one (these
games used to cost $40-$50 bucks when I was a kid and here was 30 of them for a
measly 17 bucks couldn't pass that up) and they haven't gotten any more in.
Dan Dalton
<rim...@shadetree.com>
Jason L Tibbitts III
>>>>> "RAD" == Robert A DeLisle <r...@crl.com> writes:
RAD> If you gave the magic word, it is $13.95 + $6 s/h (+ tax for some)
I gave the magic word. Then I argued for about fifteen minutes. Then I
was put on hold for ten minutes, then my order was taken again, then I
argued again, and finally the $13.95 price was given to me. Oh, and I was
told it's backordered for another four weeks. the exact phrase I was given
is "Not to ship until after Sept. 23." Ugh.
On the bright side, the $6 shipping charge is per order, so I ordered two
copies (one each for my blind friend and I) and saved a few bucks.
--
Jason L. Tibbitts III - ti...@uh.edu - 713/743-8684 - 221SR1
System Manager: University of Houston High Performance Computing Center
1994 PC800 "Kuroneko" DoD# 1723
JlB1925
> If you gave the magic word, it is $13.95 + $6 s/h (+ tax for some)
---
Liam Burke
I do not in any way represent Punahou Academy, its employees or its giant
flying wombats, and anything I may say or do that directly contradicts
this is merely the product of one of my many warped minds.
Robert A. DeLisle
Jason L Tibbitts III (ti...@sina.hpc.uh.edu) wrote:
: >>>>> "RAD" == Robert A DeLisle <r...@crl.com> writes:
: RAD> If you gave the magic word, it is $13.95 + $6 s/h (+ tax for some)
: I gave the magic word. Then I argued for about fifteen minutes. Then I
: was put on hold for ten minutes, then my order was taken again, then I
: argued again, and finally the $13.95 price was given to me. Oh, and I was
: told it's backordered for another four weeks. the exact phrase I was given
: is "Not to ship until after Sept. 23." Ugh.
: On the bright side, the $6 shipping charge is per order, so I ordered two
: copies (one each for my blind friend and I) and saved a few bucks.
That really is the bright side. I guess I was just lucky. The lady who
took my order seemed pleased that I had visited the web. I got the game
in two days (Wed order, Fri came by Airborne). All smiles here.
John Switzer
In article <ufa7mqe...@sina.hpc.uh.edu>,
Jason L Tibbitts III <ti...@sina.hpc.uh.edu> wrote:
>>>>>> "RAD" == Robert A DeLisle <r...@crl.com> writes:
>
>RAD> If you gave the magic word, it is $13.95 + $6 s/h (+ tax for some)
>
>I gave the magic word. Then I argued for about fifteen minutes. Then I
>was put on hold for ten minutes, then my order was taken again, then I
>argued again, and finally the $13.95 price was given to me. Oh, and I was
>told it's backordered for another four weeks. the exact phrase I was given
>is "Not to ship until after Sept. 23." Ugh.
>
>On the bright side, the $6 shipping charge is per order, so I ordered two
>copies (one each for my blind friend and I) and saved a few bucks.
I ordered a copy from CDROM NOW for $19 or so and got it promptly, but they
shipped it in a large shipping envelope, not a box, so the nifty Infocom
Masterpieces box got squashed good. Doesn't affect game play, of course,
but it is irritating.
--
John Switzer | A paradox is just nature's way of telling you
| that some of your underlying assumptions are
jswi...@aimnet.com | wrong.
*** Access the Congressional Record at http://thomas.loc.gov ***
cumulus beauregarde
Robert A. DeLisle (r...@crl.com) wrote:
: Jason L Tibbitts III (ti...@sina.hpc.uh.edu) wrote:
: : I gave the magic word. Then I argued for about fifteen minutes. Then I
: : was put on hold for ten minutes, then my order was taken again, then I
: : argued again, and finally the $13.95 price was given to me. Oh, and I was
: : told it's backordered for another four weeks. the exact phrase I was given
: : is "Not to ship until after Sept. 23." Ugh.
: That really is the bright side. I guess I was just lucky. The lady who
: took my order seemed pleased that I had visited the web. I got the game
: in two days (Wed order, Fri came by Airborne). All smiles here.
And here... can it be that they've sold out??
tony.
JlB1925
Is the magic word a secret, or can you find it on the web, or was it
posted while I wasn't looking, or what?
Robert A. DeLisle
JlB1925 (jlb...@aol.com) wrote:
: Is the magic word a secret, or can you find it on the web, or was it
: posted while I wasn't looking, or what?
The magic word is included in the game information on the web.
Since the idea is to lure you to the site, just look for the ad
for Masterpieces and read it.
I can't find the exact url right now, but it is something like
http://www.activision.com
Dave Gatewood
> : Jason L Tibbitts III (ti...@sina.hpc.uh.edu) wrote:
>
> : : I gave the magic word. Then I argued for about fifteen minutes. Then I
> : : was put on hold for ten minutes, then my order was taken again, then I
> : : argued again, and finally the $13.95 price was given to me. Oh, and I was
> : : told it's backordered for another four weeks. the exact phrase I was given
> : : is "Not to ship until after Sept. 23." Ugh.
The shipping date is now pushed back to October 2. However, they told me it
was $13.95 without my even mentioning the website offer.
Dave
rb...@cris.com
I had ordered it from Activision 2 weeks ago and was told 1 to 2 weeks
delivery. After 1 week I called to see if they had an update, and was told
my specific order would ship at the end of September! So I told them to
cancel the order (they said, OK) and I placed the same order with CDRom
NOw. The next day, my cd from Activision arrived. I guess I'm going to be
the proud owner of 2 Masterpieces of Infocom.
In article <322E1D...@wgserv.athensnet.com>, Dave Gatewood
C.K. Smith
Heh... As I said in my previous article, I was told over the phone a few
weeks ago that the Masterpieces collection was back ordered to Sept. 23
or thereabouts. Well, I came home today, and it had arrived. I guess
they were giving very conservative dates over the phone...
Very nice collection though. I didn't expect the nice packaging, or the
rare Infocom files (pulled off of their UNIX server) that were also
included.
--
Cameron Smith
Chair, McMaster IEEE Student Branch
Computer Engineering & Mgmt. IV
McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, CANADA
C.K. Smith
In article <50fpji$u...@tom.amherst.edu>,
cumulus beauregarde <adca...@unix.amherst.edu> wrote:
>
>And here... can it be that they've sold out??
>
>tony.
I was quite surprised as well. I called a few weeks ago and was told
that the package was on back order until the 23rd. Happily enough it must be
a hot item! On the bright side, I now have time to try to find a good PDF
viewer for Linux so I can look at the docs and maps. (If anyone knows of any,
please reply to this via e-mail)
George Caswell
On 9 Sep 1996, C.K. Smith wrote:
> Heh... As I said in my previous article, I was told over the phone a few
> weeks ago that the Masterpieces collection was back ordered to Sept. 23
> or thereabouts. Well, I came home today, and it had arrived. I guess
> they were giving very conservative dates over the phone...
>
I hope that's still the case... the guy I ordered from (at Activision)
said 'one week'... next time I call, it's October 2nd.
> Very nice collection though. I didn't expect the nice packaging, or the
> rare Infocom files (pulled off of their UNIX server) that were also
> included.
>
What is the packaging like? And waht are the rare files?
....T...I...M...B...U...K...T...U... ____________________________________
.________________ _/>_ _______......[George Caswell, CS '99. 4 more info ]
<___ ___________// __/<___ /......[ http://www.wpi.edu/~timbuktu ]
...//.<>._____..<_ >./ ____/.......[ Member LnL+SOMA, sometimes artist, ]
..//./>./ /.__/ /./ <___________.[writer, builder. Sysadmin of adamant]
.//.</.</</</.<_ _/.<_____________/.[____________________________________]
</.............</...................---Warming self with the glow of
Enchanter trilogy until Masterpieces collection arrives.
C.K. Smith
In article <Pine.LNX.3.95.960911...@adamant.res.wpi.edu>,
George Caswell <timb...@wpi.edu> wrote:
>> Very nice collection though. I didn't expect the nice packaging, or the
>> rare Infocom files (pulled off of their UNIX server) that were also
>> included.
>>
> What is the packaging like? And waht are the rare files?
>
>....T...I...M...B...U...K...T...U... ____________________________________
It comes in a standard-sized box with a front panel that you can open
(similar to the old Infocom games), to reveal pictures of the original game
boxes for all of the included games. The box looks nice on my
bookshelf, anyway. :)
The rare files include a bunch of potential game ideas, notes from an
off-site Infocom meeting, and an article or two from their internal
newsletter.
George Caswell
On 12 Sep 1996, C.K. Smith wrote:
> In article <Pine.LNX.3.95.960911...@adamant.res.wpi.edu>,
> George Caswell <timb...@wpi.edu> wrote:
> >> Very nice collection though. I didn't expect the nice packaging, or the
> >> rare Infocom files (pulled off of their UNIX server) that were also
> >> included.
> >>
> > What is the packaging like? And waht are the rare files?
> >
> >....T...I...M...B...U...K...T...U... ____________________________________
>
> It comes in a standard-sized box with a front panel that you can open
> (similar to the old Infocom games), to reveal pictures of the original game
> boxes for all of the included games. The box looks nice on my
> bookshelf, anyway. :)
>
Wow.. I can't wait to see -that-... (IMHO the standard packaging was
awesome... also pretty durable, judging from my copy of _Ballyhoo_, as
opposed to the non-standard packaged _Enchanter_ and _Seastalker_...)
> The rare files include a bunch of potential game ideas, notes from an
> off-site Infocom meeting, and an article or two from their internal
> newsletter.
>
Wow... Looks like somebody at Activision finally clued in to a few of
the things that make an Infocom -collection- rather than -compilation-...
<g> Now if they would just ship the damn thing to me, I would be quite
happy. <g>