weird question - just noticed in Zork II

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.int-fiction (More info?)

Was replaying Zork II the other day and noticed something odd...

not really very spoiler-ish, but...

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Why does your sword glow blue when the Unicorn is around? Isn't it
just supposed to glow blue when there's danger? The unicorn isn't
dangerous or evil, is it? Is there some scenario I don't recall where
if you mess with the unicorn it gores you or something? Just
wondering.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.int-fiction (More info?)

In article <a9ffe7a9.0405170537.69976e05@posting.google.com>,
Nord_and_Bert <sockpanda@yahoo.com> wrote:
>Was replaying Zork II the other day and noticed something odd...
>
>not really very spoiler-ish, but...
>
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>Why does your sword glow blue when the Unicorn is around? Isn't it
>just supposed to glow blue when there's danger? The unicorn isn't
>dangerous or evil, is it? Is there some scenario I don't recall where
>if you mess with the unicorn it gores you or something? Just
>wondering.

If you molest the maiden, does the unicorn come to her rescue?

Adam

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.int-fiction (More info?)

adam@fsf.net (Adam Thornton) wrote in message news:<c8am3i$ksr$1@news.fsf.net>...
> In article <a9ffe7a9.0405170537.69976e05@posting.google.com>,
> Nord_and_Bert <sockpanda@yahoo.com> wrote:
> >Was replaying Zork II the other day and noticed something odd...
> >
> >not really very spoiler-ish, but...
> >
> >.
> >.
> >.
> >.
> >.
> >.
> >.
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> >.
> >.
> >.
> >.
> >.
> >.
> >.
> >.
> >.
> >.
> >.
> >.
> >
> >Why does your sword glow blue when the Unicorn is around? Isn't it
> >just supposed to glow blue when there's danger? The unicorn isn't
> >dangerous or evil, is it? Is there some scenario I don't recall where
> >if you mess with the unicorn it gores you or something? Just
> >wondering.
>
> If you molest the maiden, does the unicorn come to her rescue?
>
> Adam

No, I just tried it, it's actually the Wizard who comes to her rescue
and fries you. Good guess, though.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.int-fiction (More info?)

"Nord_and_Bert" <sockpanda@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:a9ffe7a9.0405170537.69976e05@posting.google.com...
> Was replaying Zork II the other day and noticed something odd...
>
> not really very spoiler-ish, but...
>
> .
> .
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>
> Why does your sword glow blue when the Unicorn is around? Isn't it
> just supposed to glow blue when there's danger? The unicorn isn't
> dangerous or evil, is it? Is there some scenario I don't recall where
> if you mess with the unicorn it gores you or something? Just
> wondering.

I haven't played Zork II in years, but IIRC, your sword is really glowing
because of the man-eating hedges.

-Lord Craxton

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.int-fiction (More info?)

"Lord Craxton" <lord_craxton@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:<10b2mp2m172ni42@news.supernews.com>...
> "Nord_and_Bert" <sockpanda@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:a9ffe7a9.0405170537.69976e05@posting.google.com...
> > Was replaying Zork II the other day and noticed something odd...
> >
> > not really very spoiler-ish, but...
> >
> > .
> > .
> > .
> > .
> > .
> > .
> > .
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> > .
> > .
> > .
> > .
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> > .
> > .
> > .
> > .
> > .
> > .
> >
> > Why does your sword glow blue when the Unicorn is around? Isn't it
> > just supposed to glow blue when there's danger? The unicorn isn't
> > dangerous or evil, is it? Is there some scenario I don't recall where
> > if you mess with the unicorn it gores you or something? Just
> > wondering.
>
> I haven't played Zork II in years, but IIRC, your sword is really glowing
> because of the man-eating hedges.
>
> -Lord Craxton

That's what I though at first, but on replay, doesn't seem to be the
case...glows well North of them when the unicorn shows up at the
gazebo...weirdly, I've noticed it even seems to glow around the
princess sometimes...maybe they got a little too liberal with it, or
it's a bug or something.

 

[graeme]

Archived from groups: rec.games.int-fiction (More info?)

>That's what I though at first, but on replay, doesn't seem to be the
>case...glows well North of them when the unicorn shows up at the
>gazebo...weirdly, I've noticed it even seems to glow around the
>princess sometimes...maybe they got a little too liberal with it, or
>it's a bug or something.


I'm not sure if it ever states exactly why the sword glows. It may simply glow
around magical creatures, of which the unicorn qualifies. One shouldn't
confuse it with Tolkien, where swords glow near Orcs, and not danger in
general.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.int-fiction (More info?)

Here, Graeme <graemecree@aol.compost> wrote:
> >That's what I though at first, but on replay, doesn't seem to be the
> >case...glows well North of them when the unicorn shows up at the
> >gazebo...weirdly, I've noticed it even seems to glow around the
> >princess sometimes...maybe they got a little too liberal with it, or
> >it's a bug or something.
>
> I'm not sure if it ever states exactly why the sword glows. It may
> simply glow around magical creatures, of which the unicorn
> qualifies. One shouldn't confuse it with Tolkien, where swords glow
> near Orcs, and not danger in general.

Or unicorns are dangerous. Just because it's not malevolent doesn't
mean it's *safe*.

--Z

"And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these were the borogoves..."
*
* Make your vote count. Get your vote counted.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.int-fiction (More info?)

graemecree@aol.compost (Graeme) wrote in message news:<20040613200928.02177.00001283@mb-m28.aol.com>...
> >That's what I though at first, but on replay, doesn't seem to be the
> >case...glows well North of them when the unicorn shows up at the
> >gazebo...weirdly, I've noticed it even seems to glow around the
> >princess sometimes...maybe they got a little too liberal with it, or
> >it's a bug or something.
>
>
> I'm not sure if it ever states exactly why the sword glows. It may simply glow
> around magical creatures, of which the unicorn qualifies. One shouldn't
> confuse it with Tolkien, where swords glow near Orcs, and not danger in
> general.

I hear what you're saying, one other piece of input, from the
Invisiclues:

ZORK I INVISICLUES:
--> Why does the sword glow?
--> Elvish swords are magical and glow with a blue light when dangers
(particularly dangerous beings) are near.

ZORK II INVISICLUES:
--> Why does my sword glow when I am at the bottom of the stairs?
--> You are one room away from a dangerous creature.

Would seem to imply it's danger specifically.

 

[graeme]

Archived from groups: rec.games.int-fiction (More info?)

>I hear what you're saying, one other piece of input, from the
>Invisiclues:

Well yes, you're right. I was trying to think of explanations in the game
itself, and not thinking of any. The InvisiClues do spell it out though.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.int-fiction (More info?)

> > I'm not sure if it ever states exactly why the sword glows. It may
> > simply glow around magical creatures, of which the unicorn
> > qualifies. One shouldn't confuse it with Tolkien, where swords glow
> > near Orcs, and not danger in general.
>
> Or unicorns are dangerous. Just because it's not malevolent doesn't
> mean it's *safe*.
>
> --Z
>
Right, which brings us back to the original purpose of this
thread...that's what I was asking...is there ever any scenario in the
game where we explicitly learn that the Unicorn is a danger...I would
have assumed that the Unicorn is not only "not malevolent" but in fact
outright benevolent, based on most of the unicorn lore I've ever read
(and the way it's protrayed in the game, for the most part). Of
course, it has a big horn and could certainly be dangerous to you if
it wanted to, I suppose. I have no problem either way with it, I was
just wondering if anyone had ever found a course of play where the
unicorn "acted" dangerous in the way other characters do. I.E., the
dragon will kill you if you do a certain set of actions, so will the
demon, the wizard kills you with the "fry" spell if you molest the
princess, etc. Cerebus seems empirically menacing to at least some
degree...he at least "threatens" you by growling at you. What I was
wondering is if, through some sequence of gameplay, there is a series
of events where the unicorn presents an actual danger to you (rather
than a purely hypothetical one), like if you piss it off somehow, it
will gore you, or something. And if there is, could somebody tell me
how to do it, because it's probably about the only thing in ZII I've
never done.

Then again, the sword sometimes glows around the princess, too, so who
knows? (And I really don't want to get into a philsohpical debate
about how the princess might be dangerous because I might lose ym
heart to her, or hell hat no fury like a princess scorned, or
something like that.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.int-fiction (More info?)

> And if there is, could somebody tell me
> how to do it, because it's probably about the only thing in ZII I've
> never done.

It's been a long, long time since I played Zork II, but I seem to
remember that the unicorn obeyed ALL the lore, meaning that only the
pure of heart (a virgin) could touch it. So TOUCH UNICORN will kill
you. (Which would seem to imply something about the player character,
now that I think about it.) Also, I think I remember that the first
time I saw the unicorn, I thought its horn would be a treasure, and
TAKE HORN ends up killing you...

Give those a shot, let us know if they're happy new ways to die.

-Paul

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.int-fiction (More info?)

Here, Paul Jack <pjack@poetbeware.org> wrote:
> > And if there is, could somebody tell me
> > how to do it, because it's probably about the only thing in ZII I've
> > never done.
>
> It's been a long, long time since I played Zork II, but I seem to
> remember that the unicorn obeyed ALL the lore, meaning that only the
> pure of heart (a virgin) could touch it. So TOUCH UNICORN will kill
> you. (Which would seem to imply something about the player character,
> now that I think about it.) Also, I think I remember that the first
> time I saw the unicorn, I thought its horn would be a treasure, and
> TAKE HORN ends up killing you...

Nope. Touching or attacking the unicorn just causes it to run away.
And the game doesn't accept "horn" as a noun at all.

--Z

"And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these were the borogoves..."
*
* Make your vote count. Get your vote counted.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.int-fiction (More info?)

> Nope. Touching or attacking the unicorn just causes it to run away.
> And the game doesn't accept "horn" as a noun at all.

But I think we can all agree that my memory of the game is way better
than the game itself in this regard.

>TOUCH UNICORN
Your impure flesh is incinerated! Naughty, filthy boy.

-Paul

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.int-fiction (More info?)

Paul Jack wrote:

> It's been a long, long time since I played Zork II, but I seem to
> remember that the unicorn obeyed ALL the lore, meaning that only the
> pure of heart (a virgin) could touch it. So TOUCH UNICORN will kill
> you.


>se
North End of Garden
This is the northern end of a formal garden. Hedges hide the cavern
walls, and
if you don't look up, the illusion is of a cloudy day outside. The light
comes
from a large growth of glowing mosses on the roof of the cave. A break
in the
hedge is almost overgrown to the north. A carefully manicured path leads
south. In the center of a rosebed is a small open structure, painted
white. It
appears to be a gazebo.
There is a beautiful unicorn eating roses here. Around his neck is a red
satin
ribbon on which is strung a tiny key.
Your sword has begun to glow very brightly.

>touch unicorn
The unicorn, unsurprised by this evidence that you are indeed the
uncouth sort
of vagabond it suspected you were, melts into the hedges and is gone.
Your sword is no longer glowing.


Brian Rodenborn

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.int-fiction (More info?)

Default User <first.last@boeing.com.invalid> wrote in
news:40D0C61C.A3AAB0F8@boeing.com.invalid:

>>touch unicorn
> The unicorn, unsurprised by this evidence that you are indeed the
> uncouth sort
> of vagabond it suspected you were, melts into the hedges and is gone.
> Your sword is no longer glowing.

Does that alter the play with the princess, or does it come back to get
her?

Dave Doty




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[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.int-fiction (More info?)

Here, David Doty <davedoty@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Default User <first.last@boeing.com.invalid> wrote in
> news:40D0C61C.A3AAB0F8@boeing.com.invalid:
>
> >>touch unicorn
> > The unicorn, unsurprised by this evidence that you are indeed the
> > uncouth sort
> > of vagabond it suspected you were, melts into the hedges and is gone.
> > Your sword is no longer glowing.
>
> Does that alter the play with the princess, or does it come back to get
> her?

It comes back to the North Garden in a couple of turns.

--Z

"And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these were the borogoves..."
*
* Make your vote count. Get your vote counted.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.int-fiction (More info?)

Paul Jack wrote:

> It's been a long, long time since I played Zork II, but I seem to
> remember that the unicorn obeyed ALL the lore, meaning that only the
> pure of heart (a virgin) could touch it. So TOUCH UNICORN will kill
> you. (Which would seem to imply something about the player character,
> now that I think about it.)

And to think I was only 10 years old when I first played Zork II.


Michael

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.int-fiction (More info?)

Paul Jack wrote:
>>And if there is, could somebody tell me
>>how to do it, because it's probably about the only thing in ZII I've
>>never done.
>
>
> It's been a long, long time since I played Zork II, but I seem to
> remember that the unicorn obeyed ALL the lore, meaning that only the
> pure of heart (a virgin) could touch it. So TOUCH UNICORN will kill
> you. (Which would seem to imply something about the player character,
> now that I think about it.) Also, I think I remember that the first
> time I saw the unicorn, I thought its horn would be a treasure, and
> TAKE HORN ends up killing you...
>
> Give those a shot, let us know if they're happy new ways to die.
>
> -Paul

Well, the Princess is dangerous if you do certain stupid things...

>kill princess with sword
The princess screams as you approach. "Won't someone deliver me from
this awful
fate?" she cries. Just in time, the Wizard of Frobozz appears, seeming
to unroll
himself out of nothing like a window shade. "Fry!" he intones, and a massive
bolt of lightning reduces you to a pile of smoking ashes. (Serves you right,
too, if you ask me.)

**** You have died ****

Kissing her is just as dangerous. So don't try it.


Maybe she had a thing for the dragon.

There is a dishevelled and slightly unkempt princess here.
A huge dead dragon is lying half blocking the stream.
Your sword has begun to glow very brightly.


Or she's a mad bomber

There is a dishevelled and slightly unkempt princess here.
There is a square brick here which feels like clay.
Your sword has begun to glow very brightly.


She could be entertaining wicked thoughts about using the letter opener.
Or her tea making is especially bad!

There is a dishevelled and slightly unkempt princess here.
Sitting on the table is:
A matchbook
A china teapot
A place mat
A newspaper
A letter opener
Your sword has begun to glow very brightly.

There are matches there, so she could be a closet pyromaniac. Although
it's not a good idea to be a pyromaniac in a closet, there isn't enough
room for a really good fire ;-)


Well, try anything once

>throw sword at unicorn
The unicorn ducks as the sword flies by and crashes to the ground.

OK, so that doesn't work.


It seems that the unicorn and the Princess do not pose any direct
danger, but I've yet to try the explosives on them.


Mark.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.int-fiction (More info?)

Liability Grimwood wrote:

>
> It seems that the unicorn and the Princess do not pose any direct
> danger, but I've yet to try the explosives on them.
>
>
> Mark.

Well, I can't blow up the unicorn, but it does show up a minor bug. This
is a few moves after the explosion, and the roof has collapsed at the
North End Of the Garden. Nothing tells you that you can't now enter the
room.

Formal Garden
This is the middle part of a formal garden. Hedges hide the cavern walls
and a
dim illumination comes from mosses far above. The path is of small
crushed white
stones. It winds among bushes and flower beds from south to north. To
the north
a small structure can be seen. To the south are peculiarly shaped
bushes. There
is a small gap in the hedges to the west.

>n
The way is blocked by debris from an explosion.

>enter
You can't go that way.
The unicorn bounds lightly away.
Your sword is no longer glowing.

>enter gazebo
You can't see any gazebo here!
A unicorn is peacefully cropping grass at the north end of the garden.
There is
something hanging around its neck.
Your sword is glowing with a faint blue glow.


OK, can't blow up the princess either

Dragon's Lair
You are in the dragon's lair, where the rock walls are scarred by flame. A
blackened doorway leads to the south.
The room is cluttered with debris from an explosion. The walls seem ready to
collapse.
A beautiful young woman, wearing a dirty and bedraggled gown, sits on a
rock in
the corner. Her hair is unkempt and she is oblivious to your presence,
almost in
a trance.
Your sword has begun to glow very brightly.


The princess is definitely a magical creature. The dragon's lair only
has one exit (south), and the explosives used in the room to the south
cause the cave to collapse, blocking the exit from the lair. But only
for the player.

>wait
Time passes...
The princess walks south. She glances back at you as she goes.
Your sword is glowing with a faint blue glow.

>follow princess
The way is blocked by debris from an explosion.
Your sword is no longer glowing.


Hmmm. Maybe I should stop playing with virtual explosives and get a life
instead.

Mark.

 

[Nathan]

Archived from groups: rec.games.int-fiction (More info?)

Liability Grimwood <spamtrapmdg@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message news:<40d442eb$1_1@mk-nntp-2.news.uk.tiscali.com>...
> Liability Grimwood wrote:

> >follow princess
> The way is blocked by debris from an explosion.

In at least one case, Infocom noticed this sort of inconsistency.
In version 48 only, if you blow up the gazebo and then get the
princess to go there, you get this message:

"The princess enters the gazebo, although you would never get past
the debris. She must be magically protected.."