Zork Returns!

Zubby · 2009-01-14, 8:36 AM

ZORK!

In late August I was approached by an Ireland-based company called Omac about providing some artwork for a browser-based game they were working on. They couldn't say much until I signed an NDA but they did mention that it involved a classic fantasy property.

Once I found out what they were up to and that they wanted a cartoon style for the game reminiscent of Curse of Monkey Island

, I knew I had to be a part of this thing.

So... the teaser website finally went up this morning and I can finally tell everyone.
I'm the lead designer on Legends of Zork

!

The teaser website went live this morning!

I designed all the characters and monsters and put together a crew to help create location designs, maps and card artwork for the Double Fanucci

card game in the world of Zork. So nerdy and wonderful and I've been keeping it a secret for over 4 months! I've carved out a tiny little hole for myself in the cavern of history that is Zork. It's surreal and wonderful.

Here's the announcement illustration I did up:

With a special thanks to Christine Choi for her painting suggestions/palette help on that illo.

And here's the crew I assembled who worked on the game art with me:
Legends of Zork Logo Design: Indigo Kelleigh

Map Design/Icons: Will Makra
Map Colours: Espen Grundetjern

Location Design & Double Fanucci Line Art: Greg 'Cornflake' Brown

Location Colours: Chris Oatley

Colour Flatting: Tom Liu

Now you know!

Akira · 2009-01-14, 8:38 AM

That's awesome man!!! Congrats!

suncrush · 2009-01-14, 8:40 AM

Cooooooooool!

Meatrocket Jones · 2009-01-14, 8:42 AM

Holy crap, Zork is back. The artwork looks great, Zubby.

Draft · 2009-01-14, 8:45 AM

PC Gaming wins again.

Tebriel · 2009-01-14, 8:46 AM

That's awesome. I'm firing up MC Frontalot's "You are Likely to be Eaten by a Grue" in celebration!

Action Doctor · 2009-01-14, 8:46 AM

you are likely to be eaten by a grue.

Griff · 2009-01-14, 8:47 AM

Awesome, Zubby!

Nim · 2009-01-14, 8:49 AM

Awesome.

Lapak · 2009-01-14, 8:50 AM

That rocks! You rock! Go you!

shonukem · 2009-01-14, 8:53 AM

New Zork? KICK ASS!

I Choose Shorts · 2009-01-14, 9:03 AM

yes YES YES

Shriketastic · 2009-01-14, 9:05 AM

I`ve never really been able to get into Zork; it was just before my time. But I`ve been meaning to go back and play them, and this just might give me the excuse <_<

Tebriel · 2009-01-14, 9:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shriketastic

I`ve never really been able to get into Zork; it was just before my time. But I`ve been meaning to go back and play them, and this just might give me the excuse <_<

Be prepared to be frustrated out of your mind.

It's wonderful.

I Choose Shorts · 2009-01-14, 9:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shriketastic

I`ve never really been able to get into Zork; it was just before my time. But I`ve been meaning to go back and play them, and this just might give me the excuse <_<

I love Zork even though I have yet to beat any of them (I own all of them except Inquisitor too). I love the humor, the history, and Zork Nemesis was a beautiful game.

I love adventure puzzle games like this and Myst, I'm just a moronic fuck.

Shriketastic · 2009-01-14, 9:09 AM

The biggest problem with Zork is that it`s text adventure.

And text adventure is the most frustratingly annoying kind of adventure.

Especially if the parser is limited to a select number of phrases. Though I hear the Zork series has a decent vocab, so that shouldn`t be TOO much of an issue.

I Choose Shorts · 2009-01-14, 9:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shriketastic

The biggest problem with Zork is that it`s text adventure.

And text adventure is the most frustratingly annoying kind of adventure.

Especially if the parser is limited to a select number of phrases. Though I hear the Zork series has a decent vocab, so that shouldn`t be TOO much of an issue.

It's enough that you can get by.

But if you want a graphical interface, there's Return to Zork, Zork Nemesis, and Zork Inquisitor. All just as hard. Took me 4 months to realize in Nemesis I had to drag the door knocker to the opening part of the game up. Spent a week knocking on the door and quit playing.

These games make you feel very stupid.

Brent Not Broken · 2009-01-14, 9:14 AM

I never had any sort of history with Zork, but I'd give this a whirl just for the artwork. That announcement illustration is awesome.

shonukem · 2009-01-14, 9:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tebriel

Be prepared to be frustrated out of your mind.

It's wonderful.

Grand inquisitor was awesome because of some of the really random solutions to puzzles.

*open case containing sword, try to click*

"Hmmm how do I get this sword out of the case."

*notice hammer inside case that can be picked up, realize case has sign saying "Incase of Adventure, break glass."*

"You can't be serious...."

And they were. VERY serious!

I Choose Shorts · 2009-01-14, 9:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shonukem

Grand inquisitor was awesome because of some of the really random solutions to puzzles.

*open case containing sword, try to click*

"Hmmm how do I get this sword out of the case."

*notice hammer inside case that can be picked up, realize case has sign saying "Incase of Adventure, break glass."*

"You can't be serious...."

And they were. VERY serious!

What about taking the clay brick and the piece of string and fashioning it into C4 to blow up a wall?

Shriketastic · 2009-01-14, 9:21 AM

Man, it will be harsh going back to a game made in the days where no one gave a fuck if the difficulty was just plain unfair.

Meatrocket Jones · 2009-01-14, 9:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shonukem

Grand inquisitor was awesome because of some of the really random solutions to puzzles.

*open case containing sword, try to click*

"Hmmm how do I get this sword out of the case."

*notice hammer inside case that can be picked up, realize case has sign saying "Incase of Adventure, break glass."*

"You can't be serious...."

And they were. VERY serious!

That still makes more sense then any puzzle solution in any adventure game ever.

Shriketastic · 2009-01-14, 9:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kickflip Jones

That still makes more sense then any puzzle solution in any adventure game ever.

Examine door
''The Door is ajar''
Take door
*Jar added to inventory*

Meatrocket Jones · 2009-01-14, 9:34 AM

Hmmm there's something stuck in the garbage chute.

*has a wooden board*
*can't use it to force it down*
*drops six-pack of juice-cans onto whatever's stuck in chute*

Lucas Archer · 2009-01-14, 9:34 AM

This is FUCKING awesome Zubby, congrats! The art looks fantastic!

"You are standing in an open field west of a white house..." That is still my favorite opening line in a game because it was the first one I ever encountered.

2009-01-14, 8:36 AM	#1
Zubby No, really... Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada	Zork Returns! ZORK! In late August I was approached by an Ireland-based company called Omac about providing some artwork for a browser-based game they were working on. They couldn't say much until I signed an NDA but they did mention that it involved a classic fantasy property. Once I found out what they were up to and that they wanted a cartoon style for the game reminiscent of Curse of Monkey Island, I knew I had to be a part of this thing. So... the teaser website finally went up this morning and I can finally tell everyone. I'm the lead designer on Legends of Zork! The teaser website went live this morning! I designed all the characters and monsters and put together a crew to help create location designs, maps and card artwork for the Double Fanucci card game in the world of Zork. So nerdy and wonderful and I've been keeping it a secret for over 4 months! I've carved out a tiny little hole for myself in the cavern of history that is Zork. It's surreal and wonderful. Here's the announcement illustration I did up: With a special thanks to Christine Choi for her painting suggestions/palette help on that illo. And here's the crew I assembled who worked on the game art with me: Legends of Zork Logo Design: Indigo Kelleigh Map Design/Icons: Will Makra Map Colours: Espen Grundetjern Location Design & Double Fanucci Line Art: Greg 'Cornflake' Brown Location Colours: Chris Oatley Colour Flatting: Tom Liu Now you know! __________________ Last edited by Zubby; 2009-01-14 at 10:06 AM.

2009-01-14, 8:40 AM	#3
suncrush Sè yuán dīng Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Tallahassee, FL	Cooooooooool! __________________ King of No Pants 譅園丁

2009-01-14, 8:42 AM	#4
Meatrocket Jones holy shit this coffee Join Date: Aug 2005 AKA: Buzzard, Slowpoke, Kickflip Jones	Holy crap, Zork is back. The artwork looks great, Zubby. __________________

2009-01-14, 8:45 AM	#5
Draft Oh yeah Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Maryland	PC Gaming wins again. __________________

2009-01-14, 8:46 AM	#6
Tebriel Here's my answer Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Cumming, GA	That's awesome. I'm firing up MC Frontalot's "You are Likely to be Eaten by a Grue" in celebration! __________________ "And lo, the day is coming and is now here when true worshippers will worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth. And without pants" -Book of No Pants, 4:23 #5 of 12 Steam ID: tebriel Gamespy ID: [FO]Tebriel Layton Avatar made by TheRyuuijnMike from gamefaqs.com

2009-01-14, 8:38 AM	#2
Akira Banned Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Aveiro, Portugal	That's awesome man!!! Congrats!

2009-01-14, 8:46 AM	#7
Action Doctor I will save you... Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: ...but then I have to kill you. AKA: Jayne Cobb	you are likely to be eaten by a grue. __________________ I would make one of those witty "I don't give a fuck" sig images, but i really just don't give a fuck. twitter.com/joshgorfain

2009-01-14, 8:47 AM	#8
Griff Hoping for a better '10 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: New York City	Awesome, Zubby!

2009-01-14, 8:49 AM	#9
Nim says hello. Join Date: Aug 2005	Awesome. __________________ You have 8 gold ingots. They are all the same weight, except for one that's marginally lighter. How can you find the lighter using a scale when you can only balance twice? Clue

2009-01-14, 8:50 AM	#10
Lapak Your Friend Join Date: Aug 2005	That rocks! You rock! Go you!

2009-01-14, 8:53 AM	#11
shonukem IM A SHARK Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Dun dun dun dun	New Zork? KICK ASS! __________________ Resident Druidic overlord master. Wow Characters Notuo: 70 Night Elf Druid Darkspear Server Haliare: 70 Human Mage Darkspear

2009-01-14, 9:03 AM	#12
I Choose Shorts harumph Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Austin Wooperplex AKA: Shadow the Rat, Catalina Wine Mixer, Wooper	yes YES YES __________________ WOOP WOOP WOOP WOOP WOOP

2009-01-14, 9:05 AM	#13
Shriketastic talk about nubile Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Lanoraie	I`ve never really been able to get into Zork; it was just before my time. But I`ve been meaning to go back and play them, and this just might give me the excuse <_< __________________ sig removed

2009-01-14, 9:09 AM	#16
Shriketastic talk about nubile Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Lanoraie	The biggest problem with Zork is that it`s text adventure. And text adventure is the most frustratingly annoying kind of adventure. Especially if the parser is limited to a select number of phrases. Though I hear the Zork series has a decent vocab, so that shouldn`t be TOO much of an issue. __________________ sig removed

2009-01-14, 9:14 AM	#18
Brent Not Broken Necoc Yaotl Join Date: Aug 2005	I never had any sort of history with Zork, but I'd give this a whirl just for the artwork. That announcement illustration is awesome. __________________ Have you seen my foot?

2009-01-14, 9:21 AM	#21
Shriketastic talk about nubile Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Lanoraie	Man, it will be harsh going back to a game made in the days where no one gave a fuck if the difficulty was just plain unfair. __________________ sig removed

2009-01-14, 9:34 AM	#24
Meatrocket Jones holy shit this coffee Join Date: Aug 2005 AKA: Buzzard, Slowpoke, Kickflip Jones	Hmmm there's something stuck in the garbage chute. has a wooden board can't use it to force it down drops six-pack of juice-cans onto whatever's stuck in chute __________________

2009-01-14, 9:34 AM	#25
Lucas Archer Disgaea reigns supreme. Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Heaven AKA: Stiabhan	This is FUCKING awesome Zubby, congrats! The art looks fantastic! "You are standing in an open field west of a white house..." That is still my favorite opening line in a game because it was the first one I ever encountered.