The 4th panel is a reference to Adventure, one of the earliest computer games It’s clear to me that the Royal family is not what it used to be. Thankfully, Prince Poppycock is here to uphold the family’s values.
My first exposure to Adventure was on a VAX, using a serial typewriter terminal. I understand it was written for a PDP-10, although I saw it on a VAX. I later had it on my TRS-80 (Model I, although it only got that appellation later).
Okay, guys - I was there, and tell you without hesitation that A) It was Adventure, not Zork, although many of the elements of Adventure were later incorporated into Zork.
B> Adventure predated Zork by several years, and Zork predated Infocom by some time. While it may be true (i don’t know for sure) that Infocom was founded in order to bring Zork to various microcomputers (I was the beta tester for the Apple ][ version), it’s only connection to Adventure was a common feeling and interface - Zork was never, ever Adventure.
Adventure preceded Zork, but grues were introduced in Zork to replace the bottomless pits. “You will likely fall into a pit and die” was Adventure’s equivalent.
In one of the early Zork changelogs there is a reference to crews going around filling in all of the bottomless pits, which is actually a task you must perform in “Zork Zero.”
Actually, my first adventure game was “Haunted House” on the TRS-80, loaded from cassette. (Long before there was ever a TRS-80 Zork, if there ever was; I know there was a TRS-80 Adventure.) Then in the early-to-mid 1980’s I wrote my first adventure game as an online game running on an Atari XE. It was based in the universe of “The Uncle Floyd Show.”
Back in 2006 I had a storyline where Victoria was trapped “in a maze of twisty passages, all alike.” I actually wrote 90% of that game and was going to release it as a bonus for readers, but a system crash lost me the source code and I couldn’t finish it in time.
I remember the TRS but not the cartoons; I was busy learning to program in Basic. My little handheld device has as much RAM as the TRS and I could still program in my Basic programs if I had need of them, but currently unemployed ;-(
ksoskins about 14 years ago
The 4th panel is a reference to Adventure, one of the earliest computer games It’s clear to me that the Royal family is not what it used to be. Thankfully, Prince Poppycock is here to uphold the family’s values.
http://youtu.be/OZDU7gko-oU
Frankr about 14 years ago
oh no not prince poppycock again…
Coyoty Premium Member about 14 years ago
Poppycock, Sheik! It’s reference to Zork, which as Fairportfan2 exclaimed, was by Infocom.
And this is a better version of your rhapsody.
Colt9033 about 14 years ago
Wow, didn’t expect be dead reading a Webcomic…
lightblade77 about 14 years ago
I was eaten by a ‘Grue’…..
FlashfyreSP about 14 years ago
RE: Sheik & Coyoty It’s actually a reference to the “Choose Your Own Adventure” books, first published in the late ’70s.
Pab Sungenis creator about 14 years ago
You’re all correct. This strip is a floor wax AND a dessert topping!
Digital Frog about 14 years ago
What a gruesome fate…
lewisbower about 14 years ago
Could I have a new gamepiece? Mine’s all sticky
freeholder1 about 14 years ago
Ah for the days when the sun never set…Now it’s so hard to get it to come up these days.
pdp15 about 14 years ago
Adventure was developed at MIT by students in the AI lab; they later formed Infocom and recast Adventure as “Zork”.
Nighthawks Premium Member about 14 years ago
after awhile this kind of humor grues on you
yesterdaydelights about 14 years ago
Would the Queen have voted for Prince Poppycock? He should have won!
pgranzeau about 14 years ago
My first exposure to Adventure was on a VAX, using a serial typewriter terminal. I understand it was written for a PDP-10, although I saw it on a VAX. I later had it on my TRS-80 (Model I, although it only got that appellation later).
farren about 14 years ago
Okay, guys - I was there, and tell you without hesitation that A) It was Adventure, not Zork, although many of the elements of Adventure were later incorporated into Zork. B> Adventure predated Zork by several years, and Zork predated Infocom by some time. While it may be true (i don’t know for sure) that Infocom was founded in order to bring Zork to various microcomputers (I was the beta tester for the Apple ][ version), it’s only connection to Adventure was a common feeling and interface - Zork was never, ever Adventure.
Pab Sungenis creator about 14 years ago
Adventure preceded Zork, but grues were introduced in Zork to replace the bottomless pits. “You will likely fall into a pit and die” was Adventure’s equivalent.
In one of the early Zork changelogs there is a reference to crews going around filling in all of the bottomless pits, which is actually a task you must perform in “Zork Zero.”
Actually, my first adventure game was “Haunted House” on the TRS-80, loaded from cassette. (Long before there was ever a TRS-80 Zork, if there ever was; I know there was a TRS-80 Adventure.) Then in the early-to-mid 1980’s I wrote my first adventure game as an online game running on an Atari XE. It was based in the universe of “The Uncle Floyd Show.”
Back in 2006 I had a storyline where Victoria was trapped “in a maze of twisty passages, all alike.” I actually wrote 90% of that game and was going to release it as a bonus for readers, but a system crash lost me the source code and I couldn’t finish it in time.
vldazzle about 14 years ago
I remember the TRS but not the cartoons; I was busy learning to program in Basic. My little handheld device has as much RAM as the TRS and I could still program in my Basic programs if I had need of them, but currently unemployed ;-(