Z-machines for PDP-11 (was Re: RT11 / RSTS-E games)

[Ethan Dicks]

On Fri, May 8, 2015 at 5:43 AM, Johnny Billquist <bqt at update.uu.se> wrote:
>> The Z-machine for RT-11 that Infocom released only handled v3 images.
>
> I only knew of the V1 version, for the original Zork I. I never knew that
> Infocom released anything past Zork I for RT-11.

I can't seem to find the definitive catalog, but I know there were
folio packaging of several of the titles available for sale.  I saw
Starcross hanging on the wall at the Digital Store in Columbus, OH
(back when there _was_ a brick-and-mortar store), and I am reasonable
certain there were others, definitely more than just the V1 Zork.

>> You can run a v3 game comfortably in 48K bytes...
>> As for the PDP-11, one _could_ write a split-I&D interpreter for
>> larger games...
>
> Um? Where have you been? ZEMU have been around for about 15 years now. It
> runs all V1 to V8 games, and runs under both RT-11 and RSX.

I think I forgot ZEMU has support past V5.  My apologies.

> On MIM:: (once more)
> .zem/li/sy
> -- System games --
> Game      Release Serial Inform Z-Machine
> ADVENT    5       961209 6.05   5
> ZDUNGEON  13      040826 6.14   5

:-)

> ZTREK     1       000229 6.21   5

Ooh... that's right... there's an implentation of Star Trek on the
Z-machine.  I'll have to go grab that to see which version it's based
on.  Personally, I'm used to the one that was in Dave Ahl's "101
Computer Games", the one that has the short range scan that represents
each item with up to three chars and empty locations with all spaces
(as opposed to a simple grid with 1 char per filled spot and, ISTR, a
'.' for empty locations).

When I get the opportunity (later this weekend I think) I will check
my backups for the RSTS/E mod I was mentioning.  If the RT-11 ZEMU
doesn't compile on RSTS/E as is, it should be a 1-line mod.

-ethan