Hello Sailor, I was cleaning my closet and stumbled upon my New Zork Times/Status Line collection. I thought I would post some info on these for the group. Feel free to add or make corrections to this information. I am not responsible for any mistyped or wrong information. Oh, I am Alex "I grew up on Infocom and why can't Sierra write a decent plot?" Wai (awai@monet.uwaterloo.ca). Well, after seeing the Infocom FAQ, I realized that this listing has some mistakes already. I have fixed up the mix-up of 2.2 and 2.3, but I have a few questions. 1. Was there a newsletter before the one I named 1.1? Is there any proof of its existence? 2. The last one I got was Vol VII number 2 ; I obviously missed the three that came after this. Could anyone who has copies PLEASE contact me. I suppose it's not life or death, but it would be nice to have the complete set and to finish this file. Thanks. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edition : 1.1 Reads : none Date : 1981? Title : The New Zork Times pages : 1 Articles : More Games, Systems, Says Infocom First Computer Mystery Announced Invisiclues Discount Policy Changed Ads : Special Limited Offer Notes : invisiclues announced New Games : Zork I (mentioned in text), Zork II (mentioned in text), Deadline (announced) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edition : 2.1 Reads : Vol II, No. 1 Date : Fall 1982 Title : The New Zork Times Pages : 2 Articles : More invisiclues Infocom announces two new games: Starcross, and long-awaited Zork III Infocom Games: More Systems Critics acclaim Zork and Deadline Notes : interesting stuff at top of banner "Flatheads shut out Robners, 6-0, in postponed game" "New lunch treats with peppers and garlic" "All the grues that fit, we print" "New Zork area weather hi 55 low 70" New Games : Zork III (announced), Starcross (announced) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edition : 2.2 Reads : Vol III, No. 1 Date : Spring 1983 Title : The New Zork Times Pages : 2 Articles : Infocom Announces New Science Fiction Masterpiece Suspended New Products in the Works Systems now total twelve More invisiclues planned Zork Users group in the news Infocom and Michael Berlyn : The perfect match Still more new products: Buttons, Shirts Notes : first appearance of Infocom "far side" type cartoons New Games : Suspended (announced) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edition : 2.3 Reads : Vol II, No. oo [infinity] Date : Summer 1983 Title : The New Zork Times Pages : 6 Articles : Zork users group will shut down System News Deadline Invisiclues Witness At last, a Zork II poster Zorkers Respond Meet the Zork users group More Kudos for Infocom Games Zork users group now spans 40 countries A note on our service Ads : Zork Users Group Zork T-shirt, posters, buttons Notes : games cost between $39.95 - $59.95 New Games : Witness (announced) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edition : 3.1 Reads : Vol. 3... No. 1 Date : Winter 1984 Title : The New Zork Times. International Edition. Pages : 4 Articles : Sorcerer has the magic touch InfoNews roundup New Game! Technical Hot-Line Hint Booklets Zork fan in orbit Zork in Print New Systems Info Brochure Rumor Hello Sailor Call the Exterminator So There! A Zork by any other Name Inside Look at game development Infocom called "Best Thing Since Sliced Bread" Classifieds New Zork Times Puzzle. Prize: Sorcerer Ads : Free Invisiclues Notes : new standardized banner Classifieds "FOR SALE: Twenty valuable trasures. Someone just left them in the trophy case in my living room. How about that?! Write to Elron, White House in the Clearing. Forest of Zork 9060." "FOR SALE: Three headed dog, cheap. Used to be fierce guard dog, now just slobbers over everyone. Very friendly, upkeep low - one dragon carcass a day should satisfy it. Contact Boris Flathead, Keeper of the Tomb" "FOR SALE: Single-person mining ship, perfect for asteroid belt. Equipped with personable navigation computer. A beauty, hate to part with it but am leaving quantum black hole biz to go on lecture circuit. Write Box 3, Ceres Station" "WANTED: Gardener for large estate. Last one quit in huff. Ground include rose garden and orchard. Generous salary. Send references to Leslie Robner, 506 Lakeview Road, Maitland, CT" "WANTED: Authetic working Enchanter's wand. Last one stolen by upstart adventurer. Will pay top dollar. Contact Wizard of Frobozz in Exile, Remote corner of the Great Underground Empire 9133. "WANTED: More reliable manufacturer of integrated circuits. Current brand failed at inopportune moment. Please send brochure to "Ignatz Feroukin, Planetary Management Buearu, Contra, Sector 19G" New Games : Enchanter (although not announced it is mentioned in text so it must have come out in between newsletters), Planetfall (same, mentioned in text), Infidel (same, mentioned in text), Sorcerer (announced) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edition : 3.2 Reads : Vol. 3... No. 2 Date : Spring 1984 Title : The New Zork Times Pages : 4 Articles : Infocom introducer Seastalker InfoNews Roundup Infocom Poster Update on the Macintosh HP 150 and TRS-80 Color Computer Evening Magazine Salutes Infocom Popular Computing Salutes Enchanter Steve Meretzky awarded Demos on the Way Infocom Horoscope InfoSports Roundup New Zork Times Puzzle Number 2. Prize: Seastalker Frank Answers 1. Why are your games so difficult? 2. Why are some games more difficult that others? 3. Why aren't hint booklets included with the game? 4. Why don't your games have graphics? 5. Why are there so many "red herrings" in your games? 6. Why are the prices of your games so high? 7. Why are your packages so elaborate? 8. Why are your disks copy-protected and backup-limited? 9. Why aren't your games larger? 10. Why is the vocabulary of your games so limited? 11. Why don't you provide a vocabulary list with each game? Ads : Infocom Poster offer Notes : Infocom Horoscope : Hellhound, Grue, Dryad, Dorn, Brogmoid, Bloodworm, Yipple, Surmin, Rotgrub, Kobold, Orc, Nabiz Infocom Scoreboard has interesting game stats like Zork I has 110 rooms and 59 takeable objects but Sorcerer has a vocab of 1011 words and 70 ways of dying (someone else can type all the stats is they feel like it). New Games : Seastalker (announced) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edition : 3.3 Reads : Vol 3... No. 3 Date : Summer 1984 Title : The New Zork Times. Intergallactic Edition. Pages : 8 Articles : You're about to get yourself into very deep trouble Infocom Introduces Cutthroats InfoNews Roundup New Packaging Difficulty Ratings New Pricing New Catalog Infocom Sampler >Take me out to the ball game Editorial Page We Read Them How the Witness came to be Mail Bag Ask Duffy Puzzle Mania: Puzzle Winners Announced New Zork Times Puzzle Number 3. Prize: New Zork Times puzzle winner t-shirt. Ads : Try the free Zork Demo Notes : There is an ad for employment at Infocom From here thereafter, prize for contest is a T-shirt New Games : Cutthroats (announced), Hitchhiker's Guide (mentioned in difficulty ratings but not announced till next issue), Suspect (mentioned in difficulty ratings but not announced till next issue) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edition : 3.4 Reads : Vol. 3... No. 4 Date : Fall 1984 Title : The New Zork Times. Intercosmic Edition. Pages : 4 Articles : Two New Exciting Products Infocom Introduces Suspect Don't Panic! They're never satisfied Call the Exterminator New Zork Times puzzle number 4 More Puzzle winners announced! Yak Facts Ads : Cornerstone announcement Notes : First of a series of articles on Yaks New Games : Suspect (announced), Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (announced) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edition : 4.1 Reads : Vol. 4... No. 1 Date : Winter 1985 Title : The New Zork Times. Intra-Atomic Edition. Pages : 12 Articles : Cornerstone "The Hottest New Business Product of 1985" Infocom Brings Hitchhiker's back to Public Radio Editorial: Thoughts on Software Piracy The shrinkwrapped Falcon Listen Up Mail Bag Ask Jennifer Why Business Products? The History of Zork - First in a series Suspect author Suspected Text of Infocom Memo Distributed - November 28, 1984 Get Graphic InfoNews Roundup Invisiclues appear in stores Omni magazine lauds Hitchhiker's Guide A Dazzling Dozen Invisiclues disappear from stores New Infocom games hit charts Infocom wins award Games survey by Family Computing reveals all Max Sacks Yak Facts New Zork Times Puzzle Number 5 Ads : Notes : "Come Work in Beautiful Zork" Infocom emplyment ad if you send in a cartoon based on an Infocom game, you get a free game New Games : Cornerstone (but that's not a game) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edition : 4.2 Reads : Vol. 4... No. 2 Date : Spring 1985 Title : The New Zork Times. Intermolecular Edition. Pages : 12 Articles : Wishbringer: The Story of your dreams Mail Order: Fulfillment Beyond your Wildest Dreams Don't Stick this in your ear InfoNews Roundup Party Tricks Kudos Wave Bye-Bye, Junior New Caverns Zork Convention Stan's Ban Stands Mailbag The History of Zork - second in a series Searching for the relics of the Emu Music from the Great Underground Empire Starcrossed Adventurer Queries Author Cartoonist Wanted You can't please all of the people all the time Erratum Yak facts New Zork Times Puzzle number 6 Ads : special offer buy two expert level games (Starcross, Suspended or Deadline), get free invisiclues book or a third expert level game free Notes : cartoons for games offer becomes permanent New Games : Wishbringer (announced) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edition : 4.3 Reads : Vol. 4... No. 2 Date : Summer 1985 Title : The New Zork Times. Interferon Edition. Pages : 8 Articles : New Release: A Mind Forever Voyaging Fooblitzky InfoNews Roundup Wishbringer Event Reviews New News at Infrobozz Mailbag The History or Zork - The Final (?) Chapter: MIT, MDL, ZIL, ZIP Third Title for '85 Coming Soon Yak Facts NZT Cartoon Winner They're back; C-64 versions compatible with C-128 machines Interactive Softball:> look around New Zork Times Puzzle Number 7 Ads : Notes : New Games : A Mind Forever Voyaging (announced) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edition : 4.4 Reads : Vol. IV.... No. 4 Date : Fall 1985 Title : The New Zork Times. Interfluvial Edition. Pages : 8 Articles : Spellbreaker is here! Zork banned! Call the exterminator Spellbreaker marathon Mail bag They Said it... Infocom beats Spinnaker in Softball Championship >Burn Records with Torch Gnu News Cornerstone receives rave reviews Mac Sampler A Mind Forever Voyaging goes to the library Cartoon Winner Man Bites Man in Fooblitzky tournament New Zork Times Puzzle Number 8 Ads : Take off your shirt Notes : New Games : Spellbreaker (announced) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edition : 5.1 Reads : Vol. V.... No. 1 Date : Winter 1986 Title : The New Zork Times. Interzooecial Edition. Pages : 8 Articles : Now introducing ... Ballyhoo! An heiroom to Cherish - Yours from Infocom Fooblitzky keeps puzzle-solvers busy Humor Liberation Front Disrupts Meeting The HLF: Ruthless and Unpredictable Check it Out Mail Bag Cartoon Editor Inundated Answers to Puzzle Number Seven Answers to Fooblitzky Puzzle Spellbreaker Event NZT Puzzle Winners Update New Zork Times Puzzle 9 Ads : Save $300 and get 2 Infocom stories (When you buy Cornerstone for your IBM PC) Notes : New Games : Ballyhoo (announced) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edition : 5.2 Reads : Vol. V.... No. 4 Date : Spring 1986 Title : ****. Intervernal Edition. Pages : 12 Articles : Trinity: A Nuclear Time Warp Cornerstone for $99.95 Infocom Weds Activision Footblitzky available at your corner store Eniac and Other little Known computer facts Design a better envelope [contest to design new mailing envelope; winner gets free game] Getting to know you [survey] mail bag cartoon contest winners How I spent my summer vacation Is something wrong with my game? Is something wrong with my database? "True" Tale tellers InfoNews Roundup Gnu News The Long awaited answers to puzzle number 8 And the not so long awaited answers to puzzle number 9 Puzzle mail bag *** Puzzle number 10 Ads : T-Shirts Posters! Boy, do we have posters! Notes : Because of a lawsuit from the New York Times, the New Zork Times had to come up with a new name, and this issue is nameless ; Contest started to name the newsletter ; winner receives one year subscription to a newspaper of his/her choice New Games : Trinity (announced) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edition : 5.3 Reads : Vol. V / No. 3 Date : Summer 1986 Title : The Status Line. Lawsuit Edition. Pages : 12 Articles : Moonmist - Get Ready to spend the night in a haunted castle Leather Goddesses of Phobos - Hitchhiker's guide with sex Moonmist was written by ... Jim Lawrence Your weekly horoscopes by Omar Times to Infocom: Drop Dead Find ourselves a Gnu name Infocom Games in Brief Please Postpone Poll Puzzle Number 11. Letters about our puzzles Kob on Double Fanucci Cartoon flow unabated Weird letter News inside Infocom Infocom puzzles chicago High School marathon of the Mind Gruer's Profile: James H. Levy Have we got a man for you! Ask Gabby Envelope Contest Ads : Infocom order form Notes : First stapled issue New Games : Moonmist (announced), Leather Goddesses of Phobos (announced) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edition : 5.4 Reads : Vol. V / No. 4 Date : Fall 1986 Title : The Status Line. Glamour Edition. Pages : 8 Articles : Soon to a major interactive story... Hollywood Hijinx Breakthrough in continuing education... The Enchanted Trilogy NY Times can't be Given away Hitchhiker's on radio Dear Miss Underground Manners Max Yak NULL set Cartoonist wanted 23 reasons to own a computer Infonews groundup Great reviews Free invisiclues Marathon of the mind status line now available on compuserve Nifty things to do with cornerstone By any other name Solutions and winners to puzzle 10 You said it, not us Puzzle number 12 Ads : Notes : not stapled anymore New Games : Hollywood Hijinx (announced), Enchanter Trilogy (repackaged) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edition : 6.1 Reads : Volume VI Number 1 Date : Winter/Spring 1987 Title : The Status Line Pages : 12 Articles : Douglas Adams' Bureaucracy Genuine Zorkmid coin minted for the Zork Trilogy Mail Bag InfoNews Roundup Hollywood Hijinx/Bureaucracy invisiclues Our circulation tops Dallas Times Herald Mitch, it's only a game A blithering idiom All the news that's fit to print Three classic titles for just $14.95 Infocom pumpkin play a smash Dinner in paris or Tokyo: A history of InfoBets California Academy of Sciences debuts 'Marathon of the Minds' Readers poll #2 InfoDream Date: Meet Mrs. Right Religious fringe has own ideas about Infocom Customer Support Q & A More about InfoBets Do you have an idea for a contest [contest for contest ideas ; prize is free game] Match the quotes: Answers to puzzle number 11 Puzzle winners: Sorry Mark, Bob, Bill, Buzz, Steve, Joe... The status line puzzle 13 Ads : entire centrefold Notes : Newsletter stapled again and now has a secondary blue color ; the remainder of the newsletters were in this format ; the center page is an order form New Games : Bureaucracy (announced), Zork Trilogy (repackaged) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edition : 6.2 Reads : Volume VI Number 2 Date : Summer 1987 Title : The Status Line Pages : 12 Articles : The lurking horror and stationfall Marathons from Coast to Coast TSL editor Susan Goldman resigns >Read the letters InfoNews Roundup Just like a baby Bureaucracy star of TV, radio and print Michael Jackson, move over Ahem...in our last issues we forgot to mention The Witness and Fooblitzky added to the $14.95 classic titles list Win the Imps' picnic basket Reader's Poll #3 >Tell me about Customer support Drink Em Down Portal: Is this Interactive Fiction Mommy, where did Zork come from? Premier puzzlers pound puzzle #12 >Examine puzzle #14 You too can be the "King of the Cartoons" Ads : Now you can have them all [NZT/SL back issues] Mapping Made Easy [Questbusters] The Lurking Horror Buy Portal, The Computer Novel and Get a $5 rebate centrefold order form Notes : New Games : The Lurking Horror (announced), Stationfall (announced) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edition : 6.3 Reads : Volume VI Number 3 Date : Fall 1987 Title : The Status Line Pages : 12 Articles : Peril & Passion in Plundered Hearts Nord and Bert: Pick a peck of pickled puzzles New editors take the helm of TSL >Read the letters InfoNews Roundup We're looking for a few new men Hey! Where did you get that shirt? And you thought all she could do was type You want more? You got more! Crossing the international deadline New Four-In-One sampler now available; only $4.95 $100 grand prize up for grabs in Infocom's T-Shirt design contest [contest to design T-shirts ; first prize is $100 ; second prize is a free game ; third prize is a colleciton of Infocom posters] Product News CoCo owners Atari XL/XE owners Apricot, PDP-11, NEC APC, NEC PC-8000 owners Here begins a transcript of interaction with >Tell me about Customer support The comedy stylings of The Second City Three classics reviewed Upper Sandusky: No, it's not on Lake Erie and there isn't a Joe's Hawaiian shirts & boys of summer Your Grover's Freezer Dear Diary Introducing Visiclues: some hints for recent games Interested in becoming a college representative for Infocom? Look, puzzle winners Describe interactive fiction in 25 words and win $250 >Examine puzzle #15 Ads : centrefold order form Notes : First appearance of visiclues ; hints to Bureaucracy and Hollywood Hijinx could be decoded using a cypher key New Games : Plundered Hearts (announced), Nord and Berd (announced) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edition : 6.4 Reads : Volume VI Number 4 Date : Winter 1987 Title : The Status Line Pages : 12 Articles : Three gift packs just right for the holiday season ahead (Hint... hint) Wait no more... it's Beyond Zork Real time spy intrigue with Border Zone >Read the letters to the editor Zork in Bloom Lurking Horror features sound for Amiga Imps' picnic basket wings its way to Wyoming winner About Beyond Zork's interface Tell your contest idea to Pat Sajak [same contest for contest ideas] Here is a second look at three classic titles 20000 Zorkmid Pyramid premiers Infocom's first romance >Look at puzzle winners For further information >Read Visiclues [for Stationfall and Lurking Horror] Kartoon Kontest GUE Tech at night The bumper sticker contest [create a new bumper sticker ; first prize is two games, T-shirt and poster ; second prize is game and poster ; third prize is t-shirt and poster] >Examine Puzzle #16 Ads : centrefold order form Notes : New Games : Beyond Zork (announced), Border Zone (announced) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edition : 7.1 Reads : Volume VII Number 1 Date : Winter/Spring 1988 Title : The Status Line Pages : 12 Articles : Sherlock Holmes - Immortal Legend Yow! Comic books on a computer only $12 >Read the letters to the editor InfoNews Roundup Coming soon to Compuserve Sample the Sampler for just $4.95 TJ wins softball shirt with 5 and 2 prediction It was bound to happen New Hitchhiker's and Zork I only $14.95 Having problems with your sex lift or EGA card? Here's a second look at three classic titles Is it GUE Tech or MIT? Dave Lebling explains it Dead Diary: Chips & chicks don't mix Infocom & TSP team up for Infocomics Results from Readers' Poll #3 SPA honors Infocom with Platinum, Gold and Silver >Tell me about Customer Support What about Atari 8-bits and the Commodore 64? >Examine puzzle #17 >Look at puzzle winners Smile and say "Zork" [contest to take photo of infocom game at great wall of China ; prize: complete catalog of games to first person] Ads : centrefold order form anti-pirating public service announcement Notes : New Games : Sherlock (announced) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edition : 7.2 Reads : Volume VII Number 2 Date : Summer 1988 Title : The Status Line Pages : 8 Articles : Change is inevitable. Don't panic! New mail order firm-really! Newest Infocomic: Zork Quest II Letters to the Editor LGOP and Planetfall Solid Gold at $14.95 The Great Wall of China Photo Contest Infocomics: New approach to entertainment New books based on our Planetfall & Wishbringer Puzzle #16 winners Puzzle #17 winners Puzzle number 18 Hey we need jingle-you got any ideas? [contest to write song about Infocom ; grand prize is copy of music video of song + free game, second and third place prize is free game] Ads : centrefold order form Notes : New Games : no new games, but the Change is inevitable article is about new games involving graphics