Newsgroups: rec.games.int-fiction
Path: nntp.gmd.de!news.ruhr-uni-bochum.de!news.rhrz.uni-bonn.de!RRZ.Uni-Koeln.DE!news.dfn.de!Radio-MSU.net!alpha.phys.msu.su!news.rssi.ru!news.mtholyoke.edu!uhog.mit.edu!news.kei.com!ub!dsinc!newsfeed.pitt.edu!gatech!newsfeed.internetmci.com!netnews.nwnet.net!serval.net.wsu.edu!unicorn.it.wsu.edu!i9717029
From: Matthew Murray <i9717029@wsunix.wsu.edu>
Subject: Re: Unreasonable puzzles in Infocom games? 
Sender: news@serval.net.wsu.edu (News)
Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.91.960112092204.4568B-100000@unicorn.it.wsu.edu>
X-Sender: i9717029@unicorn.it.wsu.edu
In-Reply-To: <4d3d37$b28@bmerhc5e.bnr.ca> 
Date: Fri, 12 Jan 1996 17:26:55 GMT
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
References: <4d3d37$b28@bmerhc5e.bnr.ca> 
Mime-Version: 1.0
Organization: Washington State University
Lines: 39

On 11 Jan 1996, Jeffrey Robertson wrote:

> I object to puzzles which are best solved by trying possibly
> fatal things until one discovers the secret.  I don't like
> the fact that one is supposed to blindly accept the advice
> "Eat me".  Yet the hint book keeps reminding the player
> not to be afraid to try something potentially fatal, since
> you can always restore the game.

	I agree with you that puzzles like that aren't puzzles that 
should be included.  Now, even though I'll be showing my age, there was 
once a game called The Pharoah's Tomb (does anyone remember this game, or 
know what company it came from?  E-mail if you do.) in which the only way 
to win the game was to remove the Pharoah's mask and return it to the 
oasis, the place you begin the game.  But, the only way to escape WITH 
the mask is to die because, when you die, you return to the oasis.  I 
think puzzles like that, besides being extraordinarily unrealistic, are 
also very unfair.
	But, my feeling about the Zork II problem you specifically 
mention above is that it ISN'T unreasonable to expect someone to eat the 
cake.  This section is based on Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, which, 
unless I really am wrong about this, is a book that just about everyone 
has read.  And even if they haven't read it, I don't believe that there 
is someone out there who doesn't know that part of the game.  Because of 
this, you should believe that eating the cake that reads EAT ME will do 
what it is supposed to do.  But, on the other hand, there is no reason to 
believe that the cake WOULD have adverse effects if eaten.  After all, is 
this a problem with the other cakes?  ;)

================================================================================
    Matthew A. Murray - mmurray@wsu.edu - http://www.wsu.edu:8000/~i9717029     
================================================================================
GPA d-(d) s-:+>+:- a--- C++(+++) UO+>++ P? L? E---- W++>+++(-(--)) N++(+++) o?  
    K w--- O? M+>++ V-- PS PE+ Y++ PGP- t--(---) 5+++>++++ X>+ R(-) tv+(++)     
        b(+)>+++ DI D---(----) G(++) e>+ h+ r--->(++) !y+(--(-))>+(+++)         
================================================================================
   Actor - Singer - German Speaker - Computer Game Player - Babylon 5 Fanatic   
================================================================================

