Zork I Source Code Collection

About

This repository is a directory of Infocom's original ZIL (Zork Implementation Language) source code for Zork I (1980), including files both used and discarded during development. It was contributed anonymously as a snapshot of Infocom's development system at the time it shut down, so it's considered canonical but not necessarily the exact production file arrangement, and there's currently no known way to compile it using an official Infocom compiler — the fan-made ZILF compiler can build it with only minor issues.

Getting started

There's no ready-to-play executable here — it's raw ZIL source code. It can be compiled with ZILF, a fan-made compiler, since Infocom's own official compiler and process no longer exist, though minor issues are expected.

History

The source was contributed anonymously as a snapshot of Infocom's internal TOPS-20 development system at the time the company shut down, reflecting the studio's practice of copying and adapting source from earlier games rather than starting each title from scratch.

Known issues & limitations

• compilation: No known way to compile the source code into a final Z-machine Interpreter Program (ZIP) file using official Infocom compilers; third-party ZILF compiler can compile with minor issues.

Additional notes

Purpose

The collection is intended for education, discussion, and historical research into how Infocom's games were made, not for playing directly.