Date   : Thu, 07 Jan 1993 14:56:00 GMT
From   : psinntp!dg-rtp!webo!dg-webo!pds@uunet.uu.net (Paul D. Smith)
Subject: Re: Infocom

[] Regarding Infocom;
[] jfarmer@cs.utk.edu (JOHN FARMER) writes:

    jf> Some time ago I read in rec.arts.int-fiction about Infocom,
    jf> but unfortunately I don't remember much of it.  I know that
    jf> Infocom was bought out and then shut down.  What is the legal
    jf> status of Infocom games?  When (if ever) will they be
    jf> available via public domain sources?  Are there still sources
    jf> for purchasing them?  Thanks.

FYI, rec.games.int-fiction is the proper place for questions like
this: rec.arts.int-fiction is for discussion of the art of writing
interactive fiction.  Followups are directed appropriately :)

Copyrights on Infocom games are still held.  You cannot get them in
the public domain and I don't expect that to change in the near
future.  The sources are even less available (you can't even illegally
copy them from your friends ;).

Mediagenic has released both "Lost Treasures of Infocom", with 20
Infocom games, for IBM PC-compatibles, Macintoshes, and Amiga systems.
Maps for each game are included, and a book containing photocopies of
(almost) all the relevant bits from the packages, and another booklet
containing the complete hints for each game.  The hints booklet is
*very* poorly done, with spelling and formatting errors abounding.
But I never use hints so I don't care :)

"Lost Treasures of Infocom II", with 11 more games, has been released
for IBM PC-compatibles and Macintoshes.  This is much more
professionally-done package (I guess the success of LTOI I prompted
them to put a little more work into LTOI II :), but it doesn't contain
any hints, just maps and a book of package materials.  It also
contains a card where you can order "Leather Goddesses of Phobos" for
$9.95+S&H (IBM PC version only).

This means all except 4 (I think) Infocom games are currently
available.

I will be re-posting my Infocom game data table to
rec.games.int-fiction momentarily; it has much of the same info as is
contained in Paul David Doherty's fact sheet posted here recently, but
in a more compact, table form.

Email me if you want a copy via email.
--

                                                                paul
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End of INFO-CPM Digest V93 Issue #4
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