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Infocom/Zork collections

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 4:13 am
by Siriusstar
Does anyone else here collect the games and their attendant paraphernalia? I think having the original Infocom releases with all the feelies add so much to the character of the games.  

I have been collecting since 1997 and have every Infocom and Activision game in at least one format. Along with a few of the T-Shirts, Invisiclues and a couple of precious promo only items I got on eBay from Infocom employees. (Who were absolutely wonderful to buy from!) The newer Activision games are tougher. There just isn't as much to get. I did get the french language version of Z:GI, an authentic Nemesis t-shirt & a slide used in the production of the Lost Treasures.  

If you collect, what is your favorite feelie?

Edited because I can't seem to spell tonight. :P

Re: Infocom/Zork collections

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 9:02 pm
by Reaver
I've TRIED.  But the one time I had the money to get one off of eBay (specifically the Zork Trilogy collection) I got sniped and time ran out before I could rebid.

Most the actual stuff I have is from RTZ and onwards, though I do have the Zork Anthology book and the books from the Sci-Fi and Fantasy Collections.  My favorite?  Out of what I have, probably RTZ's Encyclopedia Frobozzica, even if it is far from perfect.

Re: Infocom/Zork collections

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 10:19 pm
by DataAngel
IF I had the money to spend I'd personally LOVE to get my hands on a Zorkmid. Other than that, the stuff is hard to come by and therefore making prices somewhat ridiculous. It would be nice one day to get some of the original stuff and frame things in glass and inside clear containers in my house, like a mini Zork museum.

Re: Infocom/Zork collections

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 11:05 pm
by DiamondGenerator
It would be nice one day to get some of the original stuff and frame things in glass and inside clear containers in my house, like a mini Zork museum.
How about a trophy case or two?

Re: Infocom/Zork collections

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 2:10 am
by Siriusstar
There are some scary prices, but there are some bargains, too. Just last year I got a Nemesis t-shirt that cost five bucks. I don't think people realized that it was authentic. I was thrilled to find the Activision logo on the front that proved it to be real. The hint books were pretty cheap, too. I got most of my grey boxes in '97 and '98 at roughly $15-$20 each with the cash I made cleaning summer cottages, but they are  harder to find now.  I just got Zork III, the last gray box game I needed, for around $35 after long looking.

The most expensive item in my collection is the Enchanter Trilogy box set. The rarest a toss up between the promo items- a Beyond Zork 'Grue repellent' flashlight that still works  and 'Floyd's Paddleball' from Stationfall. My favorite piece is the flashlight, but my favorite actual feelie is either the Zorkmid coin or the 'wizard cards' from Spellbreaker.

Re: Infocom/Zork collections

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 2:58 am
by DataAngel
Nice.... I sure would like to have my mini museum in the future.

Re: Infocom/Zork collections

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 10:10 pm
by Reaver
Actually, to rethink my situation, my favorite Zork collection item isn't an official item.  My dad made me a gift for Christmas once.  He gave me a Battery-Powered Brass Lantern.  It runs on AA batteries.

Re: Infocom/Zork collections

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 7:15 pm
by ishashobar
http://www.justadventure.com/articles/1 ... kes_7.shtm
well they  did make a ZGI lamp for press givaway items.

Re: Infocom/Zork collections

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 8:58 pm
by DrPaul
My favorite piece is the flashlight, but my favorite actual feelie is either the Zorkmid coin or the 'wizard cards' from Spellbreaker.
Wow!  If I was the murdering type, I'd kill for a Zorkmid.  And all that other cool stuff!  Very nice colldection.  I have all the Infocom games, but not individually boxed.  I got the in the Treasures and masterpieces collections.  No feelies unless you count the Encyclopedia Frobozzica and the little booklet that came with Nemesis.

Re: Infocom/Zork collections

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 9:44 pm
by DataAngel
If I could somehow get some person in the past to buy ALL the Zork stuff in boxed sealed editions and hand them down to me via family heirloom id be happier as a grue full on adventurers! ::)

And another complete set that i can display next to the unopened boxes.

Re: Infocom/Zork collections

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 3:30 am
by Afgncaap5
I have pretty much everything I'd ever want, except I'm still missing a Zorkmid, and I'm still missing all four of the Infocomics (including the two Infocomics that relate to Zork.)

Re: Infocom/Zork collections

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 5:29 am
by Siriusstar
That lantern keychain is one of my 'grail items. ' I have never even seen one show up on eBay.

The InfoComics show up on eBay pretty regularly. I got my last two shrinkwrapped copies pretty cheaply not too long ago. There might even be a couple on there now.

I bet a lot of the original games could have been found in the bargain bins, much like the Activision collections were in the late '90's. I know I wish I'd picked up a couple dozen Masterpieces boxes when they were $9.99!

The coin is pretty neat to have. I got my Zork trilogy with the coin ten years ago. I think the price has doubled since then. :o I wasn't so lucky with the Starcross flying saucer package. They were expensive, but a decent one could still be had for less than $150. Now even mediocre ones go for $300, which is way more than I'll spend on it.  

Another really neat little thing I have is a promo 'Hello Sailor' button. I got that for eight bucks at the very beginning of my collecting career and have never seen another one.

Re: Infocom/Zork collections

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 6:44 pm
by DataAngel
Wow... neat stuff... maybe people will send me their stuff so i can make a museum. ;-}

Re: Infocom/Zork collections

Posted: Sat Jun 15, 2013 1:49 pm
by Sandford Schultz
Siriusstar wrote:There are some scary prices, but there are some bargains, too. Just last year I got a Nemesis t-shirt that cost five bucks. I don't think people realized that it was authentic. I was thrilled to find the Activision logo on the front that proved it to be real. The hint books were pretty cheap, too. I got most of my grey boxes in '97 and '98 at roughly $15-$20 each with the cash I made cleaning summer cottages, but they are  harder to find now.  I just got Zork III, the last gray box game I needed, for around $35 after long looking.

The most expensive item in my collection is the Enchanter Trilogy box set. The rarest a toss up between the promo items- a Beyond Zork 'Grue repellent' flashlight that still works  and 'Floyd's Paddleball' from Stationfall. My favorite piece is the flashlight, but my favorite actual feelie is either the Zorkmid coin or the 'wizard cards' from Spellbreaker.
Indeed, to reevaluate my situation, my preferred Zork selection item isn't an official item. My dad made me a present for Christmas once. He offered me a Battery-Powered Metal Lantern. It functions on AA battery energy pack energy.

Re: Infocom/Zork collections

Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2013 3:47 pm
by TokyoScarab
Hi. I'm not necessarily a Zork fan as I've never played the games, but I am posting this to see if you guys might be able to help me with something. I do a bunch of buying and selling of video game stuff which involes mostly going around to garage sales and flea markets, that kinda stuff. I recently came across a manual for Zork I, which I was pretty happy about because i know it's a huge cult classic game. The thing that I am puzzled about is I have no idea what platform this one is from. I've done a bunch of ebay / google image searching to try to find the answer, but I cannot find another Zork manual that looks like this one. I'm including a link to the picture of the front of the manual. No where inside the manual does it mention any other company than Infocom. Very puzzling.

w w w .angelfire. c o m /planet/tokyoscarab/ZorkManual.jpg