Z-machine/Infocom interpreter in Python?

[Andrew Plotkin]

In rec.arts.int-fiction, Erik Max Francis <max at alcyone.com> wrote:
> Anyone know of a Python library for interpreting Infocom Z-machine
> games, up to at least z5 (or whichever the version is _before_ the one
> that had support for graphics and sound, I have no need for that)?

There was a Perl Z-code interpreter. I don't see it on the Archive,
but do a web search under "Rezrov". I believe it's written to be a
normal application, not a chat plug-in, but converting it might be
easier than converting a C application.

I don't recall a Python interpreter. I'm in favor of one, though. :)

Then there's Floyd, the bot who hangs out on IFMud and does more or
less this job. I'm not sure what he's written in. I suspect pipes and
hackery are involved.

> I'm looking for something that can be hooked into chat systems so that
> people can send it messages (as commands) and get back the results.  I
> can't recall whether the status line in Z needs to be treated specially
> or not.

Z5 and Z8 are what you're looking for. Z6 was the graphics-supporting
version. (Z8 is not graphical; it's a minor variant of Z5 with a
different memory map, so most interpreters that support 5 also support
8.) 

The status line would have to be dealt with specially. The simplest
plan is to have the system intercept a particular command ("$STATUS"
maybe) and dump the status window.

--Z

"And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these were the borogoves..."
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