GAME SOLUTION: Zork III
From: Len Stys (aa399)
Date: 03/06/90-11:46:49 AM Z
From: aa399 (Len Stys)
Subject: GAME SOLUTION: Zork III
Date: Tue Mar 6 11:46:49 1990
ZORK III Part One
Well, you've come a long way since you first stood by the mailbox outside
the house in the forest. You've defeated the thief, outwitted the Wizard of
Frobozz, and now, you stand at the foot of the endless stairs, ready to
embark on the final part of your journey. So, pick up the lamp, turn it on,
and head along due South until you come to the shore of the lake.
Drop the lamp <say goodbye to it; you won't be seeing it again>, and jump
into the lake. Brrrr!!! Pretty cold! So, don't stay in there long; swim
west and then go South into the Scenic Vista. Kind of a strange place, with
changing numbers on the wall and a bare table...not quite all that scenic,
eh? Well, get the torch, and wait for the number to change to "II." Then,
touch the table.
My oh my! You're in a room from Zork II....Room 8, as a matter of fact.
However, you don't have much time to sight-see, so get the can of Grue
repellant, then try moving East, and you will find yourself back in Scenic
Vista again. Now wait for the number to change to "III," then touch the
table again. This time, you're in a Damp Passage. Drop the torch, and just
wait there until you're pulled back to Scenic Vista.
Okay, you're finished here, so move along North to the shore, and again jump
in the lake. Splash! It hasn't gotten any warmer; in fact, you just
dropped the can of repellant. So, go Down, and you will be on the lake
bottom. Ah, there it is! But, could there be something else there, too?
"Get all," and you will have not only the repellant but also an amulet.
This is one of those "wonderful" variable things; it may take more than one
try on your part to get both items. In the meantime, you can't stay in the
icy waters too long, and sooner or later a hungry fish will come looking for
you.
Therefore, it's best to save the game before you jump in from the Western
Shore. So if you die in the water, or get eaten by the fish, or picked up
by the Roc <while you're swimming on the surface>, you don't have to start
all the way back at the beginning. By the way, this is the only one of the
Zorks where you don't lose points if you die. But, all the items you've
collected so far get scattered all around, and it's time-consuming to go
look for them.
Okay, now you have the can and the amulet, so head Up to the surface, then
South to the Southern shore. You can see a cave to the South, and it looks
kind of dark. In fact, it *is* dark in there, which is why you have the
repellant. So, spray the smelly stuff on yourself, and go South, and you
will find yourself in a Dark Place. Go South again, then East, and you will
be in the key room. Whew! At least there's some light in here! And by the
light you can see a strange key. Get the key, then move the manhole cover
and go down.
And here you are on an aqueduct. Since you can't go back <the Grue repellant
wouldn't have lasted that long>, you might as well go forward. So, just
head along North and you will come to the Water Slide. Go North down the
slide, and guess where you are? In the Damp Passage! And there's the
torch, so pick it up, because you're certainly going to need a light
source...especially when you think of where you're going next.
So, from the Damp Passage hike along West to the Junction <you can't get the
sword out of the rock, so don't even try>, then South into Creepy Crawl, and
Southwest into the Shadow Land. Here we come to another variable portion of
the game. You will have to wander around in the Shadow Land until a cloaked
and hooded figure appears. When that happens, the sword will suddenly
materialize in your hand, and you will be able to fight.
However, since there's no way of telling when that will happen, you just
have to keep moving around until it does. At least you will get a chance to
practice some elementary map-making! Also, this is the most dangerous part
of the game, as the figure is quite capable of killing you, too! So, best
to save before you enter Shadow Land.
When the mysterious figure finally appears, attack him with your sword until
he is badly wounded and cannot defend himself. At that point, get his hood.
The figure will then disappear, leaving the cloak behind. Get that also.
Now, you have to get out of here, and I can't tell you exactly how, since
there's no way of knowing exactly where you were when the fight started.
However, if you go Eastwards, you will exit the Shadow Land at either the
Creepy Crawl or the Foggy Room. From either place, go North to the
Junction.
ZORK III Part Two
>From the Junction, it's West through the Barren Area, and West again to the
Cliff. Bet you just can't wait to climb down the rope, huh? Well, pick up
the bread first, then go down to the ledge. Well, well, a chest! Too bad
you don't have a key to open it. In fact, there's no way for you to open it
at all. But don't despair, there's a way of doing it.
Just wait around and someone will come along the top of the cliff. You may
not really trust him, but tie the rope to the chest when he asks, and wait
around some more. Eventually, he will return and help you back up the
cliff. He will also give you a staff, which is what you're really after
here. Take the staff, then go back down to the ledge, and from there, to
the Cliff Base.
Now trek South to the Flathead Ocean, and do a little more waiting. Sooner
or later a ship will come floating by. As soon as you see it, say: "Hello,
Sailor." The man in the ship will throw something onto the beach for you.
Take a look, and you will see it's a vial. It'll come in handy later, so
pick it up. Now comes the fun part: You have to wait for the earthquake
<notice how you've been doing a lot of waiting around? I hope you're a
patient person!>. While you're waiting, you might want to wander around a
little, although you've been to most of the accessible places by now. In any
case, wherever you are, once the earthquake hits, make your way to the
Creepy Crawl, and from there East into the Tight Squeeze, then East again
into the Crystal Grotto. Then all the way South to the Great Door, and East
into the Museum Entrance.
Now, open the East door, then go North into the Museum. Look at the gold
machine <it's a time machine, in case you were wondering>, then set the dial
to 776. Here comes the fun part: Push the machine South into the Entrance,
then East into the Jewel Room. Get into the machine, and push the button.
Aha! Now you're back in 776 GUE, but the time machine seems to have
vanished! No matter, wait for the guards to leave, then get the ring <and
*only* the ring!>, then open the door, go out into the Entrance, open the
North door and go North.
By golly, the machine is right there! Put the ring under the seat, turn the
dial to 948, get in, and push the button. Whew, you're back in the right
time period again. Get out of the machine, look under the seat <you will
get the ring automatically when you do this>, then back South, and South
again, to the Royal Puzzle.
Okay folks, you are about to enter the absolute nastiest part of the game.
You must follow the instructions *EXACTLY* as given, or you will never get
out. And, since it would be easy to make a mistake here, I strongly
recommend you save the game.
1. Go Down the hole, then push the South wall. Then go East, South, East,
East. Push the South wall, get the book, and push the South wall again.
2. Push the West wall twice. Then go East, South, and push the East wall.
3. Now, go straight North until you come to the marble wall, and push the
East wall.
4. Now, go West, South, South, South, South, East, East, North, North,
North, and push the West wall.
5. From there, go East, South, South, South, West, West, West, West, North,
North, North, West, North. Push the East wall three times.
6. Now, West, West, South, South, East, East, South, and push the East
wall.
7. Okay, now West, West, West, North, North, North, East, East, and push
the South wall two times.
8. From there, West, South, South, East, East, North, and push the West
wall two times.
9. Now, South, West, and push the North wall until it won't move any more.
10. Then West and North. Finally! You have maneuvered the ladder under the
hole <which was the purpose of all this pushing and running around>, and now
you can just go up and out! WHEW!!!!
ZORK III Part Three
Okay, you've solved the Royal Puzzle and you have the book, so go North to
the Museum Entrance, then open the East door and get your other stuff from
the Jewel Room. Then it's back West to the Great Door, and from there back
to the Junction. Now, East into the Damp Passage, and NE to the Engravings
Room.
Well, we have here yet another <!> of those variable events: Sooner or
later, an old man will be sleeping here. If he isn't there the first time
you arrive, walk around a little and return. When you finally do see him,
wake him up and give him the bread. He will eat it and then make visible to
you a secret door. He will then vanish.
Okay, you're getting closer to the end! Open the door, and go into the
Button Room, then North to the Beam Room. Put the sword in the beam, then
go back to the Button Room and push the button. Now, back North to the Beam
Room and North again into the Mirror Room. There will be an opening in the
Mirror, so go North one more time, and you will be inside.
Now, don't let the long and complicated descriptions scare you! It's not
really as bad as you think <it's worse! heheheheh..just kidding!>. First,
raise the short pole. Then, push the white panel twice. Now, push the pine
panel, and go North. Okay, so here you are, standing a little too close
for comfort to the Guardians of Zork. If I were you, I wouldn't try going
past them quite yet! Open the vial, then drink the liquid. While nothing
seems to have happened, you have in fact become invisible. Now you can walk
North until you come to the locked door. Knock on the door, and the Dungeon
Master will open it and let you in.
All right, hang in there, you have reached the end game! Go North, then
West, then North again. The DM will be following you. Go North to the
Parapet, set the dial to 4, and push the button. Now, go South, open the
cell door, and step inside. The DM will not follow you in.
Once inside, you will notice a bronze door in one of the walls. However, you
can't open it yet! Something else has to be done. And it will have to be
done by someone else. So, first tell the DM to go to the Parapet. Then tell
him to turn the dial to 1, and then tell him to push the button.
All right!! The magic moment has arrived! Unlock the bronze door with the
key, open the door, and go South!
***** TA DA!! *****
Finally, Zork is finished! You have survived all the perils, pitfalls, and
puzzles, and now, *YOU* are the new Dungeon Master. Have fun!
--
-----------------------------------------
Return to message index
