White House (Zork)
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The White House is perhaps the most famous landmark in the Zork series of computer games by Infocom. The opening screen of Infocom's first game, Zork I: The Great Underground Empire, reads:
- West of House
- You are standing in an open field west of a white house, with a boarded front door.
- There is a small mailbox here.
This humble structure, or references to it, appeared in several of Infocom's original games. It also appeared in Zork Grand Inquisitor. Artist's conceptions of the house appear in the original InvisiClues hint-books sold by Infocom in the 1980s.
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[edit] Appearances by game
[edit] Zork I
In Zork I: The Great Underground Empire, the player first entered the Great Underground Empire via a trapdoor in the house. "You are standing in an open field west of a white house, with a boarded front door. There is a small mailbox here. "
[edit] Return to Zork
The opening of the CD-ROM version of Return to Zork parodies the opening of Zork I, where it shows the text being typed on-screen while the whole sequence is animated in 3D.
[edit] Zork Grand Inquisitor
In the opening sequence of Zork Grand Inquisitor, the house is shown being demolished under inquisition orders. However, later in the game, the player is able to send a spirit back in time to explore the house and surrounding environment.
The house is also a breeding ground for a pack of grues, where the Skull of Yoruk was taken after grues stole it from the Steppinthrax Monastery.
[edit] Zork Zero
The origin of the house is finally explained at the end of Zork Zero, when the Curse of Megaboz is fulfilled. This event brought about the collapse of the GUE and the conversion of Flatheadia. In a fitting monument that stands in stark contrast to the excessiveness of the cursed Flatheads, all that remains of Flatheadia is a white house that is teleported to Earth.
[edit] Wishbringer
In Wishbringer, if you go S (south) from the Rocky Path, you end up near the house. If you wait long enough, the letterbox will start jumping around, following you. What you have to do with it, is take it to the other letterbox. This uncovers a special surprise at the end of the game.
[edit] Zork II
If you stay in the balloon too long, it will fly out of the volcano and before you die, you get to see the house.
[edit] Beyond Zork
The house doesn't really appear in Beyond Zork, but Orkan's laboratory on the mountain near Thriff is very similar to the house, since there's a letterbox nearby.
[edit] Zork: The Undiscovered Underground
At the Mud Forum, you will find a model of the house, as well as the letterbox and the surrounding fields.
