zork

Original source / Raw SKILL.md

---
name: zork
description: Play Zork text adventure via dfrotz. Use /zork <command> to play (e.g., /zork go north), /zork for status, /zork new to restart, /zork setup to configure Obsidian sync.
allowed-tools: Bash, Read, Edit
---

# Zork Interactive Fiction Skill

Play the classic text adventure Zork I via dfrotz, with persistent save state and optional Obsidian integration for capturing learnings.

## Quick Reference

| Command | What it does |
|---------|--------------|
| `/zork look` | Look around current room |
| `/zork go north` | Move north (or any direction) |
| `/zork take lamp` | Pick up an item |
| `/zork inventory` | Check what you're carrying |
| `/zork` | Show current status (look + inventory) |
| `/zork new` | Start a fresh game |
| `/zork setup` | Configure Obsidian vault for sync |

## How to Play

### Execute a single command:

```bash
bash scripts/play.sh "go north"
```

### Check current status:

```bash
bash scripts/status.sh
```

### Start a new game:

```bash
bash scripts/new.sh
```

### Configure Obsidian sync:

```bash
bash scripts/setup.sh /path/to/your/vault
```

## Game State

- **Save file**: `state/claude.sav.qzl` - automatically saved after each command
- **Transcript**: Append-only log of all commands and responses
- **Learnings**: Your observations about the game (update with /zork reflect)

## Obsidian Integration

If configured, transcript and learnings sync to your Obsidian vault as:
- `Claude Plays Zork Transcript.md`
- `Claude Plays Zork Learnings.md`

Run `bash scripts/setup.sh` to see current config or set a vault path.

## Tips

- Classic text adventure verbs: `look`, `examine`, `take`, `drop`, `open`, `close`, `go`, `inventory`
- Directions: `north`, `south`, `east`, `west`, `up`, `down`, `ne`, `nw`, `se`, `sw`
- You can abbreviate: `n` for north, `i` for inventory, `l` for look
- Save happens automatically after each command

## Purpose

This skill helps Claude build experiential intuition about text adventures and parser conventions, informing the design of AI companions in Emergent Quest.


---

## Referenced Files

> The following files are referenced in this skill and included for context.

### scripts/play.sh

```bash
#!/bin/bash
# play.sh - Execute one Zork command and return output
# Usage: ./play.sh "go north"

set -e

# Get script directory and skill root
SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
SKILL_DIR="$(dirname "$SCRIPT_DIR")"
GAME="$SKILL_DIR/data/zork1.z3"
SAVE="$SKILL_DIR/state/claude.sav.qzl"
CONFIG="$SKILL_DIR/state/config.json"

CMD="$1"

if [ -z "$CMD" ]; then
    echo "Usage: play.sh <command>"
    echo "Example: play.sh 'go north'"
    exit 1
fi

# Check if game file exists
if [ ! -f "$GAME" ]; then
    echo "Error: Game file not found at $GAME"
    exit 1
fi

# Function to get transcript path
get_transcript_path() {
    if [ -f "$CONFIG" ]; then
        VAULT=$(jq -r '.obsidian_vault // empty' "$CONFIG" 2>/dev/null)
        if [ -n "$VAULT" ] && [ -d "$VAULT" ]; then
            echo "$VAULT/Claude Plays Zork Transcript.md"
            return
        fi
    fi
    echo "$SKILL_DIR/state/TRANSCRIPT.md"
}

TRANSCRIPT=$(get_transcript_path)

# Run the command
if [ -f "$SAVE" ]; then
    # Load from save, execute command, save (with overwrite), quit
    OUTPUT=$(echo -e "$CMD\nsave\n$SAVE\ny\nquit\ny" | dfrotz -m -p -q -L "$SAVE" "$GAME" 2>&1)
else
    # New game, execute command, save, quit
    OUTPUT=$(echo -e "$CMD\nsave\n$SAVE\nquit\ny" | dfrotz -m -p -q "$GAME" 2>&1)
fi

# Log to transcript
{
    echo ""
    echo "## $(date '+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')"
    echo ""
    echo "> $CMD"
    echo ""
    echo '```'
    echo "$OUTPUT"
    echo '```'
} >> "$TRANSCRIPT"

# Output the result
echo "$OUTPUT"

```

### scripts/status.sh

```bash
#!/bin/bash
# status.sh - Show current game status (look + inventory)
# Usage: ./status.sh

set -e

# Get script directory and skill root
SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
SKILL_DIR="$(dirname "$SCRIPT_DIR")"
GAME="$SKILL_DIR/data/zork1.z3"
SAVE="$SKILL_DIR/state/claude.sav.qzl"
CONFIG="$SKILL_DIR/state/config.json"

# Check if game file exists
if [ ! -f "$GAME" ]; then
    echo "Error: Game file not found at $GAME"
    exit 1
fi

# Check if save file exists
if [ ! -f "$SAVE" ]; then
    echo "No saved game found. Start a new game with /zork new or just /zork look"
    exit 0
fi

# Run look and inventory commands
OUTPUT=$(echo -e "look\ninventory\nquit\ny" | dfrotz -m -p -q -L "$SAVE" "$GAME" 2>&1)

echo "=== Current Status ==="
echo ""
echo "$OUTPUT"

# Show Obsidian config if set
if [ -f "$CONFIG" ]; then
    VAULT=$(jq -r '.obsidian_vault // empty' "$CONFIG" 2>/dev/null)
    if [ -n "$VAULT" ]; then
        echo ""
        echo "=== Sync Config ==="
        echo "Obsidian vault: $VAULT"
    fi
fi

```

### scripts/new.sh

```bash
#!/bin/bash
# new.sh - Start a fresh game (archives current save)
# Usage: ./new.sh

set -e

# Get script directory and skill root
SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
SKILL_DIR="$(dirname "$SCRIPT_DIR")"
GAME="$SKILL_DIR/data/zork1.z3"
SAVE="$SKILL_DIR/state/claude.sav.qzl"
CONFIG="$SKILL_DIR/state/config.json"

# Check if game file exists
if [ ! -f "$GAME" ]; then
    echo "Error: Game file not found at $GAME"
    exit 1
fi

# Archive existing save if present
if [ -f "$SAVE" ]; then
    ARCHIVE="$SKILL_DIR/state/claude.sav.$(date '+%Y%m%d-%H%M%S').qzl"
    mv "$SAVE" "$ARCHIVE"
    echo "Archived previous save to: $ARCHIVE"
fi

# Function to get transcript path
get_transcript_path() {
    if [ -f "$CONFIG" ]; then
        VAULT=$(jq -r '.obsidian_vault // empty' "$CONFIG" 2>/dev/null)
        if [ -n "$VAULT" ] && [ -d "$VAULT" ]; then
            echo "$VAULT/Claude Plays Zork Transcript.md"
            return
        fi
    fi
    echo "$SKILL_DIR/state/TRANSCRIPT.md"
}

TRANSCRIPT=$(get_transcript_path)

# Start new game, do initial look, save
OUTPUT=$(echo -e "look\nsave\n$SAVE\nquit\ny" | dfrotz -m -p -q "$GAME" 2>&1)

# Log to transcript
{
    echo ""
    echo "---"
    echo ""
    echo "# New Game Started - $(date '+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')"
    echo ""
    echo '```'
    echo "$OUTPUT"
    echo '```'
} >> "$TRANSCRIPT"

echo "=== New Game Started ==="
echo ""
echo "$OUTPUT"

```

### scripts/setup.sh

```bash
#!/bin/bash
# setup.sh - Configure Obsidian vault for learnings sync
# Usage: ./setup.sh [vault_path]

set -e

# Get script directory and skill root
SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
SKILL_DIR="$(dirname "$SCRIPT_DIR")"
CONFIG="$SKILL_DIR/state/config.json"

VAULT_PATH="$1"

if [ -z "$VAULT_PATH" ]; then
    echo "=== Zork Skill Setup ==="
    echo ""
    echo "This skill can sync your play transcript and learnings to an Obsidian vault."
    echo ""
    if [ -f "$CONFIG" ]; then
        CURRENT=$(jq -r '.obsidian_vault // "not set"' "$CONFIG" 2>/dev/null)
        echo "Current setting: $CURRENT"
    else
        echo "Current setting: not configured (using local state/)"
    fi
    echo ""
    echo "To configure, run:"
    echo "  setup.sh /path/to/your/obsidian/vault"
    echo ""
    echo "To clear the setting and use local storage:"
    echo "  setup.sh clear"
    exit 0
fi

if [ "$VAULT_PATH" = "clear" ]; then
    if [ -f "$CONFIG" ]; then
        rm "$CONFIG"
        echo "Cleared Obsidian vault setting. Using local state/ directory."
    else
        echo "No config to clear."
    fi
    exit 0
fi

# Validate path
if [ ! -d "$VAULT_PATH" ]; then
    echo "Error: Directory does not exist: $VAULT_PATH"
    exit 1
fi

# Save config
echo "{\"obsidian_vault\": \"$VAULT_PATH\"}" > "$CONFIG"

echo "=== Configuration Saved ==="
echo ""
echo "Obsidian vault: $VAULT_PATH"
echo ""
echo "Transcript and learnings will sync to:"
echo "  - $VAULT_PATH/Claude Plays Zork Transcript.md"
echo "  - $VAULT_PATH/Claude Plays Zork Learnings.md"

```