The Zork Library Forum

Im not so sure, when I was reading up on letterboxing for the first time, I noticed MOST of the listings gave SPECIFIC directions and locations for the boxes, which to me is stupid. The whole point would be to treasure hunt it. i also dont like how the thing revolves around hiding stamps... last time I checked I was a guy and not into girly stamps and letters. lol

As for geocaching, yes you get coordinates to find it, but you have ZERO other information which is kinda like placing an X on a poorly drawn map and say its "there". What that means, is you have no idea HOW to get "there" cept where "there" is. Unless I am wrong, which since ive done neither, i suppose i could be. But that is how I WOULD do the geocaching, all id do is grab the coordinates and start off on an adventure.

Yep that's how it starts....but the really GOOD letterboxes you won't see right away. And there are TONS of guy letterboxers.
I am working with two right now on a series based on a serial killer. They are awesome (the boxes) and ever so creepy, and incredibly difficult. Not too many people get into that...

Ah, well. If you ever give either a try - let me know what you think. My son planted one that was in three stages. (geocache). The first had one piece of a puzzle, the second was the base for the piece to fit into, which created a little hand pump. You pumped up some pressure, and POP - a LOUD pop would go off behind you, opening the third. It was so cool - but the county came and bulldozed the spot only one week after planting - to put in a high wire tension line. Only a couple of people got to find it before it was gone. But we have much more in the planning...

As to both games - they are what you make of them, really. Personally, I'd rather have the stamp images (some you couldn't show to your kids, that's for sure), then the foolish McD's toys that get shoved into the geocache boxes. But I do both.

zorket

Hey Zorket, you and I have pretty similar interests!

I put together a murder mystery game for a party for my daughter a few years ago. It had some multi-level puzzles in it that I was very proud of. One in particular went like this: There is a telescope set up in a corner of the room. In a nearby desk drawer is a user's manual for the telescope which explains how to use the setting circles. (Setting circles allow you to point the telescope in a particular direction. Down the basement is a fluorescent lamp. When turned on, a piece of paper on a nearby table reveals a set of numbers that you should recognize as setting circle coordinates. You set the telescope to these coordinates and it points at a book on a book shelf. Opening the book reveals that it is hollowed out with a secret compartment. In the compartment is a tiny (2 x 3 inch) brown leather brief case. In the little briefcase is a card with a picture of a telephone and two three-letter words. The letters in the words correspond to numbers on a telephone dial and are the combination for opening a full-sized brown leather brief case which is found in one of the upstairs bed rooms. Inside the briefcase is a document that is an important piece of the puzzle to solve the murder mystery. This was just one of several similar puzzles in the game. The party was a bunch of 7th graders. Some of them worked in teams, some worked alone. It was for my daughter's birthday party.

We sent invitations to each guest along with a description of who their character was. All the kids came with costumes and props to help make their character. It was a blast.

Also, I do a fair amount of geocaching. Usually, my daughter and I do it together. Even though the gps coordinates can get you close to the cache, you position typically has an uncertainty of about a 20 foot radius, and the cache is usually well-hidden. They can often be very difficult to find and are often accompanied with a riddle or clue of some sort. I get skunked pretty often.

The how to host a murder mystery sounds really fun when real life puzzles are added! Okay whens the next one for adults so we all can go, where the puzzles take us all day to solve.

I've never done Letterboxing. In fact, I had never heard of it before your post. So I looked at letterboxing.org to check it out. It looks like fun and very similar to geocaching.

I suppose, depending on the person hiding the geocache or the letterbox, the find can require a considerable amount of brain power and puzzle-solving, or be quite trivial. I'm sure both geocaching and letterboxing can be quite fun and satisfying. They also help get you out of the house to explore new places and have a little adventure. What's not to like?

I'll tell you one reason why I like geocaching: Since I spent all that money of a GPS, it's nice to have something to use it for.

Theses things and murder mystery parties are a great way for Zork fans to experience real-life adventure game experiences.

Well, I think it's easy to see how all these interests can be tied together. I'm saving the ideas for the murder mystery party for future use!!
My youngest is having his 8th birthday party on Friday - and he wants another Zork style party. I wonder if his friends will tire of it - but they don't seem to! I haven't come up with a good idea for his cake...maybe I'll just make it into a lantern this year.
zorket

I haven't come up with a good idea for his cake...maybe I'll just make it into a lantern this year.

If you do, post us a picture!

I second that! or just forego the cake and get him some rye! Hes old enough now isnt he?

Sure - he's 8....old enough to be sluggin' em back by now!!

Well, about that cake....it shrank. Looks really funny. And the boy decides he's going to tell me how it's done.
So, step by step....I had to slap a treasure box right into the middle of the thing. Box is full of zorkmids and jewels. around the box are little thingy's and a 'trail' leading you to said box. Only the trail markers...supposed to be brown, turned out to a muddy gray...and then there was the problem of the shrunken cake, so we edged it with the same gray icing. It's gross looking - but he is beyond pleased. Odd kid.

And it will be a treasure hunt once again - but a clueless one (as in..no clues...). These kids have done so many treasure hunts and zork games in my backyard (my own and all the friends/neighbors!!) that they already know where/how to hunt... I think it's time for new territory!! **sigh** maybe when he's nine he'll let me try something new... I want to be more creative and he wants repetition.

Well, there's always the girl...perhaps she'll let me plan something that doesn't involve nail polish or lip gloss when her turn comes around!!!

zorket

lol. ehhh soon enough hell get bored of it, maybe hire a stripper next year? tell him shes an adventurer and BAM hahahaha. nah im kidding... or AM I?

cakes sounds like it went as planned. lol pics?

the girl? Lucy? as for the lipstick and nail polish... hmm have fun?

Can I post pics here? I haven't put them up online yet - I'm on vacation - ahhhhh....

Yeah, just go start a new thread, since this topic kinda got OFF topic and post away!