Skip to content

Latest commit

 

History

History
131 lines (94 loc) · 3.41 KB

README.md

File metadata and controls

131 lines (94 loc) · 3.41 KB

Zork Skill for Claude Code

A Claude Code skill that lets Claude play Zork I via dfrotz with persistent save state and optional Obsidian integration for capturing learnings.

Why This Exists

This skill demonstrates a use case where a full skill (not just a slash command) is appropriate:

  • Bundled dependencies: Game file, scripts, state management
  • Persistent state: Save file survives across sessions
  • External tool integration: Wraps dfrotz CLI
  • Configurable output: Optional sync to Obsidian vault

Prerequisites

# Install frotz (Z-machine interpreter)
brew install frotz

The game file (zork1.z3) is included in the data/ directory.

Installation

If you cloned this from a dotfiles repo, run the install script:

./install.sh

This creates a symlink at ~/.claude/skills/zork/.

For manual installation, copy or symlink the zork/ directory to ~/.claude/skills/.

Usage

Play a turn

~/.claude/skills/zork/scripts/play.sh "go north"
~/.claude/skills/zork/scripts/play.sh "take lamp"
~/.claude/skills/zork/scripts/play.sh "inventory"

Check status (current room + inventory)

~/.claude/skills/zork/scripts/status.sh

Start a new game

~/.claude/skills/zork/scripts/new.sh

Previous save is archived with a timestamp.

Configure Obsidian sync (optional)

# Set vault path
~/.claude/skills/zork/scripts/setup.sh /path/to/your/vault

# Check current config
~/.claude/skills/zork/scripts/setup.sh

# Clear config (use local state/ only)
~/.claude/skills/zork/scripts/setup.sh clear

When configured, transcript and learnings sync to your Obsidian vault as:

  • Claude Plays Zork Transcript.md
  • Claude Plays Zork Learnings.md

File Structure

zork/
├── SKILL.md              # Claude Code skill definition
├── README.md             # This file
├── scripts/
│   ├── play.sh           # Execute one command
│   ├── status.sh         # Show current room + inventory
│   ├── new.sh            # Start fresh game
│   └── setup.sh          # Configure Obsidian sync
├── data/
│   └── zork1.z3          # Zork I game file (Release 119)
└── state/                # Local state (gitignored)
    ├── claude.sav.qzl    # Current save file
    └── config.json       # User configuration

How It Works

The skill wraps dfrotz (dumb frotz) to play Zork non-interactively:

echo -e "command\nsave\npath.qzl\ny\nquit\ny" | dfrotz -m -p -q -L save.qzl game.z3

Key flags:

  • -m - No MORE prompts
  • -p - Plain ASCII output
  • -q - Quiet (no startup banner)
  • -L - Load save file directly

Each turn: load save → execute command → save → quit. State persists via native Zork save files.

Common Zork Commands

Command Description
look / l Describe current location
inventory / i List carried items
go <dir> Move (n, s, e, w, up, down, ne, nw, se, sw)
take <item> Pick up item
drop <item> Drop item
open <thing> Open container/door
examine <thing> Look at something closely
read <thing> Read text

License

  • Skill code: MIT
  • Zork I game file: MIT (as of November 2025, via Microsoft/Activision)

Credits

  • Zork I by Infocom (1980)
  • dfrotz by Stefan Jokisch, maintained by David Griffith
  • Game file from eblong.com