AdventurImagen - Zork meets Google's Imagen generative imagery

Some adventure game fans at Google wondered what would happen if you used the output from the classic text adventure game "Zork" as the input to Imagen, Google's text-to-image diffusion model. To support the results we wanted we made some additions to Zork itself, which was a fascinating journey through an arcane language and a lost (but re-engineered) toolchain.

[@SamsonScorpio]

I love this. The hand drawn simple graphics are the best. Such a beautiful tool that has truly limitless possibilities and really enables people with imagination and some effort, to realize their adventures!!! The new breathing fresh life into the old, simply awesome.

[@programwitch]

Love Zork. Would love to see this work also with Leather Goddess of Phobos and Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

[@goldkat99]

This is so cool! As someone who played Zork for the first time about a year ago I had some similar ideas, but to actually put it the work and to have it look function so well is incredible.

[@xLelouchXsuzakux]

The house looking different from different angles is neat and dreamlike, I think it would lose some magic if they get to hands on with it

[@XaviAndreu]

A spectacular, marvelous job!

[@jspanky99]

So cool! Hope it becomes available down the track!

[@ChristopherDrum]

At the end you say, "We hope you'll join us" but no link is shared for us to join you? Coming soon, we hope.

[@StumpsforLimbs]

Any plans on releasing this project to the public?

[@SamuelAna4Ever]

At long last, my dreams are coming true.

[@KeithErskine]

Cool. Now do Planetfall!!! I want to see what Floyd looks like :)

[@kevinredington6579]

Interesting it’s like playing Myst by typing

[@GODBOUNCED]

Wow Matt this was incredible!

[@jpcompton]

Very intriguing! Would it not be possible to get the kind of metadata you're after at the interpreter level rather than modifying each game's source?

[@Grueslayer666]

Wow. This is... I sense... Well you know what I sense. This *MUST* be implemented into Inform and TADS!!

[@JackMott]

i was doing this by hand for a few opening scenes, fantastic possibilities

[@DanielGimness]

Very cool!

[@lindakluever6359]

Wow! I wish I understood this but I can tell how impressive and innovated this is. How many worked on Zork? Is this a Google/work project? Could this become your next patent?! Great start for 2023. Great job, 🙂

[@Rocky1138]

Great work! You'll want to replace the capacitors in your CRT display, though. The wavy text at 3:09 is a dead giveaway :D

[@ondinnonk]

How can we stay updated and/or test this? P.s. my gf and I are in the middle of Zork Zero (:

[@andreaspapakanellou3804]

I tried something similar when chat-gpt came out, bugged out after a couple of turns but the depth of interactivity was insane. Even I could see this becoming a full fledged game, and that if someone more technically able than me had the same idea that they'd instantly see the potential in games like this. Can't wait to see how this turns out!

[@soy_leche]

Fantastic! Can I play this?

[@EmbiggenedJ]

Judging by how he phrases things, probably. But I'm afraid the true answer is the word forever ruined by Gabe Newell and Valve: SOON(TM).

[@BenVanik]

soooo cooool

[@6cef]

touch mirror

[@bobhepple491]

Two minds about this. On the one hand - wow! OTOH - my mental imagery (of the original 1977 Crowther and Woods Adventure game, I never played Zork as such) is so strong and precious that I kinda hate watching someone else's version. Much like how I hate the LotR films. But then I'm so old that I came up with books and radio not TV, never mind the Internet. Perhaps kids today can't visualise the way we do???

[@user-ro8sy8te7y]

Let me play with this tech as a layperson/idiot on my channel?! Please!

[@JamesPotts]

I can't decide whether this is the worst idea ever, or totally awesome.

[@JohnChernoff]

Spoilers!

[@backgroundactingjobs]

had a similar idea but not as advanced... where can we try this?