The always-hilarious Lore Sjöberg, late of the screamingly awesome comedy site Brunching Shuttlecocks, has put together a rendition of the Tolkienesque massively multiplayer online game that presents it as a Zork-style text adventure:
“I have another task for you,” the elf says. “In the east there are …”
> Click Accept
“Take this bag of jelly to Commander Wolfchow in Cramhollow Dale.”
> Go to Cramhollow Dale
You run to Cramhollow Dale. You run and run. You run and run and run. You keep on running. Someone runs past you, faster. You keep running. Two gnomes run past you in the opposite direction. Still you run. You’re not there yet. What are you going to do?
> Run
That’s right, bunky. You’re gonna run. You continue to run and run and run and run and … whoa, you’re in Cramhollow Dale. A tall man who looks like a lot of the other tall men around here has a question mark over his head.
> Give bag of jelly to man
“Good!” says …
> Click Complete Quest, Accept, whatever, just get on with it
“Take this crate of liver back to Elfiwee Muttonscorner near the gully stream.”
> Go back to stream
You run. You run and run. You run and run and run.
> Wonder aloud why I find this so damn compelling
You hear a voice in the distance. “Need group! No quitters!”