Marc Blank

Marc Blank, 2006. From GET LAMP.

Despite his medical degree, Marc Blank has worked in the entertainment software industry for several decades and played a large role in the formation of interactive fiction and Infocom.

Author Credits

• Zork a.k.a. Dungeon (with Tim Anderson, Bruce Daniels and Dave Lebling; 1979).
• Zork I (with Dave Lebling, publisher: Infocom; 1980; Z-code).
• Zork II (with Dave Lebling, publisher: Infocom; 1981; Z-code).
• Zork III (with Dave Lebling, publisher: Infocom; 1982; Z-code).
• Deadline (publisher: Infocom; 1982; Z-code).
• Enchanter (with Dave Lebling, publisher: Infocom; 1983; Z-code).
• Border Zone (publisher: Infocom; 1987; Z-code).
• Zork: The Undiscovered Underground (with Michael Berlyn, implementor: G. Kevin Wilson, publisher: Activision; 1997; Z-code).

Tech Credits

• Created the ZIL programming language and the Zilch compiler.
• Co-created and maintained the Z-machine virtual computer.

Review and Article Credits

• "Zork, a Computerized Fantasy Simulation Game." (with Dave Lebling and Tim Anderson.) IEEE Computer, April 1979.
• "How to Fit a Large Program Into a Small Machine." (with Stu Galley.) Creative Computing, July 1980.

Organizational Credits

• Co-founded and acted as vice-president of Infocom.

Other Credits

• Journey: The Quest Begins (publisher: Infocom; 1988; Z-code) CRPG/adventure game hybrid.

Links

• Baf's Guide listing for Marc Blank.

Interviews

• More Interviews With the Infocommies (Marc Blank, Dave Lebling and Steve Meretzky) - XYZZYnews #10, July/August 1996.
• History of Zork Now Available on Gamasutra: Read Full Interviews Here! - Interviews with Dave Lebling, Marc Blank, Steve Meretzky, Howard Sherman, David Cornelson, and Nick Montfort. Interviewed by Matt Barton, June 2007.