5 ms·

Show HN: Play Zork with your friends via SSH

79 points by pheasantquiff 5y ago

pheasantquiff 5y ago
Play Zork, with your friends (via ssh) $ ssh -p 64100 someusername@sayitwith.ink password: nitfol > /help > /who > !look (login denied? maybe someone else is using that username, try another)
- pheasantquiff 5y ago
  If anyone is interested in discussing this (or playing IF on my other server) please get in touch on Revolt. I am @JesusMachineSantana. Here is an invitation to my "Guild" https://app.revolt.chat/invite/Xm9jmNDv https://app.revolt.chat/invite/Xm9jmNDv Maybe you have to sign up on the main page first, not sure. https://revolt.chat/ https://revolt.chat/ Of course, it's also possible to chat on the SSH server above, though maybe not as convenient. Either way is welcome.
throwaway47292 5y ago
Gentle reminder: when sshing into unknown places remember to check your forwarding and dont use your github/etc username.
- pheasantquiff 5y ago
  Sage advice. This is really more suited to IRC but ssh is something everyone has readily available. It has a much lower barried to entry. Isn't a specific effort required to have [port] forwarding? I don't think anyone will do it accidentally, even were I nefarious. In other words, if you don't know what "forwarding" is, then you don't have to worry.
  - throwaway47292 5y ago
    nono ssh is great medium, just most people have agent forwarding by default, and its annoying that it can be exploited by malicious ssh host[1] [1]: https://book.hacktricks.xyz/linux-unix/privilege-escalation/ssh-forward-agent-exploitation https://book.hacktricks.xyz/linux-unix/privilege-escalation/...
    - binwiederhier 5y ago
      That's a great resource. I had never heard of this attack vector before. Thanks for sharing the link.
- tyingq 5y ago
  This: "ssh -o ClearAllForwardings=yes ..." seems like it would be a good catch-all.
  - SavantIdiot 5y ago
    Can I stick that into ~/.ssh/config somehow so it is always a default, or should i just alias it?
    - thaumasiotes 5y ago
      If you're going to change your config, couldn't you just... not have forwarding?
    - est 5y ago
      Alternatively you can config id_rsa from different path specifically for github and your work repo. Use a general non-identifiable id_rsa to play with public ssh servers.
    - Groxx 5y ago
      Forwarding is not the default behavior, so normally you're fine. For others, if you do this: Host * ForwardAgent yes you can take this as a reminder that `Host *` is playing with fire, and just asking for accidents like this. Be extremely careful with `Host *` configs, especially with anything security-sensitive. "Careful", as in "do not do it if there's literally any risk". And if you don't know for sure, consider it a risk by default. `Host *.internal` at a minimum, or whatever hostname / dns patterns are used around you, is dramatically safer and just as convenient.
      - GekkePrutser 5y ago
        Additionally, setting up an SSH agent that requires confirmation for every use is a great measure to prevent abuse when you do forward it by mistake.
- digitalsushi 5y ago
  Stronger reminder: Don't play with SSH toys using your work computer, ever, as a sensible way to remain employed
  - tyingq 5y ago
    One workaround...launch a Google cloud shell from a personal google account and try the ssh toy from there. It's free. https://cloud.google.com/shell https://cloud.google.com/shell
  - chillingeffect 5y ago
    i miss the much-maligned telnet :( perfect for uncritical fun stuff like this.
  - GekkePrutser 5y ago
    I wish I was able to SSH from work at all :)
- herdrick 5y ago
  Why not use your github/etc username?
  - est 5y ago
    it can be used to dox you
- phonethrowaway 5y ago
  shell escapes are real attack vector too...
davidjhall 5y ago
Did you write a z-machine with sockets or is this piping to an existing one (frotz, etc?) I'm curious about the internals because I'm working on my own z-machine implementation too (not ssh though!)
- pheasantquiff 5y ago
  :) Yes I'm piping to dumb-frotz. The ssh server is a custom golang server, not a 'real' ssh daemon. Z-machine impl is fun (except for all the version differences)
  - davidjhall 5y ago
    Very fun indeed and easier than a sockets-based impl that covers all versions. I'm only doing v3 so far and it's a long haul! Congrats on this!
    - pheasantquiff 5y ago
      There are quite a few edge cases going the pipe route since there is no defined communication protocol and every game expresses some things slightly differently. I try to keep the code as generic as possible but nearly every game I try has had a surprise for me. I really don't want to have tons of special cases in the code but I think some might be unavoidable. If you're writing your own Z-machine, then you can write it in a way that plans for such integration and that would make a direct-linked approach much easier. My 'ssh toy' has proven quite popular so far and I hope it has introduced IF to some new people. Thanks and best of luck with your Z-Machine. Hacks and Glory await!
- pheasantquiff 5y ago
  I'm sure you've read all the Graham Nelson Z-Machine specs etc.? And seen the various alternative implementations like nitfol (which is a bit smaller than most and easier to read maybe)?
  - davidjhall 5y ago
empressplay 5y ago
I'm having a very strange sense of deja vu...
- cheaprentalyeti 5y ago
  Hopefully you won't be eaten by a grue.
thebeardisred 5y ago
A blast from the past, courtesy of me - play Zork anywhere you can run a OCI container: `<container engine> run -it quay.io/games/zork`
- julienchastang 5y ago
  Thanks. I played with this version (in a sandboxed VM) and it worked well. It really brought back memories. I was surprised how much I remembered about the game several decades later. Ahh those were the good old days :-)
makeworld 5y ago
How do you play with other people? I'm confused, but happy to see a hosted SSH application in 2021! Wanna see more of these.
- pheasantquiff 5y ago
  I think the simplest answer to that is just to try it, if you haven't already. Briefly, everyone connected is playing a single game of Zork (in this instance, tho any z-machine game will work). Like a chat session everyone can see every other player's commands/comments, and the game's output. Just $ ssh -p 64100 urnamehere@sayitwith.ink password: nitfol > /help > /who > !look > !get lamp Also, thanks and I think I must have missed the "SSH Toy" craze when it was popular.
redrobein 5y ago
There's also watchcdda[1] which lets you play group play cataclysm dda. [1] https://r7st.guru/watchcdda/ https://r7st.guru/watchcdda/
dettus 5y ago
And if you want to play more text adventures, like "The Guild of Thieves", go to http://magneticscrolls.net http://magneticscrolls.net Or type in ssh -p 8080 -l magnetic magneticscrolls.net
- pheasantquiff 5y ago
  Yes thank you @dettus. I recently found your site via asciicinema and it was your site that inspired me to make this. (The wheelbarrow is so annoying)

79 points by pheasantquiff 5y ago

Play Zork, with your friends (via ssh) $ ssh -p 64100 someusername@sayitwith.ink password: nitfol > /help > /who > !look (login denied? maybe someone else is using that username, try another)

pheasantquiff 5y ago
If anyone is interested in discussing this (or playing IF on my other server) please get in touch on Revolt. I am @JesusMachineSantana. Here is an invitation to my "Guild" https://app.revolt.chat/invite/Xm9jmNDv https://app.revolt.chat/invite/Xm9jmNDv Maybe you have to sign up on the main page first, not sure. https://revolt.chat/ https://revolt.chat/ Of course, it's also possible to chat on the SSH server above, though maybe not as convenient. Either way is welcome.

throwaway47292 5y ago

Gentle reminder: when sshing into unknown places remember to check your forwarding and dont use your github/etc username.

pheasantquiff 5y ago
Sage advice. This is really more suited to IRC but ssh is something everyone has readily available. It has a much lower barried to entry. Isn't a specific effort required to have [port] forwarding? I don't think anyone will do it accidentally, even were I nefarious. In other words, if you don't know what "forwarding" is, then you don't have to worry.
- throwaway47292 5y ago
  nono ssh is great medium, just most people have agent forwarding by default, and its annoying that it can be exploited by malicious ssh host[1] [1]: https://book.hacktricks.xyz/linux-unix/privilege-escalation/ssh-forward-agent-exploitation https://book.hacktricks.xyz/linux-unix/privilege-escalation/...
  - binwiederhier 5y ago
    That's a great resource. I had never heard of this attack vector before. Thanks for sharing the link.
tyingq 5y ago
This: "ssh -o ClearAllForwardings=yes ..." seems like it would be a good catch-all.
- SavantIdiot 5y ago
  Can I stick that into ~/.ssh/config somehow so it is always a default, or should i just alias it?
  - thaumasiotes 5y ago
    If you're going to change your config, couldn't you just... not have forwarding?
  - est 5y ago
    Alternatively you can config id_rsa from different path specifically for github and your work repo. Use a general non-identifiable id_rsa to play with public ssh servers.
  - Groxx 5y ago
    Forwarding is not the default behavior, so normally you're fine. For others, if you do this: Host * ForwardAgent yes you can take this as a reminder that `Host *` is playing with fire, and just asking for accidents like this. Be extremely careful with `Host *` configs, especially with anything security-sensitive. "Careful", as in "do not do it if there's literally any risk". And if you don't know for sure, consider it a risk by default. `Host *.internal` at a minimum, or whatever hostname / dns patterns are used around you, is dramatically safer and just as convenient.
    - GekkePrutser 5y ago
      Additionally, setting up an SSH agent that requires confirmation for every use is a great measure to prevent abuse when you do forward it by mistake.
digitalsushi 5y ago
Stronger reminder: Don't play with SSH toys using your work computer, ever, as a sensible way to remain employed
- tyingq 5y ago
  One workaround...launch a Google cloud shell from a personal google account and try the ssh toy from there. It's free. https://cloud.google.com/shell https://cloud.google.com/shell
- chillingeffect 5y ago
  i miss the much-maligned telnet :( perfect for uncritical fun stuff like this.
- GekkePrutser 5y ago
  I wish I was able to SSH from work at all :)
herdrick 5y ago
Why not use your github/etc username?
- est 5y ago
  it can be used to dox you
phonethrowaway 5y ago
shell escapes are real attack vector too...

davidjhall 5y ago

Did you write a z-machine with sockets or is this piping to an existing one (frotz, etc?) I'm curious about the internals because I'm working on my own z-machine implementation too (not ssh though!)

pheasantquiff 5y ago
:) Yes I'm piping to dumb-frotz. The ssh server is a custom golang server, not a 'real' ssh daemon. Z-machine impl is fun (except for all the version differences)
- davidjhall 5y ago
  Very fun indeed and easier than a sockets-based impl that covers all versions. I'm only doing v3 so far and it's a long haul! Congrats on this!
  - pheasantquiff 5y ago
    There are quite a few edge cases going the pipe route since there is no defined communication protocol and every game expresses some things slightly differently. I try to keep the code as generic as possible but nearly every game I try has had a surprise for me. I really don't want to have tons of special cases in the code but I think some might be unavoidable. If you're writing your own Z-machine, then you can write it in a way that plans for such integration and that would make a direct-linked approach much easier. My 'ssh toy' has proven quite popular so far and I hope it has introduced IF to some new people. Thanks and best of luck with your Z-Machine. Hacks and Glory await!
pheasantquiff 5y ago
I'm sure you've read all the Graham Nelson Z-Machine specs etc.? And seen the various alternative implementations like nitfol (which is a bit smaller than most and easier to read maybe)?
- davidjhall 5y ago

empressplay 5y ago

I'm having a very strange sense of deja vu...

cheaprentalyeti 5y ago
Hopefully you won't be eaten by a grue.

thebeardisred 5y ago

A blast from the past, courtesy of me - play Zork anywhere you can run a OCI container: `<container engine> run -it quay.io/games/zork`

julienchastang 5y ago
Thanks. I played with this version (in a sandboxed VM) and it worked well. It really brought back memories. I was surprised how much I remembered about the game several decades later. Ahh those were the good old days :-)

makeworld 5y ago

How do you play with other people? I'm confused, but happy to see a hosted SSH application in 2021! Wanna see more of these.

pheasantquiff 5y ago
I think the simplest answer to that is just to try it, if you haven't already. Briefly, everyone connected is playing a single game of Zork (in this instance, tho any z-machine game will work). Like a chat session everyone can see every other player's commands/comments, and the game's output. Just $ ssh -p 64100 urnamehere@sayitwith.ink password: nitfol > /help > /who > !look > !get lamp Also, thanks and I think I must have missed the "SSH Toy" craze when it was popular.

redrobein 5y ago

There's also watchcdda[1] which lets you play group play cataclysm dda. [1] https://r7st.guru/watchcdda/ https://r7st.guru/watchcdda/

dettus 5y ago

And if you want to play more text adventures, like "The Guild of Thieves", go to http://magneticscrolls.net http://magneticscrolls.net Or type in ssh -p 8080 -l magnetic magneticscrolls.net

pheasantquiff 5y ago
Yes thank you @dettus. I recently found your site via asciicinema and it was your site that inspired me to make this. (The wheelbarrow is so annoying)