This is the “central” portion of the Acheton map (click to enlarge):
The most striking difference between Old-IF and New-IF is sheer size. I’ve already gone into the issue with Zork. However, unlike Zork, the size in Acheton doesn’t give me a feel of world-immersion. I’ve been trying to figure out why.
Zork has some random bits like Hades or a robot, but the general intent seems to be a unified dungeon one can lovingly map on a single page. Acheton essentially demands segmentation: there’s an entire hedge maze, an entire ocean, an entire desert, an entire temple, and an entire wizard house complete with two mazes.
Moreover, the setting-as-backstory in Zork, while minimal, goes a long way to providing a unified environment. Flood Control Dam #3 is iconic enough to make a graphical appearance much later. Even the much-reviled Bank of Zork was memorable. I can’t think of any locations in Acheton that move past the merely generic.
Renga in Blue 