I recommend learning something like Inform 6, Inform 7, or TADS 3 if you want to make a text adventure.

It is as they say: if you want to make a game engine, make a game engine. But if you want to make a game, use an existing engine.

If you like the Zork "engine", learn Inform 7. If you like the Colossal Cave "engine" better, you might like to look at https://github.com/Quuxplusone/Advent/blob/master/ODWY0350/a... — it's very easy to remodel with your own rooms, items, verbs, and so on. (So is the original Fortran, but then you have to be able to compile Fortran...)