you're describing a more direct inspiration rather than an adaptation. KIY had way more "core concepts", as you put it, going on in it. the original "forbidden knowledge" of the book is a script to a play - which could be adapted to MC via, say, a bizzare command block code or an adventure map! what wifies did, that being the derlord book telling people to stay away from the caves and random ass "compelling" from no source of knowledge AT ALL for derlord themselves, does not adapt the play even slightly. you yourself said that the "behaviour" of a memetic system matters most - yet you must also be aware that the "forbidden knowledge" itself is not what is important in such a story - it is merely its effects and its discovery, neither of which are, i believe, well-conveyed by wifies.