(Re: King’s Quest Online)
To be perfectly honest, I couldn’t agree with you more on the point
about KQ games being done by Roberta and Roberta only. The only problem
is I don’t think the Williams family has any desire in doing another KQ
game. Actually, from a totally legal standpoint, no one should be making
a KQ game, not even Roberta. The reason is that legally, KQ is a
property that is owned by Sierra, and therefore Vivendi Universal. That
means that if Roberta ever wanted to do another KQ game, she would have
to either obtain permission from Sierra/VU to use their copyrighted
franchise, come up with a game design and pitch it to Sierra/VU and see
if they won’t develop it internally with her help, or wait for the
patent on the franchise to expire (which can only happen if either
Sierra/VU allows the patent to lapse and not renew or if they stop
producing games in the franchise for something like 20 years.)
However, from a personal point of view, I believe that it is possible to
come up with a storyline and a game that is just as good as what Roberta
made. And I can assure you that I am taking as much caution as I can to
ensure that the storyline I come up with can stand on it’s own next to
any of the other KQ games. To do any less would be a discredit to the KQ
franchise.
The main challenge I am facing at the moment in the design process is
integrating not one land, but eight lands, each with their own unique
look and feel. This is easier to accomplish with lands from the later KQ
games (KQIV-VII) as they have been fleshed out in such a way as to allow
designers the freedom to expand upon. The hardest land I am having
trouble with, to be honest, is Kolyma (the land from KQII).
The Tierra remake of KQII does an admirable job of expanding upon the
land while keeping in tune with the themes already present in the games
original form. I am attempting to do something similar to what Tierra
did, but in something of a different matter. The other challenge I am
facing, speaking of the lands, is coming up with appropriate content
that matches the themes of each of the lands that hasn’t already been
done before. I don’t want people to confuse what I am doing as a
multiplayer version of the KQ series rolled up into one with the same
stories and puzzles. While I plan on keeping the structure of lands
intact, I will be expanding on them (which means that in addition to
seeing the Cliffs of Knowledge on the Isle of the Winged Ones, you’ll
also see other puzzles and locations to facilitate reaching the main
part of the island.)
I also plan on making puzzles that require multiple people to complete…..
Also, for the record, the lands I am planning on for KQO are as follows
(taken directly from the design doc):
4.0 The Lands of Caranous
Eight distinct lands populate the world of Caranous. Below is a brief
description of each land.
4.1 Daventry
This land, known for its rolling fields and pristine mountains, is home
of King Graham and Queen Valanice. A central hub of the world, many
people and creatures call Daventry home and live in peace under the rule
of the Royal Family.
4.2 Kolyma
The Land of Fables, Kolyma is home to fairytale creatures. Lacking any
major populace centers, citizens of Kolyma live in peace amidst the
wilderness. Much of this land is shrouded in mystery.
4.3 Llewdor
This land serves as the gateway to the outer seas and is the primary
connection for travelers going to or coming from the Land of the Green
Isles and Tamir. Many swarthy types call Llewdor home. It is rumored
that this was once as fertile of a land as Daventry, but one day an evil
wizard came and laid waste to the land, turning all but a small tip of
the island into a desert where nothing can grow or survive save the
evilest of creatures.
4.4 Tamir
Known as the Land of the Fairae, Tamir lies beyond the main sea routes.
The people of this land pay their allegiance to Genesta, the Queen of
the Fairae. This land is also the homeland of Titania, Queen Mother of
Etheria. Once an untamed land, Tamir has become a place of peace. Evil
that once scoured the land has been banished by Genesta to the Dead Bogs
beyond the mountains.
4.5 Serenia
Located between Daventry and Kolyma is Serenia, also known as the Land
of the Magi. Ancestral home of the Wizards Council and Magus Academus,
Serenia is truly a land of magic. Dark rumors have been muttered in the
past that an order of dark wizards have taken up residence here, but
nothing concrete has ever been found save an abandoned castle on a
desolate island not far off the coast&.
4.6 Land of the Green Isles
The Land of the Green Isles is a collection of islands far out in the
ocean. Each isle is unique in their citizenry and local fauna, but all
owe allegiance to the Court of the Green Isles, the royal house that
oversees the isles and solves local disputes.
4.7 Etheria
While not a land per say, Etheria is a magical realm that exists in an
other-worldly dimension. This realm is divided into four facets, Oasis,
Falderal, Ooga Booga, and Etherias Court. The only way to gain access
to this mystical realm is to find an Ethereal Coin.
4.8 The Underworld
The Underworld, ruled by Hades, is a land of shadow and death. Here the
souls of the departed go to join with their brethren in the River of
Death. There are legends that speak of those who have crossed the
threshold of Death and returned to life, but details have been lost in
obscurity.
———————
And you are entitled to your opinions, my friend. I welcome them, as
they not only help me design a game that is truly worthy of the KQ name,
but they help spark conversation (which is what this email list is
about, is it not?) 😉
-David Reese
lordcorenair@netscape.net
sierragamers@talkspot.com wrote:
>Why would we need a fan-based KQ-game? A new KQ game should be done by
>Roberta Williams and Roberta Williams only, KQ games (or more precises
>storylines) by others only feel like cheap knock-offs. Would you buy a
>fan-made Rolex? 🙂
>
>Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy remakes and parodies. I loved KQ1 by Tierra
>because they did not change anything. I loved Quest for Glory 4.5 because
>it’s such an obvious spoof, but I had really mixed feelings about the KQ2
>remake by Tierra. Including all sorts of story elements that weren’t there
>originally totally changed the feel of the game, it felt more like a Quest
>for Glory game than a KQ game. I could make up a story that plays in
>Daventry and features King Graham as the main character but would that
make
>
>it a King’s Quest game? No! It would just make a game in which the main
>character’s name also happens to be Graham.
>
>Moving forward does not only mean using new possibilities and
technologies,
>
>it also m
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