(Re: King’s Quest Online)
Hello!
I would like to thank you for your feedback and comments – they are all
questions I’ve contemplated quite a bit (more in the past couple of
weeks now that I’m working on the design). I’ll try to address your
points on a one-by-one basis.
1.) Roberta Williams wrote the story, so for anyone to expand, modify,
change or add to it wouldn’t be “authentic”
Roberta is a talented designer and writer. To attempt to fill her shoes
is not only very difficult to do, but some might even say arrogant. My
intention isn’t about trying to fill her shoes. KQ is and always will
be her achievement and the mark she has made on the industry with her
products will always be remembered. 20 years from now the KQ series
will still be talked about and debated. As a designer, this is the
ultimate achievement.
My intention with KQO is to take what she has done and add a new flavor
to it. Roberta has said herself in many interviews that when she was
making KQVII, she wasn’t sure what she could do in terms of original
ideas. The last three KQ titles, in fact, weren’t designed solely by
Roberta. She brought in Jane Jenson to work with her on KQVI (the
credits credit both Jane and Robera for the writing and designing
tasks). For KQVII, she shared designing duties with Lorelei Shannon
(KQVII, by the way, was based on a story that Lorelei wrote). I’m not
too sure about designing and writing duty assignments for KQVIII, but I
am sure it followed the tradition of bringing new talent into the fold.
Each of these games are memorable and fantastic games. While KQO will
not have Roberta’s influence, that does nothing to lower the quality of
the game.
From a personal standpoint, I find it to be highly challenging to
design such a game because I know what I am facing. I only hope that
what I design is half as good as what Roberta has done.
2.) I don’t think Roberta or Ken need to make another KQ. They did very
well with the first series. Let it be.
I tend to agree with you on this to a certain point. Ken and Roberta did a
very good job with the series with what they did. However, there are some
loose ends that should be addressed to tie everything up. I personally
don’t count KQVIII as a part of the KQ series. My perspective on KQVIII is
it was an action-adventure game that bears the KQ name only as a means to
increase sales. Thats not to say KQVIII isn’t a good game. On it’s own,
it’s a great game. But as the final game in the KQ series, it is, how shall
I say… not quite up to standard.
KQO is designed to tie it all together. It’s designed to close doors on one
storyline while opening doors on new storylines. KQO is first and foremost
a KQ game and it is my intention to bring new characters and new stories
into the KQ universe. And of course, since there is no mention of how much
time lapsed betwen KQVII and KQVIII, this gives me a lot to play around
with.
3.) Instead of using already created characters, places, and things… why
not create your own characters, places and things. Be original, Roberta
was.
I actually already have done this. KQO aside, I have, what I consider to
be, a great story. However, for personal reasons, I have chosen not to
pursue that story at this time. Thats not to say I won’t visit it again in
the future and make a game out of it, but at this time, I would rather work
on this. The potential for this game is limitless. I’m sure you won’t be
disappointed by my efforts if they ever materalize in the form of a playable
game.
4.) The problem with people now-a-days is no one can come up with their own
ideas. They HAVE to use other great ideas. I love the games Sierra On-line
created and will always treasure them, but it’s time for someone or a group
of people to come together and make the next amazing adventure game(s). Be
unique, be daring, be witty, be challenging. Like a movie, have it bring
the characters into the story and make them feel as if they are apart of
it.
You might be surprised with what I am coming up with. Please don’t judge
the game solely as a KQ title, as it is that and so much more. I would say
more, but now is not the time to reveal… 😉
5.) Maybe someone has an original comic that they could make into a game,
or a story they just wrote? Who knows, maybe you’ll be the next Ken and
Roberta Williams?
That certainly is a nice thought, but the one thing that I admire most about
Ken and Roberta is the fact that they worked very hard for what the
attained. If I can ever be anything as good as they were at making games,
it will take a lot of work and dedication. Of course, in the end, I would
rather be David Reese and not Ken or Roberta Williams. I am my own person
and I feel that to try to be someone else is to discredit the person that I
am.
-David Reese
lordcorenair@netscape.net
sierragamers@talkspot.com wrote:
>I don’t mean to be rude, or take all the fun out of this, but why make
more
>KQ storylines/games?
>
>Here are a few of my points I would like to get across:
>1.) Roberta Williams wrote the story, so for anyone to expand, modify,
>change or add to it wouldn’t be “authentic”
>2.) I don’t think Roberta or Ken need to make another KQ. They did very
>well
>with the first series. Let it be.
>3.) Instead of using already created characters, places, and things… why
>not create your own characters, places and things. Be original, Roberta
>was.
>4.) The problem with people now-a-days is no one can come up with their
own
>ideas. They HAVE to use other great ideas. I love the games Sierra On-line
>created and will always treasure them, but it’s time for someone or a
group
>of people to come together and make the next amazing adventure game(s). Be
>unique, be daring, be witty, be challenging. Like a movie, have it bring
>the
>characters into the story and make them feel as if they are apart of it.
>5.) Maybe someone has an original comic that they could make into a game,
>or
>a story they just wrote? Who knows, maybe you’ll be the next Ken and
>Roberta
>Williams?
>
>
>
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