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Hi!
This whole thing is a great idea, really. It took me quite a long time to even find out whether you still exist at all, since neither of you has had any appearence on the internet, as far as i know.
However, i wanted to know, if there is a collaboration between you and Al Lowe, because somehow it seems to me, that you guys, that is You, Ken & Roberta and Al, have somehow given up doing, what you do best, and that would meen a terrible loss for every devotet Sierra fan, and as far as i have been able to find out, there seems to be a whole lot of them out there.
Thanks for the great site (i hope) and keep on moving!
Dan
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(Why we’re not doing anything) After Sierra was sold, my vision had been that the new owners would WANT Roberta and I to continue doing games. I was always jealous of our own developers. They got to build cool products, and I got to go to meetings. My vision post-sale was that I would be able to focus on doing product – and try to build one hit game per year.
Unfortunately, that’s not how it works in the real world. I hate to sound bitter (which I’m not) – but, when someone buys your company, they want to do things their way, not yours. I’m not making this up, and it isn’t something that was unique to Sierra. It is common, in business, that post acquisition, the prior “regieme” (is that how you spell that word?) gets flushed. Neither Roberta, Al or me were ever offered another game at Sierra. It just hasn’t happened.
Roberta and I thought briefly about calling Electronic Arts, but never have. Maybe someday. I think it might be too weird for us to ever do a game for a competitor. Theoretically, we could start a new game company, but probably not. It’s a lot of work to start a company, and we like the creative part, but not the “business” part. Nearly 20 years of running Sierra was plenty for me.
Al Lowe is thinking about doing games again. I hope he does. My favorite game was always Leisure-Suit Larry – I want him to do games so that I can play them!
-Ken Williams
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(Why not do something new?) Hi, Ken!
I wonder how you guys can be so cool about things, or is just those years of golf n’nothin’? I mean it was YOUR company and somehow THEY kicked you out, didn’t they? So what’s the problem, why not actually call EA or build up something of your own? I know that there are enough people out there who would do anything (almost) to see another Sierra (whatever) game produced.
Come on, you are celebrities!Well, nevertheless i hope this site is going to grow happily ever after!
Thanks
dan
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(re: Why we’re not doing anything) It’s so sad. Sierra was such a classic thing. Just the name. I always dreamed of making an adventure game for Sierra. But now it will never happan.
BTW – if, by any chance, the current management of Sierra will let you make adventure games for her, will you??? Maybe they will finally understand that adventure games are a great profit??? (and fun to make them…)
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(re: re: Why not do something new?)
The problem is, People have been letting them know for some time now. They just don’t listen. I believe the current owners of Sierra haven’t a clue about the history and fanbase of the Adventure games of Sierra’s past. The “industry” seems to be all about multiplayer, FPS, Online RPG, or Real time strat. None seem to have an interest in a single player adventure. I think it’s going to take another company to release a great adventure title AND for it to sell well in order to get the attention of the other big companies. Though Sierra as it currently sits with it’s priorities, I don’t think I want them making an adventure game. Since they would no doubt butcher it into some kind of First person action game. I shudder at the thought.
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(re: Why not do something new?) I wonder how you guys can be so cool about things, or is just those years of golf n’nothin’? I mean it was YOUR company and somehow THEY kicked you out, didn’t they?
Well … actually, they didn’t kick us out … they paid us to go away. We’re happily retired now as a result of the sale. That said, neither Roberta, nor I, would have sold had we known what was going to happen. We personally were well taken care of, but, we had a good life anyhow. Our life was good, and continues to be good. The problem is that the company wasn’t just comprised of JUST Roberta and I. The sale hurt hundreds of people.
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(re: re: re: Why not do something new?) You’re exactly right. Adventure games were the people and the time of when they were made. For Sierra to try and make one now just wouldn’t work. There is even the possibility of a discussion as to the merit of KQ:MOE or QFG5, which frequently does occur.
As a similar example, though not the same situation, there is a simultaneous dread and excitement to see what LucasArts makes of sequels to Full Throttle and Sam & Max. -
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(re: Why we’re not doing anything) Another example of Corporate America and the “bottom line” outweighing creative and artistic endeavor. It is a shame that you had a vision and that vision got completely and irrevocably destroyed by Big Business and corporate takeovers. (I’m talking about the subsequent takeovers after your initial sale).
You, and I speak in a plural sense, were the pioneers in Graphic Adventures and your company, Sierra On Line, was the most honest and dependable company in the business of game making. Your guarantee of completely satisfied or your money back (or replacement of equal value) was proof of that and you put your actions where your mouth was. Also your tech support was friendly and unconditionally helpful. You made a quality product and wanted your customers to be completely satisfied with an unconditional guarantee. I applaud you and your company and mourn the loss of the company and such honest business practices.
Your games got me started playing Graphic Adventures. I started with Kings Quest II and got hooked I then proceeded to purchase any and every game that came out by Sierra On Line as I knew they would be enjoyable and I could depend on the quality. Also if there was a problem you would go out of your way to fix it.
I feel honored to be able to relay my feelings to the actual owners and creators of these great Adventure Games and would be the first in line to buy another effort should you so decide.
While I have the chance, there’s a question that I’ve always wanted to ask. In the original Kronder game, I believe it was Betrayal in Kronder did I not see Roberta in one of the pubs?
I sincerely hope that the old Sierra On Line gang make a comeback. -
(re: re: Why we’re not doing anything) While I have the chance, there’s a question that I’ve always wanted to ask. In the original Kronder game, I believe it was Betrayal in Kronder did I not see Roberta in one of the pubs?
Hmmm…. Roberta did appear in the ads for Mother Goose, but I think that’s the only game. Well, actually, she did appear in the ads for Softporn, but, that’s perhaps better left unsaid. I’ll ask her if there were any others.
-Ken -
(re: re: re: re: Why not do something new?) I have to agree with Dan. Sierra made some of the best adventure games that will ever be played. I am playing all the new ones that are commming out and they very beutiful but there is just something missing that the old sierra games had. I too would like to see you guys make another game. My two most faverite games ever where KQ6 and LSL6 and I just loved them all. I still have all the original LSL and KQ games and still play them.
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(The Sierra Mystery) Wow, amazing how many of you guys felt like responding to my comment. It’t really nice to see, that I am not the only one not quite content with things the way they are at the moment (Thanks to Jim!)
You see, it is kind of puzzeling me over and over again. My point is that apparently there is both, talented and professional game designers willing to make adventure games (I’m referring to Al Lowe in particular, whose LSL Games I loved most!) and loads, and I mean it, of people not only willing but absolutely extatic about buying an “new-old-adventure”. Now the only thing that seems to be missing is the Name Sierra, which, as Ken correctly mentioned, is not what it used to be anyway. The problem for me is to get those things into my head at the same time, which until now just won’t work out. You see what I mean?
Thanks, Dan -
(re: re: Why not do something new?) man would it be great if (real) adventure games would make a comeback, seems like the only good adventure games now a day like The Longest Journey are imposible to get anywhere, oh well i always got the good old games to play, just got this save game so i can complete Quest For Glory 4 (for the second time:) to bad i don´t have the cd-rom version anymore : / and i always thought EA wasn´t even making games anymore, they were just publishing them now
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(re: re: re: Why not do something new?) “man would it be great if (real) adventure games would make a comeback, “
Guess you missed it, then. Adventures already have made their comeback. It may not be Sierra, but it’s still Adventure.
Check out
Link: http://www.adventuregamers.com/(http://www.adventuregamers.com/)
to read the latest news on all things adventure.
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