The Colonel’s Bequest-Game Extras

[Unknown,Unknown]

Here’s a scan of the notebook that came with the game (for use in your detective work) and of the magnifying glass (to read the copy-protection information contained on the reverse side of the poster that came with the game).
Laura Bow’s notebook and magnifying glass

[Unknown,Unknown]

(Colonel’s Bequest) This is probably a question that has been asked over and over but I guess it wouldnt hurt to ask again. 🙂 Why were there only 2 Laura Bow game created and why did Roberta Williams decide to opt out of making the second chapter of the Phantasmagoria series? Just curious…

Thanks Again,
Elias

[Unknown,Unknown]

(re: Colonel’s Bequest) I asked Roberta – and she said that it was me who should answer this question, not her. She says that she would have been happy to work on whatever the company wanted, and that we never asked her for a third Colonels Bequest, so she didn’t do one.
So.. since Roberta wanted me to answer, I’ll give my thought:
Roberta was only one person, and games typically take 2-3 years to produce. She could only do one game at a time, without quality suffering. In other words, if she were to do three Colonel’s Bequest games, she would be unable to do a Kings Quest for 6-9 years!
I don’t remember exactly, but my guess is that we looked at the sales forecasts from marketing, and decided that Roberta was “worth more to the company” working on a Kings Quest than on a third Colonel’s Bequest.
With Phantasmagoria II, Roberta wanted the company to hold off until after Kings Quest VIII to start the project. Unfortunately, Phantasmagoria was such a HUGE hit (over one million copies!!!!!!) that marketing wanted Phantasmagoria II right away. Roberta also thought that it was too soon after Phantasmagoria I to do Phantasmagoria II anyhow. She was worried that the introduction of II so soon after I would kill sales of I (which is exactly what happened, and worse).
We decided to give Phantas II to Lorelei Shannon to do. Lorelei’s style is different than Roberta’s and customers aren’t dumb. They quickly decided that Phantas II was a VERY different game than Phantas I, and some bought it, and many didn’t. Phantas II was not the hit that Phantas I was. Lorelei did a great job, but her style, and Roberta’s are very different. You really can’t continue a series without the original designers involvement.
-Ken W

[Unknown,Unknown]

(re: Colonel’s Bequest)
Yup, only 2 Laura Bow games. And no idea why she opted out of Phantas2, but I am thankful that she did, because I cared nothing for the game… (though if she had a hand in it, it might have turned out better, considering how much I loved Phantas1…)

[Unknown,Unknown]

(re: re: Colonel’s Bequest) You really can’t continue a series without the original designers involvement.

Amen.

[Unknown,Unknown]

(re: The Colonel’s Bequest-Game Extras)

You forgot to include the Laura Bow pencil.

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