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I was heavily involved in its development, and arguably am it’s dad.
Most of my involvement though was on the technical side. On the creative side, the project grew out of my saying ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if we could do something like our adventure games, that was medevil themed, and allowed players to swap things with each other, buy weapons, and attack monsters?’ That’s about the limit of my involvement creatively. From a one sentence description like that, the development team built a prototype, and we started talking about the technical challenges.
I remember that most of our conversations dealt with fighting. At the time, we still had to deal with slow modems, and huge network delays. We did a lot of experimenting, with trying to decide what was possible, and would look right, given the unpredictable nature of communications.
My last memory of The Realm was a visit I made to the ImagiNation Network offices, shortly after we sold INN to AT&T. They were showing a version of the Realm that had been rewritten from SCI (Sierra’s programming language) to C++ (I think).
I’m not sure if the code that exists today derives from the original SCI version, or from the C++ version. At the time I saw the C++ version, it looked good, but it also looked a long way from completion. The year probably would have been around 1992.
-Ken W
I’m a huge fan of the QFG series (Hero’s Quest was the first computer game I picked out at the store, brought home, and played). Anyhow, I got the demo also (a 30 day trial) in 1999 or so and it was a 30 day trial. After that it was $4.99 per month or $50 per year.
Sierra sold it to Codemasters, and they sold it to Norseman Games (a company owned by a longtime player). I’m an addict, especially since Norseman took over and they’ve been improving the game so far. They want to develop the next version (4.0) so they had to raise the price two bucks to $6.99/month or $70 a year.
Many of the players on there are longtime Sierra gamers, who like the nostalgic look and don’t mind paying for it since it’s much cheaper than everything else out there.
Do you guys know anything about its origin? I.e. funny stories, weird trivia, etc?
I saw that charges a monthly service, and there’s some note on how it has not increased since they started charging. I remember seeing demos for the realm on some of the later CD games i got (don’t remember which off hand, maybe QFG 5??), and I don’t remember it saying anything about fees? Does anyone know when they started that?
JT
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…Taggart, Jeff, 2006-04-12 14:01:09Who did the writing for it? Did any of the Dynamix people who did their RPGs (BAK, BIA, RTK, etc) have any involvement with it?
JT…
No. The Realm was strictly a Sierra project, and my recollection is that a programmer named David Slaybeck was primarily responsible for it. I think David had some health problems and dropped off the project, but don’t remember who took it over.
-Ken W
Who did the writing for it? Did any of the Dynamix people who did their RPGs (BAK, BIA, RTK, etc) have any involvement with it?
JT
The only problems I had with the QFG VGA was a bug that altered the graphics perodically, but it could be dealt with by saving and restarting and then restoring. The other problem I had is that when you visit Erasmus, you can only play the mage’s maze the first time he asked you. There isn’t any way to directly ask him to play the game with you (unless, I’ve missed something all these years).
Also, on a side note, in The secret passage after you kill the troll, there is no treasure stash..I’ve always wondered why they took that out..
LSL 1 VGA and SQ 1 VGA, I have no complaints about. The only thing in SQ1 VGA, I am aware that they changed was getting past the grate monster underground. You can’t just walk against the wall, you actually have to use something to neturalize it. A far better solution and does not at all effect plot continuity.
As for the Ulence Flat Scenes in SQ 4, I’ve always wondered what they were thinking, since SQ1 VGA had to be on the drawing board when they were finishing SQ4. What I think would have made a great in-game joke, would be if that the Ulence Flats suffers some kind of glitch that causes its to revert to CGA graphics after Roger leaves….
Huh? I can’t believe it is still going! Who is doing it? How many people are playing it?
Very cool.
-Ken W
PQ1EGA was one of my favorite games of all time. I played it to death. I was excited when I saw a VGA remake at the store but I didn’t have a PC. I finally got the PQ Collection and played the VGA remake last year. I have to say it was pretty horrible. I didn’t even notice the continuity issues. I was too busy hating the dumbed-down icon system, the pointless driving, and the complete destruction of the old Lytton. The driving was probably the worst part. The original gave you freedom to drive anywhere with or without your lights on. And it really ruined the police procedure part of the game when you could just click on someone and have the game do the procedure for you instead of actually needing to know the procedure. The original is simply better in every way and I even prefer the graphics and sound. I had the IIgs version though, so it had excellent sound. It had a charm the VGA version lacked. PQ1VGA is a touchy subject for me.
I did like the VGA version of Quest for Glory, though. That got it right. I haven’t played Space Quest VGA or LSL VGA yet. I’m sure I’d like them except for the continuity issue in Space Quest too since in SQ4 you go back to SQ1 with its VGA graphics. Very awesome segment.
I’ve added a ‘what’s new page’ for people more easily see what I’m up to.
http://www.sierra-collector.com/contents/whatsnew.cfmRecent major additions are streaming video versions of many of Sierra’s non-playable demos, created using DosBox 0.65’s recording feature.
Yeah, these do pop up every once in a while. I should note that there is a collaboration of collectors to attempt to win all of these very rare types of auctions that come up, so that we can have a collection of hi-res assets that will eventually be shared with the entire community.
Yeah, I’ve been noting the ‘release dates’ based on the INT. #’s too.
In fact, I’ve made it a sub-hobby of mine in addition to collecting the
games, to archive all the different versions of a given game.For example, there’s Quest for Glory 2 with the following INT numbers:
10.31.90, 11.20.90, and 12.7.90 — I guess they wanted to get all the
bugs out before Christmas! 😉 Another thing to note is all versions
were on the mountain labels except 12.7.90, which was on the rainbow
ones. But label discussion is for another thread!I think I mentioned in another thread that there are multiple ver/int
numbers of KQ4, including an SCI version on nine disks instead of
eight.9 Disk = Ver 1.000.111 Int # 0.000.247
8 Disk = Ver 1.006.003 Int # 0.000.502
OH!! And what’s the deal with SIERRA’S TIES TO SEPTEMBER 11?
Both Leisure Suit Larry 5 and the Sierra/Dynamix Coming Attractions
Demo Disk have INT numbers of 9.11.91…. ten years before terror
struck the world [trade center]!!Kind of ironic that Larry’s plane encounters trouble on the final landing, no?
Also, Gobliins: 9.11.92
-Tom.
P.S. WOW! This topic is 3 years old. I guess I sorted in the wrong direction! :p
Yes….That ruins the whole remake for me, because it throws the entire continuity of the series off…would be similar if they did the same thing in a film remake…
JT
This is somewhat redundant to another message of yours I answered… but, I’ll answer again anyhow…
-Ken W
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…imagos@earthlink.net, 2006-04-07 08:17:04Gotta give a little credit here. You (in the VERY early days) gave local mom and pop businesses a cash flow they may never have seen in decades (especially the printers). In the both plus and minus column – you indirectly helped Oakhurst blossom. As far as giving to the community – you actually sorta helped midwife it!
*** Thank you!
Weren’t always the most personable captain of your ship – but you steered us into some magical destinies in those very early days.
*** If anyone ever finds a way to run a business, making an endless stream of tough decisions, and win popularity contests simultaneously, have them call me!
Gotta ask ya – where do you think you lost control of the wheel? In all seriousness – was it venture capital and stock that drove decisions out of your hands and were ultimately responsible for the lay-offs (etc.).
*** The company grew from 0 to 1,000 employees during my 18 years running it. It never had a year where we lost money, and I doubt it has ever been as profitable as when I was running it. I’m not sure what you mean by ‘lost control of the wheel’? Are you referring to Sierra after it was sold?
*** There were definitely times while I ran the company where we had cut backs. Most of the time, this was accompanied by growth in some other division. I’ve talked elsewhere on the board about Sierra having been structured as a series of entrepreneurial business units. Organizations within Sierra grew or shrunk based on their ability to produce games customers wanted to buy. It would have been nice if every manager always could accurately deliver on their product revenue forecasts, and if all product development efforts finished on time, and on budget. This did not always occur, and sometimes careers were made, and sometimes they were broken. In professional baseball, a player is a superstar if they can hit the ball four times for each ten times at bat. Sierra was a little like that. We had our fair share of strikes, but we also had some homeruns, and overall, we won more games than our competitors.
You had an empire that was absolutely profitable. From a strictly business sense – to what do you attribute the beginning of the end. I was kinda shocked when you actually started getting outside managers (though in retrospect – you couldn’t be all things all the time and still map our destination as a company)…
*** At the time we sold Sierra, we were on top of the world, and had a great pipeline of products. Mistakes were made by the new owners. Actually… criminal mistakes were made by the new owners. But, that’s a whole other story.
My answers embedded – preceded by ***
-Ken W
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…imagos@earthlink.net, 2006-04-07 08:02:46Would be nice to see somewhere here – a spot perhaps entitled ‘Sierra’s Soul’ where folks that started at Online (yeah – that far back) could at least record their names. I was your 10th or llth employee – and actually worked for ya twice (before and after a drug induced psychosis – lol).
*** Of course I remember!
I remember actually feeding the apple computers disk after disk and stuffing them into ZIPLOCK bags for sale. I remember answering the phone from calls all over the world seeking answers to adventure games. I remember working with John Williams in marketing. I remember some of the best and worst times of my life (or so they seemed then). Wish I had been more mature (but I was a graduate of the local high school and so green it hurt). I remember the first words Ken ever said to me (late to the interview – had to get my lip stitched – long story) were ‘Are you always a flake or just lately?’ I suppose that was an ego test (scorpio that Ken is to moi = another scorpio). Guess I passed. Went from disc copying to graphic arts when he let me use the graphic tablet for the Apple. Oh the times I recall. So sad Sierra seems lacking some fundamental creativity or energy or something (witnessed by layoffs, etc.).
*** It would be interesting to know how Sierra is doing today. I honestly don’t know. I assumed they were dead, but I recently got a newsletter from them, and games are still coming out. Maybe they are doing well. It would be fun to know their revenues (and profits). I’m certainly guilty of being critical of them .. but, perhaps they are bigger than ever. I have no way of knowing.
Ken – y’all had a way to bring out the best in folks once… As an insider, I always wanted to tell ya, once you started handing over decisions to the stuffed suits – it was the beginning of the end – even way back then.
*** Sierra grew revenues and profits EVERY year except one (1982 I think). We did get more bureaucratic, but all companies do as they get larger.
Where the bleep is John by the way? Did he stay married in Oakhurst? Is he still alive?
*** John did very well (my brother). Married, living in Seattle, with two wonderful little girls. A very happy guy. He works now for an oil company making software for gas pumps.
Read some article where he attended your son’s graduation in Seattle and remembered them knee high to me at your place in Oakhurst (the one with the racquetball court for a basement). Some days seem like yesterday!!!! Even the drug filled ones. I guess a lot of us are lucky to have just made it through the 80’s – lol. I do you wish you a bit of that creative magic for future success. Sorta seems to be missing lately… Terry…
*** No need to wish anything for me. I’ve had my 15 minutes of fame. Now it’s someone elses turn. My primary focus is on boating and golf.
*** Thank you for the comments, and hope you are doing well!
Gads…. I had forgotten that guy. A lot of colorful people passed through Sierra over the years.
Some great, some horrible, but very few boring ones.
-Ken W
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…Gillett, Alistair, 2006-04-07 10:17:06For the record, Josh was working with KQ9 but parted company with the KQ9 project because of fundamental (ethical?) differences.
– Alistair…
That’s a story I don’t know. I think Josh left while I was still at the company, but I’ve long forgotten why.
-Ken W
It would be great to hear from former employees about the culture of Sierra and their views on the games. Where did they come up with some of their in-game ideas. Was it something like ‘Alice in Wonderland’
in a haze? lol.I owned the NES edition before I owned the Kings Quest Collection CD’s for my computer. The NES edition really was a fine effort, it pushed the NES 8-bit hardware to the limits.
I can see this being an issue for catridge based games, but since the 1990’s video games have moved over to the CD.
Oddly enough, graphic adventure games often do not make it over to the video game side of the market. I owned a Sega CD, and ‘Monkey Island 1’, ‘Rise of the Dragon’, ‘Adventuers of Will’ and ‘Snatcher’ were really the only two graphic adventure games released.
Why not release more G.A.G. onto the Playstation or XBOX?
For the record, Josh was working with KQ9 but parted company with the KQ9 project because of fundamental (ethical?) differences.
– Alistair
Do you mean ‘Alex’ in the Hotel Delphoria? Took me a minute to realise who you meant.
And- wow! I never played PQ1AGI up until there, so I never realised!!
Regards,
– AlistairSo Prostitution is really the same thing as homosexuality and cross-dressing. Um, Ok.
I am guessing that Nintnedo and Sega had censorship rules that graphic adventure computer games generarlly did not operate under or ignored. I noticed that many graphic adventure games had plently of ‘mature sexual themes’.
Geez – you woulda croaked when Online (pre-sierra – but all Ken and Roberta) was rampant with drugs and booze AND STILL FUNCTIONED, but we were a child of our times (early 80’s). Though there were casualties – self included – there were no excuses. You performed or else. A good – or for that matter – great manager evolves as his business does. Ken was what – 25 years old when things really started cooking. There wasn’t a hell of a lot of hoity toity when our software was going out in ziplock bags – but the keen business sense of things were clearly there… the ability to put the right person in the right place (foibles and all) – looking to have your suppliers BID for your business, the ability to let teams form rather spontaneously. There should be a time machine for entrepeneurs to go back and witness from the earliest days in Oakhurst. There’s an undeniable degree of luck, but after just plain guts – it was will to succeed.
I would love to see those up close. Thanks for sharing, Tom!