Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
I would be interested.
Lately the Blue Puff Software team has been checking out games like Sherlock Holmes Nemesis and Dracula Origin. They’re OK; nothing special once you play through them.Manhunter 3 would be great to see!Here’s the thing about updates: Now that we have 3-D graphics, some of these games seem to be gorey. Back in Manhunter 1 and 2, the pixel resolution was a big factor. It will be interesting to see what rating MH3 receives from the ESRB.
If no one buys it, wouldn’t the intrinsic market value be $0? And thus, open to anyone that is willing to take on the corporate name/assets?
If so, I do believe that there are still people that Sierra and it’s traditional (as well as some of the newer) assets are worth something. I, for one do… and would be willing to put some funding to purchase (and manage it), along with any investors/lenders that would be willing to provide the additional funding needed to acquire it. However, the best case scenario is having Ken purchasing it back, it’s the best way the company would get back the original heart… kinda reminds you of Jobs coming back… that said… if Activision does not find many buyers, put my name in the hat. I’d love to own a piece, and manage, a great brand name such as Sierra.
I have been (and still am) a fan of Sierra games from the past, and always wanted to be a part of that classic innovative entertainment company.
Thanks.
Manish
P.S. My wife and I just finished King’s Quest IV last week. I played it again after at least 15 years… still as entertaining as ever.
Or, come to think of it, no one will buy it and it will be scrapped… Everything from Leisure Suit Larry to King’s Quest… simply discarded…
THAT’S SOOO AWESOME! And I TOTALY agree that Ken should start it up again– either Ken or Al Lowe… that would be sooo awesome!
That’s cool. Would be awesome if other Sierra designers from back in the day decided to revisit their series. If someone respectable could grab the Sierra brand and rights, then maybe we can get these old franchises from out of limbo.
I think every Sierra fan would be interested in a new Manhunter game.
It looks like Sierra may be up for grabs: http://www.edge-online.com/news/activision-set-sell-sierra
It would be nice to think that any new owner would do justice to the names and to the IP assets. (Hey Ken, here’s your chance again.)This is a topic I have long wondered about… and I never could get a straight answer out of my dad (Barry Murry) or uncle (Dave Murry). This thread certainly makes them sound like jerks! I know that my family has the highest respect for Ken, and I regret how things ended. However, I can offer a bit of clarity in a few areas.
I do know that it was not Evryware who said that there were “disagreements with the direction of the series” with Ken. It is our belief that it was the result of standard internet speculation, in combination with John’s theory that “disagreements” simply meant that a business deal was not reached. Also, Evryware seriously pursued Manhunter 3 about 10 years ago, but Sierra was going through “changes” (post Ken era) and they were not interested. Nor would they release the rights to the series. The project fell through. But I could see how this could be translated into “disagreements”.
So fast forward. Evryware decides to get out of the game business to explore various side projects. But over the course of the last ten years, we have periodically toyed with returning to Manhunter 3. A thought that never really died, but never made any progress either (which is as good as dead). Attempts were made to get in discussions with Sierra again, but they always failed.
Until April 2008.
After encouraging discussions with Sierra, we have been developing a prototype game (featuring Day One, of Manhunter: New York) to find out if our concept (currently on paper) is actually fun to play by today’s standards, while keeping the soul of the original. After ten years, we were finally making progress.
Then, last week, Sierra’s pending doom was announced. The future of Sierra is unclear. Despite what happens, the momentum has started and the demo is in progress. We will complete the prototype. But the future hinges on what happens to Sierra (or whoever ends up with the rights to Manhunter) after the dust settles.
So, if there is anyone left who cares, April 2008 is the first time since 1989 that a new Manhunter is in development. Not a full game, just a proof of concept at this point. But that’s better than nothing right?
I am interested in hearing any thoughts or feedback. Feel free to email me! And thank you for all the kind words on this site. It provides a lot of motivation and inspiration. When the time comes, I will be back looking for some input on what you guys think of the demo.
Have a great weekend!
Mike Murry
mike@evryware.comKen,
Thanks for spelling out your thoughts and intentions very clearly on all of this activity with the Sierra name and trademarks. Some part of me was holding out hope you were bored to tears, sick of the ocean and itching to dive back in but I totally understand your “this is retirement time” philosophy and think you are spot on. I think it’s cool you take the time to update your interested fans on what’s going on and I wish you and Roberta nothing but happiness in your well earned and well lived reward.
Here’s a small supplement to my message below:
I worked for years on trying to buy the film rights to Leisure-Suit Larry. I’ve always wanted to make a film, and think Larry would be perfect. Various regiemes at Sierra have said yes to selling me the rights, and then all have been swapped out before a deal could be done. I might make another effort to get these rights, although, currently, I’m focused on other projects.
Much of my time is being taken up these days by Talkspot (http://www.talkspot.com). It’s a service that provides ‘build your own websites’ for small businesses. We currently have over 30,000 sites built, and are adding a couple of hundred a week. It’s just something fun I’m doing with my son, but it does take time.
Also: Roberta and I are addicted to boating. We crossed the Atlantic a few years back, explored the Bahamas last year, and just finished running our boat 5,000 miles from Seattle to Costa Rica. Next summer we start a circumnavigation with a run to Alaska, the Bering Sea, Siberia and Japan. I’ve also published two boating books, that have sold extremely well amongst the dozens of other people who are into serious long-range cruising.
For retired people, we do keep busy…
-Ken W
I received several emails last night asking whether or not I would try to buy back some of the Sierra brand names; Leisure-Suit Larry, Kings Quest, Phantasmagoria, etc.
As I mentioned here, I did think about getting back into the business recently. I sent an email to the Activision CEO saying that I would be willing to put together a small team focused on doing small, but innovative products. Specifically, I was thinking to go one of two directions: massively multiplayer games or iPhone games. Actually, I should restate and say ‘Entertainment’ not ‘games’. I never liked the word ‘game’ because it limits creativity. Their CEO did respond to say that it sounded interesting and invited me down to Los Angeles to visit. I wrote back to try to establish if he was ‘just being polite’ or was genuinely interested in making something happen, and he hasn’t responded yet. I wouldn’t blame him for not responding, in that I’m not really willing to commit the 20 hours a day effort that it takes to build world-class product. I do think I could do something cool and new, but to really be a player in the business, you need to commit your life to it, and I’ve ‘been there, done that.’
This also applies to buying back the old brands. If I wanted back into the business, the smartest path to the top would be to start with the Sierra brand, and trademarks, that are already established. In particular, I like Kings Quest and Leisure-Suit Larry. Kings Quest targets an under-served niche in the market. Roberta’s vision for Kings Quest was to have a ‘Disney-Style’ product, or these days I guess you would say ‘Pixar-style’ product, that is fun for the entire family.
The problem is that I’m not serious about making money, or starting another large company. I can’t say that we have all the money we could want, but we have enough that we can do all the things we want to do. Like it or not, life is of finite length. There’s a time for youth, a time to work, and a time to be retired. We’ve done the first two of these phases and are enjoying the third. It’s someone elses turn.
I do believe that I could manage one small product, and do something that would be fun, and hopefully surprise people. But, the idea of me starting another big software company, or even taking on a huge games product — it just isn’t happening.
Roberta’s chances are even slimmer than mine. She has been working on a book for about three years, and is working full-time on the project. She still has at least a couple years to go, and isn’t taking on any other projects until the book is finished. [Note: She is writing a serious, and thoroughly researched, novel about the Irish Immigration.]
Hopefully the good news in all of this is that someone will buy the Sierra brand who is committed to do something great. It’s like all of our old characters; Larry, Rosella, Roger Wilco and friends, have been sitting on the bench for the last ten years, saying ‘Put me in coach!’ and no one has been listening. Maybe this means they’ll finally get back into the game.
-Ken W
Kris,
I don’t think everyone agrees that Sierra ”means nothing”. I know myself I don’t want the name to dissapear, nor the games behind it. I want my children to be able to hear the name Sierra and be filled with wonder, just as I once was, and to enjoy new King’s Quests and new Space Quests for years to come. I don’t want these games to dissapear for good.
To say to just kill off Sierra for good is a cold statement, almost as cold as the Vivendi people who tried to bury it. Sierra, the name, has a legacy, and that legacy now has the chance to be in the hands of new owners who might actually do it well. Look at Knowledge Adventure, which was another Vivendi studio. Vivendi sold it to a few private invesors who turned the company around and are still doing well. The same fate could await Sierra.Thanks much for your insight. Take care.
Kris:
Sorry .. but, I don’t think I can be of much help. I didn’t see the announcement, and really don’t know what Sierra even is these days.
I’m a huge supporter of businesses making smart decisions, and that usually means keeping expenses in line with revenues. It also means not splitting your marketing budget 50 different directions. Regardless of who owns Sierra, or what Sierra is, I know that its’ best chance for being around 100 years from now is to have management that is willing to make tough decisions and do what the market dictates.
I suppose I should be disappointed anytime I hear that Sierra is being shutdown, but it really doesn’t bother me. The company was horribly mismanaged for a long time, and it depresses me more every time I hear about a dumb decision being made, than it does when I hear that someone did the right thing, even when it includes killing off a brand or reducing staff size. Generally speaking, if you do dumb things long enough, the staff size will be zero, and if you do smart things long enough, the staff size will be huge.
So.. I guess all I can say is: I don’t know enough to know if this is a good thing or a bad thing, but I hope it is a good thing.
-Ken W
Thanks for the answers, very interesting…I’ve noticed Bob Davidson didn’t stay too long with Cendant either, and Davidson & Associates wasn’t around much longer after he left.
And Roberta sounds like she’s really dedicated to this project, I hope it works out well for her and I look forward to reading it, especially since I’m of Irish descent as well.
That said, thanks again for the answers and have fun on your trip and a safe journey!I had some time to kill while backing up my computer… here’s the answers:
1) When did you last work as the CEO of Sierra? I’ve heard conflicting reports that you resigned as CEO in July 1996 immediately after the sale to CUC; however, from downloading Andy’s scans of the InterAction mags, you still had your President’s Corner section as late as the Summer ’97 issue.*** It depends on how you look at it. I left the company in Nov 1997, however I really stopped running Sierra much earlier. The company was officially acquired in June 1996, and I started immediately working on an online shopping project. Cendant acquired Sierra and Davidson simultaneously, and made the decision to put Bob Davidson in charge of all of software. Bob is a good guy, but I really didn’t want to work for him, so I deliberately wanted out of running Sierra.
2) I’ve also read you worked as a ‘Senior Advisor’ at Sierra after the sale and for about a year or two afterward. Were you still there when Greno was brought in as CEO in June ’98? What kind of role did you play after resigning as CEO/Pres?
*** Answered above. I thought I was going to at least stay involved at the product level, but it just wasn’t working. I think I only attended one product meeting after the deal was done. I did meet Greno a few times socially, but I was long gone when he was hired.
3) What were some of the last products you worked on at Sierra, if you remember? If you don’t remember, no need to answer this one.*** Half-life, KQ8, and MANY more. We always had about 50 products going at a time. That said… on any given product the team did 99% of the work.
4) Who took your place as the CEO or President?*** At the time of the acquisition I was the CEO and Mike Brochu was the President. After the acquisition Mike reported directly to Bob Davidson, and I reported to the CEO of Cendant.
5) How long did you work for CUC as Vice Chairman and a member of the Office of the President? http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_1996_Sept_13/ai_186741745*** From June 1996 to Nov 1997
6) What were the roles of Mike Brochu, Scott Lynch, Randy Dersham and Bill Moore at Sierra prior to and after the acquisition by CUC?*** Mike – President
*** Scott Lynch – Product manager on Half-Life, and I think he was promoted right at the end to running all of the Seattle-based development.
*** Randy Dersham – He was the studio head for Dynamix (In Oregon)
*** Bill Moore – VP Marketing
and a non Sierra question:1) A few years back, I remember reading that Roberta was working on a book, sort of an Irish ”Roots” sort of book. Is that still going on?
*** She’s working VERY hard. It is the story of the irish immigration. Think Roots, for the Irish. She has a team of researchers and has been on it for years, full times, with years more effort to go!
France, huh? Parlez-vous le français, monsieur?
Your trip sounds very exciting, especially if you’re going by boat. That’s like a real life adventure game in and of itself.
And no, unfortunately (with the exception of a poem in the 4th grade), I haven’t had anything published, though I’d love to write a book on Sierra. I do know a great author though, and she’s a huge Sierra fan and an incredibly talented artist as well. She’s written a lot of Sierra fan fics (and is a big fan of fairy tales), which you and Roberta might enjoy reading while on your trek to France.
http://www.Akril.sq7.orgPerhaps you could contact her, if you’re interested.
I hope you and Roberta have a fun, safe trip!
Greetings Nico…
I would like to see someone write a book on Sierra. We leave in the morning for France for a month. I won’t have time to work on the questions until I get there.
Have you published anything previously? If I hit a writer I thought could get a book published, I’d work with them on the project (whatever that means…)
-Ken W
Hey Ken!
I’m trying to write a comprehensive history of Sierra; I have some questions. I’ve included some links for you to look at; perhaps you can correct some of the information. I’d really appreciate it as my goal is to eventually write a book on Sierra, though I doubt that will come to fruitation. Sorry for the number of questions, there’s just a very blurry time in Sierra history (1996-1997) in which there’s not a lot of information on the structure of the company and what was going on behind closed doors
1) When did you last work as the CEO of Sierra? I’ve heard conflicting reports that you resigned as CEO in July 1996 immediately after the sale to CUC; however, from downloading Andy’s scans of the InterAction mags, you still had your President’s Corner section as late as the Summer ’97 issue.
2) I’ve also read you worked as a ‘Senior Advisor’ at Sierra after the sale and for about a year or two afterward. Were you still there when Greno was brought in as CEO in June ’98? What kind of role did you play after resigning as CEO/Pres?
3) What were some of the last products you worked on at Sierra, if you remember? If you don’t remember, no need to answer this one.
4) Who took your place as the CEO or President?5) How long did you work for CUC as Vice Chairman and a member of the Office of the President? http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_1996_Sept_13/ai_186741745
6) What were the roles of Mike Brochu, Scott Lynch, Randy Dersham and Bill Moore at Sierra prior to and after the acquisition by CUC?
and a non Sierra question:
1) A few years back, I remember reading that Roberta was working on a book, sort of an Irish ”Roots” sort of book. Is that still going on?
Because my mom always said I should make myself useful whenever that was possible….
Computer Gaming World: Sierra Sale news article from April of 96
Computer Gaming World: Johnny Wilson Editorial on sale of Sierra from April of 96Answers preceded by ***
1) I’ve heard that KQ7 was originally much larger than the final released version, and that there were several lands and plot points which were cut, such as a Rubber Jungle, amongst other things, and that KQ8 was a much different game than the one that was released. Is this true?
*** Roberta would have to answer this one… That said, here’s what I know:
*** There was no controversy on KQ7. The game that released is the game that Roberta designed and intended.
*** KQ8 is another story. Roberta was not happy with the game, and fought its release. Prior to the sale of the company I “protected” the game designers, such that the game they wanted released would be their design as they intended it. After the company was sold Roberta felt like she lost this support, and lost control of the game. Her ability to make the game what she wanted was diminished. Ultimately, a game was released that represented the bare minimum that she was willing to put her name on, as opposed to something that she was proud of.2) I’ve read that many Sierra designers wrote detailed biographies and facts of and about their characters to aid in the patenting process. In fact, I’ve read these bios and fact sheets were so detailed that Roberta could ”undoubtebly tell you what Rosella’s favorite color is” and that Lori Anne Cole could ‘tell you about the Bookwyms childhood’. Is this true, and if so, does Roberta still have any of her old character bios and would she be willing to allow the fans to see them?
*** A lot has been posted on this site, and much of it lost as different people reorganized this site. Over the next month or two I want to completely redo this site (saving the message board contents) under Talkspot’s new technology. At that time I’ll try to hunt down all of the “lost” postings to this site. There are plenty of examples of game designs that have been posted here at various times.
3) At this point, even though it’s been a long time, do you ever contemplate jumping back in to the gaming business or at least buying some Sierra stock? Activision Blizzard, the company which now owns Sierra, is once more a publicly traded company.
*** Recently I contacted Activision about them funding a small research team for me, that would try to do something “small but cool”. My hope was to experiment with “out of the box” ideas and see if I could invent something different. Activision was receptive to the idea, and their CEO said “Let’s have lunch.” As he said it he was leaving the country, and now I’m leaving the country for a few months. I do think we’ll pull something together sooner or later — but, later appears more likely than sooner.
4) Another thing I’ve read is that some designers would use up and coming designers as ”ghost writers”, and to help groom them into say an ‘A-List’ designer, they would be assigned to write or design part of an ‘A List’ designer’s game. Is that true?
*** Yes. That was how we found our new designers. It was a program with mixed success. Asking one creative person to ghost write for another usually led to creative differences and mediocre games. It would be like asking someone else to ghost write a Steven King novel, under his direction. It just doesn’t work — but, we did try it.
5) Has Roberta changed her mind at all on letting her Design Documents be seen by the public?
*** I think she has always been open to this.
6) Do you have any old Design sketches or any nifty old Sierra stuff still around? Or perhaps any interesting tidbits or stories about Sierra or the creation of some of the games, like KQ5 for example, that you’d care to tell?
*** As I think of things, I post them here. There is more hidden away deep in these message boards than I think people realize, or can get access to. The software behind these message boards is five plus years old and buggy. I’ll do something much better soon, and it will hopefully unlock a lot of cool stuff.
7) Would you be interested in getting together via Radio, Chat or other form of distant communication, with some of the other Sierra veterans, like you did in 1999?
*** Sure .. I’m almost always open to this kind of stuff .. unless I have to go somewhere. Our problem is that travel dominates our lives, and we are usually on our boat in some third world country.
And a last, non-Sierra question: Have you played any games lately, new or otherwise?
*** Neither Roberta nor I EVER play games. I think that after 20 years of building games, you get kind of burned out on them. That said, Roberta does play Scrabulous sometimes with our son Chris. And, I played internet Chess virtually every day for years with my dad, until he passed away earlier this year.
