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It’s finally here! This review/retrospective tackles why we loved Sierra games against the backdrop of King’s Quest 2015. It tries to provide tangible game design reasons about what made classic Sierra games special, with a particular focus on the special relationship between storytelling and puzzles. And of course a look at how KQ2015 measures up. Even if you don’t ultimately agree with my opinions, it should be a fun, nostalgic romp through Sierra games as it also tries to celebrate Sierra games and their creators. It contains clips from almost all the Sierra games (yes, lot's of Space Quest), interview excerpts from most of the original designers (yes, Mark Crowe & Scott Murphy), lots of classic Sierra music, and a tribute to Gary Owens. Why We Loved Sierra Games: King’s Quest 2015: An Opinionated Review by a crotchety Sierra fan who remembers 1984 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wua96SI6SBE&list=PLPAVYgFfeddJzax1X4VUj69Z1Vs4PqGlA&index=1 I really appreciate all help in spreading the word. I’m a social media dummy. Thanks, Eric

I just released 3 teasers/trailers for the upcoming review. I made a new thread here: http://www.spacequest.net/topic/924-teasers-for-why-we-loved-sierra-games-kings-quest-2015-an-opinionated-review-by-a-crotchety-sierra-fan-who-remembers-1984/

I'm getting close to releasing my "review" I mentioned in the other thread. The word "review" probably doesn't quite do it justice because it is so unorthodox. So I made 3 teasers/trailers to try to help convey what this thing is. Even though King's Quest is in the title, there is quite a lot of Space Quest in it (as well as other Sierra games). I'm fairly confident classic Sierra fans will enjoy it. TEASERS for: Why We Loved Sierra Games: King's Quest MMXV: An Opinionated Review by a crotchety Sierra fan who remembers 1984 YouTube PlayList for all 3 teasers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9Ch6c8sFbA&list=PLPAVYgFfeddJEgkma-88EpzCdWSH03hFt&index=1 or individually Black Hole: https://youtu.be/E9Ch6c8sFbA Blueprint: https://youtu.be/A1-5VoZEzGQ Dem Bones: https://youtu.be/oBqwdxQnvjw The full review is coming soon, possibly this week. I really appreciate all help in spreading the word on this. Sierra fans are hard to reach, and I don't have a useful social media presence. Thanks, Eric

Well, the overall video is about done, and it’s just final touches/fixes, so I’m not planning to make major changes at this point and don't need input or clips any more. However, here are some of my answers. It still might be interesting to hear others. - What was your favorite text parser moment? (Favorite input or favorite response or could be a puzzle) I’m currently featuring (among others) the SQ2 jockstrap sling shot, Hero’s Quest pick nose, KQ4 rap, LSL7 eat beaver. I was going for family friendly so I left out some. - What was your favorite Sierra death? From a clip perspective, I’m using a lot from Space Quest (and probably an overweighting of SQ3) because they are very visual without needing text or additional context. In contrast, some of my favorite QFG deaths don’t make so much sense without the death dialog box. - Sierra “consequences” Currently I have KQ6 multiple endings, SQ1 not getting the data cartridge, Hero’s Quest killing the bear, Conquests of Longbow the peasant woman living or dying, QFG2 killing or refusing to kill the EOF fighter, QFG2 helping (or not) the caged beast. - Favorite multiple solution puzzle I dropped a segment that was going to use the SQ2 jockstrap/throw-rock/run-and-yell puzzle. - What Sierra puzzle did you feel pushed you to step up and rise to the occasion? I do a dissection/analysis of the KQ1 getting magic chest + dwarf challenge. I also mention (with commentary excerpts from Scott Murphy and Mark Crowe) the SQ3 garbage freighter. I also talk about a single puzzle from KQ2015. I cut a segment that was going to use the SQ2 jockstrap/rock/run-and-yell puzzle. - Favorite (Space Quest) Gary Owens line? As a tribute, I’ve been trying to work in Gary Owens lines into my review where they fit. Not as much as I would have liked, but I think it works. I'll leave it as a surprise. - Favorite Sierra song? - Favorite King’s Quest song? I’m King’s Quest music throughout the review to drive home a specific point. I’ve used up most of KQ4, KQ5, and a lot of KQ6. Even got KQ1 and KQ3 in the mix. However, in the one section where I talk about music explicitly, I’m putting a short montage together of catchy/memorable songs that can convey this in 4 to 8 second clips. Currently I have Space Quest theme, LSL theme, Hero’s Anthem (QFG1 theme), World O’ Wonders (SQ3), St. George’s Books (GK1), Weeping Willow (KQ5), The Thief break-in (QFG1-2), Erana’s Peace (QFG1), Let’s Shop!/Galaxy Galleria (SQ4), Glastonbury Tor & Mad Monk (Camelot). (I feel a little bad that I used very few Police Quest clips. I thought about using a song because it really sounds great on an MT-32, but everybody’s first reaction is “that’s so 80’s”, which I don’t want derailing the point.)

Hi all, I’m a dormant Sierra fan…I used to hang out at Quest Studios maybe 15 years ago. I’m planning to resurface briefly due to the new King’s Quest. I’m working on an unorthodox video review of King’s Quest 2015 from the perspective of a Sierra fan who remembers 1984. It’s actually turned into a stroll down memory lane of Sierra games and a tear down of how Sierra games actually worked, particularly the relationship between story and puzzles. So there are a lot of clips from many Sierra games. I expect(hope) Sierra fans will find it interesting, and unlike anything that has been done before. After about 3 months on this, I’m nearing completion and maybe it’s already too late to ask for input, but kind of as a sanity check, and in case I need more clips (I don’t put myself on camera, so I end up needing lots of clips, which is a ton of work but keeps things more relevant), I would appreciate your input on the following questions. (Don’t feel compelled to answer all of them if you don’t have an answer.) I’m focusing on the positive things in Sierra games. Enough has been said about the negative things that the world doesn’t need another Sierra rant, nor do I think these can advance things forward at this point. - What was your favorite Sierra puzzle? (Both text parser and point-and-click) - What Sierra puzzle did you feel pushed you to step up and rise to the occasion? (Note, this doesn’t have to be a hard puzzle, but can also be one that just required you to be attentive because it may not have been explicit, or maybe just had something really creative about it, or just something about it that was special to you) - What was your favorite text parser moment? (Favorite input or favorite response or could be a puzzle) - What was your favorite Sierra game moment? - What was your favorite Sierra death? - If you liked Sierra “consequences” (e.g. killing the goat in KQ1 means you need to do something else for the bridge troll), what was your favorite consequence? - Favorite multiple solution puzzle? - Favorite (Space Quest) Gary Owens line? - Favorite Sierra song? - Favorite King’s Quest song? - How did you feel about Sierra arcade sequences? - What do you think of modern QTEs (and their use in KQ2015)? For clips, I’m finding things with very little or no text work best because of my very fast cuts. Also, I’m finding text parser works better for actions because you can more clearly see what’s being attempted by reading the text entry than inferring that somebody clicked something and what is happening. - Right now, I think I need some generic Sierra (game) clips for the conclusion. Things that denote legacy, wrapping up, the future, etc. (I’ve already used a lot of clips in other places and I’m trying to not repeat which makes it more challenging.) Also, since I’ve been out of the communities so long, what other communities would you recommend reaching out to? (I think I had an AGDI account, but long forgot it.) Thanks!

There are a lot of factual problems with this. Space Quest got plenty of marketing and support. Anybody who remembers Sierra games almost always rattles off King’s Quest, then Space Quest (and Leisure Suit Larry). King’s Quest was the flag ship. It sold more. It appealed to a wider base. Comedy in general is harder to get mass appeal. But this doesn’t mean Space Quest was not a money maker. Space Quest got 6 games. Aside from King’s Quest, only Leisure Suit Larry got as many. You don’t do that if the games aren’t making money. When Sierra first jumped to use professional musicians, King’s Quest 4 got William Goldstein, and Ken Williams got Supertramp drummer Bob Siebenberg for Space Quest 3. When Scott and Mark wanted Gary Owens for narrator for Space Quest 4, Sierra was on board and agreed instead of putting up a fight. Also, most Sierra games outsold LucasArts by magnitudes. The LucasArts guys have stated their constant frustration that Sierra constantly outsold them by so much. Ignoring the salient point that Scott and Mark could have never created Space Quest without Ken and Sierra, this could have never been a LucasArts game. The LucasArts guys have stated in interviews they hated the things Space Quest did. (They didn’t name Space Quest, but some Sierra game, but they remembered vague things about dying all the time, like picking up a piece of glass and cutting themselves and dying instantly which they hated. I think they were (mis)remembering Space Quest 3 picking up the sheet metal at the beginning. They felt that the authors were sadistic that hated the player and wanted to kill them.) This led them to things like the no-death policy. Ironically, it was probably Space Quest that help make LucasArts what they became.

Hi, I thought maybe you would like this. (Thanks to the moderators who already posted this on the Twitter feed.) I did a defense of Flappy Bird video. What's interesting to you is that I snuck in Astro Chicken into one of the sections. The section is a historical stroll through games past looking for similar games. While most of the references are 80's arcades, I love Sierra games and had to include this in the history to keep the memory alive, particularly in a generation that doesn't remember both Sierra games or 80's arcades. Anyway, I hope you guys find it interesting and worth sharing. It's not often we see it referred to in more mainstream conversation (which is why I took the opportunity). http://youtu.be/Us-W5CWj7Ic Thanks, Eric