Frede

This is why I have continuing love/hate affair with the adventure community. Because going from text adventure, to parser, to point 'n click was somehow fine. But that's also it. "I only want to play point 'n click games from now on. And I can deal with graphics that have a resolution higher than 640x480, but I am probably still going to mention that I long for 'the good old days'." If Sierra On-Line had to deal with that shitty attitude whenever they started using a new engine, they'd have folded in the early 90's.
 
What makes a game an "adventure" is the focus on exploration and storytelling over action.  Every single time someone can't get that through his/her thick skull, a legendary adventure game designer has to pee a shard of glass. Screw the mouse and the parser. Just use whatever you need to make the game world and the story come alive. Give me something I want to explore every inch of and fawn over. Supposedly, only the 1990's wield that power. If you want to make a tradiotional game, cool with me. If you want to take the genre to new places, you're only really doing what's been done since it was first invented, up until the early 2000's.
 
If The Odd Gentlemen can make a different approach work, I say we let 'em. Technologically, we're in a different place than we were back when GK3 and KQ8 were forced to become low-polygon horrors. Cut them some slack.

Trying to imagine Roger Wilco being played by Robin Williams ... wow.
 
I wonder how many other actors were considered for the role? Both in the realm of possibility (who they auditioned) and impossibility (who they imagined playing the part).
 
If PCJ isn't just making this up in bad taste (huh? well, he might! have you ever had a conversation with the man?), I'm definitely going to slide this in the next show.

Maybe my opinion is affected by the tragedy of the man dying, but: what a bummer. That could have been absolutely spectacular.
 
For the love of all potentially existing deities out there, Troels, please mention this on the podcast.

Maybe my opinion is affected by the tragedy of the man dying, but: what a bummer. That could have been absolutely spectacular.
 
For the love of all potentially existing deities out there, Troels, please mention this on the podcast.

Fun fact, just yesterday Scott was telling me that they were trying to get Robin Williams to play Roger in SQ4 and that Robin had wanted to, being an avid fan of video games, but that he had a prior commitment to do Hook, and so was unable to do SQ4.

I wish them well, and there's a good chance I'll pick up the upcoming King's Quest game if it looks interesting.
 
But then again, I'm optimistic and see a higher chance of fan-service down the road if we actually try to support them. Some just see a higher chance of us fans being screwed over (again). Still, the world is a different place now, given stuff like social media. One could hope that this Sierra will be trying to listen to their audience, which is something Ken Williams' Sierra could only really do at the very end of the original run.
 
EDIT: They seem to be focusing on working with indie developers in their statements. That's promising, I think; the Guys are technically indie...

I do hope Sierra does a new SQ game. Done right, it could be a massive hit, actually.
 
Look at Guardians of the Galaxy. That film is VERY SQ in spirit--yes it was based on comics,
 
But let's see:
Loser-ish underdog hero, interesting worlds, having to save the galaxy. Sort of a parody of the Han Solos of the world, but more of an average Joe. Sounds like our Rog.
Funny plotline, humor, pokes at the sci fi genre and the '80s in general
A soundtrack of Rock N' Roll songs from the 1970s and early 1980s--Hello, SQIII Soundtrack, anyone?
 
And it's proving to be a big hit. A new SQ game, if marketed correctly, which would have to be a bit different from the original games--similar to Incinerations perhaps--could be a hit even among non-Sierra fans. SQ has that sci fi thing which is big now, and is just good fun--something missing in a lot of mediums. That's why Guardians of the Galaxy is a hit--it's given cinema a fun ride that we've been missing for a while.
 
We're basically in the late '70s or early '80s again. A new world of games is opening before us, a fun, goofy sci fi film is a summer hit giving the world a reprieve from the dark and gritty, realistic films of earlier in the decade. And this little company called Sierra is starting up and making a game called King's Quest.....Different yes in many ways, promising just the same.

The official press release:
 
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20140812005879/en/Sierra-Back!!!#.U-o05ONdVoM
Sierra Is Back!!! The New Sierra Launches with an Exclusive Focus on Indie Game Development
The Epic Return of King’s Quest and Geometry Wars3: Dimensions
Headline the List of New, Fan-Favorite Titles Planned to Launch Under the Sierra Brand
 
August 12, 2014 11:31 AM Eastern Daylight Time KÖLN, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--With a renowned history that’s served as the origin for many nostalgic video game characters, worlds and experiences, Sierra™ continues on today in a return to form that fans of great games will love. A part of Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard (Nasdaq: ATVI), Sierra’s focus is on indie studios developing innovative, edgy and graphically unique games, including new IPs and contemporary reimaginings of beloved Sierra classics. Headlining Sierra’s slate of indie games is an all-new King’s Quest™experience in 2015, and a new Geometry Wars™ game planned to launch this holiday season. Additionally, the Sierrateam is well underway exploring other indie projects to potentially launch later this year, and in 2015 and beyond.
“In addition to Lucid Games and The Odd Gentlemen, we’re in talks with a large number of other indie devs, and can’t wait to share more details with fans in the near future.”
In development by the beloved and quirky studio The Odd Gentlemen (The Misadventures of PB Winterbottom), King’s Quest is a fully reimagined version of the fan-favorite Sierra game fit for both the old and new generation of King’s Quest players. Huge fans of the original King’s Quest series, The Odd Gentlemen are crafting a charming new adventure with an awe-inspiring art style, engaging puzzles, and a wondrous interactive narrative brimming with humor. In the new story, King Graham – revered as the greatest adventurer to ever live – shares his life’s adventures with his curious granddaughter, Gwendolyn. It is through these tales that Gwendolyn discovers the true greatness of her grandfather. King’s Quest is expected to make its heralded return in 2015.
Today’s news about the future of Sierra was met with excitement from its original founder, Ken Williams. “We’re very proud of what we created all those years ago with Sierra Online, and today’s news about carrying Sierra forward as an indie-specific brand is very encouraging,” said Williams. “We look forward to seeing Sierra’s independent spirit live on, and are especially excited to see what The Odd Gentlemen will do with King’s Quest.”
Sierra began in 1979 with a single 8-bit Apple II microcomputer, and founders Roberta and Ken Williams’ love for storytelling and new technology that drove a revolution in the adventure game genre, and forever changed the industry. Today, a new wave of independent artists and entrepreneurs are using the same inventive attitude and latest tech to create amazing gaming experiences, and that’s where Sierra comes into play. With the popularity of digital platforms like Xbox Live, PlayStation Network and Steam, the new Sierra will cater to the unique needs of each indie studio, ranging from aiding in game development and first party relations, to PR, marketing and digital/retail distribution. Sierra will help foster today’s talent to create amazing video games as it has so many times before.
“Sierra’s goal is to find and work with talented indie developers working on their own amazing projects, or passionate about working on great Sierra IP, and leverage our expertise to aid them in bring these fun and exciting experiences to gamers with the level of visibility and awareness they deserve,” said Bob Loya, Sr. Director of External Development. “In addition to Lucid Games and The Odd Gentlemen, we’re in talks with a large number of other indie devs, and can’t wait to share more details with fans in the near future.”
The first title set to launch under Sierra is Geometry Wars3: Dimensions from the team at Lucid Games. Geometry Wars3: Dimensions is an exciting new evolution of the fast-paced, frenetic Geometry Wars gameplay fans love, and will introduce full 3D action and both cooperative and competitive multiplayer for the first time in the franchise. In addition to a full single-player campaign with 50 unique challenges and over 10 battle modes – five of which are brand new to the series – Geometry Wars3: Dimensions features dynamic and persistent progression, offering players a consistently new experience each time they play. Geometry Wars3: Dimensions is planned to launch later this year.
“Thanks to Sierra, we’re planning to release Geometry Wars3: Dimensions on more platforms than ever before,” said Pete Wallace, Studio Head, Lucid Games. “We’re thrilled to work with the indie team at Sierra to bring the next generation of Geo Wars gameplay to our passionate and loyal fans, and look forward to seeing you all online!”
For the latest information on Sierra, including additional details on King’s Quest and Geometry Wars3: Dimensions, be sure to check out the official Sierra website at www.sierra.com.
About Sierra
Developer-lead and player-focused, Sierra publishes highly curated titles that embody best-in-class efforts from indie developers. From providing development funding and deep first-party relations to marketing and retail distribution, Sierra caters to the individual needs of each indie studio. Sierra will primarily publish on digital distribution platforms including Xbox Live, PlayStation Network and Steam for PC.
About Activision Publishing, Inc.
Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.
Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, Brazil, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, South Korea, mainland China and the region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Publishing’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future, including statements about Sierra and the expected launch dates for Geometry Wars3: Dimensions, King’s Quest and other potential indie projects are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause Activision Publishing’s actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include unanticipated product delays and other factors identified in the risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Publishing and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision Publishing nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Activision Publishing or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.
ACTIVISION, SIERRA, KING’S QUEST and GEOMETRY WARS are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners.

If we're being technical, this could potentially find a LOT of Sierra's old designers operating under the Sierra banner again--albeit in a much different way than in the '90s.
 
Sierra's focus now is indie games and developers. Well, the Two Guys are Indie developers. Jane Jensen is an indie developer. Al Lowe has worked with indie people in the past few years--The Paul Trowe Experience. Really, if the old Sierra guys want it, we could potentially see things like SpaceVenture and the Gabriel Knight remake come out as Sierra games. I think that would honestly depend on the alumni wanting to work with Sierra, rather than the other way around; They'd be a perfect fit for the Sierra of today.
 
Then you factor in companies like Phoenix Online and Infamous Quests--indie developers who are small, digitally focused and greatly inspired by Sierra's past. I could definitely see them developing games which are published under the Sierra label down the line, if they are interested in that.
 
We'll never get the Sierra empire we had back in the 1990s, with an office in Oakhurst focused on adventure games. I don't think Sierra will grow to be one of the leaders of the industry that they were in the '90s. But that's OK, because it's a different world, and being so big is what led to Sierra falling so hard. And the Sierra of yesterday--with it's twenty different subsidiaries all over the globe, the way it was managed, couldn't work today even if it was tried. That's not a knock on Ken Williams--The gaming industry is just very different than what it was in 1996. 
 
This Sierra could become an empire of a different kind, though--a small empire with 'provinces' of indie developers. It's a new world. I could see them being a direct rival to TellTale...Who are basically the LucasArts of today.
 
This is a new Sierra, for a new era, with acknowledgements to the past and a look forward to the future. They're not the same company we grew up with--but they're a reborn company with a lot of potential to have success in this digital age.
 
I say we give them a chance.

You know what would be amazing? If this was legit and their KS campaign actually succeeds purely because of people who pledged $1 only to tell Activision how much they suck in the comment section. :D

If that's a joke, it's a damn good one.
 
If not, someone should introduce them to Mr. Trowe before it gets awkward.

:-/
 
Best response tweet: "you're listed on NASDAQ are you taking the piss."

Hmm. The brand isn't everything. Don't really know what to make of it; they own no rights or assets and all the old timers whose games were worth playing want to be independent.
 
EDIT: I hadn't noticed Activision still owns it. Makes it slightly more interesting, with all the IP's they own. Here's hoping they'll want to collaborate with the original creators if they plan to revive any franchises.

It's kinda like saying, "Steven Spielberg - best known for producing Terra Nova, Pinky and the Brain, and Under the Dome."

Too many people are working on "recapturing" something, IMO. I've rambled about this many times, but the 1990's happened and they were good. Now let's get over it and look forward. LSL:R may have sold well enough, but there's a reason it tanked with critics. Few people can just take a game from 1991, slap 2013 all over it and make it work. So "Sierra 2.0" was a lousy idea to begin with, no matter who had it.

Meh. There's a difference between talking about SpaceVenture and bringing up political correctness and feminism all the time. Or going "Wow, this guy sucks!" in your first post. And I was mainly referring to those.
 
No one is saying "don't talk about SpaceVenture" as far as I can tell. But several of us are asking that those who are critical of the game consider listening to what the development team representatives here might have to say before going "Yes, but..."

Meh. There's a difference between talking about SpaceVenture and bringing up political correctness and feminism all the time. Or going "Wow, this guy sucks!" in your first post. And I was mainly referring to those.
 
No one is saying "don't talk about SpaceVenture" as far as I can tell. But several of us are asking that those who are critical of the game consider listening to what the development team representatives here might have to say before going "Yes, but..."

Ah, those were the good old days, in the brief time after the launch of VSB and before the Two Guys Kickstarter. Too bad random political thing had to happen.

Hahah Troels - I must record more Steve-Bot material.  For a potato fueled robot, he sure is chatty.
 
I think your argument for the "lull" in the middle the game is a good one - except, you know, some people kind of LIKE the lull in the middle of the game.  I suppose that comes, for me, from the days where playing a game could stretch over weeks and months, not days and hours.  Different world.  I think the best thing said about Episodic Gaming is that if you're going to do it - start out designing the game that way.  Make sure each episode wraps up it's own story, but IS a part of the larger one.
 
Bt

I've sort of said this on the twitters, but there's not enough room there for nuance, so forgive me.
 
I don't think that episodic anything really works unless one starts the project from the outset to be so. There may be natural breathing points where one could end a "chapter", but if a story arc is supposed to be in one piece it takes an awful lot of work to make it fit to two or more pieces.
 
A game like Space Quest III, for example, couldn't be episodic. The whole exploration thing simply wouldn't work. You'd also have problems with SQ4 and SQ5. Sure, you could instigate insta-death if you go to a world you're not supposed to, or find some other clunky mechanic to get Roger back in his time pod, but I don't think it would really work.
 
Seeing as Spaceventure was - even if only implicitly - "sold" to us as, and no doubt originally intended to be, a "feature length" game, I personally would rather a vastly delayed full game than a still-delayed episodic version.
 
I would also be rather worried. If you're going episodic as an attempt to raise enough capital for the later parts, there's no guarantee that this will actually work. More to the point, if you need extra capital to finish those parts, I can't imagine that after investing in the equipment, coding, art assets, etc. that parts 2 and 3 cost that much compared to getting part 1 out in the first place. In short, I find it doubtful that if the company cannot afford to release all the parts together that it can afford to get out 1, fully-polished and well-crafted opening chapter.
 
However, Troels "devil's advocate" defence of episodic games, coupled with the fact that it was raised on the podcast makes me think that Scott and Mark are seriously considering doing this, if they haven't made that decision already. If that's the case, then I'm sure they'll do the best with what they've got to work with. I can't help but think, though, that something will be lost through such a compromise. And that will always taint the game for me. (Not a rational response, perhaps, but true.)
 
I could be talking out of my arse, here. But to me, it doesn't seem like it can really be justified from an artistic standpoint. Though the economic realities may dictate otherwise.

Absolutely you can criticize all you want; you can also expect criticism of you criticism from time to time.  There are certainly people with good and helpful criticism out there and some with advice that rivals "duck and cover" from the 50s.  Anyone should feel free to say what they feel; just know that there is the absolute possibility that your opinion, critisicm and suggestions may be absolutely, entirely and unequivocally wrong.
 
 
Bt

I am not a fan of episodic gaming at all.  As a designer, I would rather cut out large chunks of my design and release a complete game, rather than break it into "episodes".  You really test your mettle and creativity by crafting a whole and complete game within (unforseen) boundaries, and any material you cut, well, you can adapt it to the sequel if you're good!
 
 
Bt

Yeap, I have to comment. I love how a comic strip that might've been able to make a point once throws it away at the last panel by implying that "rape" is a word that women like to blurt out when they lose a discussion. I'm not against using the word or the act for a bit of raunchy black humour, but honestly, this is a crock of shit.
 
Unless it's some sort of clever meta-comment, but I don't buy that. Looking at that comic, I smell fratboy scrotum sweat and not pipe smoke.

Troels, you're just mad that this one doesn't involve a reference to necrophilia! :P
 
Collector, maybe spread around this one instead. Gets the point across without anyone having to endure the smell of scrotum sweat:
 

Exactly. I would have probably spread this around, but that last panel blows it. It turns what could have been a good argument for a point that I have often made into a brainless misogynistic rant.