I can't think of an intermission for this game, and there doesn't seem to be much in the way of easter eggs, so I'm giving you this.
Showing posts with label King's Quest I. Show all posts
Showing posts with label King's Quest I. Show all posts
Friday, October 3, 2014
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Dilandau3000 plays King's Quest 1: Quest For The Crown - Part 12 of 12
We're done! Now it's time to head to the throne room and become the new king!
-Daventry.png){kind=link}
-LeprechaunCave.png){kind=link}
Now that you're done here, go west and eat the mushroom when you're near the hole in the wall. You'll be able to climb out of here and return to the outside world.
When you go back to the castle, you'll notice the guards are gone. Open the door. You'll notice the courtyard is empty. You're done. Enjoy the ending, with 157 out of 158 points earned. (It should be 158, but he didn't guess the gnome's name right on the first try.)
For those of you confused with that last sentence, if you do everything you're supposed to according to the guide and get the gnome's name right on the first try, you'll get all 158 points. There, now I won't have to edit this blog.
When you go back to the castle, you'll notice the guards are gone. Open the door. You'll notice the courtyard is empty. You're done. Enjoy the ending, with 157 out of 158 points earned. (It should be 158, but he didn't guess the gnome's name right on the first try.)
For those of you confused with that last sentence, if you do everything you're supposed to according to the guide and get the gnome's name right on the first try, you'll get all 158 points. There, now I won't have to edit this blog.
Dilandau3000 plays King's Quest 1: Quest For The Crown - Part 11 of 12
This video does not contain Hornswoggle.
Alright, now we can go down there.
No sooner do you explore the caves that you'll come face-to-face with a man-eating rat! He looks far more menacing here than he does in the original 1984 version. If you get too close, he'll reach out and get you, putting an end to your adventure. Instead, wait for him to tell you to come closer, then give him the cheese. He'll disappear, letting you open the door.
When you open the door, you'll meet two leprechaun guards with spears. If they catch you, you'll be spending the rest of your days peeling potatoes for the Leprechaun King...unless you've picked up the four-leaf clover earlier in your travels. For that, they'll leave you alone. But you don't get any points for that. Instead, play the fiddle. They'll dance themselves out of the room and you'll earn three points for your efforts.
The next room will be full of leprechauns. Thanks to your fiddle playing, they'll be dancing around. When they're gone, get the magic shield and the scepter.
No sooner do you explore the caves that you'll come face-to-face with a man-eating rat! He looks far more menacing here than he does in the original 1984 version. If you get too close, he'll reach out and get you, putting an end to your adventure. Instead, wait for him to tell you to come closer, then give him the cheese. He'll disappear, letting you open the door.
When you open the door, you'll meet two leprechaun guards with spears. If they catch you, you'll be spending the rest of your days peeling potatoes for the Leprechaun King...unless you've picked up the four-leaf clover earlier in your travels. For that, they'll leave you alone. But you don't get any points for that. Instead, play the fiddle. They'll dance themselves out of the room and you'll earn three points for your efforts.
The next room will be full of leprechauns. Thanks to your fiddle playing, they'll be dancing around. When they're gone, get the magic shield and the scepter.
Friday, September 20, 2013
Dilandau3000 plays King's Quest 1: Quest For The Crown - Part 10 of 12
Now that we've taken care of the giant, what trials and tribulations await us further into the Land of the Clouds?
Good news! The chest here is the chest we've been looking for all along! Now let's slip away and go east.
We've already noticed it before, but there's a cave here. Let's go inside.
We've already noticed it before, but there's a cave here. Let's go inside.
-SkyCave.png){kind=link}
In the original version, there were stairs that you had to walk up, and they were a bit difficult. In the VGA remake, you have it made (kinda). Here, you have catwalks which give you a little bit more room to manuever. Just be careful not to fall off.
Unfortunately, you may encounter the dwarf again here. If you do, restore your game and start over, since he can steal one of the magic treasures and make the game unwinnable. If you still have enough juice in the ring, put in on and rub it again, then take it back off once you go through the tunnel on the first cavern screen.
From there, keep following the catwalks and you'll come across a door. When you touch it, it vanishes. Go through it and you'll end up at the cave with the door on it. The door will then lock from behind you.
Unfortunately, you may encounter the dwarf again here. If you do, restore your game and start over, since he can steal one of the magic treasures and make the game unwinnable. If you still have enough juice in the ring, put in on and rub it again, then take it back off once you go through the tunnel on the first cavern screen.
From there, keep following the catwalks and you'll come across a door. When you touch it, it vanishes. Go through it and you'll end up at the cave with the door on it. The door will then lock from behind you.
Go to the screen north of the right side of the goat pen. You'll find a large bird flying around. If you jump at the right spot at the right time, you'll be able to grab onto the bird and be taken to the other side of the raging river.
When you land, you'll be near a large hole. Don't go down there yet. Instead, go west. You'll finally be able to get the Magic Mushroom. Congratulations.
Dilandau3000 plays King's Quest 1: Quest For The Crown - Part 9 of 12
Just when you thought this was all there was to the game...
-SkyLand.png){kind=link}
Go back to either the wildflower field or the place where you found the bowl and plant the magic beans. A beanstalk will crawl out of the ground. Climb the beanstalk, and be careful not to fall off! Keep your hands on the stalk at all times and save often. You'll be doing this for two screens, but it's the hardest two screens you'll probably be dealing with in the entire game.
When you make it to the top, you'll climb off of the beanstalk automatically. You can still fall off the north end of this cloud, so be sure to save once you get here.
Three screens to the east and you'll meet a giant. If you take too long, the giant will jump on you and squish you into the ground. You can either kill him or put him to sleep. Put him to sleep, since it gives you more points.
If you go south of the second screen east after the beanstalk, go south, then go two screens further east, you'll find a tree with a hole in it. Look in the hole and you'll find a slingshot. Take the slingshot.
You could go one screen north and one screen back west to deal with the giant using the slingshot, but that obviously doesn't give you the most points. Instead, you'll have to come in from the west and hide behind the tree on the east side of the screen with the giant, and make it so that he falls asleep before he catches you. If you need help with that, put the ring on and rub it. You'll turn invisible. Since you're invisible, the giant won't be able to see you, and you'll be able to stand there long enough to have the poor guy wear himself out. When he does that, he'll get in front of a tree and lie on it. Regardless of how you deal with him, he'll drop a treasure chest when he goes down. Go up to it and take it.
When you make it to the top, you'll climb off of the beanstalk automatically. You can still fall off the north end of this cloud, so be sure to save once you get here.
Three screens to the east and you'll meet a giant. If you take too long, the giant will jump on you and squish you into the ground. You can either kill him or put him to sleep. Put him to sleep, since it gives you more points.
If you go south of the second screen east after the beanstalk, go south, then go two screens further east, you'll find a tree with a hole in it. Look in the hole and you'll find a slingshot. Take the slingshot.
You could go one screen north and one screen back west to deal with the giant using the slingshot, but that obviously doesn't give you the most points. Instead, you'll have to come in from the west and hide behind the tree on the east side of the screen with the giant, and make it so that he falls asleep before he catches you. If you need help with that, put the ring on and rub it. You'll turn invisible. Since you're invisible, the giant won't be able to see you, and you'll be able to stand there long enough to have the poor guy wear himself out. When he does that, he'll get in front of a tree and lie on it. Regardless of how you deal with him, he'll drop a treasure chest when he goes down. Go up to it and take it.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Dilandau3000 plays King's Quest 1: Quest For The Crown - Part 8 of 12
Remember that note from the witch's house?
Finally, we go further east since we stop by the rock near the castle on the way there.
There's a mushroom on the other side of the raging river, but you won't be able to get it quite yet.
Anyway, let's get back to the goat pen. Get near the goat and show him the carrot. He'll start to follow you. Now go back to the troll with the goat at your side and the goat will knock him away. The goat then walks off. You're free to cross the bridge.
When you do, you'll meet a gnome that is spinning hay into gold. Get close to him and he'll ask you what his name is. If you don't guess it right, you'll get the golden key that fits into that cave door. If you do get it right, you'll get some magic beans. You're better off getting it right the first time, as you'll get the most points for doing so. The gnome's name is "Ifnkovhgroghprm" (which is how you had to do it in the original) but in the VGA version you can use the much simple "Nikstlitslepmur" (Rumpelstiltskin spelled backwards). The original clue is not just spelling it backwards, but using a backwards alphabet:
There's a mushroom on the other side of the raging river, but you won't be able to get it quite yet.
Anyway, let's get back to the goat pen. Get near the goat and show him the carrot. He'll start to follow you. Now go back to the troll with the goat at your side and the goat will knock him away. The goat then walks off. You're free to cross the bridge.
When you do, you'll meet a gnome that is spinning hay into gold. Get close to him and he'll ask you what his name is. If you don't guess it right, you'll get the golden key that fits into that cave door. If you do get it right, you'll get some magic beans. You're better off getting it right the first time, as you'll get the most points for doing so. The gnome's name is "Ifnkovhgroghprm" (which is how you had to do it in the original) but in the VGA version you can use the much simple "Nikstlitslepmur" (Rumpelstiltskin spelled backwards). The original clue is not just spelling it backwards, but using a backwards alphabet:
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
ZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA
How you're supposed to know that the note in the witch's house applies to this, I have no idea.
Also, if you make a wrong guess on the first try, you lose a point. So guess it right the first time!
Now that we have the beans, remember that eating the beans makes you lose both the beans and points and makes the game unwinnable, as you cannot get the beans back.
Also, if you make a wrong guess on the first try, you lose a point. So guess it right the first time!
Now that we have the beans, remember that eating the beans makes you lose both the beans and points and makes the game unwinnable, as you cannot get the beans back.
Dilandau3000 plays King's Quest 1: Quest For The Crown - Part 7 of 12
We meet some new monsters and save a woodcutter and his wife from ruin. Just another day in Daventry.
Going west takes to you to a natural rock bridge. Unfortunately, when you try to cross it, you'll meet up with that blasted troll again.
trollface.jpg
Let's go north and look at that man-made bridge. Looks rather nice. Since you can't go west here, let's go east. You'll see a lake where the raging river starts. Going east again takes you to an old cabin. Finally, signs of life.
Go in and you'll meet a woodcutter and his wife. His wife is gravely ill, and her sad husband is afraid that she may die soon.
Unlike the original version, where you could fall into the hole in the floor that keeps you from getting the violin, there's no way to die in here in the VGA remake. Anyway, do not give him any treasures or the carrot. You will lose points and the item. Instead, say fill to fill up the ceramic bowl, then give the bowl to the woodcutter. He'll let you take the fiddle as thanks.
Leaving the house and going east takes you to the back of the house, where there isn't really much of anything. A further screen to the east takes you to a gloomy forest clearing. If you move around while in this gloomy forest, you may attract an ogre! If you do, get away! He'll kill you if he grabs you! Also, you may attract an evil sorcerer who will try to cast a spell on you if he gets a hold of you. A dwarf may also show up as well and steal one of your items, usually one of the three magic treasures. You lose something to the dwarf and you lose it forever.
Go south and go west. You'll come across a rock with a hole in the base. There's a feint greenish glow if you look into it, but there's not much else here.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Dilandau3000 plays King's Quest 1: Quest For The Crown - Part 6 of 12
"It turns out real trolls are almost as annoying as Internet trolls."
No shit.
...
trollface.jpg
No shit.
...
trollface.jpg
Let's head back to the witch's gingerbread house and go west.
Here, you'll see a tree with a bird's nest on it, complete with mother and baby birds. Nothing important here. One screen west is the raging river. If you jump into it, you will die. If you go west again, you'll see a bridge. If you try to cross it, you'll meet a troll.
trollface.jpg
DO NOT GIVE HIM ANY OF THE TREASURES, YOU WILL LOSE POINTS AND QUITE POSSIBLY MAKE THE GAME UNWINNABLE. ALSO, DO NOT THROW THE DAGGER AT THE TROLL, YOU WILL LOSE POINTS AND THE DAGGER. ALSO, EQUIPPING AND RUBBING THE RING TO MAKE YOURSELF INVISIBLE DOES NOT HELP.
Now that this disclaimer is out of the way, let's avoid him and go west. Nothing important here. Go west another screen and look at the ground. You'll notice a bowl. Pick it up. For some reason, when you look at it in the inventory (which gives you an easy-to-miss point), it says "fill" just under the rim. If you type in the command "say fill," the bowl magically fills up with some sort of stew. Save the stew for later.
INFINITE FOOD
Problems?
trollface.jpg
Go west again, and you'll come across a walnut tree. Take one of the walnuts that are on the ground. Open it up, and you'll find a small nugget of pure gold. If you're near the walnut tree, you'll see squirrels run back and forth onscreen. Nice.
Going west takes you to a spooky looking part of the forest. There's nothing here, and going west again takes you back to the gingerbread house. Let's go north.
Going north takes you to some weeping willows and a lake. There is also a snake on top of one of the trees, but it doesn't seem to do anything other than move it's head around when you move left and right.
There is another meadow west of here. There's nothing to do here, though.
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Dilandau3000 plays King's Quest 1: Quest For The Crown - Part 5 of 12
A gingerbread house. Where have I seen this before.
If you eat the gingerbread house, you get two points. Really easy to miss, there.
If you knock on the door, she'll hear you. Don't go in. Instead, go south, then go back north to the house and open the door. Odds are 50-50 that she'll either still be in there...or...she won't be inside. If she is, walk into the bedroom on the right side of the screen. You'll hear her coming, so stay in the bedroom! When she stands near her cauldron, come out of the bedroom and push her. Ding dong. The witch is truly dead.
Open the cabinet. If you look inside, you'll find a piece of cheese. Get the cheese. DO NOT EAT THE CHEESE, YOU WILL LOSE POINTS. Go back to the table and grab the note on the table next to the bed. If you go to your inventory and read it, it'll have a message saying "Sometimes it is wise to think backwards." Hmmmm...
Exit the house, go south then go west. You're back at the cave we just came out of. Let's go south.
Going south takes you to the goat pen. This will be of use later. Love the frames of animation on the goat. Anyway, the trough in the goat pen is empty. It'll get food soon enough, though. Go west to see more of the goat pen, then go west again to meet the Fairy Godmother.
She'll cast a magic spell that lasts for a limited time, which protects you from death by any of the hazards in the game.
Going west from here takes you to a garden. It's a carrot garden. Grab a carrot, then go two screens west and you'll be back at the golden egg tree. (If you eat the carrot, you lose points, but if you get another one you can get those points back.) Going west past the well will take you back to the goat pen. Next entry...fun time!
If you knock on the door, she'll hear you. Don't go in. Instead, go south, then go back north to the house and open the door. Odds are 50-50 that she'll either still be in there...or...she won't be inside. If she is, walk into the bedroom on the right side of the screen. You'll hear her coming, so stay in the bedroom! When she stands near her cauldron, come out of the bedroom and push her. Ding dong. The witch is truly dead.
Open the cabinet. If you look inside, you'll find a piece of cheese. Get the cheese. DO NOT EAT THE CHEESE, YOU WILL LOSE POINTS. Go back to the table and grab the note on the table next to the bed. If you go to your inventory and read it, it'll have a message saying "Sometimes it is wise to think backwards." Hmmmm...
Exit the house, go south then go west. You're back at the cave we just came out of. Let's go south.
Going south takes you to the goat pen. This will be of use later. Love the frames of animation on the goat. Anyway, the trough in the goat pen is empty. It'll get food soon enough, though. Go west to see more of the goat pen, then go west again to meet the Fairy Godmother.
She'll cast a magic spell that lasts for a limited time, which protects you from death by any of the hazards in the game.
Going west from here takes you to a garden. It's a carrot garden. Grab a carrot, then go two screens west and you'll be back at the golden egg tree. (If you eat the carrot, you lose points, but if you get another one you can get those points back.) Going west past the well will take you back to the goat pen. Next entry...fun time!
Dilandau3000 plays King's Quest 1: Quest For The Crown - Part 4 of 12
If the magic mirror shows you as King of Daventry when you look at it, how come you can still die in the game with the magic mirror in hand? /philosoraptor
Go west here, and you'll come across a screen full of stalagmites. Go up and to the right when you're at the northwest corner of this screen, then go up and left when you can't go any further to the right, and you'll be able to make your way towards the exit. Where's the dragon, anyway? Did he just fly away and flee Daventry?
You'll now be in a sparse meadow area with a cave. Go one screen west and you'll be at another lake. Going west here takes you to another meadow with a clover patch in it. One of the clovers is flashing. Pick it up and you'll notice it has four leaves.
Going west another screen from here takes you to a lake at the edge of a cliff. Jumping off of it will kill you. Go west from here (be sure to stay as south of the lake as you can) and you'll see another screen. You'll find an elf here. If you go up to the elf and talk to him, he'll give you a ring. He'll tell you that it will make you invisible for a short time if you put it on. Better save that for something important, shall we?
Going west another screen from here takes you to a cave with a door on it. This door has a large keyhole in it. You'll need the key to open it. If you pick the lock in the VGA remake, you'll get a reference to the first Hero's Quest game.
Going west brings you to another lake. One more screen to the west is what looks like a dark forest. If you move further to the left on this screen, the witch will come and try to grab you. If she catches you, she'll turn you into a gingerbread man. If you press F4, you can duck under her when she comes near. Press it again to stand. (Pressing F6 lets you jump.)
If you go north from this screen, you'll see the witch's house. (Why she carries you so far to the east in the death sequence from earlier is beyond me.)
Monday, September 16, 2013
Dilandau3000 plays King's Quest 1: Quest For The Crown - Part 3 of 12
Jesus Christ, that screen with the golden egg in the nest totally breaks all laws of perspective.
If that thing is far away, how come it's smaller than I am when I get near it? Seriously.
Anyway, let's go west one screen. Sometimes you'll be torn apart by a wolf that comes from the west, which will not end very well. Be sure to save when you enter this screen, because the wolf doesn't always show up. If you hear a wolf howl on the screen, you know it's here.
One screen west from here is the well. Lower the bucket, then raise it. You'll find out the well is empty. Gee, since the well is useless, you can remove the bucket by cutting the rope it's secured to with the dagger. Score! Also, you can lower and raise the rope, too. Lower the rope, then climb down. When you're at the bottom of the rope, jump off, then dive.
One screen west from here is the well. Lower the bucket, then raise it. You'll find out the well is empty. Gee, since the well is useless, you can remove the bucket by cutting the rope it's secured to with the dagger. Score! Also, you can lower and raise the rope, too. Lower the rope, then climb down. When you're at the bottom of the rope, jump off, then dive.
-Well.png){kind=link}
You'll swim to the bottom of the well, where there is a chest. Unfortunately, it's not the chest you're looking for. Continue to the left and go up to surface. Don't take too long, or you'll drown. Fill the bucket with water, then climb out and go left.
Oh, crap. There's a dragon on the next screen, and it's protecting the Magic Mirror. But guess what? You've filled the bucket with water! When you get close, it'll wake up. I'm pretty sure getting too close at this point will burn you to ashes, so throw the water at the dragon to keep it from attacking. You can also kill it by throwing the dagger at the dragon, as well, but you're better off using the water bucket as it gives you more points than throwing the dagger (five points versus three). Now go get the Magic Mirror.
Dilandau3000 plays King's Quest 1: Quest For The Crown - Part 2 of 12
We has a dagger.
From here, go one screen west and you'll be at a lake. Those black plus signs on the sand near the lake are pebbles. Pick them up, they'll be useful later.
The screen west of here has nothing in particular. Go west another screen. There's a few trees, one of them buried in the ground and a sad looking, rotted stump near the lake. Go to the rotted stump and grab the small leather pouch that is inside. If you open it, you'll find some diamonds. Yeah, that'll come in handy later in the game.
Keep going west and you'll be back in the castle again. Go back to the rock where you found the dagger, then go north one screen. More stuff to look at, yay!
Before you do that, though, climb the giant tree that you see. When you reach the top, you'll find a giant golden egg. Be careful on your way to the egg (you don't want to fall) and get the egg.
The screen west of here has nothing in particular. Go west another screen. There's a few trees, one of them buried in the ground and a sad looking, rotted stump near the lake. Go to the rotted stump and grab the small leather pouch that is inside. If you open it, you'll find some diamonds. Yeah, that'll come in handy later in the game.
Keep going west and you'll be back in the castle again. Go back to the rock where you found the dagger, then go north one screen. More stuff to look at, yay!
Before you do that, though, climb the giant tree that you see. When you reach the top, you'll find a giant golden egg. Be careful on your way to the egg (you don't want to fall) and get the egg.
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Dilandau3000 plays King's Quest 1: Quest For The Crown - Part 1 of 12
(Note: this is the SCI remake from 1990. Even though stuff looks much better compared to the original 1984 version, the game is basically almost the same.)
Unlike the original version, in which you had to go into the castle yourself and talk to the king on your own (if you're playing the original version, be sure to "bow to the king." No, seriously, type that in. It helps.) you start out at the castle here...and you can't come back.
Also, enjoy the differences between a few of the numerous releases of the first King's Quest game. Even though the game is identical in terms of place and item locations, the graphical differences are quite noticeable.
Anyway, we finally start our journey ten minutes into the video. (Be sure to see the death that happens before that point, it's got that good King's Quest-style sense of humor.) Yes, you'll still have to type in commands.
Move west of the castle and you'll come across the rock. Push the rock. Be careful not to be in the rock's way, or the rock will crush you. Pushing it from the north is the safest bet. Reach inside the hole to get the dagger.
When you get a new item, be sure to make a habit out of examining it in the inventory. You may get points for it!
Before you do anything, watch this. It explains the game's story in detail (this is the expanded version, by the way), because the game ain't gonna do it!
You done yet? Now go ahead and watch this.
Unlike the original version, in which you had to go into the castle yourself and talk to the king on your own (if you're playing the original version, be sure to "bow to the king." No, seriously, type that in. It helps.) you start out at the castle here...and you can't come back.
Also, enjoy the differences between a few of the numerous releases of the first King's Quest game. Even though the game is identical in terms of place and item locations, the graphical differences are quite noticeable.
Anyway, we finally start our journey ten minutes into the video. (Be sure to see the death that happens before that point, it's got that good King's Quest-style sense of humor.) Yes, you'll still have to type in commands.
Move west of the castle and you'll come across the rock. Push the rock. Be careful not to be in the rock's way, or the rock will crush you. Pushing it from the north is the safest bet. Reach inside the hole to get the dagger.
When you get a new item, be sure to make a habit out of examining it in the inventory. You may get points for it!
Thee Historye of King's Quest
Ah, King's Quest. When you think King's Quest, you think of fairy tales, puzzles that take both time and brainpower to solve, and also the entire graphic adventure genre.
King's Quest started out as a seemingly impossible quest for three magical items that would bring prosperity back to a far-away land, but evolved into what would become the many mythical adventures of a royal dynasty that would rise in the wake of the first game.
The game was originally created as a tech demo for the ill-fated IBM PCjr. The PCjr wasn't very impressive, as it was more expensive than it should have been, had a cheaper chiclet keyboard and lacked PC compatibility.
Throughout 1983 and 1984, the game was developed by Roberta Williams (the founder of the franchise) and six full-time programmers who worked for 18 months to complete the game at a cost of $700,000 - a lot of money for a computer game at the time.
Unlike other games where there were no graphics and there were only static 'rooms' with in-depth descriptions and a text parser for game interaction, there was real backgrounds as well as a character that could be moved around on the screen. Described backgrounds and static pictures gave way to enhanced focus on the main character, which made for improved storytelling as well as easier immersion into the game world.
Along with animations that showed the game's protagonist King Graham performing actions such as walking, opening doors, picking up items, and climbing, depth perspective was simulated as well. Thanks to then-revolutionary programming ideas of the time, King Graham could not only get in front of objects and obscure them, he could go behind objects and actually hide from view (which would be used for puzzles in later entries in the series).
Due to the failure of IBM's PCjr, King's Quest didn't do very well...until. Until the game was re-released for the Tandy 1000 and IBM-compatibles, the game would not reach the high sales that it would be known for.
The game would not only see a release on standard PCs, but also on the Sega Master System (albeit redesigned from scratch and with a completely different user interface), the Apple PCs, and even see a remake in 1990.
With the success of future entries in the series (as well as the introduction of the new SCI (Sierra's Creative Interpreter) engine, Sierra remade the game as King's Quest I: Quest For The Crown.
Unlike in the original, in which you moved the character with the arrow keys and typed all the commands in, you had a point-and-click interface that was used not only to move the character but also switch between basic commands such as movement, touching, observing, using items and speaking.
This was not just a mere update of graphics and play control. Some puzzles were made easier, some locations were revamped, some item locations were changed, and the story and character roles were expanded. Critics and fans slammed the remake, calling it "the destruction of a classic," even going so far as to compare it to colorizing classic black and white movies. The remake was a critical failure, and prevented the release of further remakes in the series (including a re-make of King's Quest II: Romancing The Throne, which was officially scrapped upon the remake's failure).
The King's Quest series was responsible for the creation of the entire graphic adventure boom from the the mid-1980s until the mid-1990s. Since the original, there have been seven other games in the series, and there have been other graphic adventure series such as Space Quest, Leisure Suit Larry, Quest For Glory, Police Quest, the Laura Bow games, and Gabriel Knight. This, in turn, led to other interesting graphic adventures by other companies, including Maniac Mansion, Myst, Sam and Max, the Monkey Island series, Deja Vu, Shadowgate, and the under-rated Grim Fandango, among many others.
King's Quest started out as a seemingly impossible quest for three magical items that would bring prosperity back to a far-away land, but evolved into what would become the many mythical adventures of a royal dynasty that would rise in the wake of the first game.
The Cauldron Brews
The game was originally created as a tech demo for the ill-fated IBM PCjr. The PCjr wasn't very impressive, as it was more expensive than it should have been, had a cheaper chiclet keyboard and lacked PC compatibility.
Throughout 1983 and 1984, the game was developed by Roberta Williams (the founder of the franchise) and six full-time programmers who worked for 18 months to complete the game at a cost of $700,000 - a lot of money for a computer game at the time.
Unlike other games where there were no graphics and there were only static 'rooms' with in-depth descriptions and a text parser for game interaction, there was real backgrounds as well as a character that could be moved around on the screen. Described backgrounds and static pictures gave way to enhanced focus on the main character, which made for improved storytelling as well as easier immersion into the game world.
Along with animations that showed the game's protagonist King Graham performing actions such as walking, opening doors, picking up items, and climbing, depth perspective was simulated as well. Thanks to then-revolutionary programming ideas of the time, King Graham could not only get in front of objects and obscure them, he could go behind objects and actually hide from view (which would be used for puzzles in later entries in the series).
A Long, Hard Quest
Due to the failure of IBM's PCjr, King's Quest didn't do very well...until. Until the game was re-released for the Tandy 1000 and IBM-compatibles, the game would not reach the high sales that it would be known for.
The game would not only see a release on standard PCs, but also on the Sega Master System (albeit redesigned from scratch and with a completely different user interface), the Apple PCs, and even see a remake in 1990.
Retry, Abort, Fail?
With the success of future entries in the series (as well as the introduction of the new SCI (Sierra's Creative Interpreter) engine, Sierra remade the game as King's Quest I: Quest For The Crown.
Unlike in the original, in which you moved the character with the arrow keys and typed all the commands in, you had a point-and-click interface that was used not only to move the character but also switch between basic commands such as movement, touching, observing, using items and speaking.
This was not just a mere update of graphics and play control. Some puzzles were made easier, some locations were revamped, some item locations were changed, and the story and character roles were expanded. Critics and fans slammed the remake, calling it "the destruction of a classic," even going so far as to compare it to colorizing classic black and white movies. The remake was a critical failure, and prevented the release of further remakes in the series (including a re-make of King's Quest II: Romancing The Throne, which was officially scrapped upon the remake's failure).
Dynasty
The King's Quest series was responsible for the creation of the entire graphic adventure boom from the the mid-1980s until the mid-1990s. Since the original, there have been seven other games in the series, and there have been other graphic adventure series such as Space Quest, Leisure Suit Larry, Quest For Glory, Police Quest, the Laura Bow games, and Gabriel Knight. This, in turn, led to other interesting graphic adventures by other companies, including Maniac Mansion, Myst, Sam and Max, the Monkey Island series, Deja Vu, Shadowgate, and the under-rated Grim Fandango, among many others.
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