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King's Quest: Past, Present and Future
By Noah Koontz
Never before in the history of adventure gaming has there been a series of games that has told an enchanted tale, that has evolved to the point of pushing the cutting edge of technology and that has sold the way that the King's Quest series has. King's Quest marked the beginning of computer gaming for the PC (IBM and compatibles), and it has spread like wildfire in the years that followed.
In 1983, Sierra released King's Quest: Quest for the Crown as a "take off" of a previous game titled The Wizard and the Princess. This new game featured a never-before-seen 3D world with characters that you could move around and interact with. The player would move Sir Graham with the arrow keys on the keyboard and type commands to complete complex game interactions. At the time of release, a mouse and a stereo sound card were unheard of. This game was an instant success that brought six more sequels (seven, including one that hasn't yet been released) and a remake of the original.
In 1985, a game with identical graphics and sounds made its maiden voyage with the public. No, this is not deja vu, but rather, King's Quest II: Romancing the Throne. Sir Graham is now King Graham and he rules the land of Daventry with an iron hand. The mission of the game: to seek a queen and to gain an heir to the throne. While the graphics, sounds and music were the same as the first KQ game, the story was more in-depth and there were all-new characters to interact with, some good, others bad. The success of this game brought more sequels and other new games using similar graphics engines (Space Quest, Leisure Suit Larry, etc.)
Late the next year, in 1986, loud protests were heard when Gwydion, a young slave, appeared on computer screens across the world. This game featured new sounds and new music in addition to enhanced graphics. In 1986, there were no hint books available, and it took gamers several months to complete the game. The protests heard several months earlier were in vain, however, when it is revealed that Gwydion is really Prince Alexander and when Graham and Valanice make a cameo appearance at the end of the game.
Over the next two years, there were many rumors spread about the fate of the King's Quest series and that of King Graham. At the end of KQ3, we notice that King Graham is no longer the young man that we played in KQ1 and KQ2. Instead, he is an older king who is ready to "retire" by passing his adventurer hat to younger blood. One of the more popular rumors was that King Graham would die of a heart attack in King's Quest IV. Roberta Williams used the "heart attack story," and she introduced us to a female hero for the first time ever. In this installment to the KQ series, you have 24 hours (game time) to complete your quest; otherwise, the rumor would come true. King's Quest IV also brought us three more luxuries that we didn't have before: mouse support, sound card support and VGA graphics. The story and music to this game were so powerful that they reduced many people to tears.
At about the same time, a new trend came into being at Sierra: remaking the classic games, using technology of the early 1990s. King's Quest I suddenly supported VGA graphics, sound cards and mice, but it was a failure. Players compared it to "colorizing a black and white film." This notion was wrong, as it only added a new dimension to the game that didn't exist before.
In late 1990, King Graham undertook a brand-new adventure, his first since King's Quest II. In King's Quest V: Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder!, the evil wizard Mordack kidnaped Valanice, Rosella and Alexander, leaving only old King Graham behind. Your mission is to travel through different kinds of terrain in search of them. King's Quest V was the first to abandon the typing interface and bring forth an icon-based one. It was also the first to use voice and to appear on CD-ROM. This was the biggest advancement in the King's Quest series since the first game was released.
In 1992, King's Quest VI was released, and it featured Prince Alexander in his quest to seek the hand of Princess Cassima. The music, graphics and interface from KQ5 were used, but they were refined considerably. Also, the story was more enchanting and more of a challenge. Professional actors were used on the multimedia version.
The latest chapter came in late 1994, as you (for the first time ever) alternate play characters. The familiar Princess Rosella comes back and Queen Valanice is finally brought into the spotlight. This game was designed more as a Disney cartoon and a game for younger players. The icon interface was simplified down to a single cursor with "hot spots," and you can "resurrect" a dead player if you make a wrong move. This was met with much criticism and complaint. If a future King's Quest game were to be made, drastic changes would have to happen.
Future Directions
In August 1998, the King's Quest world will take on a look and feel that has never before been seen. 3D cards will be utilized, and the technology of Windows 95 and that of Pentium processors will also be used. You will play a brand-new character, a peasant from Daventry named Connor. The land of Daventry has been blighted by an evil spell and you alone can save it. In King's Quest: Mask of Eternity, the most immersive story and breathtaking graphics and sound yet will be combined with adventure gaming, role-playing and action gaming in what will be the greatest Sierra game ever made. The success of Mask of Eternity will determine the fate of future King's Quest games and will tell whether or not a ninth chapter will be written. Only time will tell ...