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Post by Jave on Jan 7, 2009 12:52:01 GMT -5
Just thought I'd mention this. It's actually spelled "Rubik's Cube." Apparently, it was invented by some guy named Ernő Rubik, hence the old line "Does Rubik actually think this is fun?"
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Post by onoff456 on Jan 7, 2009 22:43:35 GMT -5
I see you put a lot of effort in explaining the software bargain bin jokes. I am afraid younger gamers will miss the references. In one of the game descriptions (for the game King's Quest XXXIII), it jokes about the game being "Over 12 gygabtes in length!" Ironic we are almost there.
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Post by Ace Whatever on Jan 8, 2009 6:27:50 GMT -5
Great work, Kurt.
Wow, it never occurred to me that thing from Quest for Glory VGA was actually a Dinosaurs character.
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Post by Sac (a.k.a Icaras) on Jan 8, 2009 21:19:36 GMT -5
I recognised the guy from Dinosaurs when I saw him, but unless you saw the TV show in it's heyday, it wouldn't surprise me if people didn't recognise him. The show faded out as quickly as it wa spopular.
Anyway, great article, I've always been partial to the Space Quest series. I've played all of 'em (Not counting the fans games) but I could never really get into Space Quest VI.
It just felt too hard and a bit too differant from the rest of the series. (The last games in most of the quest series felt really differant, actually.)
I'm looking forward to the Quest for Glory articles, as I'm interested in your opinion of V (I never liked it much). Same thing with King's Quest (Good luck with the bugs for MoE, which is annoying as it's a good game!)
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Post by onoff456 on Jan 8, 2009 22:04:01 GMT -5
I share your sentiment. I tried many times to get into QFG V but just couldn't. The software 3D look made it look kind of sterile and the music just wasn't as memorable as before. Mind you I invested a good 10 hours or so playing the game but eventually got stuck without a clear idea of what to do next. That never happened to me in previous QFGs.
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Post by Discoalucard on Jan 8, 2009 22:08:03 GMT -5
The QFG article is actually about done, just needs some minor edits and MP3s. Maybe I'll post it here later tonight.
I enjoyed V more than I thought I would, but I feel it's one of the weaker ones. It's just so divorced from the rest of the games technologically, and it focuses too much on the not-too-interesting RPG stuff. Still, I like it more than III. There's so much fan service that the 13 year old in me started giggling when I found out I could resurrect Erana. Then was slightly disappointed at how little effect it actually had, but still!
Also, while the game has not aged as well as the 2D games, it's still legions better than the third Gabriel Knight game. Good heavens does that game look ugly.
Also again, if we're going to talk about other Sierra stuff, I'm playing through the Leisure Suit Larry games now. It's my first time with LSL2, and I'm really not liking it very much. The first one has a tremendously sloppy narrative, and I hate games with required gambling, but you know? It was kinda fun. The second, I'm not even to the island, and there have already been two extremely "timed" sequences. What the hell Sierra. I also played the third game when I was younger and remember enjoying it.
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Post by derboo on Jan 8, 2009 22:38:37 GMT -5
LSL5 is great, and 7 is wicked cool because they reintroduced the text parser. 6 is kinda meh, plot-wise but has some cool locations, and I somehow like the graphics style. 6 and 7 also return to the very open gameplay where you can go to almost everywhere right from the start (or shortly after). My collection also contains that standalone casino game, but I never touched it.
If I remember right, LSL2 was the only one I never finished (at least from the classical adventure games). I believe there was a remake (more of a port, actuallly) in AGS that gave it point&click controls.
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Post by Discoalucard on Jan 8, 2009 22:46:37 GMT -5
Hmmm. Hadn't heard of that AGS thing. Looks like it'd make things easier, but still can't fix crippling design issues. Why does that stupid fat woman keep raping and killing me?
I mucked with 6 and 7 but not much. Magna Cum Laude is technically pretty awful, but still deserves some credit on some bizarre level. It's still kinda funny, and they actually flesh out the girls more (comparatively speaking), even if they're still just stereotypes.
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Post by Sac (a.k.a Icaras) on Jan 8, 2009 23:32:02 GMT -5
Leisure Suit Larry 2 never got a remake. At least, not an offical one. I do remember reading about a fan remake that gave the game a point and click style similar to QfG1ega and QfG2. I don't think it was finished however. And yes, the fat woman on the boat is a major pain. Thankfully, I bought the collector's edition back in the day (Didn't include 7, sadly) which has an awesome book on the games written by Al Lowe.
One thing I found was that King's Quest: Mask of Eternity played much more how I think Quest for Glory V should have. At least, in regards to the combat. The combat always felt really weak in V, and that was whjat killed the game for me.
As for QfG3, it wasn't a game that was originally intended to be made,it was an afterthought game designed to lead into the darker intended sequel. Hence why QfG2 refers to Shadows of Darkenss as being the next sequel, when it's actually number IV.
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Post by Discoalucard on Jan 8, 2009 23:38:19 GMT -5
Yeah I have that same LSL pack that I got years ago, complete with book. Much better than the crappy one they just put out, that only has the non-talkie version of LSL6.
I haven't played Mask of Eternity, but I just ordered it to give it a shot. It was dirt cheap. QFG5 was a bit more expensive.
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Post by TheChosen on Jan 9, 2009 3:45:12 GMT -5
Larrie's were good too. Technically better than Space Quest series and all games were good, with exception of 5.
Five was boring, short and too easy because of the mouse-system. Also, compared to previous parts, it was much more "naughtier", not to mention that these were the only times when Larry scored a chick without any bad consequences.
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Post by derboo on Jan 9, 2009 6:02:51 GMT -5
That's not quite accurate. 7 has a few neutral/good-ish consequences (and the last one simply has no consequences, since Lust in Space never came out...)
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Post by Discoalucard on Jan 11, 2009 17:24:47 GMT -5
I just played through LSL2 and it's really terrible. The scenario is alright, but I don't think I've played an adventure game this poorly designed and frustrating. The last segment even has a "bug" which requires that you type in your command in a very specific way, or else it won't work.
I like LSL3 a lot though. It's a lot like the first game, except Larry actually gets with some chicks, just with silly results. The Patty section is really annoying, but amusing at the same time, and the ending meltdown is just brilliant.
Working on LSL5 now. I really like the art style of the VGA ones, it reminds more of Lucasarts games.
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Post by derboo on Jan 11, 2009 17:43:38 GMT -5
Working on LSL5 now. I really like the art style of the VGA ones, it reminds more of Lucasarts games. Yeah, it resembles the style of Day of the Tentacle and Sam&Max. Funny thing is, it is so much ingrained in our minds as Lucasarts style, but actually Sierra did it first.
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Post by TheGunheart on Jan 15, 2009 19:40:34 GMT -5
Ah, dang, I wish I saw this sooner. If you want a really, really inexplicable reference in the VGA version of Space Quest 1, the robot dealer actually has a Mirage from The Five Star Stories, which wasn't even available in the U.S. at the time (nor does it appear in the OVA). Driving the point home, the dealer even claims that this robot "rates five stars".
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