Rolith

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Something you don't see anymore!

So after the response to yesterday's design notes, and the general "huh" response to the Nightmare quest during the Water Orb saga, I figured I'd do some research.

"King's Quest" came out in 1984, a year before I was born. Even "Quest for Glory 2", the first game I ever remember installing myself and the last Sierra game I know of to use the text-parsing engine, came out in 1990.

In other words? I'm old. And the fact that most of you have never played a text-parsing adventure game isn't that surprising.

So, it's time for me to fill you in on the joy that is... one of the most frustrating game concepts ever released. In a good way, I promise!

Text-parsers can be explained in 4 words:

Get Torch,  Use Torch... to burn things!


It's a simple concept, but it's also one of the more frustrating (in a good way, promise!) gameplay mechanics ever devised. You look around your surroundings, trying to discover items then try to figure out where and how to use them to move the story forward.

I'm not sure I'll be able to convey the frustration caused by, or the joy resulting from solving, some puzzles in these games. That's why I'm not going to try. No, I'm going to make you discover it yourselves!

While not eligible to be a Pactogonal Knight Proper (King Alteon himself appoints us, and you much better serve the Kingdom in your current travels), I have decided to let you try your hand at the challenge all Pactogonal Knights must solve before they join the ranks in Oaklore Keep. Just for fun or not, you will face a unique challenge like no other in all of LORE.

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Tags: #Rolith