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:

 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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