Poll: Should KQ stay dead?

[Sir Perceval of Daventry]

I've seen some state that King's Quest should remain dead if a group like TT is doing it, or that KQ should stay dead no matter who gets a crack at it, that the series had it's time and it was meant to end and that in essence no matter who gets a shot at it, it'll never be as good as it was. I think that the latter is a very defeatist and negative and cynical point of view.

As I've said elsewhere, King's Quest is not rocket science. It is not Shakespeare. It does not belong--nor did it ever, really--to any one author. It's not like Leisure Suit Larry, which was Al's baby alone...KQ did fine in the hands of people other than Roberta, like Josh Mandel, Jane Jensen and Lorelei Shannon. It's not an incredibly deep or brilliantly written series...I think a game on par with KQ6 can be made even now if the person making it has a creative mind, a knowledge of fairy tales, fables, and mythology, and a love and understanding for what KQ is about.

To say that KQ should just stay dead and buried is so cynical and defeatist..and really is the kind of mindset that helped kill the franchise in the first place. In 1996, people proclaimed the adventure genre to be dead, and thus KQ8 turned out the way it did, and we never got a KQ game after...Flash forward 17 years and the adventure genre is in an upswing and has evolved beyond what anyone in 1996 could've thought it would.

[darthkiwi]

I really agree. Obviously, if some KQ fan sequels (or official) sequels are made then they will be of varying quality, but that's just life. To say "No good KQ game will ever be made from this point on" seems kind of silly to me: it all depends on who's writing/designing it.

Ultimately, if somebody has a really good idea for a KQ sequel then I think they should be able to have a crack at it. You never know.

[Farquhar]

Indeed, I agree as well.

Really all that is important is that the people who wind up making it have a dedicated love and passion for the series. We've all already seen how well that helps.

The only reason I'd be against another 'cannon' KQ game is a selfish one, for in my own little world I like to consider TSL cannon, even though it is a fan game. I'd be sad to see its story contradicted in any way.

But despite that, I am very excited to see what Telltale brings to the series.

[Numbers]

Well, according to the results thus far, we have at least one person who voted yes, which means that this forum has at least one person with no faith in humanity.

[Bludshot]

I say yes, but I am not downright opposed to other projects, (obviously, since this is a site that includes a KQ fan game). KQ is fine where it is, Telltale's working on The Walking Dead shows that it is actually possible for them to make a decent game, and I am far more curious to see what they can do with an original IP.

[WildmanCAL]

But despite that, I am very excited to see what Telltale brings to the series.

Did I miss something?  Is Telltale doing a KQ game?

[KatieHal]

Around 2 years ago, it was announced that Telltale had the license to make new KQ games. But that was pretty much all that was ever said about it--there's been nothing big since then.

I think there's room for new games. It'd be really cool for KQ to be a game that spans generations. Kind of like Doctor Who--it's neat that show has SO much history. Why not a game series that can do the same?

[Neonivek]

And unlike most people I actually am not very hopeful hearing that KQ is in the hands of Telltale.

They are too soft handed when it comes to their games so as not to challenge anyone.

[Bludshot]

Neovinek, you should play The Walking Dead, for whatever reason Telltale decided to do a good job on that one...and that one alone (judging by critical reception of their other stuff, I haven't played any other title of theirs).


But I agree with you, slapping the KQ name onto a fantasy game will more than likely just weigh down the game itself, since it has to compare to a franchise that is over 20 years old.

[KatieHal]

Some would argue that's what happened with KQ8

[Bludshot]

Correct if I am wrong, but wasn't the S.S. MOE captained by Roberta Williams? I always figured the game was just a result of her terrible ideas on "modern" games.

Attempting to make a good game while trying to keep it true to an unfamiliar franchise just seems like a pointless headache to me.

[KatieHal]

There's a lot of messy story about the making of MoE, including how Roberta had less and less control on the game. There are even some threads around here someplace where people get into the nitty gritty details of it, though I can't figure out where they are at the moment of I'd link to it for you.

[Bludshot]

No Katie that is fine, I'll find the threads myself.  No need to risk derailment into an MOE discussion. That well is dry. 

[KatieHal]

I did try to find them! Hehe, though yes, I also don't want to derail this into an MoE discussion

[Blackthorne]

Around 2 years ago, it was announced that Telltale had the license to make new KQ games. But that was pretty much all that was ever said about it--there's been nothing big since then.

I think there's room for new games. It'd be really cool for KQ to be a game that spans generations. Kind of like Doctor Who--it's neat that show has SO much history. Why not a game series that can do the same?

I don't think King's Quest the right franchise to go all Doctor Who on.  I truly believe it's better left dormant - TSL did a fine job of wrapping things up for the fans who want that.  (Well, it will as soon as they get their hands on the final episode)

I don't see anything good coming out of a large entity taking the KQ IP and slapping it on some generic fantasy adventure game.


Bt

[Neonivek]

I think a Reboot could work, afterall everyone's favorite game (well ok... a lot of people's favorite) is 6 as it combined the story, adventure, and puzzle elements flawlessly. Yet the games never had a solid story.

Often the story between the games were a lot more interesting.

It is just that I have no faith in Telltale to do it. They make light games that TELL you how to do a puzzle if you can't find out how. As well how much of a mean streak do you think they could even muster? You think they are going to fill KQ up with death traps?

Walking Dead wasn't an eye opener to me. All their games were decent (Heck I liked their Wallice and Grommit series), the issue is that they don't have an edge a lot of the time.

My concern was never that they couldn't give KQ a story or capture the story of layout or characterisation that KQ could have. My issue is that they really couldn't give the Kings Quest Gameplay.

[writerlove]

I wouldn't be opposed to it. But I like how the franchise is now. A good story will last for as long as the fanbase keeps it alive. And we've had some quality remakes from fans (TSL being one of them). I'd give it a try if Telltale were so inclined to make a reboot. (I don't know anything about them).

[snabbott]

This is a tough one for me. I certainly think it's possible for more good KQ games to be made, I worry that a KQ sequel could just be a way to cash in on a popular IP. I think I would be just as happy with a spiritual successor to the KQ games.

[KatieHal]

Hmm...what *would* be a good game to go Doctor Who with, you think? (As in, lasting for more than one generation, rotating cast of characters, etc).

I do agree that any new KQ games should honor the kind if games the originals were. New additions and innovations are fine--expected, even, to stay popular in the long term--but they shouldn't stray so far from the originals. I also agree that in general, TTG's style isn't the KQ style. I'd still play a KQ game they made, if only to give it it's fair shake and support the IP and genre, though.

[snabbott]

Hmm...what *would* be a good game to go Doctor Who with, you think?

Why, Dr. Who, of course!