thanks for the links.
I've been told things got even worse for Mask when Cendent came into the picture, but with what you have shown, it had problems as early as CUC time frame.
What we need to do is find copies of all the magazines that ever talked about the game. When did they start talking about the game in InterAction (I don't know if they even mentioned much about the game when it was first announced in InterAction). What source the whole statue turned to life idea originated from. What point they started talking about Connor.
By Fall 1996, they were already into the Connor mac Lyrr phase of the game (so that really doesn't help understand particulars of what was going on then, as far as how much was Roberta's idea, and how much wasn't). Seriously it would help if somone could convince Roberta, in her own words to tell us what parts of her ideas where dropped (without her concent), and what ideas were her own changes (as she started develop her ideas). Because as it is we are getting alternate reports from various places, and its difficult to tell how much we should actually be reading or assuming into them...
We don't know exact date when the Connor mac Lyrr phase began either. If we knew what magazine announced the game first (might have been PC Gamer, but I don't really remember exactly), and could break down at least earliest reference to Connor mac Lyrr, it would be a big help to finding out ballpark range when that phase began. Most of the team quotes from that phase come from Roberta herself (mentioned in said magazine articles). So again we would be stuck having to ask Roberta to clarify. Not that we could get her into a position to do that unfortunately, lol 
As for that 1996 issue of InterAction, Ken was still the publisher, and a writer for that issue, and apparently still the CEO.
That InterAction issue was apparently worked on before CUC was taken over, when Ken was still in charge. It may or may not been published after the take over (I think I got the fall issue mid-late summer, but that's a long time ago). He is still referred to as the CEO in the issue, and the following issue (and talks about Sierra as if it is still his company). If this is the case, then it seems that the Fall 1996, issue may actually represent Roberta's most "up to date" vision for the game. Actually considering how long it takes to put a magazine together, and for articles to be written my guess is that the Fall 1996 issue was put together long before CUC bought out Sierra, and was written when Ken was still in charge.
Ken was still the publisher, and had a minor article in the Holiday issue 1996, on state of 3-d hardware, that may have been his last article. There are no scans for the spring/summer issues 1997 (if they existed). Yes, in that issue, he still said to be the "CEO" and founder of Sierra, strangly enough.
Granted, the Fall and Holiday issues may have been released back to back within a month of each other (I can't remember when I got those issues exactly), so it may have been again written before Ken Williams stepped down. That would make more sense.
I know for certain as far as scanned issues we have, Ken Williams wasn't the editor nor was he CEO by the time the Fall 1997 issue was published (I think if there were spring and summer issues those scans are missing).
Generally speaking you get the issue for a month near the end of the previous season, or very early the season the magazine is issued for, so its is prepared long in advance of when it actually reaches your mailbox, and goes to print not long before its sent out.
Also does anyone remember which issue of InterAction Roberta's son, talked about the game? It also had a few of the early Connor mac Lyrr phase pictures, as well, IIRC. It might have been spring or summer issue, but I don't remember exactly.
Here is a picture from the article (with her son's picture), it was either, from Connor mac Lyrr phase, or an intermediate phase between the 'mac Lyrr' and the released version. Notice that the area more or less looks like the released version of Daventry (and also note the witch's model), but neither of those grave stone models exist in the game.
We have other pictures from the intermediate stage in other issues as well, at that time there were still trees and bushes in the world, and Daventry still had a skybox, instead of the pitch black sky.
As far as his "Inside View" publications and position as publisher of InterAction, his Inside View column continued until the Summer 1997 issue of InterAction, long after he had quit as CEO (His last article was about the sale to CUC, referring to it as having happened 'a year ago). I had asked him about this once, and he made it clear he stepped down from Sierra as of July 24th 1996 and asked to be transfered away from CUC's Software vision and instead he continued to work for CUC as a "Vice Chairman" (which he says he had little power or influence over the games division despite the title) and head of their "NetMarket" (a venture similar to Amazon.com) project. He continued writing for InterAction from Summer '96 to Summer '97 as there was an in effort by CUC to keep the fact he wasn't running Sierra anymore 'hushed up' for some reason--They didn't want the fans knowing. I think he also said he kept on writing for InterAction making it seem like he was still running things to make the fans feel better about the new changes.
It's a very muddy period and technically while he was no longer an employee of or the CEO of Sierra from July 1996 forward, he was still an employee of CUC, Inc. from then until November 1997, at which point seeing the company be torn apart and since he was no longer in the games division powerless to do anything about it, he left the company entirely.
There was a lot of very behind closed door stuff we'll probably never know about. However, his story about the sale to CUC, after negotiating were this:
''At the time of the acquisition of Davidson and Sierra, the two companies were flying high. Sierra was dominant in entertainment and Davidson was dominant in education. Actually it was a perfect marriage in that Sierra lead the market in education outside the US, and Davidson had an entertainment hit in their Blizzard subsidiary. Together, the two companies should have been unstoppable.
Unfortunately, it sounds easier as a theory, than it was as a reality. When first approached by CUC, about being acquired, I was fine. But, then when CUC spoke about their strategy of consolidating us with Davidson, I worried that it was a 'marriage doomed to failure'. There were companies I could envision being teamed with, but Davidson wasn't one of them. I had tremendous respect for Bob Davidson, and thought he was a brilliant businessman. But, I didn't think he was the right guy to run a combined Sierra/Davidson, and I didn't think he would be willing to subordinate his company to Sierra. On this basis, I refused to 'do the deal.'
My fear had to do with Sierra's product line, rather than anything personal. Sierra published a wide range of products, including both entertainment and education products. Davidson also published both entertainment and education. That Davidson could publish children's education AND Warcraft was a positive. However, during the negotiations, there were rumors that Bob and Jan Davidson were concerned about Leisure-Suit Larry and Phantasmagoria -- two of Sierra's biggest hits. To me, it was clear that they were non-supporters of the products. Putting Davidson in charge of selling these products, which were a huge percentage of our revenue, I felt would be a mistake. I just didn't think it would work.
During the negotiations, CUC convinced me that the 'Davidson Issue' was a 'non-issue.' CUC put a structure in place which created a consolidation of non-product related functions, such as manufacturing, while leaving Sierra and Davidson independent for the purpose of creating product. In other words, I was assured that only non-product related groups would be merged. Davidson would not be dictating product strategy at Sierra, and neither of us would be reporting to the other. This is quite different than what actually happened.
One the deal was done,Bob Davidson was put in charge. However, even this had problems -CUC and Davidson had their own conflict, which resulted in Bob Davidson leaving the company. By the time all this occured, I had been transferred out of the software business, and neither CUC nor I wanted me to get reinvolved. At the time, I used to say 'Put Bob Davidson, or myself in charge of software, but don't ask us to co-exist. Either of us could do the job, but WE can't do it together.' Bob won the short-term battle to run the software business, but then he and his new bosses didn't get along. My personal theory is that it's possible that they didn't get along because Bob sensed that things weren't completely right at CUC (several members of CUC's management have been found guilty of, or admitted to, 'cooking the books'.)"
When answering a question about Phantasmagoria, he had this to say which also gives some light on how chaotic and twisted the atmosphere was at Sierra:
http://www.sierragamers.com/aspx/m/634063/bbs/Topic.7324.530202''Lastly, both Phantasmagoria and Phantasmagoria II were harmed by the sale of Sierra. The distribution of Sierra's products were taken over by Davidson Software. For those that don't remember, Davidson was a major educational software publisher. It's owners, Bob and Jan Davidson, believed Phantasmagoria was an evil product, and should be abandoned. I had to argue behind the scenes just to keep it on the order form. The sales force, and even the customers, had no trouble figuring out that Phantasmagoria was not supported by Sierra management, and sent back their inventory, rather than pushing the product. Momentum for the product flipped overnight."
And here:
''reat question!
CUC put me on the board as Vice Chairman, and also into the Office of the President, in response to my fears that Sierra would be ruined by being part of CUC. They also formed a software board, which I was to be part of, that was to make the important decisions for the software business. I wanted to know that I had the power required within the organization to give Sierra the maximum chance of surviving. I refused to support the transaction unless I thought there would be a viable software business post-transaction.
Unfortunately, they were just telling me what I wanted to hear, to get the deal done. My titles gave me no power, and I dropped almost all involvement in the software business immediately after the acquisition.
It was a very painful time.
-Ken W''
http://www.sierragamers.com/aspx/m/634063/bbs/Topic.13497.530202And finally:
''
At the time we were acquired, the company wasn't for sale. Walter Forbes had been on our board for a number of years, and blindsided me after a board meeting with the offer of acquisition.
In the weeks following his (Walter's) proposal there were intense negotiations, and the deal almost fell apart several times. Price was certainly an issue, although the price was the simplest issue negotiated. We resolved the price almost immediately.
The huge issue was the management of the company post-acquisition. I needed to believe that the company would retain its independence after the acquisition and be able to continue producing great product. After intense negotiations, a structure was put in place that I believed would result in a major win for Sierra's employees and customers.
Walter Forbes vision was to roll together all of the larger software companies, creating one huge entertainment company. The acquisition of Davidson (Blizzard) and Sierra was really intended as just the beginning.
We agreed that the non-creative groups, such as manufacturing and distribution would be consolidated, but that the product groups would retain their independence. A complex structure was put in place that not only gave me clear command of Sierra, but also visibility and influence over all of the products across the consolidated company. This would allow me to focus on what I did best (product) while creating a distribution company that could deal with the operational issues.
The deal would not have closed were I not convinced that it was in the best interests of ALL of Sierra's employees, customers and shareholders.
Almost immediately after the deal closed I realized that things were not going to be as we had planned, and not all of the problems were with the acquiring company. Sierra's sales force was consolidated with Davidsons, and there were problems with the Davidson sales force selling Sierra products. They had been selling educational software which had a very different sales profile than computer games. There were also issues with a cultural difference between selling preschool software and Leisure-Suit Larry. Some of our biggest hits were offensive to some people at Davidson. It was an issue no one had expected.
Prior to the acquisition, the potential for these kinds of problems had been discussed. A structure was put in place to deal with them, and it was all ignored. A software board was to have been created, but it never had a single meeting. I do not know why. Also, Bob Davidson, who was running all sales for the consolidated company suddenly left the company. I felt that I, or someone from my senior management team, should have been installed to run the company, but CUC brought in a member of their senior management with no experience in software. I was frustrated and unhappy, and wound up leaving the software business entirely.''
Seeing as the sale was announced publicly in February, the actual discussions and perhaps even the idea of the sale could've happened as early as December '95 or January 1996. And on another page on his forum, he said right after Phantas 1 came out, within a month it was a hit and he tried to convince Roberta to start on Phantas 2 right away but instead she wanted to do another KQ game--Which means the earliest development of KQ8 could've happened around September/October of 1995. You have the sale occurring in February-July and most of Ken's energy was probably focused on that and signing on other games--He recalls one of his last acts as CEO was to evaluate and end up deciding to publish Half Life.
So really with everything going on, there was very little real "Roberta" time as MoE. I think when Ken refers to ''other people'' putting their vision in the game he's referring to Mark and others. In one of the Making of KQ8 videos it's clear Mark's vision is leading here, he says, to paraphrase, "The game takes place in the King'd Quest world, but it's not exactly King's Quest."
