Entertaining an idea..

[SOUL FIR3]

While eagerly awaiting the upcoming release of the fourth TSL episode, i went on a nostalgic trip back to the early Kings Quest games starting from the VGA remakes to the original 5th, 6th and 7th Kings Quest volumes, and reaccustomed myself to the mind boggling puzzles, quirky characters, engaging dialogue and appealing graphics, which in turn excited me even further about the upcoming final TSL chapters.

However i noticed that i forgot about replaying the 8th volume, the mask of eternity; possibly because i had no time for the longevity of loading screens, slow paced action sequences, and just generally boring gameplay (and not to mention the hassle of playing it on a non-xp machine). Although this saddened me abit, because despite the enjoyable storyline, environment concept and sheer valour of the main character, Sir Connor of Daventry, i vowed never to bother playing that particular volume ever again after once witnessing my brothers disappointment with the game when i was younger, and again my own when enduring the game myself last year. We must admit... what a shocking piece of s*** that game was, ha ha  

Anyway, blah blah blah, when thinking about the cute and funny references to the mask of eternity all hidden here and there around the first three TSL episodes (for instance, when the narrator cheekily states "Ti's beyond my reach" when Graham intends to grab something too far away), one cant help but wish that the 8th Kings Quest volume was more playable and indeed more like the rest of the epic series, in order to truly continue the rich adventure feeling.

So an idea vaguely wafted through my mind, and i wondered if anyone had thought of redesigning the The Mask of Eternity, the same way other independent designers remodelled the first three (and currently the 4th) Kings Quest volumes into a noob-friendly yet equally entertaining point-and-click adventure game. It would be great (in my opinion, and hopefully many more KQ fans out there) to encompass all of the characters, puzzles and realm concepts of Mask into a friendly interface more reminiscent of 'Absence Makes The Heart Go Yonder', 'Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow', and even the cartoony style of 'The Princeless Bride'

What are the opinions of other Kings Quest fans on this idea?  

[Deloria]

Do you want to make it?

[Delling]

Well, the idea has come up before, but I don't think it ever gained much traction. Personally, I don't think it's a bad idea, but it may be difficult or problematic to execute.

POS wouldn't be making it, of course. After TSL, they are moving on.

[SOUL FIR3]

I would love to make it, though unfortunately I'm just a simple fan of the games; i studied photography rather than game programming and design. I merely wondered if the idea would be popular enough to inspire a group of people with the means to take the idea further, and was curious as to how many other fans shared my views.

Though POS are doing such an amazing job on this last chapter of the Kings Quest series, a volume in which just a few years ago many believed to be a flaccid idea, this is easily more than any KQ fan can ask for.

Still though, ti's a shame bout the 8th being so different from the rest, really breaks the fluid storyline and feel of the series. Dang im gonna be sad when this is all over!

[wilco64256]

Maybe that's what Telltale will do - remake Mask of Eternity in the same style they did the Back to the Future games.

[Fierce Deity]

A VGA remake of Mask of Eternity would be an entertaining notion, but I don't know how it would translate through production. The game was built from the ground up to be an action title, if the puzzles were changed to fit the classic King's Quest style, it would probably work. I also think the story would need to be altered a bit, cause otherwise the story would be pretty bland. Go to point A, pick up a mask piece, go to point B, pick up a mask piece, etc. Connor would have to go through similar trials as the royal family did to have the puzzle-format fit aptly. I would have no problem being on-board the project, but I don't know much about video game design either. That being said, I would support a VGA remake of Mask of Eternity entirely.

[DawsonJ]

That sounds like a cool idea. If only someone could do it. Personally, I'm too busy drooling over TSL and Kingdom of Sorrow to mourn the lack of an unofficial MoE, but it would be cool if some group were to do it. (Hopefully without a British-sounding cast. )

[jazzguy+87]

I'm on board. I'm a writer, composer, and have minor adventure game studios programming experience.  Any artist?

(Posted on: September 28, 2011, 06:39:46 PM)

I was thinking what if the pieces of the mask were spread through the lands from the other 7 games? Crazy right?

[DawsonJ]

I'm on board. I'm a writer, composer, and have minor adventure game studios programming experience.  Any artist?

(Posted on: September 28, 2011, 06:39:46 PM)

I was thinking what if the pieces of the mask were spread through the lands from the other 7 games? Crazy right?

That sure would've made a better game! Maybe their characters would have some personality - more than can be said for most of MoE's characters.

[jazzguy+87]

I just love the idea of MOE being connected to the rest in some way other than the title.

[Fierce Deity]

I just love the idea of MOE being connected to the rest in some way other than the title.

But wouldn't it being connected to every single title in the series be kind of pushing it? If Connor had to go to every land to pick up a mask piece, it would almost feel like an AGDI remake for the entire series with the premise of MoE. Not that it'd be a bad thing, but I don't think it would make MoE any better, it would just be "pure" fan fiction. If MoE had a remake, I think they could keep all of the lands that were introduced in the original title and still make it work.

[KatieHal]

I think that would be a great way to make it feel more like a KQ game. Revisit some old lands, and add one or two new ones for Connor to explore.

[jazzguy+87]

I think my concern is that I didn't find any of the lands from MOE that captivating.  That may be due to the fact the came was so "hack and slash" instead of story and character driven.

I can see adapting the some of the MOE lands, but you could still revisit a land or two.  Especially an updated Daventry that looks similar to KQ1.

[Fierce Deity]

I suppose. I think what I liked most about the lands in MoE was that they were completely new. I guess one could argue (and by one, I mean Baggins) that Daventry was just a more updated version of the old Daventry, that the Dimension of Death was the Land of the Dead, and the Frozen Reaches could easily be any of the mountains that separated Daventry from the outside lands (Serenia or the icy regions that Alexander explored prior to reaching Daventry).

There was never really any concrete evidence that suggested that this MoE land of Daventry was completely separate from the old land of Daventry. There's no evidence that suggests that it's the same either. But if one can use their imagination, I don't see why the Daventry in MoE was so different that it can't be considered a part of the series and that it would have to adapt to the old world of Daventry.

Once again, I'd be for Connor exploring the old lands, I just think the old lands would have to be more involved than just having a piece of the mask fall in their territory. For instance, if Daventry turns to stone, why not have a Kolyma that endures a drought, or an Isle of Wonder that is filled with clear-minded and sensible creatures (Oh no!!! ). Also, the Temple of the Sun, Archons, and the Mask of Eternity would have to be connected to the outside world and not just Daventry (assuming the Mask only affected the land of Daventry and not the world of Daventry in the original MoE). As long as the inclusion of the other worlds doesn't ruin the integrity of the original story, I'd be on board all the way.

[jazzguy+87]

I like the idea of the pieces affecting each of the lands differently. That could certainly mix things up.

[Fierce Deity]

I don't know if anybody would be interested in bringing Etheria or Eldritch into play, but I know an interesting story could be had with Connor meeting the royal family members that are ruling in their respective kingdoms. Connor meeting with Alexander would make for an epic alliance (or feud?).

[KatieHal]

It could be good for comic relief--the Mask has made all the people of Ooga Booga alive! Noooo!!

[jazzguy+87]

Alexander and Connor would rock. I would love to see ooga booga land as a green and flourishing. That would be terrifying.

[Fierce Deity]

It could be good for comic relief--the Mask has made all the people of Ooga Booga alive! Noooo!!

I would love to see ooga booga land as a green and flourishing. That would be terrifying.

I'm thinking of a very sunny and bright area. Almost a perfect example of a Disney movie, thus poking fun at the direction that they were going with in KQ7 to begin with.

Of course, if Connor succeeds in transforming Ooga Booga back to it's original gloomy environment, he may question in a monologue if turning the land back to normal was the 'right' decision.

The only reason I'd want to see different effects across the world is because if the significance of the Mask was to uphold Light, Order, and Truth, then wouldn't the repercussions of its demise be Darkness, Chaos, and Lies? Petrification is fine, but it's hardly as catastrophic as what "could" happen.

[jazzguy+87]

True. I would imagine that you could really make previous land almost entirely different from the way we've seen them before.