The Silver Lining

[awesomeasapossum]

Could you please scan it?

[Oldbushie]

June? 

But, it's April right now!

[Say]

Just got my June PC Gamer and in it is an article about TSL. Anyone else seen it yet? Just thought I would let everyone know.

Could you please scan it and send it to me? I wonder why Tim wouldn't let me know. Thanks in advance!

[dark-daventry]

But then again, say, were you ever told about the Edge article had you not heard it from me? Or maybe you had heard it from someone...

[Say]

It's obvious I know about most of the press releases because most of them contact ME first. Being the PR director I authorize and provide all the press kits, the interviews and all.

The problem is that, they get so excited to reach me, once they do they seem to "forget" to let me know when the article/interview comes out! Either way, it's always with a few months in advanced, I remember we participated in the interview back in February? or something, I thought it had come out already, I'm just glad it finally did !!

[Ryno]

Sure I can scan it for you Say! It might take until tommorrow though. I will send it as soon as I can.

[Ryno]

 Here is the PC Gamer article.

[Say]

Thank you so much Ryno!

You're in my good book now

[TribeHasSpoken]

I tried to see if I could find a copy of the magazine today, but the store still only had the April issue, so I'm guessing it will be a while before I can get it.

[ShinyKnight]

For those of you wanting to read the article, but haven't been able to buy a copy of the magazine yet (or maybe they simply don't sell it where you live), I just finished transcribing it...


   It seems as though the world only took notice of the fan-made King's Quest IX game when Vivendi's lawyers took steps to destroy it. Disappointed by the bum final note of 1998's King's Quest VII--the poor sales of which got the series canned--a group of fans formed Phoenix Online Studios with the aim of creating their own, more uplifting end to the story. After several years they had enough material for a trailer--which is when VU's lawyers stepped in.
   "When we started, we were really just looking to create a game for a community starving for the old Sierra days." Project Director Cesar Bittar told us. "Especially the fans of King's Quest. We wanted to bring closure to the series we grew up with."
   "We were working for a couple of years without explicit permission [to use the name, setting, and characters]," adds Saydmell Salazar, who handles the group's PR. "Perhaps things got real once [VU] could see it was more than just screenshots, or maybe it ]took that long until] they actually heard about us. The fans gathered and decided to create a buzz about the whole deal, contacting everything from portals to blogs and even radio stations. It's been quite a ride for all of us and we're lucky for all the support."
   In the end, Vivendi relented with one demand: the name had to change. And so "King's Quest" was dropped and the name changed to Every Cloak has a Silver Lining--but the KQ characters and story line remain.
   What was so wrong with the official final game in the series, King's Quest VIII: Mask of Eternity [PCG score: 66%] that fans felt compelled to create a new final chapter?
   "I think it was heavily decided by Sierra's administration rather than [creator] Roberta Williams herself," says Bittar. "The magic was completely gone and we were thrown into a ghastly world that showed no trace of the universe we were accustomed to." He cites a weak plot, lack of the series' trademark humor, and excessive violence as indicators that something was amiss.
   Now that they've gotten the green light, what do Bittar and his team plan to do about it?
   "Silver Lining starts with a huge celebration gone terribly wrong. It falls to King Graham to investigate... Soon, he realizes the unfortunate events are not just casual evil-doing--they have a specific purpose. [It all ties in] with a prophecy [about] the wars of two societies, and every single event in the previous King's Quest games is somehow connected to it."
   "We originally had nine chapters." says Salazar. "Now we have three parts with three chapters each. This makes it a lot easier to handle production wise, and makes for a friendlier release."
   About 80 percent complete, Silver Lining currently lives at www.tsl-game.com.

-- Steve Williams

[Oldbushie]

Wewt, a percentage! 

[koko_99_2001]

Actually, from what I've heard, a percentage was not given to PC Gamer. So I'm not sure where he came up with that...

[Ryno]

You are most welcome Say. Sorry that it wasn't very clear. My scanner has seen better days.

[Elessar]

"Silver Lining starts with a huge celebration gone terribly wrong.

Celebration? Would that be something like Connor's knighthood (although that couldn't be too big of a celebration), or something more like a wedding? (maybe Rosella finally gets hitched - maybe to Edgar?)

It all ties in with a prophecy about the wars of two societies,

So how much war are we talking about here? Is it going to be fairly noticable, or merely behind the scenes?

and every single event in the previous King's Quest games is somehow connected to it."

Will we see (even if it's only in the Underworld or something) all the old villians come back (including Mannanan in his proper form)?

About 80 percent complete, Silver Lining currently lives at www.tsl-game.com.

Finally, a percentage! Keep up the good work!

[Deloria]

Alexander and Rosella turn 21 (see Making of...)

We'll definitely see Malicia and Lolotte (the inventory)

[dark-daventry]

YAY! Now all we need is someone to go around and find all the spoilers and stuff that have been out, and then put them all together in an adobe document or something! It would then have a link to it on the site! And when new info or screenshots come out, it would be updated! That's all we need! But how do we get it...? Any volunteers? 

I'm excited about the game even more! I just need some new info... Well, I'll have to wait until May!

[Petter Holmberg]

80 percent... Sheesh, they just make this stuff up as they go.

In my book that's not where we are right now, but then again you should count it from the idea stage to this, not just the time of full production.

[Say]

There is something everyone should know from the press release found in April PC Gamer UK and in June PC Gamer USA.

Tim Edwards was my contact from PC Gamer UK, apparently due to different reasons he couldn't write the article himself, so he provided all information to Steve Williams, a freelance writer from USA, to create it for him.

Cesar Bittar and I were interviewed by Mr Edwards back in February 2006, even though we were discussing the idea of an article back in December 2005. Long story short, there is one detail which is not accurate from that article/interview, the "percentage complete", whatever that was supposed to mean. Neither Mr Bittar nor myself provided such information to PC Gamer UK/USA. Neither Mr Williams nor Mr Edwards ran the final draft of the article by us either.

I thought it was my responsibility to clear this up since Phoenix Online Studios didn't provide that figure, so obviously it's not official. We are not providing any official information regarding percentages just yet.


I hope it's clear now.

[maestro]

Celebration? Would that be something like Connor's knighthood (although that couldn't be too big of a celebration), or something more like a wedding? (maybe Rosella finally gets hitched - maybe to Edgar?)

I think the celebration refers to Alexander and Rosella's turning twenty-one years old.

[dark-daventry]

You'll see what happens...  Of course, I have yet to find out as well!