Computer Gaming World’s Ryan Scott is taking Sierra to task for its recent adventure game compilations. To summarize the sins:
1) The games aren’t XP compatible,
2) The packaging is unimpressive,
3) The compilations are far from complete, and
4) No special goodies beyond the games themselves.
No “Making Of”; no interviews with Roberta Williams, Al Lowe, or any of the other original game designers; no cool bells ‘n’ whistles. Even the old collections of these games had all that stuff. Not here.
Clearly, this is not a compilation pack aimed at fans of the Sierra Adventures. It can’t be. If it were, it wouldn’t just give players stuff they already had. I have the old King’s Quest Collection set and it includes the other adventure games that Scott mentions in his post. Without adding XP compatibility, it’s not clear if this is targeting new users either, those gamers who grew up in the afterglow of the Sierra games that set the path for the genre (for both good and illl) for so long.
You want to hear the sick thing, though? In spite of Ryan Scott’s post, I still want the Space Quest compilation pack. Because those games were mostly good and I don’t have them. And here I get them all in one place for only twenty dollars.
And for twenty dollars you really can’t expect a hell of a lot of chrome. This isn’t a fifty dollar Total War: Eras or Command and Conquer: First Decades. Each series had a different team behind it, and some have moved out of the industry altogether.
So I feel Scott’s pain and sympathize with his memories not being given the proper respect. But I’ll also squirrel away some money for Space Quest, thereby sending Sierra the wrong message.
I’m complicated.
Reading your post and the link make me very, very sad. I grew up on games like King’s Quest and would buy a collection in a heartbeat — especially if it had an interview with Roberta Williams (who was one of my childhood role models; she and Jane Jensen are major factors in why I’m looking to get a job in the gaming industry). But, I mean, I still have those games. When I want to play them, all I need to do is pop them in and run them on DOSBOX. Why would I pay money for something that gives me exactly what I already have?
Argh. Won’t anyone think of the packrat fans who probably still have their 5.25 inch floppy games somewhere?
I’m in the exact same camp. I’ve got a decent King’s Quest and Leisure Suit Larry collection. I don’t have any of the Space Quest games, however. It makes me sad that they weren’t treated right but I’ll buy the collection just to fill in the gaps.
I bought the King’s Quest and Space Quest compilations. And I’ll probably go back for the LLL and Police Quest ones too. (Where’s my Gabriel Knight??).
I’ve had no problems running them in XP (with the automated DOSBox installation it comes with). I’d have liked some decent extras, but I haven’t owned KQ/SQ in years and years, so I’m content.
It is a missed oportunity, but hopefully if they ever do put out Gabriel Knight or the other Sierra adventure games (Manhunter NY/SF!!!) they’ll give them a little more love.