AGDInteractive - Sierra Adventure Game Remakes Forum

Don't attribute to bodily mutilation what can be explained with inconsistent style guides and/or the limitations from the graphics resolution.

Paladinlover wrote:

What about tatoos, piercing, and branding?  They are all self mutilation to some degree.

Most of those stuff are reversable (BTW, do people really brand themselves?)

Example of branding.

Link to article here.
And site here.

yeah, I agree with adeyke. Unless you guys are just arguing for the sake of trying to attribute inconsistencies to some kind of nonexistent cultural argument, there definitely was not any plan as such. it was definitely a mistake (if you can even call it a mistake; it was more of a choice). But, uh, if I'm a buzzkill, please ignore me, and continue! =D

Man, some of you guys really have the wildest imagination. I strongly agree that this is purely an improvement in graphics over time.

I don't remember if the Katta of Silmaria had long tails, but I think they did.

Yes the Katta in QFG 5 did indeed have long tails. Not only is it slightly apparent, but when using a certain game editor I managed to figure it out... the game editor changes the sprite (is that what it's called?) of the hero into something else. Sallah has a long tail, so does Marrak (actually it's apparent even in the game).

Till next time stay cool  :smokin

It would be a model in QFG5. Also, what editor is this?

Well, I think that's the general point/fun of having a fanboy discussion, arguing the fine points of what was most probably a simple design choice into a speculative continuity. I mean, this is a world that's seen the publication of the blueprints to the Enterprise D and the Millennium Falcon, after all. I personally think it's somewhat interesting to speculate on the tenets of Katta culture. I mean, they have a very specific magic that's unique to them, for instance. That's pretty cool.

Brainiac wrote:

Anonymous Game Creator 2 wrote:Particularly interesting are certain comments made by Aziza when describing Julanar's story about the tradition of women no longer having to wear veils and being but wives and chattel to men. Especially when compared to Zaysihah's contrary comments in Raseir about Khaveen enforcing the rules that women must wear veils at all times, not being allowed to speak to other males unless they are relatives, and generally hating all females.

I noticed that too.  It was intriguing that Julanar had actually been a tree for a very long time, the better to show the reactionary element of the state of affairs in Raseir.  In that time, the land as a whole had changed for the better, at least until Ad Avis usurped power.

Lori Cole's official explanation of Glorianna is that a "force wave" hit Earth in 1 BC and caused parallel worlds to form and sentient species to evolve rapidly. Super-scientific, right? Well, whatever. The fact is that we have no idea how many years after that event the games are taking place, but I always assumed thousands or tens of thousands to allow for the katta, liontaurs, etc to evolve and new civilizations to rise and fall.

That would also explain why the goings-on in Raseir (and in the story of Julanar) seemed so barbaric to those used to civility and equality in Shapeir.

Well, I imagined that the events of QFG took place in "present day" in that universe. For example, if you were to use a parallel universe-hopping machine, you would arrive on Earth today. The thing about the "force wave" is what explains a land like Spielberg existing in a medieval Germany context while a land like Mordavia exists in a slightly Victorian-era, 19th century Eastern Europe; or a land like Silmaria existing in essentially Ancient Greece while Shapeir is a medieval Ottoman Empire. The "wave" was supposed to have altered time and space in that way, creating this world of mixed and mashed timelines. Things didn't necessarily "evolve" quickly in the scientific/biological sense, but as far as cultures are concerned. The wave was more like the instant creation of an alternate Earth with its own timeline and history, kind of like how you see parallel Earths in comic books just "appear" after cosmic upheavals.

Really?  I believe it all just takes place in a VIDEO GAME.

Bt

Oh shut up, you weirdo.

I just imagine it takes place in a generic fantasy world with no connection with the real world save for languages and civilizations, similar to how Dungeons & Dragons is a giant melting pot of fantasy litterature and celtic, norse, european, mediteranean, persian, asian, african and native folklore, culture, mythology and pantheon, ranging from 3300BC to 1800AD.

It's not like Gloriana's geography has any significant role in game to require being justified with a twin earth and varying evolution rates. Except for saving historians some headaches, I'm not sure what is the utility of the twin earth origin.

Kurdt wrote:Oh shut up, you weirdo.

Heh.  See folks, that's the perfect response!

I never honestly really gave that much thought to the "world" of Hero's Quest.  I just kinda took what I was given at face value... I usually assume most fantasy stuff takes place in an alternate reality, which may or may not be Earth based.

Speaking of that, anyone ever seen Krull?


Bt

I agree with Bt.

If you start going with the alternate dimension/universe stuff, I'll lose interest. It's a fantasy world people. It doesn't need scientific explanation.

Ditto. I'll be happy to accept the fact the Sierra games like KQ and QFG take place in SOME world...how that world came to be I don't care about. Not EVERYTHING needs to have an official explanation.

This is all true, but for me, as a storyteller, playing around with possible origins and what if's are fun. I think it's great to attempt to fill the gaps with your own made-up stuff. I think it's why those gaps are there, to allow your imagination to invent cool ways to fill them. In the end, you'll never really know, but it's fun to speculate then tear town and speculate again. I get a kick out of it, at least.

It seems interesting to me that the possibility of different groups or "sub-species" of Katta haven't been discussed.  Even in humanity in general there are three widely recognized types.  Check out the Discovery channel if you're curious, some of the typing might be construed as inflammatory.

In any case, if Gloriana was a real place I'd attribute the short/long tail kattas to be of different types of Katta, different tribes, species, etc..

While we're on the subject, is there ever any mention of Katta history?

Soulforge wrote:While we're on the subject, is there ever any mention of Katta history?

My guess would be Katta history is pretty well tied to Shapier's history; it is their homeland, after all.

Brainiac wrote:My guess would be Katta history is pretty well tied to Shapier's history; it is their homeland, after all.

Well, yeah.  I was referring mainly to things such as were katta always in Shapier or did they migrate?  Were there ever conflicts with humans, etc.?

I think all we know is that the Katta were living in Shapeir before the humans built the cities around the magic fountains, and that they have a very specific kind of magic.

My guess would be Katta history is pretty well tied to Shapier's history; it is their homeland, after all.

Actually if I remember correctly from qfg2 the Katta's original homeland wasn't shapier but actually rasier. After Ad Avis took over they migrated to shapier to avoid persecution and were welcomed by the sultan. Sharaf wanted to stay to help form an underground resistance for his homeland.  

I thought how Shapeir and Rasier were formed was that they were built over time around the fountains. I thought someone told you about it if you asked about shapier.

techie775 wrote:Actually if I remember correctly from qfg2 the Katta's original homeland wasn't shapier but actually rasier.

Not quite.  You're forgetting that the City of Shapeir is the capital of the Land of Shapeir.  Raseir may have been the specific city most Katta consider their home, but Shapeir is their homeLAND.  Just like people could be from Minneapolis, but their homeland is the United States (or Minnesota, if they're more state-level identity-centric).

That sounds right, but I just wonder why is shapier the main city? Once you restore rasier to normal condition it looks exactly like shapier, not smaller. I thought they were both the same size if it mattered. I forgot if an emir ranked lower than sultan. And now that I think about it, they do always say "The land of shapier" not rasier.

"Emir" is a governor.

Shapeir and Raseir are twin cities so they're about similar in size. Raseir is the place where the Katta tribes originated, which is why they consider Raseir to be their true home. There's no explanation offered in the games why Shapeir is the capital, though logically, that city is probably closer to main trade routes as well as the first stop for caravans.

The Katta look like cats.