[QFG] Quest for Glory made better [QFG]
Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2006 7:25 am
I would like to begin a dialogue with this intriguing idea: what areas of the QG1 world could use some “fleshing out”?
By "could" I mean what without regard for implementation limitations. These are ideas for an ideal remake of the whole series. Hey, it cost nothing to imagine it ;)
The main purpose of this post is not to insist that all these changes would be good ideas, but to show one of the reasons we all love the QG world is not just for what it is but what it sparked in our imaginations. Many of us read fantasy and played many other games. Many of us have thought about how to extend the QG world. Perhaps our ideas could one day go toward a massively multiplayer online game in the future.
In future posts I will suggest areas where the other QG games can be fleshed out.
Playing the game with each class of character should be like playing three very different games. The characters in the game should interact with you differently if they know/find out that you can use magic, are wearing a sword instead of a dagger etc. There should be many different sub-quests for each class. Also the class should solve challenges according to their talents (though this improves slightly with each game, all should have more of it). The 'Maltese Falcon' sub plot spanned the various games and was important for the thief type. Wasn't this cool? Don't you think more should have been made of it? Don't you think more stuff like this should be added to the game?
Now. Onto the areas to flesh out in the games. I will put a asterisk (*) next to the points I think really important.
QG1
The Town. In short, bigger and more complex. It isn't a town, more a village or smaller. More people on the street. More shops (and more of them open).
The Inn. Two or three stories. Several characters inside it. A subplot of two here.
The Magic shop*. By walking through the magic gate in the shop, the magic user should have access to - well somewhere else! Perhaps the Magicians Guild (in a limited fashion), or maybe somewhere new. Also a sub quest just for the magician. As in all good fantasy, the magic user need to have a great latent power inside himself that other powerful magi sense. Some will help you, some will fear you. The owner of the shop should be more interested in the magic user.
*The Pub. Active a night. Bigger. Several rooms. Some interesting characters. Opportunity for the thief to pick some pockets. The thieves guild should be moved out of the pub into an alley. The inn and the pub could be combined. The inn/pub should be very different in atmosphere and activity whether it is day or night. I don't know about you, but I never slept in the inn, often sleeping else where. Incentives for sleeping in the inn should be available (love, friendship, sub plots). Perhaps by doing a favour for the owner of the inn would get the hero free room and board.
The Graveyard. Bigger. Several screens. A secret underground passage to the underground caverns that connect up to ancient ruins under the town. Depending on the class, different problems to be overcome.
*The Castle. Bigger. More access earlier in the game. More characters. More sub quests for each of the 3 classes. For the thief class a mission at night to steal. For all the classes a rescue mission for someone in the dungeon. For the fighter class sub quest involving the guards. For the magician, a magic item to be found (or something else?
The Mountains. Spielburg is in a valley. So there should be a sub-quest up some mountain path...
The lake and waterfall. For the magician - a secret behind the waterfall. The lake should be bigger. One should be able to talk around it.
Underground caves and caverns. Goblins. The Kobold's cave and the ice giants cave. Perhaps one of the classes (fighter?) can access these caves via an underground route. Perhaps this could be access in several places. It should be big, and dangerous.
The Graveyard. Bigger. More screens. Secret underground area. The close the hero is to the graveyard the more ghost etc at night. And in the graveyard ghosts of course.
The Adventurers Guild. It's kind of weird empty place in the first game. Should there even be a Guild? Perhaps depends on the day, and the time of day, various people could drop in. The law enforcement for example, and also the guards. Perhaps the Guild could be an extension of other building such as the inn? Or perhaps It need to be in the game for a short period of time (burnt down?) Maybe the Guild could the the guild masters house as well (and give him a family).
Baba Yaga. Wasn't the one screen devoted to this part of the game out of place. Perhaps the territory she occupies could be expanded? One idea would be to put her up a mountain path.
Erasumus's Palace. This belongs up a mountain. But rather than get so high in a single screen, the needs to be a mountainous zone of the game, filled with danger (goblins, caves, mountain centaurs, magic traps, flying saurii) and opportunity (sub quests, magic items, treasure). And beauty (streams, ice, snow, rainbows). The wizards palace itself could be made much bigger.
The brigands seem tacked on, and only important later in the game. Perhaps the brigands could attack the town, or the castle? Or perhaps the castle could attack the brigands? Part of the problem is the lack of trade with the outside world. The brigands don't have anyone to rob. The pass into the valley doesn't need to be blocked for the hero's sake. He is here to help. There could be regular trade with the outside civilisations.
*The fields and orchards of the town need to be bigger.
By "could" I mean what without regard for implementation limitations. These are ideas for an ideal remake of the whole series. Hey, it cost nothing to imagine it ;)
The main purpose of this post is not to insist that all these changes would be good ideas, but to show one of the reasons we all love the QG world is not just for what it is but what it sparked in our imaginations. Many of us read fantasy and played many other games. Many of us have thought about how to extend the QG world. Perhaps our ideas could one day go toward a massively multiplayer online game in the future.
In future posts I will suggest areas where the other QG games can be fleshed out.
Playing the game with each class of character should be like playing three very different games. The characters in the game should interact with you differently if they know/find out that you can use magic, are wearing a sword instead of a dagger etc. There should be many different sub-quests for each class. Also the class should solve challenges according to their talents (though this improves slightly with each game, all should have more of it). The 'Maltese Falcon' sub plot spanned the various games and was important for the thief type. Wasn't this cool? Don't you think more should have been made of it? Don't you think more stuff like this should be added to the game?
Now. Onto the areas to flesh out in the games. I will put a asterisk (*) next to the points I think really important.
QG1
The Town. In short, bigger and more complex. It isn't a town, more a village or smaller. More people on the street. More shops (and more of them open).
The Inn. Two or three stories. Several characters inside it. A subplot of two here.
The Magic shop*. By walking through the magic gate in the shop, the magic user should have access to - well somewhere else! Perhaps the Magicians Guild (in a limited fashion), or maybe somewhere new. Also a sub quest just for the magician. As in all good fantasy, the magic user need to have a great latent power inside himself that other powerful magi sense. Some will help you, some will fear you. The owner of the shop should be more interested in the magic user.
*The Pub. Active a night. Bigger. Several rooms. Some interesting characters. Opportunity for the thief to pick some pockets. The thieves guild should be moved out of the pub into an alley. The inn and the pub could be combined. The inn/pub should be very different in atmosphere and activity whether it is day or night. I don't know about you, but I never slept in the inn, often sleeping else where. Incentives for sleeping in the inn should be available (love, friendship, sub plots). Perhaps by doing a favour for the owner of the inn would get the hero free room and board.
The Graveyard. Bigger. Several screens. A secret underground passage to the underground caverns that connect up to ancient ruins under the town. Depending on the class, different problems to be overcome.
*The Castle. Bigger. More access earlier in the game. More characters. More sub quests for each of the 3 classes. For the thief class a mission at night to steal. For all the classes a rescue mission for someone in the dungeon. For the fighter class sub quest involving the guards. For the magician, a magic item to be found (or something else?
The Mountains. Spielburg is in a valley. So there should be a sub-quest up some mountain path...
The lake and waterfall. For the magician - a secret behind the waterfall. The lake should be bigger. One should be able to talk around it.
Underground caves and caverns. Goblins. The Kobold's cave and the ice giants cave. Perhaps one of the classes (fighter?) can access these caves via an underground route. Perhaps this could be access in several places. It should be big, and dangerous.
The Graveyard. Bigger. More screens. Secret underground area. The close the hero is to the graveyard the more ghost etc at night. And in the graveyard ghosts of course.
The Adventurers Guild. It's kind of weird empty place in the first game. Should there even be a Guild? Perhaps depends on the day, and the time of day, various people could drop in. The law enforcement for example, and also the guards. Perhaps the Guild could be an extension of other building such as the inn? Or perhaps It need to be in the game for a short period of time (burnt down?) Maybe the Guild could the the guild masters house as well (and give him a family).
Baba Yaga. Wasn't the one screen devoted to this part of the game out of place. Perhaps the territory she occupies could be expanded? One idea would be to put her up a mountain path.
Erasumus's Palace. This belongs up a mountain. But rather than get so high in a single screen, the needs to be a mountainous zone of the game, filled with danger (goblins, caves, mountain centaurs, magic traps, flying saurii) and opportunity (sub quests, magic items, treasure). And beauty (streams, ice, snow, rainbows). The wizards palace itself could be made much bigger.
The brigands seem tacked on, and only important later in the game. Perhaps the brigands could attack the town, or the castle? Or perhaps the castle could attack the brigands? Part of the problem is the lack of trade with the outside world. The brigands don't have anyone to rob. The pass into the valley doesn't need to be blocked for the hero's sake. He is here to help. There could be regular trade with the outside civilisations.
*The fields and orchards of the town need to be bigger.