What would 'Hero's Crown' have been like?

[ChaosBurnFlame]

I of course speak of QfG 5's original title before it was shelved into Development Hell.

[Klytos]

I would say that it'd be similar to what we've got now in Dragonfire.

[ChaosBurnFlame]

I disagree.

I think for one many of the rites of rulership wouldn't exist as they did, and most likely a final showdown the dragon would be non-existant.  What set the QfG series apart was any final showdown wasn't a mere fight, and I would've expected if QfG 5 was made as Hero's Crown back before it was put on the shelf, it would have been no different.

[Vroomfondel]

Multiplayer capabilities.

[Boogeyman]

Probably, since the QFG5 demo did.

[ChaosBurnFlame]

I'm talking about before the demo, back after 4 came out and before 5 was almost permanently shelved.

[Kurdt]

Basically, you're saying what would QFG5 have been like had it been made right after QFG4 as it was originally planned? Well, Lori Cole has said it was quite different in the conceptualization of it, but I'd imagine most of the same themes/tone would be intact. I'm happy with how QFG5 came out in the end, though, personally. I wish the 3D characters and some camera angles would've been better, but since 3D models were still a new technology I don't hold it against them.

[ChaosBurnFlame]

Basically, you're saying what would QFG5 have been like had it been made right after QFG4 as it was originally planned? Well, Lori Cole has said it was quite different in the conceptualization of it, but I'd imagine most of the same themes/tone would be intact. I'm happy with how QFG5 came out in the end, though, personally. I wish the 3D characters and some camera angles would've been better, but since 3D models were still a new technology I don't hold it against them.

I don't wish to be misunderstood.

Not saying V was a terrible game(although in some aspects it did fall sort.   My biggest complaint was the combat system and weapon systme that came with it).

I just wish to have some fun conjecture of what it would've been like using the more traditional Sierra game engine, perhaps the type of engine we saw in Space Quest 6 or such.

[Kurdt]

I got what you were saying. It just didn't seem like everyone did so I was clarifying.

Personally, I think that the use of 3D allowed QFG5 to become more epic and majestic. Like I said, though, there were times when it was just impossible to see what was happening because it was zoomed out so much. The combat comes to mind in this instance. As you said, it was really hard to do sometimes because of the views you had. Also, I think if the models were better-looking and less blocky we would've had a better game, but once again I can't really hold it against them because the technology was so new.

It's hard for me to imagine QFG5 in VGA or SVGA because I think its concept was so perfectly married to the world of 3D animation. If it had been made using SCI, it definitely would've been a LOT different.

[ChaosBurnFlame]

I imagine a much bigger city of Silmaria and perhaps a magic map to transport around the city for one.

And also a very different swimming system.

I think the armor class system would be drastically different(for instance, those fighters and paladins that fought the wraiths and earned the platemail would have that, and Piotry's shield would be more than just a 'magic shield').

[antonyo]

There are so many creative and inspired fans, more as AGDI and AI release more remakes, it wouldn't surprise me if one of those day someone decided to make a VGA remake of MOE or QFG5. To see how it would have been with the old engine.

I think combats would have been a lot different. With the old system, it wouldn't have had as many weapons, armors and shields, combats wouldn't have been as omnipresent and would have been easier for the magic user and thief class. (I do remember giving my thief a chainmail, sword, shield and helmet to fight the monsters because doing it the traditionnal way of dagger throwing and stealth was rather hard if not impossible during random encounters)

As for the story, it may have been the same, however there wouldn't have had all these past characters the fans wanted to see in the QFG5 when the Coles did that poll. New, funny, witty and original characters would have replaced all those who were from older games and irrevelant to the story.

[Brainiac]

One thing that should have been in it was Wizard's Whirl, Erasmus's new game.  You were supposed to play him to gain Whirlwind (just like in QfG1 for Dazzle).  Unfortunately, it was dropped for time from Dragon Fire(along with Glide for difficulty in application).  All that's left is a brief mention of Erasmus blowing up the game board after a particularly poor performance.

[Shade]

and would have been easier for the magic user and thief class. (I do remember giving my thief a chainmail, sword, shield and helmet to fight the monsters because doing it the traditionnal way of dagger throwing and stealth was rather hard if not impossible during random encounters)

I never played QG5 as a thief so I'm not sure how this was for them (it sounds awful) but to be honest, I thought combat was a little too easy for the Wizard character.  Targeting could be a challenge but the spells generally streaked across the screen so quickly that most monsters were dead in seconds.  And once you have the Dragon Fire spell... it's over.  The wizard's staff made more sense in this game though as a storehouse of mana you could walk around and fight with instead of a way to blast wandering monsters a few times for free.

I'm not trying too critical, I feel that overall the "real time" combat was a natural move for the series and kept it from being "more of the same."  I also thought the added weapons were creative for people who were tired of using the same sword or dagger in every single game.  Was there a way for fighters to get an axe in QFG4?  I heard there was but didn't play as one.

[adeyke]

From the wraith mound where Paladins get Piotyr's shield, fighters get an axe.

I think QfG5's combat model was very problematic.  Because of the fixed-camera 3rd person perspective, it was very difficult to actually play with the keyboard; you could never be sure you were actually facing the right way.  And with the mouse, combat is basically "keep clicking on the monster until it dies."  Not much skill or strategy involved there.

Also, unlike previous QfG games, you could use potions and pills while fighting.  That meant that battles couldn't possibly be dangerous or challenging; at most, they'd be expensive.  The only exception would be if there's some sort of time limit (like with the ending dragon battle).

[ChaosBurnFlame]

And there were a lot of ways to cheese up the final dragon fight...

Like say collecting 100 throwing spears, casting zap on them all, and then when the dragon shows up, just chuck them all at the Dragon.

Cheesing it, I know.

That's why I think in it's original concept, actually battling the dragon wouldn't be such an orgy of disorganization that it actually was(that being my only real beef with Dragonfire).

[Kurdt]

Then again, though, I don't think the wholesale epic battle style action that went on during the Dragon showdown would've really been possible. It may have ended up being something like the end of QFG4 where you kinda just hit a wall with Erana's staff and she says you sent Avoozl back. I think that, while it would've been cooler to have an easier way to kill the dragon, it also would've sucked had the scale been limited by the confines of VGA.

[Quest For Glory Fan]

I liked the 3D effect in QFG5 but 4 had it's own charm with how good the graphics had gotten by the time. Kurdt next time could you please use the Spoiler tags next time? That really sucked for me dude.

[Kurdt]

You haven't played QFG4? And you call yourself QFGFan??!?! Arguably the best game and the series and you haven't played it...wow.

Anyways, I figure this entire thread's spoiler heaven since we're talking specifics about game details, so I figured it didn't need the spoiler tags. Besides, that's not "exactly" what happens. There's a LITTLE more to it than just that.

[Vroomfondel]

I, too, rather enjoyed Dragon Fire. As for the blocky models, only Devon's and the NPC's were blocky, the enemies were fine. The backgrounds were a little fuzzy at times, but like Kurdt said, this was pretty new at the time.

[adeyke]

The worst part of the graphics, I think, were the character portraits.  QfG4 had beautiful full-screen ones, while QfG5 had tiny, plastic-looking ones.

[Vroomfondel]

I thought the portraits were fine.

[Quest For Glory Fan]

You haven't played QFG4? And you call yourself QFGFan??!?! Arguably the best game and the series and you haven't played it...wow.

Anyways, I figure this entire thread's spoiler heaven since we're talking specifics about game details, so I figured it didn't need the spoiler tags. Besides, that's not "exactly" what happens. There's a LITTLE more to it than just that.

I played it but reformatted and haven't gotten to that point. It's common knowledge I didn't beat a lot of the games even though I've played all of them for countless hours, looking back I should change my moniker but nothing comes to mind.

[Kurdt]

Nah, it's cool man. Just beware that threads that intensely discuss game details are probably spoiler central.

[Blackthorne519]

I agree with Adeyke... the portraits were crap.  I mean, they sucked.

Bt

[Quest For Glory Fan]

why is it that I never really compared the games to eachother? probably because I played them in the order of 5 1 3 4 so I just never thought too but a lot of QFG debate is over which is the best one and to me they're all kinda different. This one isn't so much though, it's about pros and cons of each. PRO I can get QFG 1 VGA to work on m computer without much difficulty CON it's about the only one in the series.