"time for some swimming!" 17:10 I was screaming internally in agony, since only a mad man would ever dare to jump into water in a Sierra Adventure Game and expect to live. I was surprised that you were still alive after touching the first pixel of water. On the other hand, I only really know Kings Quest 5,6 and Space Quest 5.
Ah, yes. My first adventure game. Maybe also my first ragequit, I don’t remember. Fun fact, you can walk diagonally with the numpad, making the stars much more manageable. I didn’t wave a numpad on my 286 back then but I was very curious about why my home-end and page up-down keys made Graham move 😅 Funny how powerful the rose tinted glasses of nostalgia are, right?
Oh my, I remember the leprechauns more than any other part of the game! I suspect it's meant as a reference to "Darby O'Gill and the Little People", where Darby used that gambit to escape King Brien's "hospitality". Looking forward to Ultima 4!
I first played this on the sega master system, the controls there were even worse. I love the fact that your gameplay footage is raw along with "mistakes" and typos. Keep up the good work, I'm totally subscribed.
I didn't realize until now what a dark story the woodcutter's family had! "At least one last meal"? "Last earthly possession"? They were ready to die! It's macabre to think that, even if Graham knew the bowl can fill up multiple times, he didn't bother to let the family know. 😆
Someone else mentioned it's possible to command it to fill after giving it to them, to show them how it works. Don't know if that's possible in this version, but it's funny that it's not automatic.
@@MichaelCoorlim It is quite strange. I wonder if Roberta Williams considered Graham as more of a puppet for the player rather than a character at this point in the series.
I remember playing this as a kid and just could not get very far. The logic escaped me every time. Thanks for this quick play through. It’s a lot of fun having a chance to finally see how to finish these games. On a side note, ever play the Homestar Runner game Peasant’s Quest? It’s effectively a parody of this game but it’s quite charming and a lot of fun. Give it a look!
Homestar Runner was how I found out about adventure games as a kid. I couldn’t figure out SBCG4AP the first time around without the wiki, so I don’t know how anyone figured these games out!
I really love these videos. There are always playthroughs/walkthroughs of them but they are usually very drawn out and low quality. Analysis videos that also reference the context in which the game was made always interest me much more than just the gameplay.
Regarding "words heard from dead king" - well, maybe everything is even more sinister than that? What if Knight Graham is actually utterly insane, so he actually stabs the King without knowing it and then hallucinates King's voice? What if, also, "horrible monsters" are usual citizens of the Kingdom that Graham's ill mind perverts to the shapes of monsters, ogres, dwarves and witches? AND SO BEGINS THE RULE OF GRAHAM THE MAD
Not even 10 minutes in and you move a random rock and climb a random tree. How is anyone supposed to know this ? Now i know why there's so many comments about rage quiting the game. Also, the king voice acting was nice.
That was just part of the experience of PC gaming back then. You saw things that looked interesting (don't the rock and tree stand out compared to everything else?), so you'd try to interact with them and would get a thrill when something actually did happen. The reason people would get frustrated with adventure games is when the text parser was too limited and you'd know how to solve the puzzle but the game wouldn't accept your solution because you weren't typing the EXACT words the developers were thinking of when they made it.
I never played this one. I am a bit surprised by how punishing and yet uninspired the puzzles are. I find for me, it dispels some of the mystique of old games, many of which have reputations of elevated gameplay that offsets their lack of high-fidelity graphics. Thanks as always for slogging through and showing us the highlights.
They were more impressive at the time - this *was* elevated gameplay back in the early 80s. Game design and puzzle design are a kind of soft technology, and the techniques involved had to have been invented. That doesn't mean that they'd be fun to play now, of course, and that's why I analyze them... maybe to strip away the mystique and clarify what it is about them that makes them important historical milestones instead. At least, that's what I'm trying to get across. :D
@@MichaelCoorlim Oh definitely. I think the mystique I am describing is an effect of rose-colored nostalgia glasses. Because these games were of great significance when I was younger, and perhaps because I didn't get an opportunity to experience them first-hand at the time, they have an exaggerated reputation in my mind. Seeing them as they really are is eye-opening. Great content as always!
12:30 You don't have to multitask -- you can type the command first, then walk up to the npc. This is required for some of the timing-based puzzles in the first three games. In KQ4 (and the KQ1 remake) typing would pause the game so you could get the timing correct without worrying about your typing speed.
I finally managed to watch it all. Great video! I was always interested in this game, but playing it myself seemed too close to masochism, so I'm happy that you show us the whole game while adding all kinds of interesting information here and there.
Glad you're going to continue with the Ultima series. I found your channel looking up ultima videos and yours are the best. Nobody has a good Ultima 8 video out so I will be looking forward to that in the distant future!
It's not that the bridge doesn't behave like a 3D object, it's just that they didn't program Graham to go up with the slope all he does as a sprite is move in straight lines, the background doesn't interact with the sprite except when touching a hitbox/invisible wall.
I have to admit, it'd make for one hell of a fake out ending if the king dies and a guard just randomly comes in and accuses you of murdering the king and kills you.
That is correct. The puzzle is solved if you just give them the stew because you just need the fiddle, but for maximum points you need to give it to them empty and then command it to fill.
Regarding dagger and other "owner-less treasures": Well, you said it yourself, that Daventry is surrounded by Ravenloft Mist-like impassable barrier. At the same time, the king is dying, the land is dying, etcetera. Is it not logical that some people wish to flee the land as soon as the old king dies and impassable barrier is lifted, taking the treasures they hid with them to sell in other places? Regarding multitasking, "walking and typing" - F3 could help you, no?
That'd make sense if anyone else lived in the kingdom, but the only citizens - the woodcutters - seem resigned to death. Maybe everyone else forgot to recover their hidden treasures before they left. And they took their houses with them.
The fact you need to specifically tell the game you want to swim in the water to avoid drowning is so funny to me. What is is simulating? Just walking into water with the intent on drowning is not the default reason people go into water.
King's Quest, fond memories of playing this game as a 10 year old, getting confused 10 minutes in and finding something else to play.
How did the TH-cam algorithm actually make me find a good TH-camr for once?
"time for some swimming!" 17:10 I was screaming internally in agony, since only a mad man would ever dare to jump into water in a Sierra Adventure Game and expect to live. I was surprised that you were still alive after touching the first pixel of water. On the other hand, I only really know Kings Quest 5,6 and Space Quest 5.
Ah, yes. My first adventure game. Maybe also my first ragequit, I don’t remember.
Fun fact, you can walk diagonally with the numpad, making the stars much more manageable. I didn’t wave a numpad on my 286 back then but I was very curious about why my home-end and page up-down keys made Graham move 😅
Funny how powerful the rose tinted glasses of nostalgia are, right?
Please do more of these. I'm really curious about what you have to say about LSL, PQ and SQ
Oh my, I remember the leprechauns more than any other part of the game! I suspect it's meant as a reference to "Darby O'Gill and the Little People", where Darby used that gambit to escape King Brien's "hospitality".
Looking forward to Ultima 4!
Excellent video. I still have an enjoyable experience playing these old Sierra games.
I first played this on the sega master system, the controls there were even worse.
I love the fact that your gameplay footage is raw along with "mistakes" and typos. Keep up the good work, I'm totally subscribed.
I didn't realize until now what a dark story the woodcutter's family had! "At least one last meal"? "Last earthly possession"? They were ready to die! It's macabre to think that, even if Graham knew the bowl can fill up multiple times, he didn't bother to let the family know. 😆
Someone else mentioned it's possible to command it to fill after giving it to them, to show them how it works. Don't know if that's possible in this version, but it's funny that it's not automatic.
@@MichaelCoorlim It is quite strange. I wonder if Roberta Williams considered Graham as more of a puppet for the player rather than a character at this point in the series.
That;s almost certainly the case.
That is true, Give the woodcutter family the bowl empty then use the command word "Fill" to show them how the magic bowl works.@@MichaelCoorlim
I remember playing this as a kid and just could not get very far. The logic escaped me every time. Thanks for this quick play through. It’s a lot of fun having a chance to finally see how to finish these games.
On a side note, ever play the Homestar Runner game Peasant’s Quest? It’s effectively a parody of this game but it’s quite charming and a lot of fun. Give it a look!
Homestar Runner was how I found out about adventure games as a kid. I couldn’t figure out SBCG4AP the first time around without the wiki, so I don’t know how anyone figured these games out!
I really love these videos. There are always playthroughs/walkthroughs of them but they are usually very drawn out and low quality. Analysis videos that also reference the context in which the game was made always interest me much more than just the gameplay.
Especially for older games I think the context is necessary for a full picture.
Ironically, although the shield is the only treasure with a mechanical purpose in the game, only the mirror is ever mentioned in later entries.
If you "FILL" the empty bowl after giving it to the woodcutter and his wife, they can see how to use it and it gives a nice little bit of flavor text
Regarding "words heard from dead king" - well, maybe everything is even more sinister than that? What if Knight Graham is actually utterly insane, so he actually stabs the King without knowing it and then hallucinates King's voice? What if, also, "horrible monsters" are usual citizens of the Kingdom that Graham's ill mind perverts to the shapes of monsters, ogres, dwarves and witches? AND SO BEGINS THE RULE OF GRAHAM THE MAD
Not even 10 minutes in and you move a random rock and climb a random tree. How is anyone supposed to know this ? Now i know why there's so many comments about rage quiting the game.
Also, the king voice acting was nice.
That was just part of the experience of PC gaming back then. You saw things that looked interesting (don't the rock and tree stand out compared to everything else?), so you'd try to interact with them and would get a thrill when something actually did happen. The reason people would get frustrated with adventure games is when the text parser was too limited and you'd know how to solve the puzzle but the game wouldn't accept your solution because you weren't typing the EXACT words the developers were thinking of when they made it.
King's Quest 2 should have been about the inflation caused by the magic chest's bottomless supply of new currency.
Might have made for a more compelling story...
I really do love your analytical approach to your reviews. Looking forward to Ultima IV.
Just started playing it today.
I never played this one. I am a bit surprised by how punishing and yet uninspired the puzzles are. I find for me, it dispels some of the mystique of old games, many of which have reputations of elevated gameplay that offsets their lack of high-fidelity graphics. Thanks as always for slogging through and showing us the highlights.
They were more impressive at the time - this *was* elevated gameplay back in the early 80s. Game design and puzzle design are a kind of soft technology, and the techniques involved had to have been invented.
That doesn't mean that they'd be fun to play now, of course, and that's why I analyze them... maybe to strip away the mystique and clarify what it is about them that makes them important historical milestones instead.
At least, that's what I'm trying to get across. :D
@@MichaelCoorlim Oh definitely. I think the mystique I am describing is an effect of rose-colored nostalgia glasses. Because these games were of great significance when I was younger, and perhaps because I didn't get an opportunity to experience them first-hand at the time, they have an exaggerated reputation in my mind. Seeing them as they really are is eye-opening. Great content as always!
12:30
You don't have to multitask -- you can type the command first, then walk up to the npc. This is required for some of the timing-based puzzles in the first three games. In KQ4 (and the KQ1 remake) typing would pause the game so you could get the timing correct without worrying about your typing speed.
I finally managed to watch it all. Great video! I was always interested in this game, but playing it myself seemed too close to masochism, so I'm happy that you show us the whole game while adding all kinds of interesting information here and there.
"I play these games so you don't have to" might be the channel tagline.
Even though I never played it once, I kinda like this game, from what you showed. Does things games nowadays don't seem to do well.
yeah, they're classics for a reason
Glad you're going to continue with the Ultima series. I found your channel looking up ultima videos and yours are the best. Nobody has a good Ultima 8 video out so I will be looking forward to that in the distant future!
I don't know how long it'll take us to get there, but I do plan on covering it.
It's not that the bridge doesn't behave like a 3D object, it's just that they didn't program Graham to go up with the slope all he does as a sprite is move in straight lines, the background doesn't interact with the sprite except when touching a hitbox/invisible wall.
I have to admit, it'd make for one hell of a fake out ending if the king dies and a guard just randomly comes in and accuses you of murdering the king and kills you.
Wow I would never think of that cypher as being "backwards" without being told. I guess I'd miss the privilege of fiddling with the beanstalk controls
Loved this analytical playthrough
This and Space Quest were a lot of fun, but so hard (at first) as a kid.
ScummVM has an option to use the original safe/load screens.
I seem to remember that if you give them the empty bowl and then magically fill it in front of them they learn how to do it themselves and are happy?
Yeah that occurs to me now.
That is correct. The puzzle is solved if you just give them the stew because you just need the fiddle, but for maximum points you need to give it to them empty and then command it to fill.
Great job, thank you! Well edited too.
I seem to remember the king borrowing your dagger to end his reign. Probably a false memory generated by a personality flaw on my part.
If you haven’t played Police Quest you definitely should. It’s the magnum opus of Sierra. 😊
I know I've played the first one and possibly the second. They're on the list of "games I might cover for the channel."
hey, just wanted to let you know this game isn't in the "Game Analysis" playlist. you might want to fix that!
great video!
Oh, thanks for the heads-up!
Regarding dagger and other "owner-less treasures": Well, you said it yourself, that Daventry is surrounded by Ravenloft Mist-like impassable barrier. At the same time, the king is dying, the land is dying, etcetera. Is it not logical that some people wish to flee the land as soon as the old king dies and impassable barrier is lifted, taking the treasures they hid with them to sell in other places?
Regarding multitasking, "walking and typing" - F3 could help you, no?
That'd make sense if anyone else lived in the kingdom, but the only citizens - the woodcutters - seem resigned to death. Maybe everyone else forgot to recover their hidden treasures before they left. And they took their houses with them.
@@MichaelCoorlimWhat if magical beasts and races are ALSO citizens? What if the Wizard, the Witch, Leprechauns etc are citizens?
@@lorigulfnoldor2162 Then maybe they should have thought about that before trying to kill their future king. To the dungeon with all of them!
Screw being King... if I had that magic chest I'd just retire and live on the beach.
Thanks for the video!
This is some great ASMR
The moat is an apex predator in this game.
Got me twice!
You can update the engine to ket you use a mouse and run in windows , space quest 0 used it
Yeah but I was looking to evaluate the O.G.
Yay :D
Do you have to give all three objects at the same time?
Yikes those Sierra invisible maze puzzles, in this first case the beanstalk, were annoying.
The fact you need to specifically tell the game you want to swim in the water to avoid drowning is so funny to me. What is is simulating? Just walking into water with the intent on drowning is not the default reason people go into water.
your voice is a little soft. can you turn up vox? great video though. loved the ultima series too
Will do.
Why wouldn't you give them the bowl and then fill it. The poor woodcutter and his wife are going to stave. 😭
and i thought that term "gnomed" originates from runescape.
What, no bowing to the king at the start? Tsk!
I'm an anarchist I guess