[QFG]

Anyone have any idea what the first, or first few, AGs were to offer multiple solutions to a puzzle?

For example, in the QFG series, puzzles often have three different solutions depending on which "career" track you chose at the beginning.

Etc.

Anyone know? Or have an idea?

[ATMachine]

The original King's Quest from 1984, I'd guess. You could use the optimal solutions for getting by some monsters (such as the rat and the troll) or you could buy passage with a treasure (but you'd lose points).

I don't know about games earlier than 1984, though.

[AFGNCAAP]

The bridge troll in KQ1 seems to be, er, "inspired" by the one in the original Adventure (Colossal Cave) by Crowther and Woods. You can also bribe him with treasure (at expense of points), and the "optimal" solution is essentially the same as well,

Spoiler:

only with a different animal.

So the first adventure game ever already had some multiple-solutions-puzzles (or at least one; I can't remember any more off-hand).

[aries323]

HI

I don't about other countries, but in my country, we have child's tale known as 'the thre bukke brusees'. The story is this:

A child wants to pass a bridge. Underneath this bridge lives a troll. The first two trolls ate the children passing the bridge. However, the third child did something to kill the troll; I think the troll drowned or so.

I think this has been the main inspiration behind the troll under the bridge scene i KQ 1.

I also remember some other scenes in other KQ's games clearly being inspired by fairy tales and even greek myths and such.

[jp-30]

In Zork I, one could turn off the Flood Control Dam to proceed past the Loud Room, or type 'echo'... if memory serves me correctly, it's been about 20 years since I played it.

[Davies]

Originally Posted by jp-30

In Zork I, one could turn off the Flood Control Dam to proceed past the Loud Room, or type 'echo'... if memory serves me correctly, it's been about 20 years since I played it.

No, I remember handling the dam pretty easily, but I had to ask somebody how to get through the Loud Room. If I recall, operating the dam actually makes the noise worse.

There were a couple of different ways to get past the cyclops, though.

Anyway, I don't consider "alternative ways to get round one puzzle" the same as multiple endings.

[LeisureSuitedLooney]

Originally Posted by ATMachine

The original King's Quest from 1984, I'd guess. You could use the optimal solutions for getting by some monsters (such as the rat and the troll) or you could buy passage with a treasure (but you'd lose points).

I don't know about games earlier than 1984, though.

The multiple solutions idea in KQ1 was also used to avoid combat. For example, there was one scenario where, you could fight a monster--but if you slipped an object on it,it would transform into something harmless. Sometimes, those solutions actually gave you more points for being non-violent as well.

(note: the above example was deliberately vague, so as not to divulge spoilers to anyone who hasn't played KQ1....)

[After a brisk nap]

Originally Posted by aries323

I don't about other countries, but in my country, we have child's tale known as 'the thre bukke brusees'. The story is this:

A child wants to pass a bridge. Underneath this bridge lives a troll. The first two trolls ate the children passing the bridge. However, the third child did something to kill the troll; I think the troll drowned or so.

The Norwegian fairy tale "De tre bukkene Bruse" is known in English as "The Three Billy Goats Gruff". And you got the story wrong. The characters are not children, they are (obviously) billy goats. And the first two don't get eaten, they're able to convice the troll to wait for the next billy goat, who is bigger and will make a finer meal. However, the third billy goat is so big that he easily kills the troll.

And yes, it's clearly the inspiration for the puzzle in KQ1.

[Panthera]

Ah, I was gonna comment on that.. seems like AaBN beat me to it..

[aries323]

Originally Posted by After a brisk nap

The Norwegian fairy tale "De tre bukkene Bruse" is known in English as "The Three Billy Goats Gruff". And you got the story wrong. The characters are not children, they are (obviously) billy goats. And the first two don't get eaten, they're able to convice the troll to wait for the next billy goat, who is bigger and will make a finer meal. However, the third billy goat is so big that he easily kills the troll.

And yes, it's clearly the inspiration for the puzzle in KQ1.

Oh yes, sorry about that ---

I thought the story was a little odd as I couldn't quite remember the story when I wrote it. I was too busy thinking about another version of the story
which substitutes a soft drink in a bottle with the billy goats.

The troll who has a device with which he is able to open the bottles then wants to drink the soft drinks, but they each convince that the next
soft drink is way bigger. So, of course, the troll waits --- and yes, the big 2 L softdrinks do come. The troll then jumps, device ready to open the bottle; then bottle says *you can't do this; I have the screw cap' (you the one you need to turn in orderto open the 2 l bottle...)

Anyway, once the troll gets the short end of the stick - or rather the bottle this time.

More on topic:

Many of the puzzles in the KQ's games were, I think, taken from folklore,
traditional tales, fairy tales, myths and legends. KQ would then change these
tales etc. so they would fit into the game's story. However, it was done with wit and charm, and it didn't felt tacky...

aries323

[AFGNCAAP]

Originally Posted by After a brisk nap

And yes, it's clearly the inspiration for the puzzle in KQ1.

Well, obviously King's Quest saga draws heavily from folklore and fairy tales from all around the World. However, given that it is documented that Colossal Cave had been one of the reasons Roberta Williams got into game design in the first place, I suppose my assumption is equally valid. Perhaps in a roundabout way - the Colossal Cave troll could have made her look up The Three Billy Goats Gruff, for example. But I am sure she must have remembered that puzzle.

[After a brisk nap]

Oh, I'm sure you're right that the puzzle is inspired by Colossal Cave, too. I was thinking more about the story aspect than the puzzle aspect.