[AndreaDraco83]

I finally finished Leisure Suit Larry - Love for sailand I want to share a few thoughts.

First of all, the game is great in a manner today I can't use often: while most of the contemporary games are short and easy, this one is long, difficult and, above all, undeniably funny - very funny indeed. In the end, it also managed to create a moment of melancholy that other humorist games totally lacked over the course of time. The puzzles in this game are extremely hard: I myself was stuck for several days (something that didn't happen to me since my first days as an adventurer), in search for a way to win the Bowling Competition. And the fun was even more increased by the wonderful voice acting and brilliant writing (I'm thinking of the whole Anton Fokker thing, or of the the scenes between Larry and Annette), not to mention the smiling graphics and the hilarious cut-scenes (I'm thinking especially about the one involving a polyester fabric and a bunch of seagulls). The very end, with the sad preview of an eighth installment never to be, was indeed doleful and unhappy, with just a bit of the melancholy of little above.

Nevertheless, there's something wrong with this game, in my opinion: Al Lowe in one of his design documents, available through his personal site, particularly the one regarding Shape up or slip out, wrote: "There's very little plot per se. In fact, there isn't almost one". In the document about the last game, Al Lowe reiterates: "Who needs plot? Or justification? Or motivation? Let's get on with it". Thus, once there was a plot: the first three games in the series told a very solid and cohesive story - the one about a man in the desperate search of sex, first, and love, then, who finally find both on Nontoonyt Island with Passionate Patti. The two of them managed to find each others and finally end up in Coarsegold, California, where they told their story to Roberta e Ken Williams with the pursuit of making a series of a game.

Then, there was the infamous skipping of LSL4 and the wacky plot of LSL5, which tried to unravel the story so far and then... nothing. They simply forgot about Patti and the plot of the stole floppies... and then: "Who needs plot?". Well, I think I do: LSL6 and LSL7 are surely funny games, very funny indeed, but they lacked the continuous feeling the previous games had. Abolishing the plot, they abolished - at least in my opinion - the charming of Larry's personality, practically restoring each time the situation as it was at the very beginning, when Larry approached the Lefty's bar.

I've annoyed you enough. In conclusion, LSL7 was a very good game, a sad ending to a very entertaining series. Even more sad considering that the true ending, always in my opinion, will ever be the conclusion of LSL3 - the rest is only much ado about nothing: a great nothing, but a nothing nonetheless.

[Terramax]

The only Leisure Suite Larry I've played is Love For Sail so I can't comment on the points regarding the earlier entries. However, I personally think whilst a plot may have given me the incentive to progress to the end, I stopped playing halfway through simply because the jokes about sex just grew old. I just found it a bit OTT.

Maybe I'm not as liberal as I thought I was.

[Kazmajik]

I think if you consider the first three LSL games as a grand trilogy, then the evolution of the series makes more sense. After the initial three games, which wrapped up the story nicely, Larry is sort of in limbo, and lost his footing in game 5, found it again in game 6, and with 7 it's really just a variation on the theme that was established in 6. From a development standpoint, they left themselves the freedom to continue endlessly by not having constraints of plot and story arc, though we'll never know what it would've led to with Lust in Space.

On a strange side note, and it probably won't affect the LSL franchise any, I heard that since Activision merged with Blizzard, that many of the Sierra IP rights will be up for sale. So, while we probably won't see any reincarnations of the classic Sierra lines of games, at the very least, there will no longer be this impediment.

[AndreaDraco83]

Originally Posted by Kazmajik

On a strange side note, and it probably won't affect the LSL franchise any, I heard that since Activision merged with Blizzard, that many of the Sierra IP rights will be up for sale. So, while we probably won't see any reincarnations of the classic Sierra lines of games, at the very least, there will no longer be this impediment.

This is surely a good note. Since they weren't doing anything with their rights, best for us all if they sell them.

A dream: if, in the end of LSL3, we saw Larry programming games for Sierra, maybe LSL5, LSL6 and LSL7 may be only games of that in-game franchise. And, who knows, maybe Lust in Space would have picked up where LSL3 ended...

Just a dream, like I said.

Originally Posted by Kazmajik

After the initial three games, which wrapped up the story nicely, Larry is sort of in limbo, and lost his footing in game 5, found it again in game 6, and with 7 it's really just a variation on the theme that was established in 6.

I'd preferred if they had continued with the story arc, maybe hinting that the further games were the in-game games that Larry programmed with Patti. These characters aren't certainly looking for an author, but - at least to me - they're desperately in need of a plot.

[dazsin]

I have been trying to get hold of this game forever. Anybody selling it?

[youfightlikeadairyfarmer]

On a strange side note, and it probably won't affect the LSL franchise any, I heard that since Activision merged with Blizzard, that many of the Sierra IP rights will be up for sale. So, while we probably won't see any reincarnations of the classic Sierra lines of games, at the very least, there will no longer be this impediment.

Do you know if this includes King's Quest and/or Quest for Glory? I'd love to see new additions to either series. Provided they don't decide to pull a Mask of Eternity and change the fundamental gameplay into something that fans don't want from the series.

[Collector]

Originally Posted by Kazmajik

I heard that since Activision merged with Blizzard, that many of the Sierra IP rights will be up for sale. So, while we probably won't see any reincarnations of the classic Sierra lines of games, at the very least, there will no longer be this impediment.

It is far too early to say what may happen with the Sierra IP. Some speculation is that the Sierra name will be buried, but perhaps it will be sold. Even so, the name and the IP are about the only real assets of the company. If sold the IP may be held in limbo, much as it has been. If buried, we might as well forget about any hope of any more new collections, but there may be no one that will pursue the piracy of abandonwarezing of Sierra titles.

I think the only hope is for the IP to be sold to someone that sees the value of these old classics. Perhaps not so much to revive them, but at least to re-release more of the old titles.

[Kazmajik]

Originally Posted by Collector

I think the only hope is for the IP to be sold to someone that sees the value of these old classics.

Anyone listening from, say, The Adventure Company? You guys dropped the ball on Gray Matter, maybe you can redeem yourselves by picking up Gabriel Knight and working with Jane Jensen on what would surely be the most talked-about and eagerly anticipated adventure game of this century, so far.

[AndreaDraco83]

Originally Posted by Kazmajik

Anyone listening from, say, The Adventure Company? You guys dropped the ball on Gray Matter, maybe you can redeem yourselves by picking up Gabriel Knight and working with Jane Jensen on what would surely be the most talked-about and eagerly anticipated adventure game of this century, so far.

I so agree with you. If there would be a rumor of a new Gabriel Knight, I think that the Hype-o-meter would explode

[rtrooney]

Originally Posted by Kazmajik

the most talked-about and eagerly anticipated adventure game of this century, so far.

That may be a bit extreme, (considering that we have 902 years left in this century for some exciting games to appear.) but it certainly may be a very welcomed game. However, Jane seems to be doing very well with her Oberon Games. With all the previous hassles trying to bring Gray Matter to market, let's allow for the possibility that she might be quite happy doing what she's doing.

[Collector]

Originally Posted by rtrooney

That may be a bit extreme, (considering that we have 902 years left in this century for some exciting games to appear.) but it certainly may be a very welcomed game. However, Jane seems to be doing very well with her Oberon Games. With all the previous hassles trying to bring Gray Matter to market, let's allow for the possibility that she might be quite happy doing what she's doing.

The operative words are "so far", but with so little into the century, it is a bit meaningless. All kidding aside, though, whether you like GK or not, it would be a huge event in the AG community. We can only hope, but I am not holding my breath.

[vivasawadee]

Good post AndreDraco, although I didn't think its the best in the series it was still a game that stayed true to the Larry ethos. The dildo hunt was funny and the included scratch and sniff card was a funny addition. Also the graphics were nice and clean, better than LSL6 however the girls were more sultry in 6.

Larry 3 was the best plot wise and 5 was just ridiculous like a bad Get Smart episode.

Theres supposedly another Larry to be released this year and it will be on consoles and similar to Magna Cum Laude. damn it, bring back Al Lowe!!.

[AndreaDraco83]

Originally Posted by vivasawadee

Theres supposedly another Larry to be released this year and it will be on consoles and similar to Magna Cum Laude. damn it, bring back Al Lowe!!.

Not that I was gonna buy it - in fact I stayed very far from Magna Cum Laude too -, but I read that Activision Blizzard has dropped a bunch of game under the Sierra's trademark, and it seems that Box Office Bust was one of them.

[CrimsonBlue]

If Larry/Police Quest/King's Quest/etc are being sold, obviously the ones who pick them up does this to make new games in the series. Why the hell would they buy them if they're not intending to use them?

[AndreaDraco83]

Originally Posted by CrimsonBlue

If Larry/Police Quest/King's Quest/etc are being sold, obviously the ones who pick them up does this to make new games in the series. Why the hell would they buy them if they're not intending to use them?

Maybe only to re-release some of the old ones. Look at Quest for Glory: there isn't a collection since 1997 or 1998, I don't remember...