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Ken Williams’ book is out

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Karlok - 04 October 2020 08:06 PM
Vehelon - 04 October 2020 07:18 PM

Considering the user had a picture of a female which looked authentic enough, let’s give the benefit of the doubt, no?

You attach meaning to an avatar? Really? Well, in that case, why did you once think I was a man when I always have a female protagonist/NPC* as my avatar?

*Except now. Gabbro is gender neutral.

I’m quite sure I never thought that. But even if I did, have you ever had a photo of yourself up on the site, like Maroko did? It’s possible to presume a different gender with an avatar, not so easy with an actual photo. I can’t think of any reason someone would upload a selfie of someone that isn’t them.

Kenwilliams - 05 October 2020 02:55 AM

Greetings all! Thank you for the feedback on the book.

If anyone has questions about the book or Sierra I am happy to answer them.

As someone on this thread said, I never was a gamer. I was (and am) a good software engineer and marketer, but never could have designed a game. Roberta is the creative one in the family and we make a good team.

Best wishes, and yes - it really is me. I have no plans to advertise the book, so I am dropping in at various game related forums to mention the book.

- Ken Williams

It has been mentioned elsewhere that the motivation behind Lighthouse was to replicate Myst’s success. Is this true? What other Sierra games were a product of this tactic?

     
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Vehelon - 05 October 2020 06:56 AM

date=“1601856412”]........have you ever had a photo of yourself up on the site, like Maroko did? It’s possible to presume a different gender with an avatar, not so easy with an actual photo. I can’t think of any reason someone would upload a selfie of someone that isn’t them.

Dear Vehelon, please wise-up & google ‘Young Witch with Cauldron’ images to find identical ‘selfies’.

On the subject of Lighthouse I’m not really finding any similarities to Myst other than it’s a 1st person puzzler.

 

     

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Dear chrissie, that was not the photo I was referring to. It was in Maroko’s profile.

The other question was for Ken. Someone posted the rumor in another thread and I wanted to verify it.

     
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Heh, I just finished editing my post and only noticed your response now.

Vehelon - 05 October 2020 06:56 AM
Karlok - 04 October 2020 08:06 PM
Vehelon - 04 October 2020 07:18 PM

Considering the user had a picture of a female which looked authentic enough, let’s give the benefit of the doubt, no?

You attach meaning to an avatar? Really? Well, in that case, why did you once think I was a man when I always have a female protagonist/NPC* as my avatar?

*Except now. Gabbro is gender neutral.

I’m quite sure I never thought that.

Well, you certainly gave me the impression you did in an old thread. https://adventuregamers.com/forums/viewthread/10465/P30/#153081

But even if I did, have you ever had a photo of yourself up on the site, like Maroko did? It’s possible to presume a different gender with an avatar, not so easy with an actual photo.

Easiest thing in the world. And like I said in my edited post, that was just half a face. I bet that woman’s mother wouldn’t recognize her.

I can’t think of any reason someone would upload a selfie of someone that isn’t them.

To convince people you’re female when you are not.

     

See you around, wolf. Nerissa

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Fair enough. But I really have no idea where this gender stuff is coming from. Is it because only males can have strong opinions and act aggressively on forums?

     
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Vehelon - 05 October 2020 07:32 AM

Fair enough. But I really have no idea where this gender stuff is coming from. Is it because only males can have strong opinions and act aggressively on forums?

What, you never read my posts?  Naughty

     

See you around, wolf. Nerissa

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Vehelon - 05 October 2020 07:28 AM

Dear chrissie, that was not the photo I was referring to. It was in Maroko’s profile.

The other question was for Ken. Someone posted the rumor in another thread and I wanted to verify it.

Okay, I did see that photo & again I say wise-up - it could be anyone’s photo but you’re smitten non-the-less.

I wasn’t answering your question.

     
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Sorry to disrupt the thread.

     

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Karlok - 05 October 2020 07:41 AM
Vehelon - 05 October 2020 07:32 AM

Fair enough. But I really have no idea where this gender stuff is coming from. Is it because only males can have strong opinions and act aggressively on forums?

What, you never read my posts?  Naughty

Precisely. Even you would admit it’s a minor miracle you haven’t been banned yet.

chrissie - 05 October 2020 07:44 AM
Vehelon - 05 October 2020 07:28 AM

Dear chrissie, that was not the photo I was referring to. It was in Maroko’s profile.

The other question was for Ken. Someone posted the rumor in another thread and I wanted to verify it.

Okay, I did see that photo & again I say wise-up - it could be anyone’s photo but you’re smitten non-the-less.

If I’m smitten it’s because I think the forum could use a bit more life and passion to it, if only at the cost of some of us getting triggered. Not because of a half chopped off photo.

     
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Vehelon - 05 October 2020 07:57 AM
Karlok - 05 October 2020 07:41 AM
Vehelon - 05 October 2020 07:32 AM

Fair enough. But I really have no idea where this gender stuff is coming from. Is it because only males can have strong opinions and act aggressively on forums?

What, you never read my posts?  Naughty

Precisely. Even you would admit it’s a minor miracle you haven’t been banned yet.

LOL! That’s a pretty good one! Let me just say that I don’t believe in miracles and the AG staff doesn’t either.

EDIT: After reading Timovieman’s unpleasant reply to this particular part of Vehelon’s post I want to make it clear that I was banned 7.5 years ago. Certainly not recently. There are many people here, staff members obviously included, who would like to see me banned for good. But for now, if I’m gone for a while it will be a *voluntary* break.

     

See you around, wolf. Nerissa

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Vehelon - 05 October 2020 06:56 AM

I can’t think of any reason someone would upload a selfie of someone that isn’t them.

To disguise the fact that they’re male and have had dozens of different accounts banned on this forum in the past?

Vehelon - 05 October 2020 07:32 AM

Fair enough. But I really have no idea where this gender stuff is coming from. Is it because only males can have strong opinions and act aggressively on forums?

I described him/her as a *he* because of my belief it’s a particular user from the forum’s past who’s been banned before for similar toxic posts, using similar language with similar word choices, and who used similar tactics to hide their true location from the admins by using IP proxys.
While this is indeed conjecture, the simplest explanation is usually correct, and either way, even if I was wrong and it was someone else, it was clearly someone undesirable.

If I’m smitten it’s because I think the forum could use a bit more life and passion to it, if only at the cost of some of us getting triggered. Not because of a half chopped off photo.

There’s certainly been life and passion these past few days, just not the good kind. Smile


Now please, let my post here be the last one on this particular topic, and focus the thread back on Ken Williams’ book. Take me up in PM otherwise.

     

The truth can’t hurt you, it’s just like the dark: it scares you witless but in time you see things clear and stark. - Elvis Costello
Maybe this time I can be strong, but since I know who I am, I’m probably wrong. Maybe this time I can go far, but thinking about where I’ve been ain’t helping me start. - Michael Kiwanuka

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tomimt - 05 October 2020 04:50 AM

Is there a series or a game that didn’t sell as well you thought it should have? For example, I love the Conquest games Christy Marx did, in many ways, they are ahead of the time they were produced by having multiple paths and endings. They have solid gameplay and are well written, but there’s only two of them. Wasn’t their sales good enough or did Sierra just part ways with Chisty?

Truth is: I don’t remember. I am vaguely remembering some controversy with Christy, but don’t know what it was. I don’t think it was between Sierra and her, but something in her personal life. I just googled her, and her partner, Peter Ledger, passed away in 1994. That may have been the cause. Sorry. I wish I cold remember….

     
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Vehelon - 05 October 2020 06:56 AM

It has been mentioned elsewhere that the motivation behind Lighthouse was to replicate Myst’s success. Is this true? What other Sierra games were a product of this tactic?

Yes. Lighthouse was indeed trying to tap into the same success as Myst had. I remember Myst as being a megahit and wanting to do something similar. My recollection is that Jon Bock was one of our most talented artists and he was made the designer.

I don’t remember the game as being a huge hit.

 

     
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chrissie - 05 October 2020 07:21 AM

On the subject of Lighthouse I’m not really finding any similarities to Myst other than it’s a 1st person puzzler.

I don’t know if Jon Bock ever even played Myst. I was looking for a game that would appeal to the same audience, not a clone of the same game. It was the science-fiction / fantasy art style that I liked about Myst. So .. It is wrong to say Lighthouse was a Myst clone. It was more of the inspiration that helped me decide to do the game.

 

     
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Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions!

Kenwilliams - 05 October 2020 09:50 AM

I was looking for a game that would appeal to the same audience, not a clone of the same game.

That certainly fits the ideology of wanting Sierra to be “leading” within the game industry, not “following”. Tap the same market but with your own game instead of a copy.

That said, how aware were you of what other companies were doing (I’m thinking LucasArts, Legend, Cryo, Coktel Vision, AdventureSoft, and many more), and how did that shape your decisions back in the day?
Were the other adventure game companies seen as “competitors to be destroyed”, or was there more of a “friendly competitor” atmosphere?
Did you even focus on adventure game companies, or just video game companies in general, no matter the type of game they made?

     

The truth can’t hurt you, it’s just like the dark: it scares you witless but in time you see things clear and stark. - Elvis Costello
Maybe this time I can be strong, but since I know who I am, I’m probably wrong. Maybe this time I can go far, but thinking about where I’ve been ain’t helping me start. - Michael Kiwanuka

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