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Ken Williams’ book is out

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Kenwilliams - 06 October 2020 08:09 PM

As to budgets for games .. it depended on the game, but most games (in the early 90s) were probably budgeted around $750,000 to $1.5 million. Phantasmagoria was the outlier—with a budget of around $6 million.

Do you remember what you had to pay voice actors for the games you used relatively famous ones for? Like Gabriel Knight 1 with Tim Curry, Mark Hamill, and a bunch more. Do you remember anything about the cost/benefit decisions there (vs. using Sierra employees or lesser known actors), how it worked out, and how the production went?

     
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Venkman - 06 October 2020 08:44 PM
Kenwilliams - 06 October 2020 08:09 PM

As to budgets for games .. it depended on the game, but most games (in the early 90s) were probably budgeted around $750,000 to $1.5 million. Phantasmagoria was the outlier—with a budget of around $6 million.

Do you remember what you had to pay voice actors for the games you used relatively famous ones for? Like Gabriel Knight 1 with Tim Curry, Mark Hamill, and a bunch more. Do you remember anything about the cost/benefit decisions there (vs. using Sierra employees or lesser known actors), how it worked out, and how the production went?

I don’t remember the costs. It was considered “cool” by the actors to do the voices in our games. They liked being on the cutting edge of technology, and I don’t think they charged us big money. I don’t remember any that were super expensive, or that anyone ever came to me and said, “Tim Curry wants $50,000” or anything like that. I’m guessing they worked for union scale or darn close.

My guess is that the industry is mature enough today that the celebrities want big money to do the voiceover on games.

Did it make a difference—yes! It gave us something to talk about. Look at the bigger animated features. The voices for the characters does make a difference in the film box office. The voices can’t turn a loser film into a winner, but they can be one element in what makes a winning film a big winner.

-Ken W

 

     
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One game in particular that has always intrigued me is Time Zone, especially because of the scale of it.

Time Zone was for its time, and even by modern standards, an insanely big game that had if Wikipedia is to be trusted about 1500 individual screens. That might make it even now the biggest adventure game that isn’t done in 3D.

Do you have any particular recollections about the game? Like how well it did or how big of a gamble it was?

     
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A question about the technologies of the era. You stated a couple of times in the book, and I do agree, that Sierra tried to be the forerunner, which leads into the adaptation of soundcards, the Sierra Network, CD-rom releases and so on.

Is there some tech you now in hindsight can think of Sierra should have tried to push but which you failed to notice back then?

     
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tomimt - 07 October 2020 02:11 AM

One game in particular that has always intrigued me is Time Zone, especially because of the scale of it.

Time Zone was for its time, and even by modern standards, an insanely big game that had if Wikipedia is to be trusted about 1500 individual screens. That might make it even now the biggest adventure game that isn’t done in 3D.

Do you have any particular recollections about the game? Like how well it did or how big of a gamble it was?

Roberta is a history fanatic. I haven’t played TimeZone in nearly 40 years, so .. I’m not an expert on it. But, I know she was excited by people able to send people through time to experience different eras.

It was a big hit for us at the time (which probably means it sold a few thousand copies, not tens of thousands, or even millions). We were just getting started then.

It was quite a project .. and I remember various controversies during the development. One of the artists (the lead artist?) had a nervous breakdown. I forget what he did .. but, I remember there were a few things like that which created havoc during the development.

I didn’t mention Timezone in the book, and probably should have!

 

     
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tomimt - 07 October 2020 07:10 AM

A question about the technologies of the era. You stated a couple of times in the book, and I do agree, that Sierra tried to be the forerunner, which leads into the adaptation of soundcards, the Sierra Network, CD-rom releases and so on.

Is there some tech you now in hindsight can think of Sierra should have tried to push but which you failed to notice back then?

I was VERY interested in putting exercise equipment on the internet, and doing online classes (like Peloton). I remember telling everyone that I wanted to connect bicycles to the internet, and they thought I was crazy. I could never generate any excitement around the idea. I wanted to be able to integrate it with the mapping from something like google earth and let people try to ride cross country with a group of friends, making nailing a few miles a day or something. It just seemed like a fun idea…

Oh well…

 

     
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Kenwilliams - 07 October 2020 11:00 AM

I was VERY interested in putting exercise equipment on the internet, and doing online classes (like Peloton). I remember telling everyone that I wanted to connect bicycles to the internet, and they thought I was crazy. I could never generate any excitement around the idea. I wanted to be able to integrate it with the mapping from something like google earth and let people try to ride cross country with a group of friends, making nailing a few miles a day or something. It just seemed like a fun idea…

Oh well…

So you basically thought of stuff like Peloton or Zwift back in the 90s? It took until 2014 for those ideas to take off… Gasp




In hindsight, what was the most fun period you experienced at Sierra, and which aspect of Sierra’s management did you like best?

     

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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Kenwilliams - 07 October 2020 10:57 AM


It was quite a project .. and I remember various controversies during the development. One of the artists (the lead artist?) had a nervous breakdown. I forget what he did .. but, I remember there were a few things like that which created havoc during the development.

I didn’t mention Timezone in the book, and probably should have!

 

I can imagine making 1500 screens on the tech of the era being somewhat of a daunting task.

But hey, there’s always room for a sequel book, I’m certain you have more than enough stories still left and reading this book has been a delight.

     
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TimovieMan - 07 October 2020 01:29 PM

In hindsight, what was the most fun period you experienced at Sierra, and which aspect of Sierra’s management did you like best?

I never liked management. I spent all of my time wishing I worked for me instead of “was me.”

I am a software developer at heart. I am happiest when it is just me and the computer and I am fighting some bug.

That said .. the one thing I liked about being “the boss” was being able to set the priorities and make the rules. I’ve worked in organizations where I disagreed with management and that’s a tough position to be in. When you are the one making the rules—it’s easy to like them!

 

     
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tomimt - 07 October 2020 02:25 PM

But hey, there’s always room for a sequel book, I’m certain you have more than enough stories still left and reading this book has been a delight.

It took me nearly 25 years to get around to writing this book. Now, that I know how much fun it is, I’m only going to wait 24 years for the next one!

Remind me when the time comes…

Smile

 

     
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Kenwilliams - 07 October 2020 11:00 AM
tomimt - 07 October 2020 07:10 AM

A question about the technologies of the era. You stated a couple of times in the book, and I do agree, that Sierra tried to be the forerunner, which leads into the adaptation of soundcards, the Sierra Network, CD-rom releases and so on.

Is there some tech you now in hindsight can think of Sierra should have tried to push but which you failed to notice back then?

I was VERY interested in putting exercise equipment on the internet, and doing online classes (like Peloton). I remember telling everyone that I wanted to connect bicycles to the internet, and they thought I was crazy. I could never generate any excitement around the idea. I wanted to be able to integrate it with the mapping from something like google earth and let people try to ride cross country with a group of friends, making nailing a few miles a day or something. It just seemed like a fun idea…

Oh well…

Oh man… that sounds like great fun. I’m not into online exercise classes but if I was watching myself climb beautiful mountain roads into the clouds while pedaling instead of looking at a shouting instructor then i could definitely be talked into doing that.

     
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Luhr28 - 07 October 2020 10:26 PM
Kenwilliams - 07 October 2020 11:00 AM
tomimt - 07 October 2020 07:10 AM

A question about the technologies of the era. You stated a couple of times in the book, and I do agree, that Sierra tried to be the forerunner, which leads into the adaptation of soundcards, the Sierra Network, CD-rom releases and so on.

Is there some tech you now in hindsight can think of Sierra should have tried to push but which you failed to notice back then?

I was VERY interested in putting exercise equipment on the internet, and doing online classes (like Peloton). I remember telling everyone that I wanted to connect bicycles to the internet, and they thought I was crazy. I could never generate any excitement around the idea. I wanted to be able to integrate it with the mapping from something like google earth and let people try to ride cross country with a group of friends, making nailing a few miles a day or something. It just seemed like a fun idea…

Oh well…

 

Oh man… that sounds like great fun. I’m not into online exercise classes but if I was watching myself climb beautiful mountain roads into the clouds while pedaling instead of looking at a shouting instructor then i could definitely be talked into doing that.

same here, I am into online exercise too, ahem .. i guess its time to initiate the most Kickstarter campaign ever, that is yet be…

     
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I jotted a small review of the book: https://bit.ly/30L11lD

     
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nice review tomimt, i havent read the book but the review looks like a nice summary of what to expect and what is it really about.

listen are sure this line
Sierra was a company that did a lot of innovating. Much more than most companies ever manage during their lifespans
shouldn’t it be more like ” ...  Much more than most companies merged together back then ever managed during their lifespan”.
i mean that sierra had the effect of an industry more than just only one company, no matter how big it was, both being compared (to each other) back then.

i sorry if can’t even phrase what i wanna tell you correctly, but i am sure you do understand me.

     
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Companies Sierra bought worked under the Sierra umbrella despite they kept their names, so I think it’s pretty fair to say, that it was Sierra that did the innovating, as that was what sierra paid for. Ken didn’t buy the smaller devs to stagnate them but to allow them to do what they did best.

 

     

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