Monday, June 22, 1998
It's been awhile since my last progress report. The game is really starting to look
good, and we're heading into the home stretch as far as development goes. That's why this
will probably be my last progress report. The design is complete, the technical issues
have been mostly resolved, we're down to just doing it, and I don't want to take my
attention off of the most important thing...Making a great game!
So what have we done, and what can you expect? Most of the engine issues are resolved,
or are very close to being resolved. Here's what we have been adding and tweaking:
Real shadows - Not just some blob of color below the character, this is a shadow
that is generated on the fly from the actual character moving. These shadows can be turned
on separately for Connor, the characters, the monsters, and the objects (Depending on your
machine speed).
Dynamic Lighting - Lights in the world effect the characters, the objects, the
terrain, and the buildings around them. This has created a lot of great moodiness in the
worlds. In addition, these lights can move around, flicker, and can effect distant objects
causing light pooling effects.
Translucency - We added this effect to water, magical items and effects,
spirits, glass, etc. All of these translucent objects can have their opacity set to
optimize their appearance in the world.
Monster AI - Yes, it's been controversial. King's Quest: Mask of Eternity will
be the first King's Quest that has an element of real-time combat. Remember King's Quest
VI? Wouldn't it have been fun if you could have participated more in the final sword fight
? Well now you will! Don't worry though, this is not a combat game, it's just one of the
many parts of the game that make it fun. We have included 3 difficulty levels for combat:
Easy (For those who might have difficulty with fighting), Normal (The way we think it
should be) , and Hard (For those who are gluttons for punishment).
3D - It's a whole New World out there. You're no longer stuck moving from
picture to picture. You move Connor and the camera where you want, when you want. There's
never been a more open explorative game.
Adventure - Yes, this is what it's all about! King's Quest has always been an
adventure, and King's Quest: Mask of Eternity will be the biggest and longest King's Quest
to date. The seven worlds are huge. Exploration is a major factor. A map for each world
uncovers as you explore every road, house, cave, and structure. As you explore , you'll
meet over 50 characters to talk to, dozens of creatures to fight, and a plethora of
puzzles to solve.
Story, Story, Story! - Roberta has always been a great storyteller, and she
won't disappoint with this new episode in the King's Quest saga. As in all King's Quest's
you will discover a story steeped in myth and lore, ancient civilizations, and characters
from legends of old.
Well, as you can tell, we're all very excited about this game. It feels very new and
fresh. We can't wait to get this done and out for you to play. So, with no further ado,
I'm going to get back to work and try to get this thing done!
-- Mark Seibert, Mask of Eternity Producer
For previous progress reports, check out The Archives.
