Incline Quest For Glory

[Fictive Cunt]

Fighting Fantasy

Can't say I've heard of it, looks interesting, honestly I'd be more inclined to try th books.

QfG 3 has always been the weakest of the bunch, but then as I recall it's kind of meant as filler

It's crazy there is so much new art, music and dialogue it seems like there's no way it was a last minute idea to wait for the horror game. And so obvious to follow Rakeesh & Uhura like we followed Shameen, Shema & Abdula Doo.

There are some severe undercooked elements, like the battle system. It is kind of similar to qfg1vga but so much sloppier. Its embarrassing, probably because someone they couldn't use keypad strokes (after qfg2) and wanted it all mouse-friendly. But then the enemies have elaborate perspective-drawn sprites when approaching. Then qfg4 goes balls crazy from what I recall and I'll be trying that again soon. I only played that once or twice and it was decades ago.

The pill economy is fucked after Harik had them so cheap in qfg2. Salim is getting no money from me. And because combat is so easy, I'm not even taking pills. Sadly the pills that would be useful, my stash of 80 stamina pills from Shapeir, didn't carry over. I suspect this was a deliberate decision...

I have no idea of this came out before or after qfg1vga because in the beautiful catalog they are both "new for 92!" But qfg1vga seems significantly more polished in a lot of regards [that don't apply to qfg1 original] in portraits, battle system, and battle animations.

I have really been digging qfg3 other than shitty battles. However i reached a point where making peace and convening the peace conference, were totally on-rails cutscenes. This did not bother me when I was a kid because pretty art + soundblaster. Those events should kind of be a main, playable episode of the game even if functionally it's no different.

 

[Tweed]

Fighting Fantasy

Can't say I've heard of it, looks interesting, honestly I'd be more inclined to try th books.

QfG 3 has always been the weakest of the bunch, but then as I recall it's kind of meant as filler

It's crazy there is so much new art, music and dialogue it seems like there's no way it was a last minute idea to wait for the horror game. And so obvious to follow Rakeesh & Uhura like we followed Shameen, Shema & Abdula Doo.

There are some severe undercooked elements, like the battle system. It is kind of similar to qfg1vga but so much sloppier. Its embarrassing, probably because someone they couldn't use keypad strokes (after qfg2) and wanted it all mouse-friendly. But then the enemies have elaborate perspective-drawn sprites when approaching. Then qfg4 goes balls crazy from what I recall and I'll be trying that again soon. I only played that once or twice and it was decades ago.

The pill economy is fucked after Harik had them so cheap in qfg2. Salim is getting no money from me. And because combat is so easy, I'm not even taking pills. Sadly the pills that would be useful, my stash of 80 stamina pills from Shapeir, didn't carry over. I suspect this was a deliberate decision...

I have no idea of this came out before or after qfg1vga because in the beautiful catalog they are both "new for 92!" But qfg1vga seems significantly more polished in a lot of regards [that don't apply to qfg1 original] in portraits, battle system, and battle animations.

I have really been digging qfg3 other than shitty battles. However i reached a point where making peace and convening the peace conference, were totally on-rails cutscenes. This did not bother me when I was a kid because pretty art + soundblaster. Those events should kind of be a main, playable episode of the game even if functionally it's no different.

My guess is they spent more time working on the VGA remake of QfG1 and since it was a remake of a pre-existing game it's not like they needed to come up with something brand new. Why they didn't just use the same system for QfG 3's combat I got no clue, but as it is it's almost non-existent. You can kill an enemy in a few swings and still have to wait for it's HP to slowly drain out before it's dead. Content-wise the game is pretty vapid, you never get to explore Tarna and the overmap means no sense of exploration there either. Thieves really got the short end of the stick for things to do as well while magic-users had a pretty good time.

 

[<3sRichardSimmons]

I'm too lazy to look it up, but I think I recall reading somewhere that Ken bumped up QFG3's release date in order to give plenty of room for the Christmas window (I believe it launched in August and was originally scheduled for November/Thanksgiving). 3 months of devtime doesn't seem much these days, but it was quite a schedule change in 1992 when most games had a max devtime of 1-1.5 years. The schedule change, coupled with the team's focus being split between QFG3 and QFG1 VGA and the fact that they had to spend a good chunk of development on learning the new engine were the reasons I've seen cited for why 3 turned out the way it did (and all things considered it turned out pretty well, certainly better than 5).

 

[mediocrepoet]

5 was such a disappointment, especially after how cool 4 was. It was to be expected though, considering it took a fan campaign to even get it at all.

 

[Fictive Cunt]

Ok my journey continues. Quest for Glory 4 was a fine story with sensible puzzles and interesting NPCs. But as a combat wizard, Flame Dart or Lightning Bolt spam is basically instant win. Especially the new charge attack, which is more powerful and blocks other projectiles. I saw wraiths using some shield move but it never stopped my magic attacks. Those attacks won't work on bats or rabbits, however Zap becomes completely overpowered in this game and will destroy in melee. The combat system didn't suck even though it's side view but it is perhaps even less immersive than qfg3. Qfg2 still wins for combat.

The valley of Mordavia was a lot like Spielberg but a little more convoluted, and a very strange phenomenon of having additional trees at night. The lack of big world made it seem like a bit of regression but the well-fleshed out NPCs make up for it. There wasn't quite as much dialogue as qfg3 but everyone had a lot of flavor. Garlic flavor.

There's some class specific stuff I.e. Rusalka that should belong to everybody. And my mage-thief wasn't able to see the thief signs under the log book, so I had to use a guide to open the thief guild; could otherwise do all thiefy stuff and see other thief signs. I'm glad the devs really programmed Levitate spell as a good substitute for climbing with fluid animations too, etc. Notable exception being in the guild when you need to see the thief signs on the ceiling, so you can find more under the desk...

The economy is weird. You start with nothing and can scavenge only a little money at the start. Health and Poison Cure pills are free but you only get only one each per day. The magic water cures poison, rather than hp or stamina. The garden fruit restores MP, rather than hp or stamina. These facts will definitely impact your workout regimen. There's only one small shop and no bargaining. The hotel requires weekly rent and you might go broke if you don't find Erana's money cache. Plus enemies with money are rare (chernovy and zombies) or both rare & require a skill to not get insta killed (wraiths.)

This anti-wraith skill is a time-gated thing given by gypsies (which means you can't steamroll the game on day 1) and presumably you can let some innocent people die and fuck up the quest, so you can't fight wraiths. But there's at least one wraith you have to fight. Btw those gypsies are also the most helpful NPCs in the game with lots and lots of hints and psychic exposition through tarot cards readings. They're kind of like the god judgement in qfg3 but only mildly esoteric, and multiple readings over days.

Speaking of days, that might be what you spend figuring out that you must find the Domovoi in the middle of the night. Or be prepared for a long time of not knowing why the stubborn game isn't moving forward.

The grand finale was cool, a multi-room puzzle adventure setpiece. The final-final encounter as a mage required a few obvious spells but nothing close to the dramatic duels with Leopardman Shaman or Demon Wizard.

Btw I played with no voices because they are annoying as fuck. The fan patch became incompatible with later scummvm versions so I ended up not using it. (Qfg3 patch works a-ok though.) Qfg4 ran 99% fine in scummvm but I had to reboot once after glitch in the swamp-tomb when the palette became mostly black.

I am a ways into Dragon Fire but I'll post that another time! That one's frustrating in multiple dimensions.

 

[<3sRichardSimmons]

VA in Sierra era titles is definitely hit or miss, but you fucked up turning it off for QfG4; it's probably the best one they ever did after GK1.

The CD version was notably buggier though when it launched; I'm not sure if digital rereleases now include the requisite patches and fan patches to get it into stable shape.

 

[Fictive Cunt]

you fucked up turning it off for QfG4

Yeah right. I turned it off because it was abominable. And I think voices in Kings Quest 5 are fine. Maybe it is just a case of too much.

 

[mediocrepoet]

VA in Sierra era titles is definitely hit or miss, but you fucked up turning it off for QfG4; it's probably the best one they ever did after GK1.

The CD version was notably buggier though when it launched; I'm not sure if digital rereleases now include the requisite patches and fan patches to get it into stable shape.

As I recall, they don't, but you can still find what you need: https://questforglory.fandom.com/wiki/Quest_for_Glory:_Shadows_of_Darkness#Patches

Man, I'm overdue for a QfG 1-5 replay.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

To be fair, the voice-acting in QfG4 is hit-or-miss.

John Rhys-Davies as the narrator is great value, especially once he begins reciting the rituals.

At least two voice actresses with completely different voices are used for the gypsy fortune teller.