UESP Forums

The Heroic Difference

Dimitris Doukas wrote:

Hi Corey, I wish you good luck on this project, I'm so glad that the people whose work I enjoyed so much as a kid are making a comeback and can create games that matter once again.

I grew up in Greece, an ordinary Greek kid whose parents bought him a 486 computer. Through search an exploration of my own I discovered the magic of Sierra's and LucasArt's games and I think that in part they made me who I am today. Contrary to the trend of the industry, your games were important to the people that engaged with them.

One I'm keeping anonymous since a health condition is involved:

Let me tell you a little bit about my time with the "Quest for Glory" series. I have Asperger's syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism. If you know anything about Asperger's, you can imagine how social interaction was (and still is) not my strong point, to put it mildly. When I was playing "Quest for Glory III", one day, I noticed properly greeting and saying goodbye to other characters raised the hero's Honor statistic (at least, I *think* it did). Eventually, I started doing the same to imitate the hero. So, there you have it. Your little game taught me a basic social skill.

Alexander Freed (a writer on the SW:tOR team) wrote:

I've worked as a fiction writer for about a decade now, largely in the world of video games. I won't say I wouldn't be doing this without Quest for Glory (or Hero's Quest, as my ten-year-old self will always think of it), but those games absolutely shaped my sense of what was possible in an interactive narrative.

Breaking down plots with other writers, I've repeatedly used Trial by Fire as an example of the Right Way to generate player emotional investment in a city setting--not just by giving the player quests involving a place's residents and history, but by creating a large and rich supporting cast with attitudes that evolve slowly and subtly. Other games have tried it, of course, but few have executed it as well.

Shadows of Darkness remains one of my touchstones for how to give a player the chance to make All Things Right--not requiring it, but allowing players who want the happiest ending for everyone to actually achieve it. (Yes, I saved the Rusalka.)

To this day, I'm still comforted by how few "bad guys" the series had (Ad Avis and the Demon Wizard are the only ones who spring to mind)--my bleeding heart wishes there more modern games that didn't insist on having a Guy You Hate and Kill.

All this is to say: Thank you. I loved Quest for Glory. I still do. I wouldn't hesitate to call it an important influence in my life and career.

Best wishes with Hero-U, and I hope you find great success. I'm sure it will be a challenge to do independently, but I hope it's also an opportunity to craft the game you want to make. You've certainly earned it.