SHP Forums

AndreaDraco wrote:

Collector wrote:But keep in mind, this may be the only path to a new GK.

I know, you're right.

My opinion on remakes is more a philosophical one, like I said on Facebook. I can think of many good remakes, some even great, but it's the need for a remake to begin with that I don't understand. Yes, graphics and sound age, and so do the mechanics, but the truly important part - the story - remains the same. So, like with movies or tv shows, as soon as I hear the word remake my mind usually runs to monetary reasons or dumbed-down versions, or both.

I don't mind remakes if they stay true to the original. This is the kind of remake I like where the graphics stay true to the original, but basically increase the resolution and effects. The main turn off for some will be the different voice actors, but I never cared for Tim Curry as GK anyways.

That old VGA era is an awkward phase. I think those games have aged the worst. The AGI and early EGA SCI games still have a cartoony charm. But with the VGA games, I think "these games would look gorgeous in high resolution." Now if only Quest for Glory would get this kind of treatment.

AndreaDraco wrote:The fact that Jane is behind it, and Phoenix Online (despite my issues with TSL), is the only reason why I will still buy and support the game. Same with LSL, and I'm not even so great a fan of that series.

The point it: this project has my (relative) attention only because it may lead to other GK games.

Understood, but after it is released and if it is true to the original, both in content and spirit, if you wanted introduce someone new to GK, which would you have they try? The original or the new?

Collector wrote:Usually, yes, but not always. Think of The Man Who Knew Too Much. The first one was highly flawed. The remake is fantastic. But then, Hitchcock did the remake, too. This remake is not being done by a hack as bad as an auteur like JJ Abrams.

FYT. Also, thanks for the clarification on MGX.

I like remakes. I understand some people's reservations and I sympathize when Hollywood's movie industry is getting accused of lacking creativity when they're remaking yet another Asian Horror or Thriller movie. It doesn't have to be all bad though, new people, new approaches, new techniques can lead to an exploration of new themes, provide new revelations. Like Collector has pointed out, there are tons of good remakes around, some even better than the old ones. I for one am looking forward to Spike Lee's Oldboy.
What I'm not looking forward to is GK 20th Anniversary, at least not with a lot of enthusiasm. There are not a lot of good 'reimaginings' of old games around, least of all adventure games. I think LucasArts' Monkey Island games provide the perfect visual metaphor when they allow you to switch seamlessly between the old and the new look of the game, proudly demonstrating that, guess what, it's all just a technical facelift and that nothing new whatsoever was added to the gameplay. I suspect fans are at least partly to blame for developers sticking slavishly to what they - and everybody else - know(s).

According to the video, Activision actually approached Jane, so that says a lot about their overall position on Adventures nowadays, particularly the Sierra IP. If the GK1 remake does well, I'm sure other GK games will follow (and perhaps GK4) and other Sierra titles. Jane worked on KQ as well, so maybe Activision is looking to her to do it, which would explain why they pulled the IP from TellTale.

I don't see anything wrong with a game remake. Updating a game -- that stays true to the original -- is a good idea, especially if you're trying to reach a new audience.

Games are a very different medium from movies or books. With a book or a movie, you passively watch or read the story. A game, on the other hand, you actively interact with. You control the character, who that character talks to do, what he or she does, etc.

This isn't even entirely about new gamers. My first game was KQ1. I played the original GK1 and although I liked it back in 1993, I couldn't stomach it today. I tried replaying it a year or two ago and the game was so antiquated in terms of visuals and game mechanics that I couldn't play it.

I'm looking forward to this remake, because it'll actually be playable, without sound that cracks or stutters, horrible chunky/pixelated graphics and a decent interface, the latter of which GK1 sorely lacked.

Collector wrote: Understood, but after it is released and if it is true to the original, both in content and spirit, if you wanted introduce someone new to GK, which would you have they try? The original or the new?

You're sneaky and I hate you!

I will probably introduce them to the new version; it would be silly to do otherwise, of course.

The old one since Tim Curry won't be playing GK in the re-make. Unless they intend to use the old sound bites of his, but I doubt they'd still have the tape lying around somewhere. Besides the only good remake in gaming I've seen is LSL (Softporn).

Would type more but for some reason my connection is making it very hard for me now.

(PS Collector: it's a matter of opinion of course, but I prefer the Peter Lorre Man Who Knew Too Much to the remake. Same goes for Ringu.)

MacTeq wrote:

Collector wrote:Usually, yes, but not always. Think of The Man Who Knew Too Much. The first one was highly flawed. The remake is fantastic. But then, Hitchcock did the remake, too. This remake is not being done by a hack as bad as an auteur like JJ Abrams.

I truly meant hack. He should not be touching other peoples work when he clearly does not understand them.

BBP wrote:it's a matter of opinion of course, but I prefer the Peter Lorre Man Who Knew Too Much to the remake. Same goes for Ringu.)

I am not dismissing first The Man Who Knew Too Much because of acting or directing, etc., but because of technical reasons. No decent copy exists. The sound track is extremely poor and the film in poor condition. This is why Hitchcock remade it. If you could have a pristine copy of the first it would be a very different thing. sort of like The Third Man, but the sound track is hosed.

I'm happy and relieved to know what MGX is.

I think the art looks great, and if this sells well and helps Jane get the rights to do a GK4, that would be awesome.

BBP wrote:Unless they intend to use the old sound bites of his, but I doubt they'd still have the tape lying around somewhere.

The voices will be entirely remade with new voice actors. They tried getting it from the old recordings but the quality just wasn't good enough. The person taking the role of Gabriel Knight will be Jason Michael Victor (King Graham in The Silver Lining), who already tried his hand at Gabe's voice during the Pinkerton Road Kickstarter teaser video.

Is there a link to that video?

Collector wrote:
I truly meant hack. He should not be touching other peoples work when he clearly does not understand them.

Uhoh, bitter Trekker.

I wasn't serious about auteur but I think he's very competent and looking at previous entries in the MI series, maybe it's a good thing he didn't understand what came before him. Nothing about his VC suggests to me he'd even be interested in taking on Hitchcock, so maybe this is discussion for another time. Let's wait until he has ruined Star Wars (again) at least.

Collector wrote:Is there a link to that video?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjL127BH0-Q

But let's keep in mind that's from nearly 1.5 years ago and the line reading was probably just a quick recording. With some direction and Bay Area Sound I would imagine he'll sound better in the game.

I wasn't aware of who would voice Gabe in the remake until seeing this thread, though.

As long as he doesn't try too hard to emulate Tim. Because he can't. No matter how hard he may try.

So I will say this - Gabe's had both Tim and Dean do the voice. I liked each version; because I thought they both brought quality to the character. So my very first concern is the voice acting for Gabe. (Worse comes to worse, I hope there's a text vs audio option).

I am VERY excited about GK1R (GK1 Remade). I am normally not a fan of remakes - because, the remakes from Sierra went from typing parser to the point and click parser (which I always thought was entirely too easy and took away from learning how to type efficiently). So I was always biased towards the remakes - but I still bought them, and still replayed them (several times over). Ironically, I have not yet beat the latest LSL1 remake. Just haven't had the time or perhaps the interest. Glad I funded it and everything, no regrets. I know I will eventually get to it. But since GK1 was parser and the remake is parser, I doubt I will have any issues with the game play itself; especially if it remains close to the Sierra original version of GK1.

I didn't like Tim Curry as Gabriel simply because his accent was too over-the-top. I've heard many southern accents in real life (most of which can differ quite a bit) and Curry's felt forced.

Don't believe Hollywood, the so-called southern accents usually heard in movies and TV shows is fake. In fact, I have yet to hear a southern accent -- any of them -- properly portrayed in movies, TV shows or games.

I probably shouldn't be too surprised, given the stereotypes seen and heard in all forms of media.

As for the interface, I'll just be happy if they get rid of the insane number of cursors used in the original GK. I don't need a separate cursor to open, close, push or pull objects! It made figuring out the right cursor a chore (and don't tell me that's part of the puzzle, it was poor game design, plain and simple) and cycling through them was a nightmare.