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I was wondering if anyone could tell me if there were any software differences between the 1983 version and the 1984 version of King's Quest for PCjr?

Ex. PCjr wasn't launched until 1984, but the first releases of King's Quest showed a 1983 copyright on the box.The game's title Screen shows copyright year. Did the first release show 1983?

There were two IBM PCjr releases. I don't know if there were any bug fixes with the 2nd release, but otherwise they were mostly the same. The biggest difference is the 1st release had a full size keyboard overlay and the 2nd release just had a strip that you laid on the keyboard above the "F" keys. I think that there were a couple of minor differences in the contents of the manuals. Otherwise they both shipped in the same hard plastic IBM case.

Collector wrote:There were two IBM PCjr releases. I don't know if there were any bug fixes with the 2nd release, but otherwise they were mostly the same. The biggest difference is the 1st release had a full size keyboard overlay and the 2nd release just had a strip that you laid on the keyboard above the "F" keys. I think that there were a couple of minor differences in the contents of the manuals. Otherwise they both shipped in the same hard plastic IBM case.

kings_quest_1_ibm_keyboard_overlay.png

Kings Quest IBM v2-Overlay.png

I'm digitally preserving different versions and I already own and have created a preservation of the 1984 release with my KryoFlux. I'm mostly wondering if it's worth my time and money to search for this version or if I'm just going to run into the same version in a different case. (even a different date on the title screen would be enough for me. I just don't want to get it and find out the two disks are perfect duplicates.)

I only have the 2nd release. I have yet to be able to get a good image of it with my KryoFlux. Also, the CP that IBM used is different than what Sierra used for the later versions that they published. Even with a good image it will not run in DOSBox or PCE without cracking it.

There is a thread about using the KryoFlux here: http://sierrahelp.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=86&t=4213

I can see why they got rid of the overlay. It's an extra expense to create and it's really of no use to the game (unlike in flight sims, which used to have keyboard overlays to help the player know which button to push to do whatever they needed).

DeadPoolX wrote:I can see why they got rid of the overlay. It's an extra expense to create and it's really of no use to the game (unlike in flight sims, which used to have keyboard overlays to help the player know which button to push to do whatever they needed).

Except for the overlay on the whole keyboard is AWESOME!

Also remember when this was. It was an era where many felt that hand holding was required for many. PCs at the time were mostly expensive business equipment. The PCjr and game would have been targeting homes. Otherwise of course they were cutting corners.