Hey everyone! Let me present to you King's Quest IV Retold, a point-and-click remake of the fourth chapter in Sierra's King's Quest series!
While this is not a 1:1 conversion of the original SCI game, with the most prominent change being the addition of full mouse support, I decided to keep the beautiful 320x200 EGA graphics of the original. In addition to halving the amount of work necessary to complete the project, this decision was also largely motivated by my dissatisfaction with the way many previous attempts at remaking 320x200 SCI games translated EGA graphics into VGA. In many (though not all) cases, the resulting art would look blurry, and much of the charm of the original would be lost in the process. Sierra's VGA remake of Quest for Glory I is probably the most notorious example of this issue.
No changes were made to the game's story or puzzles. Other than the transition to point-and-click controls, which can be seen either as an improvement or as a drawback depending on your tastes, all changes aim to improve upon the original game while staying as faithful to it as possible.
Key Features
Spoiler
Support of modern operating systems
Unlike any of the official releases of King's Quest IV, which cannot be played on modern operating systems without third-party emulators (e.g. DOSBox and ScummVM), this version is designed to run on Linux, MacOS, and any version of Windows from Windows XP onward.
Point-and-click controls
Unlike the original SCI and AGI versions of the game, which were controlled using text commands, King's Quest IV Retold features full mouse support and a completely reworked point-and-click interface similar to that of later Sierra titles. Many parts of the game were also tweaked to be more responsive to player input.
Incorporation of the best features from different versions of King's Quest IV
This remake combines the best aspects of the game's numerous official releases in a single version, offering players the most comprehensive King's Quest IV experience. This includes Roland MT-32 music, sound effects from the Apple IIGS release, environmental sounds from the Amiga release, as well as additional animation frames and more detailed backgrounds found only in early PC versions of the game.
Autosaves
King's Quest IV Retold features a number of quality-of-life improvements aimed at making some of the more dated mechanics of the original game more approachable, especially for new players. One of such improvements is the addition of an autosave system: the game will save automatically every 10 minutes or whenever the player enters a dangerous area. Autosaves cycle between three dedicated slots and will not overwrite manual saves created by the player. Autosaves can be disabled or re-enabled at any time.
Option to remove dead ends
Another major quality-of-life improvement is the option to remove all dead ends that can potentially prevent you from progressing in the game. Selecting this option will also remove the four-hour time limit, giving you as much time to complete the game as you need. Alternatively, you can choose to keep the dead ends and the time limit if you prefer to play the game the way it was originally designed.
Reworked troll caves
A number of improvements were made to troll caves, the most frustrating section of the original game. In addition to several minor gameplay improvements that allow the player to traverse the caves without abusing the game's save system, this area now features brand new backgrounds that replace the pitch-black screens found in the original game, allowing for easier navigation.
Additionally, this remake introduces numerous minor tweaks and improvements. It would be practically impossible to list everything, but more generally these include bug fixes, new animations, re-implementation of graphics cut from the original game, slight tweaks to portraits and backgrounds, typo corrections, additional flavor text, and so on.
Unlike any of the official releases of King's Quest IV, which cannot be played on modern operating systems without third-party emulators (e.g. DOSBox and ScummVM), this version is designed to run on Linux, MacOS, and any version of Windows from Windows XP onward.
Point-and-click controls
Unlike the original SCI and AGI versions of the game, which were controlled using text commands, King's Quest IV Retold features full mouse support and a completely reworked point-and-click interface similar to that of later Sierra titles. Many parts of the game were also tweaked to be more responsive to player input.
Incorporation of the best features from different versions of King's Quest IV
This remake combines the best aspects of the game's numerous official releases in a single version, offering players the most comprehensive King's Quest IV experience. This includes Roland MT-32 music, sound effects from the Apple IIGS release, environmental sounds from the Amiga release, as well as additional animation frames and more detailed backgrounds found only in early PC versions of the game.
Autosaves
King's Quest IV Retold features a number of quality-of-life improvements aimed at making some of the more dated mechanics of the original game more approachable, especially for new players. One of such improvements is the addition of an autosave system: the game will save automatically every 10 minutes or whenever the player enters a dangerous area. Autosaves cycle between three dedicated slots and will not overwrite manual saves created by the player. Autosaves can be disabled or re-enabled at any time.
Option to remove dead ends
Another major quality-of-life improvement is the option to remove all dead ends that can potentially prevent you from progressing in the game. Selecting this option will also remove the four-hour time limit, giving you as much time to complete the game as you need. Alternatively, you can choose to keep the dead ends and the time limit if you prefer to play the game the way it was originally designed.
Reworked troll caves
A number of improvements were made to troll caves, the most frustrating section of the original game. In addition to several minor gameplay improvements that allow the player to traverse the caves without abusing the game's save system, this area now features brand new backgrounds that replace the pitch-black screens found in the original game, allowing for easier navigation.
Additionally, this remake introduces numerous minor tweaks and improvements. It would be practically impossible to list everything, but more generally these include bug fixes, new animations, re-implementation of graphics cut from the original game, slight tweaks to portraits and backgrounds, typo corrections, additional flavor text, and so on.
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F.A.Q.
Spoiler
Q: So the graphics are the same as in the original SCI version? What's the point then?
A: First and foremost, this remake is aimed at players who prefer point-and-click interfaces over text input. The rest can still enjoy it as a new, significantly less frustrating way to experience this Sierra classic.
Q: Why have I not heard about this project before?
A: No one has. This is just something I had been working on for fun in my spare time without actually expecting to ever finish the game, hence the lack of an announcement.
Q: How many people worked on this game?
A: Just me, myself, and I.
Q: How long did it take to complete the project?
A: Technically, this remake was first conceived back in September 2018, when I decided to create a small project for the 10th anniversary of my introduction to AGS (and by extension my introduction to game development in general). However, at the time it was just a one-room demo and was not meant to be anything more than a scripting exercise for someone who hasn't used AGS for almost 7 years. Months later, I randomly stumbled upon the project on my PC and decided to continue its development, since I had just obtained my master's degree and had a couple of months to spare before starting a new job. About 90% of the game was finished over the course of those two months. Understandably, after that, between the new job and the global pandemic, as well as my participation in several non-AGS projects, progress became much slower, at times coming to a halt. Fast forward two more years and the game is finally ready for release.
Q: Why not call it King's Quest IV Remake?
A: While technically King's Quest IV Remake would be a more accurate title, it would also be somewhat misleading, since most people in the Sierra fan community have come to associate remakes with more radical reimaginings that completely change the original game's look. Besides, there is always a chance that someone will actually make an SVGA remake of the game, so I decided to leave this title for others to take.
Q: Why King's Quest IV? Why not Space Quest III or some other game?
A: I find Space Quest III to be a perfectly good game the way it is. King's Quest IV, on the other hand, had the benefit of having a number of major flaws that I wanted to fix, while also being more historically significant (King's Quest IV was the first SCI game, the first PC game to support a sound card, as well as the first adventure game to feature a female protagonist). Another factor that contributed to this choice was the official reboot by The Odd Gentlemen, which rekindled my interest in the King's Quest series.
Q: Is this the final version of the game? Will there be a voice pack or other additions/changes in the future?
A: You can expect bug fixes in the future, but I don't have any major plans in terms of the game's content for the future. While there will always be more things to add or improve, at some point you need to draw the line and call your project finished.
Q: Will you port the game to [insert platform name here]?
A: While I'd love to port the game to more platforms, I have no experience in porting AGS games and no way of testing them under anything other than Windows. If there is a relatively easy way to create such ports and if you are willing to test them, let me know.
Q: What's next?
A: Well, now that I've spent the last 12 years working on fan games, remakes, and mods, it's high time for me to move on to my own original commercial projects. However, I don't have anything concrete in the pipeline right now, so if you need a translator, tester, or programmer for your commercial game, let me know.
Q: Is there any way to support your future projects?
A: Not at the moment, but I'll look into it when/if I decide on what my next project is going to be.
Q: What about Space Quest XII?
A: Canceled. Has been this way for over a decade now. One of the main reasons for the cancellation was the general lack of interest in the project among the Sierra fan base, however, there were also a number of fundamental problems with the very premise of the game, fixing which would require redoing the entire thing from scratch.
A: First and foremost, this remake is aimed at players who prefer point-and-click interfaces over text input. The rest can still enjoy it as a new, significantly less frustrating way to experience this Sierra classic.
Q: Why have I not heard about this project before?
A: No one has. This is just something I had been working on for fun in my spare time without actually expecting to ever finish the game, hence the lack of an announcement.
Q: How many people worked on this game?
A: Just me, myself, and I.
Q: How long did it take to complete the project?
A: Technically, this remake was first conceived back in September 2018, when I decided to create a small project for the 10th anniversary of my introduction to AGS (and by extension my introduction to game development in general). However, at the time it was just a one-room demo and was not meant to be anything more than a scripting exercise for someone who hasn't used AGS for almost 7 years. Months later, I randomly stumbled upon the project on my PC and decided to continue its development, since I had just obtained my master's degree and had a couple of months to spare before starting a new job. About 90% of the game was finished over the course of those two months. Understandably, after that, between the new job and the global pandemic, as well as my participation in several non-AGS projects, progress became much slower, at times coming to a halt. Fast forward two more years and the game is finally ready for release.
Q: Why not call it King's Quest IV Remake?
A: While technically King's Quest IV Remake would be a more accurate title, it would also be somewhat misleading, since most people in the Sierra fan community have come to associate remakes with more radical reimaginings that completely change the original game's look. Besides, there is always a chance that someone will actually make an SVGA remake of the game, so I decided to leave this title for others to take.
Q: Why King's Quest IV? Why not Space Quest III or some other game?
A: I find Space Quest III to be a perfectly good game the way it is. King's Quest IV, on the other hand, had the benefit of having a number of major flaws that I wanted to fix, while also being more historically significant (King's Quest IV was the first SCI game, the first PC game to support a sound card, as well as the first adventure game to feature a female protagonist). Another factor that contributed to this choice was the official reboot by The Odd Gentlemen, which rekindled my interest in the King's Quest series.
Q: Is this the final version of the game? Will there be a voice pack or other additions/changes in the future?
A: You can expect bug fixes in the future, but I don't have any major plans in terms of the game's content for the future. While there will always be more things to add or improve, at some point you need to draw the line and call your project finished.
Q: Will you port the game to [insert platform name here]?
A: While I'd love to port the game to more platforms, I have no experience in porting AGS games and no way of testing them under anything other than Windows. If there is a relatively easy way to create such ports and if you are willing to test them, let me know.
Q: What's next?
A: Well, now that I've spent the last 12 years working on fan games, remakes, and mods, it's high time for me to move on to my own original commercial projects. However, I don't have anything concrete in the pipeline right now, so if you need a translator, tester, or programmer for your commercial game, let me know.
Q: Is there any way to support your future projects?
A: Not at the moment, but I'll look into it when/if I decide on what my next project is going to be.
Q: What about Space Quest XII?
A: Canceled. Has been this way for over a decade now. One of the main reasons for the cancellation was the general lack of interest in the project among the Sierra fan base, however, there were also a number of fundamental problems with the very premise of the game, fixing which would require redoing the entire thing from scratch.
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Changelog (may contain minor spoilers if you haven't played the game yet)
[changelog]Version 1.0.4 (July 24, 2022):
[ + ] The unicorn can now be seen roaming the meadows once it is released
[ + ] Picking up the frog now automatically sets it as the active inventory item to avoid confusing the player
[ - ] Fixed a bug where the game would switch to nighttime at noon if the dead ends are enabled
[ - ] Fixed a graphical bug where Rosella could sometimes pick up the frog and the ball without walking up to them first
[ - ] Fixed a bug where the peacock could sometimes walk on water
[ - ] Fixed a minor graphical bug where Rosella's sprite would not update after falling off the stairs
[ - ] Fixed a bug where the song played when summoning the dolphin would sometimes prevent other music tracks from playing
[ - ] Fixed a typo in the text pop-up for examining the chest of drawers in the Manor bedroom
[ - ] Fixed misaligned text boxes in one of Lolotte's cutscenes
[ - ] Fixed incorrect text box positions in one of Edgar's cutscenes
[ - ] Tweaked the walkable area masks for the organ room and the upper part of the Manor stairs
[ - ] Tweaked the walk-behind mask for Lolotte's dining room
[ - ] Increased the size of the trigger zone for going north from the eastern cemetery
[ - ] The troll now takes more time to appear when chasing Rosella from a different screen
[ - ] The unicorn's initial location is now determined after starting a new game rather than immediately after the game is launched
[ - ] Adjusted the timing of the intro cutscene
[ - ] Updated the fonts used in the credits
Version 1.0.3 (June 6, 2021):
[ + ] Added an alternative hotkey for toggling between Walk and the last cursor mode
[ + ] Mouse is now automatically switched to Walk mode after digging to prevent the player from breaking the shovel by accident
[ + ] Added a text pop-up for trying to interact with the fake wall after looking at the portrait but before examining the wall
[ + ] Added mouseover hints for stable gates
[ + ] Added nighttime water animations for Genesta's island
[ + ] Added nighttime graphics for the ogres' house
[ + ] Added a new ambient track that plays in the forest at night
[ + ] Added a music track that plays when Rosella gets caught by the troll
[ + ] Seagulls can now appear on the screen with the fisherman's shack
[ + ] Improved goon pathfinding when using diagonal movement hotkeys
[ + ] Rosella now always faces the board before picking it up
[ - ] Fixed a bug where Rosella would get stuck on the eastern stairs in Lolotte's castle
[ - ] Fixed a bug that would sometimes prevent the player from combining inventory items
[ - ] Fixed a bug where the hen would not appear in Lolotte's storage room
[ - ] Fixed a bug where Rosella would fall upwards after trying to pick the bow from the opposite side of the pool
[ - ] Fixed a bug where the troll would appear even if the game is already over (e.g. if the player extinguishes the lantern immediately after entering a new screen)
[ - ] Fixed a bug where the message warning the player about Lolotte's goons would permanently stay on the screen
[ - ] Fixed a graphical bug where Rosella would move backwards while on the stairs
[ - ] Fixed a typo in the text pop-up for examining the locket
[ - ] Slightly tweaked several backdrops (waterfall, south of the waterfall, organ room, western stairs in Lolotte castle, Lolotte's throne room)
[ - ] Made major updates to all nighttime and some daytime backdrops for Genesta's island
[ - ] Tweaked walkable area and walk-behind masks for the northeastern and southeastern sections of Genesta's island
[ - ] Tweaked walkable area, walk-behind, and hotspot masks for Cupid's pool
[ - ] Increased the size of several hotspots (crypt ladder, Lolotte in bed, Genesta in bed)
[ - ] Updated the ambient track used in the swamp
[ - ] Fall sounds no longer get cut off on room transitions
[ - ] Certain decorative birds and fish no longer appear at night
[ - ] Rosella can no longer die from exposure at night
[ - ] Slightly increased the maximum distance from which Cupid can be startled
Version 1.0.2 (May 10, 2021):
[ + ] Added hotkeys for toggling between Walk and the last cursor mode
[ + ] Lute and flute playing animations can now be skipped with the Esc key
[ + ] Movement hotkeys introduced in the previous patch can now be used to stand up from the organ
[ - ] Fixed a bug where movement hotkeys introduced in the previous patch allowed Rosella to walk while holding the frog
[ - ] Cupid behavior is now more consistent with the original game
[ - ] Increased the chance for the robin to appear
[ - ] Implemented a better fix for the bug where the game would not recognize a two-tile inventory item
[ - ] Optimized the code responsible for highlighting items on the inventory screen
[ - ] Fixed minor graphical errors on the backdrop for Genesta's bedroom
Version 1.0.1 (May 9, 2021):
[ + ] Added a quicksave feature
[ + ] Added a hotkey for restoring the last save
[ + ] Added hotkeys for changing game speed
[ + ] Added hotkeys for switching between cursor modes
[ + ] Added numpad hotkeys for moving diagonally
[ + ] Pressing the Enter key is now equivalent to clicking the left mouse button when no GUI is displayed
[ + ] Chasm fall animation can now be skipped with the Esc key
[ + ] Keyhole cutscenes can now be skipped if the ogre is sleeping or not inside the house
[ + ] The ending cutscene can now be skipped with the Esc key
[ + ] The "KQ4" button in the options menu now includes a message indicating whether the dead ends and the time limit are enabled
[ - ] Fixed a crash where the ogre and the ogress would appear in the bedroom or the kitchen at the same time
[ - ] Fixed a bug where the game would say the Unicorn is paralyzed with fear even if there is no Unicorn on the screen
[ - ] Fixed a bug where the game would not remove the fish from the player's inventory
[ - ] Fixed a bug where the game would not recognize a two-tile inventory item if the inventory window was closed on the exact frame the item was selected
[ - ] Fixed a bug where one of the halves of a selected two-tile inventory item would sometimes not be highlighted on the inventory screen
[ - ] Fixed a bug where the time displayed in the grandfather clock's look message would repeatedly switch between A.M. and P.M. at noon and midnight
[ - ] Presumably fixed a bug where the game would softlock when falling down the chasm
[ - ] Implemented WASD movement, which did not work in the previous version despite being listed among the game's controls
[ - ] To prevent possible bugs, manual saves may no longer contain the words "AUTOSAVE" and "QUICKSAVE" in their names
[ - ] Game speed is no longer automatically set to default when Edgar comes upstairs to Lolotte's room
[ - ] Ogre spawn behavior and door script for the ogre's house are now more consistent with the original game
[ - ] Increased the size of the trigger zone for going downstairs from the organ screen
[ - ] Increased the size of the hotspot for the pile of bones
[ - ] Slightly expanded the walkable area for crossing the chasm
[ - ] Prerequisites for automatic time progression are now more consistent with the original game
[ - ] Increased the chance for the Lord of the Manor to appear
[ - ] Changed the behavior of the Miser to make it more consistent with the original game
[ - ] Updated the appearance of the talk cursor
[ - ] Removed silence at the end of the music track that plays on the pier screen[/changelog]
The game is available for Windows, Linux, and MacOS. Download links can be found on the game's AGS database page.