Never played QFG series... which QFG1 version should I start with?

[PixelP]

I've always been a fan of Sierra's King's Quest and Space Quest series, but for some reason I never played the Quest for Glory series. Well, that's about to change. There seem to be 2 versions of the game (SCI, VGA) although for some reason I have a memory of an EGA version a friend played years ago, but I could be mistaken. Anyway, which version should I play?

[deadsuperhero]

Technically it doesn't really matter, but I'd recommend the original for retro replay value.

Also, I'm biased as I love parser games.

[GarageGothic]

Play the EGA version unless you have some kind of irrational phobia of text parsers. Of course this is just a personal preference of mine that can easily be argued against, but I don't think any of Sierra's own VGA remakes match the feel of the original versions nor improve on the game designs.

[PixelP]

Ok, I'm also a fan of parser interfaces so I'll go with that

When you say the original/EGA version are you referring to this?
http://www.gamefaqs.com/pc/564775-quest-for-glory-i-so-you-want-to-be-a-hero/images

When I think EGA, I think KQ1 original/KQ2 graphics, which had a different style. That looks more like the KQ1 SCI Sierra remake, but I'm probably wrong on the terms.

[GarageGothic]

When I say EGA I mean the original 16-color (SCI0 interpreter) version of QFG1 (same interpreter used for the KQ1 remake, original KQ1 ran on AGI). The other Sierra remakes including the QFG1 remake ran on SCI1.1 and were in 256-color VGA.

Edit: And yeah, that's the EGA version in those screenshots.

[Charity]

The main thing I remember is that conversations felt a lot more fulfilling in the original, because you had to pay attention and ask about things that made sense, instead of getting a generic dialogue tree that would let you pick a person's brain in a few seconds + reading time.

[Disco]

I suppose it doesn't matter, but I would recommend playing the VGA version first (unless you are more accustomed to playing EGA style games than not) and then going back and seeing how the original is different.

I find it more difficult to get started stat building from battle as (for me anyway) it is a lot more button mashing than actual strategy, unlike the VGA version battles.

[Radiant]

When you say the original/EGA version are you referring to this?
http://www.gamefaqs.com/pc/564775-quest-for-glory-i-so-you-want-to-be-a-hero/images

Yes. There are, essentially, four graphic standards for Sierra games. This is the second one, called SCI0, running on EGA 320x200 in 16 colors. The first one (which you call KQ1 original/KQ2 graphics, the official name is AGI) is approx 160x180, double-width pixels; it uses certain tweaks in CGA to give 16 colors on most monitors, rather than EGA.


Left: AGI. Right: SCI0.

(the third, SCI1, uses VGA graphics in 320x200, and the fourth, SCI2, uses high color in 640x480)


Anyway, back on topic, I would recommend the original, because it catchs its own atmosphere better.