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In KQ2+, the dwarf can steal stuff from you, but you can get it back later and he never steals something you need to proceed.

Thanks for the compliments. About that last part:

Spoiler

You'll be able to use the ladder when "exploring" the hole (as you did) or when hearing about it from the bandits in the tavern. Only the latter gives points. The gist of it is that you'll need the fly spell in order to reach the hideout.

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Yeah, we were really ready to get this one out the door. Especially since we had to keep schtumm about it for 8 years.

I was amused by the music if you fall off the cliff...

I was wondering how long it would take for someone to get that reference.

We're aiming the release to take place on February the 23rd...in other words, very soon.

1. I thought that AGDI said they weren't going to be doing any more sierra remakes because they wanted to focus on originals...

We said we weren't gonna START any new remakes. However, KQ3 Redux was already in production when we said that. It was basically creative wordplay.

2. There's already the fantastic remake by IA. Why were the two companies working separate on THE SAME remake? What a waste of resources. You guys should stop being so secretive and could have collaborated.

When this project was started IA did not even exist yet. There were like 2 or 3 KQ3 remakes started around here before IA announced their KQ3 remake (which was also a secret project in the first 6 months of its life or so), but we made an early decision not to merge teams with others announcing to remake the same game. We already had a good functioning team at AGDI and we had a vision for the game that was kinda set in stone as well. So we didn't think merging teams was gonna do our project a lot of good. Trust me, it's not a waste of resources...the sheer amount of polish this project has received over the years will make it a fun play even for those who already played IA's remake. As for the secretive part...I still stand behind that all the way. Why announce a project prematurely, let fan enthusiasm die down and then put up with "are we there yet?" for years if you can avoid it?

3. Since IA already made KQ3, it would have been nicer to see SQ2 or Goldrush! or another AGI game remade instead.

LOL, you ARE aware of the fact IA has almost finished a remake of SQ2, aren't you?  

A few additional screenshots.

This remake also has a voicepack and also features Josh Mandel as King Graham. We feel the game is definitely capable of standing up to comparison to IA's version.

Redux is essentially a fancy word for "revisit" or "return". I've explained the name in the thread I wrote about the project's history on our forums. To quote myself there:

So what is it? And why call it Redux? We figured calling it KQ3VGA (after KQ1VGA) or KQ3+ (after KQ2+) wouldn’t describe the game well, because the game lies somewhere in between both extremes. It’s not a 1:1 remake like KQ1VGA is, nor is it a major reworking like KQ2+ where many characters’ roles were spun around. The underlying plot remains the same, but many existing elements have been given more personality and polish. A few new elements were added, but not on KQ2’s scale. So we gave the game its own unique moniker.

Version 3.0 of the game has been released. See the edited first post for details.

Terranrich, did you pick up the "clue" in the castle garden where the wedding was meant to take place? I surmise that's the clue being referred to.

Lucasfan, is that you?

Same with the SQ7.org guys, although that is arguable.

Actually, SQ7 hardly did any promoting when they were still around. The thing that did them in was the fact they tried to get official permission, but ultimately couldn't reach an agreement with VU about the terms.

Seems less like legal worries and more like lack of resources and no longer being worth it.

It's both, actually. Activision did say we could finish what we started, but couldn't start anything new. But even if we were allowed to start any new remakes, I don't think we would since we're no longer the college-students-with-too-much-free-time we were 10 years ago.

Especially if King Maharg of Yrtnevad is walking around in a red tunic, blue pants, a blue cap and admiring the (too) familiar scenery of Checkmate Land. (that used to be called Chessboard Land from KQ6)

It's not that easy.

Sorry, I referred to completed projects or projects that are nearing the end of the development cycle...which are usually the only projects IP holders tend to bother with since the finishing rate of fangames is shaky at best.

Also, unless the POS director has a very rich sugar daddy who decides to give him the KQ franchise as an early christmas gift, I don't think it's the TSL-management that gets to make these kinds of decisions, but the ones who supplied the dough to make the transaction.

The fair use clause doesn't apply to the project...it uses many characters (recognizable) from the previous KQ games as well as known locations/landmarks.

But you're right, it's kinda unclear what exactly is being negotiated. There's 3 possibilities:

- A free fan license. Activision will then obtain complete say and ownership over the project and it'll be released as freeware.
- A commercial license. Whoever's funding it gets the right to release a game commercially using the KQ IP and Activision in addition to the license fee might take a part of the profits.
- IP transfer. Way more expensive than a commercial license, but whoever pays for it gets complete control over the KQ brand, the KQ games and can start as many KQ-related projects as he wishes, be they free or commercial as well as profit from the sales of existing KQ games and license out the IP to 3rd parties.

Fair use with no strings attached is no option I think. SQ7 got the free fan license deal, but turned it down because they didn't want VU to obtain ownership of their work without anything in return.

Yeah, the Phoenix moniker seems appropriate...though it's still rather early.

I'm also very interested to see what will be the ramifications of those negotiations if they turn out successful for the canceled SQ7 game and the other Sierra fan games and remakes projects out there.

For SQ7? Not much. If there's any franchises trading owners, it'll be limited to the KQ brand. I used to think they were only interested in selling all the Sierra classics as one big package (so they wouldn't end up stuck with the less well known ones such as Codename Iceman or Laura Bow series), but maybe that was only VU's position or maybe I mistaken to begin with.

For KQ-related games...if they'd end up buying the IP (not merely a commercial license) they would also obtain ownership of the KQ remakes and the ability to shut down other KQ-related fangames...but I don't think there's a great deal of those left in existence.

On a more serious note, could this be the beginning of a trend of fans buying up the rights to dead game franchises and then releasing them to the public domain?

I suspect not. I think the price is too high for people to simply slap some money together and then "throw it away". In order to get that money back, they'd have to turn their games into commercial projects and hope they sell well enough to make up for the IP costs + production costs. Also, it's questionable whether it's "fans" proposing to buy up a franchise. It's a lot more likely a 3rd party investor or other game company approached by the TSL team has offered funding and they would be the true owners of the IP if it were bought.

Whoever was in charge of the earlier communication with VU should definitely have earned a slap on the wrist in my book...miscommunications that result in a C&D because your team failed to follow the proper procedure seems really sloppy.

But you're right, it's a very interesting development. (particularly for us) I do wonder what would happen if they got whoever's offering them funding to purchase the KQ rights. Would the first chapters/episode they had already completed still be free? Can they still afford to offer it for free after already paying a lot of money for a franchise? I suppose in order to gain back that money the remaining chapters' production will certainly be considered.

And I'm a bit confused by the way you worded that.

FYI...the Land of the Green Isles is the land where KQ6 took place. The first chapter of TSL apparantly took place in that same country...the various landmarks like Chessboard Land, the Castle of the Crown, the City of the Winged Ones and the Village of the Crown were directly carried over to TSL. So if all KQ IP is to be removed, the first chapter must take place in a location that no longer has any similarity to the land where KQ6 took place. A big task.

Neither is the Land of the Green Isles, in which the first chapter apparantly took place. It's good so see them consider this, though I can easily see that glue at least another 2 years to the existing development cycle, so I hope they get a definite call on what to do soon.

Apparantly that quote was pulled of its context although seeing that his business ideas are controversial to say the least, I don't think a lot of gaming sites will go out of their way to clarify the issue. As impopular as Kotick may be with gamers and as damaging as his views are to game development as a creative venture, I think he treats his shareholders well. The whole "more profits, less creativity"-thing is the reason why he's so controversial.

Kotick being replaced will not reverse TSL's C&D, since I doubt Bob Kotick signed it himself.