Thank you for watching, it was a huge pleasure to have an audience with Ken. You can find chapters in the video description if you'd like to hear a specific question, and you can hear more about Kens new game at 53:44. You can also find his game at kensgame.com Neil - RMC

Great interview with a living legend. I shared this on my website today 🤘

The first time in my life I thought an accountant could be cool! Ken was a bit of a hero growing up, the Sierra games pretty much defined huge parts of my childhood, fantastic interview Neil!

@user-pi5xz5je4y

3 жыл бұрын

I'm surprised to see you in the comment section of this video. Stay awesome.

@gooseywhispers

3 жыл бұрын

Ha random place to see you comment, cool to see that you are a sierra fan.

In the early days of PC gaming have great memories for me. Space Quest, Police Quest, The Colonels Bequest, and Gabriel Knight with the speech, was amazing. I still have them to this day. Great times.

Sooooooo looking forward to watching this episode tonight. Sierra games were and still are my favorite games. I even learned my English back then (not a native speaker) playing all Quest series Thanks for making these gems!

Thank you Ken and Roberta for the awesome games that were a huge part of my childhood! It is one of the reasons I got involved in the game industry as a composer!! (Love KQ 3/4 and SQ!)

@cabokenw

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

Loved Ken's book and also read it in like two days. (that's really fast for me 😅) Just thank you so much, Ken and Roberta! You can't imagine how much your creations are still loved and how much these games mean to me and probably a lot more out there! 🥰 I'm so looking forward to the new game!!! Great video with some nice new infos! 😃

@eatwhaturgiven

3 жыл бұрын

I"m not a reader and I read it in one sitting! Could not put it down.

@spielkindrc

3 жыл бұрын

@@eatwhaturgiven I know right!? 😄 and i have a couple of other books about or around the gaming industry and none of them is this entertaining!

I read more sierra adventures as a kid than Dr Seuss even. Thanks Ken and Roberta for igniting my imagination.

@cabokenw

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

Sierra games were some of my faves back in the day. I can't even begin to count the hours spent playing Leisure Suit Larry, King's Quest, etc. "Trash-80" - those were the days. My first programming class in high school used TRS-80s.

Awesome to hear again from Ken Williams. Great interview. There are millions of us around the world that would like to shake Ken and Roberta's hands and thank them for all the good times and memories. They made amazing games

Awesome interview RMC! It is so cool hearing from these legends. I have so many great memories playing the OG Kings Quest and Space Quest on my neighbor's IBM PC Jr. and then later Sierra games on my Amiga

@drguillotine7485

3 жыл бұрын

Don’t worry Bill we will visit your stream soon! I promise Amiga talk cause you know I’m a huge fan

I can't thank Ken & Roberta enough for all the hours of joy I had playing their games on my Amiga. Thank you from the bottom of my heart

what a legend. i loved sierra games. spent hundreds of hours playing kings quest, space quest, police quest.

Absolute legends, I was absolutely hooked on the Sierra games!

Please interview Roberta next.

@delatroy

3 жыл бұрын

Then John carmack 🙏

@cabokenw

3 жыл бұрын

Roberta is very anti-interview. I've never completely understood why. I think some of it is shyness, and some of it is just not wanting to constantly think about old times. She is not one to dwell on past accomplishments.

@delusionnnnn

3 жыл бұрын

@@cabokenw I suspect two things don't help, in addition. One is bald-faced internet misogyny, where any accolades given to women are dismissed as unearned by a certain segment of people who think everything that doesn't celebrate men is "virtue signalling". Another is that she's expressed opinions that - and I'm going to try to be fair about this - can be easily interpreted as unfair to and elitist towards people who could not afford more expensive computers in the 1980s, and dismissive of later videogame trends. Text and point/click adventure games weren't popular because people were better, they were popular because the spectrum of genres you could convincingly execute on 1980's hardware was diffenet than that of 1995, much more so than that of today, so Text and point/click adventure games used to represent a gigantic proportion of the gaming field because entire modern genres didn't exist. The most divisive interview she gave where Roberta chalked this up to Apple II users representing a higher class of person with a better education being the reason those were more popular then has been an albatross around her neck, online, ever since - fairly or not.

What an absolute legend

Really enjoyed this interview! I have fond memories of Sierra. Remember when I was 13 years old and someone had installed LS Larry on the schools computer. I had memorized all the control questions so I could help other students to get the sauciest version of game play :)

I remember buying LSL1 for around £40, then spending the same amount on the USA hint line, fun times. Ken sent me, still makes me smile :)

Great interview! Always a treat to hear from Ken.

Thoroughly enjoyed this. I loved playing Ken and Roberta's games when I was a kid. Favourite games were Kings Quest 1-4.

I just realized the stripes on the Sierra logo, matches his shirt.

@cabokenw

3 жыл бұрын

That wasn't deliberate...

Excellent interview! I read his book and this is a great compliment to it. This video deserves waaay more likes... come on, people!

Fascinating interview, many thanks for putting together an interview with such a Legend.

I remember when the IBM PC Jr. came out and I was still in high school. I saw it in a store in a mall and it was demoing Kings Quest 1. I got so excited as I had never seen anything that crisp and clear in a game for the home. The real bummer for me was that the PC Jr was either $1500 or $3000. I can't remember, but it was an astronomical amount for a high school kid. I remember telling my parents about it but they couldn't afford it either. I think the first PC I ever owned was a 386 from Micron or Micro(something) which was an ad in a magazine. It wasn't until many years later that I was able to play King's Quest. I thank Ken and Roberta because they sparked my interest in computers which lead to my career in Information Technology today...and I loved all their games. I'm not a hardcore gamer but I still love to play good games when they come around.

So, so cool. Sierra games have been such a huge part of my life for so long now. Leisure Suit Larry, King's Quest, Space Quest, and on and on. My high school computer teacher would let us play games on Fridays, as she felt games were an integral part of learning, and I would always choose a Sierra game.

Thanks for posting this video! All Sierra games bring so many childhood memories!

Oh, this is excellent. I spent a LOT of time on Sierra games.

Ooh, gonna save this for my road trip next week.

@RMCRetro

3 жыл бұрын

If it's more convenient you can find it as a podcast by searching for Retro Tea Breaks on most apps

This new game sounds like a Shroud of the Avatar case where some nobodies who want to make money in games just convince a beloved legendary game developer to put their name on their project and get them minimally involved to rake in the cash while not really caring about the quality of the final product. Mark my words, this game will blow.

I loved these games. Such great memories.

Exciting stuff - best of luck to you guys on the new game!

Thanks a lot Neil, absolutely great video :) what a legend!

So this is the one who SENT ME!

@cabokenw

3 жыл бұрын

LOL!

Pepper's Adventure's in Time awakened something in me.

I love Sierra’s games. I remember playing their early games on the Commodore Amiga and then their later sequels on PC.

it's cool to see such a rich guy be so wholesome i don't think he will understand the scope of what he helped create in gaming history

Loved The Space Quest series, remember playing SQ1 on my Tandy 1000 EX. Many hours of fun and yes frustration, getting stuck to find out you forgot something important at the beginning of the game! Also ordering the hint books, that you had to use the special marker to reveal the answers, lol.

I have actually used the SuperScript word processor he talked about at the beginning of Sierra. It was compiled to run on a TRS Model II business computer. I used that before moving on to WordStar.

You really are upping your game Neil, top notch interview here.

Am I mistaken or was there a very brief Roberta cameo towards the end there?

@RMCRetro

3 жыл бұрын

She did appear briefly to inform Ken it was time to leave the marina, and said a quick hello which was amazing

@baltasarq

2 жыл бұрын

@@RMCRetro I think she appears crossing the background in 48:10.

Ken is a legend. Owe alot to him

Sierra on-line made so many great games, i still have these games for my Amiga 500: - LEISURE SUIT LARRY 1-5 - POLICE QUEST 1 - SPACE QUEST 1 - KING'S QUEST I-III - DONALD DUCK'S PLAYGROUND - GOLD RUSH! Also i have DONALD DUCK'S PLAYGROUND for my Commodore 64. And an interview with Ken Williams is legendary. Roberta Williams made lots of great game, too. Thank you! 😺🐈👍✌️💾🕹️🖥️⌨️

I wish Ken and Roberta would make an old school 2d adventure game.

I love these interviews. Questions are always so well researched and, even if the interviewee is someone I don't know, they are always fascinating.

Ken's pretty amazing. So smart and very driven.

I remember buying Hero Quest when it was first released, unfortunately my copy had faulty disks and I had to take it back and arrange a swap for a new copy, when the shop eventually let me know it was in I went to the shop to find it was now called Quest for Glory 1(So You want To Be A Hero) at the time I was surprised but Damn I wish I had kept the original box. Still one of my favourite games tho. I also had KQ IV, The Colonel's Bequest and Project Iceman awesome boxes. All on the Amiga.

The video game crash was pretty much unknown here in Australia.

Thank you for this. Ken is a legend.

Ken and Roberta rock. Best games ever.

I know I'm in the minority here, but I really hope there is a non-VR version of the Williams game. I have nothing against VR, but because of something with my brain, be it wired wrong or something, I cannot do VR. I have tried, but I get violently ill after just a few minutes. I don't want to miss out on another Sierra style adventure, let alone one that is being assisted with by Ken and/or Roberta Williams. I could also listen to Ken Williams discuss the history of the computer industry from when he was coming up in it for hours. I can't wait for my copy of his latest book to arrive.

@cidercecil

3 жыл бұрын

Same here, I don't like VR so i hope there's a non-VR version.

@cabokenw

3 жыл бұрын

Grin -- I don't like VR. There will definitely be a non-VR version of the game (for Mac and Windows). I've always thought of VR as more of a gimmick than as something that really adds play value. That said, I'm old fashioned .. and have been assured by others that the VR version of the game will find many happy players. I always say, "Customers vote at the box office". By this I mean that different people have different desires. We'll offer the game in lots of different flavors and people will choose what they like.

@helldog3105

3 жыл бұрын

@@cabokenw I would like to like VR, really I would, but my brain and stomach can't handle it. The idea of a King's Quest style game done in VR with you as Graham would be amazing. And thank you for all of your hard work over the years. You made my childhood and now my 6 year old daughter's magical with all of the amazing stories you helped make.

We would like to support you in all scifi related models.

I wish you'd have asked Ken about Richard Garriott's payment controversy for Ultima II. According to Garriott his experience with Sierra compelled him to open his own publishing house, Origin. Also, he advises the early punishers if his games as having huge drug problems. I know he directed this comment towards California Pacific Computers, but was never sure if he also meant to tag the Williams' with this accusation. To my knowledge, Ken's perspective on these controversies has never been publicly shared.

It looks like he is dialling in from a private yacht! Must have done ok out of it :p

@RMCRetro

3 жыл бұрын

Spot on....the interview came to an end when Roberta popped her head in to inform Ken that the deadline to leave the marina was looming

@cabokenw

3 жыл бұрын

Yes -- we are on a boat. Check out my blog - kensblog.com - Roberta and I circumnavigated our boat! We get recognized more these days for our boating adventures than we do for Sierra. We have taken our small boat across both the Atlantic and the Bering Sea, plus to 27 countries...

@paul_k_7351

3 жыл бұрын

Awesome! Thanks for everything you did at Sierra, Ken!

Jimmy Greaves is looking well

"Ken and Roberta Williams, two of the most influential figures in video game history, are bringing the original 1976 text adventure Colossal Cave Adventure to virtual reality, as well as Mac and Windows PC."

I remember being 9 years old playing space quest shortly after it came out. I racked my parents phone bill up to 300 from calling the 1-900 number for clues lmao. Never had my ass beat so hard in my life but I never did it again ❤️

I have a feeling we should have been speaking to Roberta!

Legendary status

bro!! a new Ken Williams game? lets go!

No mention of the Amiga side was a pity, that was my Sierra time :)

Shared to Sierra Gaming World private Facebook group :)

@RMCRetro

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Ross

Ok how did I miss this?

Epic!

From the thumbnail it looks like your interviewing Greavsie ;)

this is great man! ty so much for this!

What a cool dude😎 . Reminds me of Walt Disney without the crazy

@ArttuTheCat

2 жыл бұрын

When you mention Walt Disney, i have DONALD DUCK'S PLAYGROUND for my Commodore 64 and Amiga 500. It was fun to play. 🐈✌️👍🕹️💾

Best Tea Break ever.

It looks like Ken has teamed up with Neil's Evil twin?? The Bizarro-Neil??? What could possibly go wrong?

"Ken sent me."

Take all my money! I'm definitely buying Ken's and Marcus new VR game.

awesome interview

I loved Sierra's games. Even Manhunt, which fas really frustrating. But there was always so much room for ones own mind to fill in, with the games only being raw sketches of the narrative. (Compared to today's 4k photorealistc products)

Cool

I wonder if they changed their engine when it came to the Homeworld Series?

Legend!

I was a bit surprised when he admitted to not playing some of the games.

Excellent Interview!!!

Unfortunately it looks like Ken's new game is only targeting the Oculus, when the HTC headsets combined have more market share (Vive, Index, and HTC headsets sold outside of Steam). Oculus is now a Facebook company, so there is that issue as well.

Yeah we need adventure games like sierra’s quest games again….these current adventure games cannot compare

Ken sent me.

48:10 She makes her appearance!!!

Irony - Those carts would be gold today!

Jimmiy GREAVES, world cup winner and Spurs hero

@RMCRetro

3 жыл бұрын

now I can't unsee it

@cubby170279

3 жыл бұрын

This is exactly what I saw. It’s like going back to the 80’s for so many reasons.

Good to see Ken's face again. I interviewed him just before his book came out ( kzread.info/dash/bejne/q217zciNftbIpKg.html ) and it's good to see his story is consistent! A great guy and I'm very glad he is as humble as he is for all his talents and wealth. I can't wait to hear more about the new game. I'm actually pretty surprised he got coaxed into it, but I guess that's the upshot of Covid-19 in our case - Ken can't sail, so he's got to fill his time with something!

@willsofer3679

3 жыл бұрын

Why can't he sail? He can't disembark in the port of another country, but that leaves him with everywhere else to go (or even just sail without a destination).

Can someone tell me why Sierra On-Line were called On-Line way before on-line was a thing?

@6502Workshop

3 жыл бұрын

If I recall it's because in the early days of computing connecting up a hardware device (like a tape reel) to a mainframe was considering to be brining the device "on-line", perhaps because it was plugged in and the connection cable was like a "line" (like a phone line). The modern term online in the context of the Internet was an evolution from that original meaning.

@digitalmagicAR

Жыл бұрын

That name used to confuse me also back in the late 80s. I later learned the "On-Line" part of the name was because there actually was proprietary online operation albeit not widespread in those days. Ken was forward thinking and had the idea of connected home computers early on because he had already done it via the big business machines,

48:10 - Roberta?

The disappointment of many later game Big Boxes having only the jewel case inside... But I have to say, some of the slimmer Sierra boxes like Conquest of Camelot are too small for containing 10 5.25" and 4 3.5" floppies plus all the other goodies. They are bulging a bit... xD Got at least 50 Sierra (and Sierra published) Big Box games on the shelves behind me. Need more shelf space as I don't like stacking them like I have to do at the moment.

Is the fate of other Sierra game characters the same as Larry's?

omg i loved that interview but the moment that marcus guy showed up im thinking uh oh,, heres trouble... i hope ken doesnt get fucked over again.

@drguillotine7485

3 жыл бұрын

Trouble is my middle name oh wait it’s Maximus so Maximus Trouble 😈

I’m just guessing that’s an Amel. Great boat!

He may look like a lovely old dude but back in the day Sierra was full of swingers and hippies. There are some still some topless marketing pics out there

I thought his book would have been called And Uh.

A legend: He and his wife once upon a time, Roberta. Only bad thing is that Ken has the bad misfortune of being a dead ringer for Mike Lindell, the conspiracy-believing MyPillow Guy (just add black hair). So many crazy stories to tell about the very early days of adventure games.

Would have been nice if they had fixed the AGI ports on 68K Macs due to the quickdraw changes that were made by . Beside Larry 2.06 everything seems to be broken for B+W and 16colors too. :(

@willsofer3679

3 жыл бұрын

"Made by..." whom? It may just be my browser, but my computer is only displaying a box with an 'x' through it.

@drzeissler

3 жыл бұрын

@@willsofer3679 by "A P P L E" of course.

Ken Williams coding again? That’s amazing, but I’m mostly looking forward to the story magic that came from Roberta. I love that one of the first and still most famous rock star game designers is a woman! 💖

Cool interview :) The new "VR" game.. not my cup of tea. I'm a proud old dinosaur who loves 2d games and will stick to that. But I wish Ken all the best.

I thought that was Jimmy Greaves in the thumbnail.

coming in 2035, LSL-IV The case of the missing floppies

This is so fuckin cool.

1 hour tea break? i'm obviously in the wrong union