Overview
Before King’s Quest, adventures were text. Roberta Williams added pictures—and a walking character players could control. The fairy tale kingdom of Daventry became gaming’s first explorable graphical world, launching Sierra’s adventure empire and establishing conventions the genre would follow for a decade.
Fast facts
- Developer: Sierra On-Line.
- Designer: Roberta Williams.
- Innovation: First animated graphic adventure.
- Engine: AGI (Adventure Game Interpreter).
Series evolution
| Title | Year | Innovation |
|---|
| King’s Quest I | 1984 | Animated adventure |
| King’s Quest II | 1985 | Expanded scope |
| King’s Quest III | 1986 | Different protagonist |
| King’s Quest IV | 1988 | Female lead, SCI engine |
| King’s Quest V | 1990 | VGA, voice acting |
| King’s Quest VI | 1992 | Branching paths |
The Graham family
| Character | Games |
|---|
| Graham | I, II, V |
| Alexander | III, VI |
| Rosella | IV, VII |
| Valanice | VII |
Fairy tale influence
| Source | Adaptation |
|---|
| Grimm tales | Quest elements |
| Classic mythology | Creatures, challenges |
| Original content | Daventry lore |
Sierra design philosophy
| Feature | Result |
|---|
| Death possible | Constant danger |
| Dead ends | Unsolvable states |
| Parser input | Type commands |
| Point system | Scoring exploration |
Technical progression
| Engine | Features |
|---|
| AGI | 16-colour, parser |
| SCI | 256-colour, mouse |
| Later | Full voice, VGA |
Cultural impact
| Achievement | Significance |
|---|
| Genre creation | Graphic adventures |
| Company identity | Sierra’s flagship |
| Industry influence | Adventure conventions |
See also