Software:Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire

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Short description: 1990 video game
Quest for Glory II:
Trial by Fire
Developer(s)Sierra On-Line
Publisher(s)Sierra On-Line
Director(s)Bill Davis (creative)
Producer(s)Guruka Singh-Khalsa
Designer(s)Lori Ann Cole
Corey Cole
Programmer(s)Robert Fischbach
Artist(s)Kenn Nishiuye
Composer(s)Christopher Braymen
Mark Seibert
SeriesQuest for Glory
Platform(s)MS-DOS, Amiga
Release1990[1]
Genre(s)Adventure/role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player

Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire is the second video game in Sierra On-Line's Quest for Glory series, and the sequel to Hero's Quest: So You Want to Be a Hero.

Gameplay

The game's interface is a text parser, which requires the player to input commands from a set (but unknown) list to have the character perform actions.[2]

The game follows the path of its predecessor, although there are distinctions in gameplay. Most of the game takes place in the fictional city,[3] and on a restricted time frame;[4] the entire plot is concluded in 30 days.[5] Many of the puzzles in the game do not appear or cannot be solved until certain days. This keeps gameplay on a tight, linear narrative. The game is also difficult to navigate, as it has an odd perspective and mapping system.[6] The problems with the navigation are compounded by the maze-like layout of the fictional city. This layout was employed as a primitive form of digital rights management: completing early quests was very difficult without the map in the manual provided with purchases of the video game.[4][7] This difficulty is reduced once the player obtains a magical map which transports their character instantly to hotspots.[3]

The player has the opportunity to advance their character, explore side-quests, and have the character take up a career appropriate to its class and skill. For example, a magic-user can earn the title of "Wizard" with the sponsorship of the wizard Erasmus, if he can overcome a series of magical challenges and graduate from the Wizards' Institute of Technocery. A fighter may earn a membership in the Eternal Order of Fighters.[5] A thief may perform several thefts, including the running gag of stealing the Maltese Falcon. However, the player is not locked out of different side quests depending on class. If the character is a fighter with some magical ability (e.g. a magic user imported from Quest for Glory I playing as a fighter) this cross-training can be utilised to complete other quests. It is possible for the character to become a Wizard, complete every theft in the game, and join the Eternal Order of Fighters.[2]

The game contains plenty of pop culture references, such as the Cookie Monster, and easter eggs, such as being able to don X-ray glasses at a particular time in order to see a character nude.

This is also the first game of the series where the hero may be awarded the title of Paladin. To achieve this status, the hero must act honorably throughout the game and Rakeesh, the liontaur (lion-centaur) will present to you his Paladin sword, Soulforge. Since the title of the Paladin is given at the end of the game, the Paladin abilities and Soulforge are only usable with characters that are imported into Software:Quest for Glory III: Wages of War and later games.[8]

The game features a real-time combat system.[9]

Plot

The story is inspired by various Middle Eastern myths and stories, including Arabian Nights.[10]

Quest for Glory II takes place in the city of Shapeir and its surrounds, a land which is host also to Katta, humanoid, cat-like creatures.[7] Directly following from the events of the first game, the newly proclaimed Hero of Spielburg travels by flying carpet with his friends Abdulla Doo, Shameen and Shema to the desert city of Shapeir. The city is threatened by magical elementals of fire, earth, wind, and water,[7] while the Emir Arus al-Din of Shapeir's sister city Raseir is missing and his city fallen under tyranny.

After defeating the four elementals that threaten Shapeir, the Hero travels to the city of Raseir, which is missing its emir.[5] There, he is imprisoned by Khaveen and under hypnosis helps the evil tyrannical wizard Ad Avis to resurrect the evil genie Iblis. In the final fight, the Hero attacks the palace and battles with Ad Avis, who falls to his presumed death begging for assistance from his Dark Master. As thanks for the Hero's success in liberating Raseir and restoring its lost splendor, the Sultan of Shapeir, Harun al-Rashid, rewards the Hero by adopting him as his son.

Development

According to Corey Cole, a developer and producer for the game, Quest for Glory II cost $450,000.[11] Trial by Fire was the last EGA game to be created by Sierra On-Line, and followed development processes intended for the graphically superior VGA games which followed, which made its development difficult.[9][12]

The manual is illustrated by Marvel Comics artist Ernie Chan.

Characters and references

Quest for Glory II is the only game in the series without any influence of Erana in it. It does, however, feature a reference to Erana, as she is in one of the portraits of great mages in the Wizards' Institute of Technocery. If the Hero requests her sponsorship in his initiation as a wizard, he is told that Erana had not been answering the WIT's summons for many years now.

There are various Easter eggs throughout the game, such as the Starship Enterprise from the television series Star Trek appearing during the opening credits. The astrologer appears to have been based on Omar Khayyám.

As in the other games of the series, there are a large number of in-jokes and mythological references, especially, from 'The Arabian Nights. One of them is the name of the Sultan, Harun al-Rashid.

The game contains many references to classic films. The caravan scene is an homage to Lawrence of Arabia. Signor Ferrari and Ugarte, characters portrayed by Sydney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre in the movie Casablanca, appear in Raseir, as does the Maltese Falcon from the movie of the same name, which also featured Greenstreet and Lorre in other roles. Caricatures of the Marx Brothers also play important roles.

There are several references to other games or movies in magician Keapon Laffin's shop: a doll of princess Rosella (from the King's Quest series), a Cookie Monster doll, and an antwerp doll (a reference to the first game), among other things.

The final city in this game is Raseir, an anagram for Sierra, the company that produced the game, and the antagonist, Ad Avis, is named after Sierra's then-new creative director, Bill Davis.[12] Both names were chosen by the designers as parodies, as subtle references to a changing atmosphere within Sierra: Raseir is an Orwellian city, Ad Avis its totalitarian dictator.[13]

Reception

Although the game is generally well liked, its time management aspect had a mixed reception, with some critics feeling it arbitrary.[5]

UK magazine ACE gave the Amiga version a score of only 600 out of 1000, praising its size, but criticizing it for its average graphics, grating music, slowness and for the large amount of disk swapping needed while playing.[14] In 1991, Dragon gave the game 5 out of 5 stars.[15] Computer Gaming World stated that the game was more linear and less replayable than its predecessor, but had an excellent conclusion.[16][17]

Both Michael Baker and Tyler Willis of RPGamer gave the game 4 out of 5 starts, praising the game's strong narrative, superb writing, and graphical design.[3][8]

In 2011, Adventure Gamers named Quest for Glory II the 81st-best adventure game ever released.[18]

Legacy

QFG II is the only game in the series to not have originated or have been remade beyond the EGA graphics engine by Sierra On-Line. However, AGD Interactive released a VGA remake of the game using the Adventure Game Studio engine on August 24, 2008.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire - PC". IGN. http://www.ign.com/games/quest-for-glory-ii-trial-by-fire/pc-8604. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Wysocki, Matthew (2013). Ctrl-Alt-Play: Essays on Control in Video Gaming. McFarland. ISBN 9781476600413. https://books.google.com/books?id=PZdquVHyxUIC&q=%22quest+for+glory%22+game&pg=PA102. Retrieved 12 August 2015. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Baker, Michael. "Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire - Retroview". http://www.rpgamer.com/games/qfg/qfg2/reviews/qfg2strev2.html. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Stevens, Ryan (10 May 2012). "Razzle Dazzle Root Beer: Quest for Glory Lives!". http://www.gametrailers.com/news-post/13781/razzle-dazzle-root-beer-quest-for-glory-lives. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Barton, Matt (2008). Dungeons and Desktops: The History of Computer Role-Playing Games. CRC Press. ISBN 9781439865248. https://books.google.com/books?id=qPPRBQAAQBAJ&q=%22quest+for+glory%22+game&pg=PA229. Retrieved 12 August 2015. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Kaizer, Rowan. "The glory of Quest For Glory". https://www.engadget.com/2012/05/17/the-glory-of-quest-for-glory/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Andreadis, Kosta (2 November 2014). "Revisiting Quest for Glory I & II". http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/11/03/revisiting-quest-for-glory-i-ii. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Willis, Tyler. "Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire - Staff Review". http://www.rpgamer.com/games/qfg/qfg2/reviews/qfg2strev1.html. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Norris, Jim (20 July 2012). "Step Into Newfound Adventure With Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire". http://www.techhive.com/article/259400/step_into_newfound_adventure_with_quest_for_glory_ii_trial_by_fire.html. 
  10. ↑ Barton, Matt (2014). Games vs. Hardware. The History of PC video games: The 80's. CRC Press. ISBN 9781439865248. https://books.google.com/books?id=qPPRBQAAQBAJ&q=%22quest+for+glory%22+game&pg=PA229. Retrieved 12 August 2015. 
  11. ↑ "RPG Codex Interview: Corey Cole on Quest for Glory and Hero-U (Now on Kickstarter!)". 19 October 2012. http://www.rpgcodex.net/article.php?id=8549. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Böke, Ingmar (9 November 2012). "Corey Cole: Recruiting for Hero-U: Rogue to Redemption interview". http://www.adventuregamers.com/articles/view/23214/page3. 
  13. ↑ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine{{cbignore} b|author=Matt Barton|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwQiPVU-oo0#t=728s%7Ctitle=Lori and Corey Cole on the Quest for Glory Series|work=Armchair Arcade's Matt Chat|publisher=YouTube|date=November 25, 2012|access-date=November 27, 2012}}
  14. ↑ Jenkins, Chris (July 1991). "Trial by Fire". ACE: pp. 80. 
  15. ↑ Lesser, Hartley; Lesser, Patricia; Lesser, Kirk (October 1991). "The Role of Computers". Dragon (174): 57–64. 
  16. ↑ Scorpia (October 1991). "C*R*P*G*S / Computer Role-Playing Game Survey". Computer Gaming World: 16. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1991&pub=2&id=87. Retrieved 18 November 2013. 
  17. ↑ Scorpia (October 1993). "Scorpia's Magic Scroll Of Games". Computer Gaming World: 34–50. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1993&pub=2&id=111. Retrieved 25 March 2016. 
  18. ↑ AG Staff (December 30, 2011). "Top 100 All-Time Adventure Games". Adventure Gamers. http://www.adventuregamers.com:80/articles/view/18643. 
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

On February 13, 2025, Freyholtz stepped down as the site lead to move onto new projects, leaving operations to Tracy Poff, a veteran coder on the site, and Atari staff.[18]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
  18. ↑ "An update on MobyGames leadership". 2025-02-13. https://www.mobygames.com/forum/3/thread/269628/an-update-on-mobygames-leadership/#post-269628. 
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