But on the other hand, non of the 'adventure' games contradict it either!
They neither say either way about her (a sister or not a sister)!
Roberta 'refuted' it after she left Sierra, and in a non-official medium... So kinda puts things into question even more! Maybe it was something she supported a long time ago, but just kinda forgot about in time...
Like the Black Cloaks.
Peter Spear, claims she helped him prepare the KQ5 portions of the book,much of the idea was introduced in the KQ5 focused version of the companion (King's Quest Companion, 2nd Edition), and gave him her 'ok'. She also helped with the first edition and gave that her blessing as well! Note that some of this material made its way back into her newly adapted script for KQ5 NES! It also influeced some othe material in the original release of KQ5 and the manual.
I don't think he's a liar!
Roberta claimed the Companion was the definitive source of information on backstories of the King's Quest World and characters...
I don't think she was lieing at that point either!
It's fascinating if you listen to Roberta's interviews sometimes, she even forgets some of the stuff she was going to add into games, but never did! For example she forgot about some of the content that was going to be in the first or second build of KQ8, and Mark Seibert had to remind her! LIke she forgot about the leprechaun/red cap goblin, and even some of the underwater content they were working on!
I don't think 'sierra' really defined a 'canon'... officially! Seriously the closest you get to it, is Roberta saying something to the effect that blah blah, was "the definitive source of KQ history and backstories" ..
I don't remember that term ever coming up in any discussions! ...and frankly there are alot of contradictions, between even the official sources on various details! Too the point, that I don't think anyone cared too much on 'consistency' issues! Just look at how Daventry and the castle were reinterpreted throughout the series!
There is a disconnect between the KQ2 and the KQ2 manual! Likewise to similar issue between KQ1 manual and the original KQ1.
The KQ4 manual important to the game, leaves out quite a bit of important information, and kinda rewrites some of the details shown in KQ3 for example! If you took it for granted, you'd never know Alexander was kidnapped!
There are also some continuity differences between the end of KQ3 and the start of KQ4!
Also in interviews, there are a few times where she basically claims that she wrote the stories as she went, based on whims of what interested her at any given time! This is large reason why the games feel so 'stand alone' for the most part.
She might have had some kinda 'bible' for character backstories, but I don't think it was that greatly detailed! Not to the level that she could change things, if it was more interesting for her story, or simplified things of the story required it!
Ok, wow, this is artwork from the The Golden Goose Book, by L. Leslie Brooke (1905)., this is Simpleton from the story.
Also check this out from the story Rosanella in the Green Fairy Book (which was the inspiration for Rosella and Valanice);
ROSANELLA
Everybody knows that though the fairies live hundreds of years they do sometimes die, and especially as they are obliged to pass one day in every week under the form of some animal, when of course they are liable to accident. It was in this way that death once overtook the Queen of the Fairies, and it became necessary to call a general assembly to elect a new sovereign.
So the form of an animal thing, is another Andrew Lang fairy tale reference. Go figure!
While I would agree with you that the whole Daventry being another world concept isn't one of my least favorite aspects of the King's Quest Companion, considering even Roberta herself was very adament that Daventry was on earth 'long ago' in the games and interviews.
Well, ya, King's Quest is on earth. Daventry is very old city from a long time ago. It's in ruins now and people aren't quite sure exactly where it used to be. There are some archaeologists searching through the ruins, they think they know its Daventry. But its somewhere on Earth."-Roberta Williams, Mask of Eternity Talkspot Interview, 1998,
I will defend it only as such, that he was doing what Roberta did to a degree, that is to make references to classic literature and fairy tales, which is what King's Quest is all about.
In this case, the idea originates from a number of classic literature including Alice and Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass, Fantasia, Chronicles of Narnia, to some degree Wizard of Oz (which the book actually mentions some of these sources to be inspiration) which involve protagonists cross through portals to reach other lands.
It's an idea that Roberta even touched upon in King's Quest 7 with the pond leading to the world; Realm of Eldritch. Which is close to a concept right out of the Magician's Nephew. KQ7 also has the whole crossing over to the 'dream realm' aspect as well. With use of magic carpet to teleport into it directly.
It's really just a classic fantasy plot device, from late 1900's to early 20th century. You can also find it in more contemporary fantasy including the Xanth series, His Dark Materials, Dark Tower series, etc.
To Peter's credit, he is somewhat more original in that he makes the trip at least, one way. Once a person crosses over, there is no way to return. Also no one can directly communicate (or rather have a two-way communication) with individuals from the other realm. Not even Derek Karlavaegen directly communicates to any specific person (he wasn't trying to contact "Peter Spear" specifically in the story). He just types up things on the Eye Between the Worlds, and presses 'enter' (he didn't know anyone on the otherside)... The things he was typing up were randomly ending up in people's computer files (pre-internet references, it mentions modem communication to 'bulletin boards' though). He messages could be sent even if the modem was unplugged. Yes, this kinda makes him a spammer if it was on a modern computer! Again this communication is one way, there was no way for 'Peter" to reply back to Derek. There was no address to reply to, same with 'others' who were receiving messages in the same way. It didn't even appear to be in any 'mailbox' but just his folders or desktop. From Derek's POV he didn't seem to have any specific person he was contacting (he gives no direct knowledge of names of anyone from earth), but believes the device can be used to directly send stuff to readers in other world.
However, in one of the articles, the character Derek speculates that its possible that Manannan may have possibly had use for it to communicate with minions on the other side. But he could never figure out how to contact anyone directly.
Likewise, the Eye from Derek's POV may have occasionally picked up material from the other side, and through that he was able to learn more about what modern earth had become. But most of that information they received from occasionaly individual that withdrew to the world.
Comments
Sure. But one could say that in canon, Hagatha being their sister was simply conjecture on Derek's part.
But on the other hand, non of the 'adventure' games contradict it either!
They neither say either way about her (a sister or not a sister)!
Roberta 'refuted' it after she left Sierra, and in a non-official medium... So kinda puts things into question even more! Maybe it was something she supported a long time ago, but just kinda forgot about in time...
Like the Black Cloaks.
Peter Spear, claims she helped him prepare the KQ5 portions of the book,much of the idea was introduced in the KQ5 focused version of the companion (King's Quest Companion, 2nd Edition), and gave him her 'ok'. She also helped with the first edition and gave that her blessing as well! Note that some of this material made its way back into her newly adapted script for KQ5 NES! It also influeced some othe material in the original release of KQ5 and the manual.
I don't think he's a liar!
Roberta claimed the Companion was the definitive source of information on backstories of the King's Quest World and characters...
I don't think she was lieing at that point either!
It's fascinating if you listen to Roberta's interviews sometimes, she even forgets some of the stuff she was going to add into games, but never did! For example she forgot about some of the content that was going to be in the first or second build of KQ8, and Mark Seibert had to remind her! LIke she forgot about the leprechaun/red cap goblin, and even some of the underwater content they were working on!
But whatever, I don't really care enough to...uh, care.
I don't remember that term ever coming up in any discussions! ...and frankly there are alot of contradictions, between even the official sources on various details! Too the point, that I don't think anyone cared too much on 'consistency' issues! Just look at how Daventry and the castle were reinterpreted throughout the series!
There is a disconnect between the KQ2 and the KQ2 manual! Likewise to similar issue between KQ1 manual and the original KQ1.
The KQ4 manual important to the game, leaves out quite a bit of important information, and kinda rewrites some of the details shown in KQ3 for example! If you took it for granted, you'd never know Alexander was kidnapped!
There are also some continuity differences between the end of KQ3 and the start of KQ4!
Also in interviews, there are a few times where she basically claims that she wrote the stories as she went, based on whims of what interested her at any given time! This is large reason why the games feel so 'stand alone' for the most part.
She might have had some kinda 'bible' for character backstories, but I don't think it was that greatly detailed! Not to the level that she could change things, if it was more interesting for her story, or simplified things of the story required it!
Bt
It was going to show up in one of the later chapters we had to cut.
Oh man just thinking do you remember the cell phones back in 1989 (when first edition was published)? Must have been pretty big!
Also check this out from the story Rosanella in the Green Fairy Book (which was the inspiration for Rosella and Valanice);
So the form of an animal thing, is another Andrew Lang fairy tale reference. Go figure!
http://kingsquest.wikia.com/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Daventry
I will defend it only as such, that he was doing what Roberta did to a degree, that is to make references to classic literature and fairy tales, which is what King's Quest is all about.
In this case, the idea originates from a number of classic literature including Alice and Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass, Fantasia, Chronicles of Narnia, to some degree Wizard of Oz (which the book actually mentions some of these sources to be inspiration) which involve protagonists cross through portals to reach other lands.
It's an idea that Roberta even touched upon in King's Quest 7 with the pond leading to the world; Realm of Eldritch. Which is close to a concept right out of the Magician's Nephew. KQ7 also has the whole crossing over to the 'dream realm' aspect as well. With use of magic carpet to teleport into it directly.
It's really just a classic fantasy plot device, from late 1900's to early 20th century. You can also find it in more contemporary fantasy including the Xanth series, His Dark Materials, Dark Tower series, etc.
To Peter's credit, he is somewhat more original in that he makes the trip at least, one way. Once a person crosses over, there is no way to return. Also no one can directly communicate (or rather have a two-way communication) with individuals from the other realm. Not even Derek Karlavaegen directly communicates to any specific person (he wasn't trying to contact "Peter Spear" specifically in the story). He just types up things on the Eye Between the Worlds, and presses 'enter' (he didn't know anyone on the otherside)... The things he was typing up were randomly ending up in people's computer files (pre-internet references, it mentions modem communication to 'bulletin boards' though). He messages could be sent even if the modem was unplugged. Yes, this kinda makes him a spammer if it was on a modern computer! Again this communication is one way, there was no way for 'Peter" to reply back to Derek. There was no address to reply to, same with 'others' who were receiving messages in the same way. It didn't even appear to be in any 'mailbox' but just his folders or desktop. From Derek's POV he didn't seem to have any specific person he was contacting (he gives no direct knowledge of names of anyone from earth), but believes the device can be used to directly send stuff to readers in other world.
However, in one of the articles, the character Derek speculates that its possible that Manannan may have possibly had use for it to communicate with minions on the other side. But he could never figure out how to contact anyone directly.
Likewise, the Eye from Derek's POV may have occasionally picked up material from the other side, and through that he was able to learn more about what modern earth had become. But most of that information they received from occasionaly individual that withdrew to the world.