The Official Book of King's Quest (Second Edition)

Foreword
As as child I always had story ideas and loved to pretend. Of course, I was always the heroine of my private daydreams; I was forever slaying dragons, outwitting pirates, traveling through time, and yes, looking for-and sometimes finding-Prince Charming. King's Quest is filled with the adventures I daydreamed of as a child. Through the technical wizardry of people like Jeff Stephensen and Bob Heitman, and my husband, I am able to share my world with all of you.

One of the reasons for King's Quest's popularity is that it does spring from the fantasies of a child. For adults, it allows them to experience again the stories and fables they loved as children. For children, it's the ultimate cartoon - a cartoon they can participate in. And for both, it is a chance to try to outwit the designer... me.

This book will give you a greater understanding of what King's Quest is and how it came about. You will come to know how much works is involved in bringing each game to life. Sometimes I get frustrated when I can't think of an idea, or when we can't make something work, or when we're working long hours to make a shipping date. But the wonderful letters I receive from kids, parents, and even grandparents makes it all more than worthwhile.

With the release of King's Quest V in late 1990, I have attempted to reach a whole new audience, people not normally attracted to adventure games. An easy-to-use interface was added, we made the game a little easier and less frustrating, and we used beautiful, digitized painted backgrounds instead of "cold" computer graphics. Being far and away the most successful King's Quest to date, it has, I think, met my goal!

And, in case you're wondering, in real life I did find my prince: my husband, Ken Williams. Ken has always supported me and encouraged me, and without him, King's Quest would surely not exist.

Roberta Heuer Williams

Oakhurst, California January 1991

Acknowledgements
There are quite a few people at Sierra On-Line who took the time to help me with this book. Chief among them are John Williams, Paul DePlege, Jerry Albright, Chris Iden, Kim Eidson, Andy Hoyos, Mark Seibert, and Anita Greene. Without their help I would have surely been lost in the woods of Daventry and mired in the swamps of Tamir.

I also thank Wisco Computing of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, for Crossword Power, the software that generated the puzzles you'll love to hate; Kraft Systems, Inc. for the joystick that makes climbing circular stairs a breeze; and Brown-Wagh Publishing for the Soundblaster which gives my PC its voice.

Of course, none of this would have been possible without the help and cooperation of the great sorceress herself, Roberta Williams.