Background[]
When the original King's Quest VII was released, it was heralded as a landmark computer game.
With its classic story, amazing animation, great game play, and stirring soundtrack featuring over 100 original compositions, the game was endlessly compared to the best of Disney's animated features. More than one magazine declared King's Quest VII “an instant classic”.
Now, Sierra introduces a new version of King's Quest VII for 1996. The internals to the game have been rebuilt so that it makes better use of today's computers. With improvements throughout that make the game more fun to play, King's Quest VIl version 2.0 looks and sounds better, plays faster, supports the new functions of Win 95 including new Plug & Play features, gives you improved character control, and offers more save-game options. Drop the CD in and let your computer do the installation. (DOS and Win 3.1 versions are also included.)
Version Differences[]
In a later release of the game, a few parts were omitted.
The game's credits screen in version 1.4(or earlier versions?) included a line referencing Graham in the game being played by Denny Delk, later versions removes this line, as there is no accessible scene with Graham in the game (there is an unused line from Graham which is of interest though).
The death from the dragon tail was removed. The timer-bug death involving Valanice and the firecracker was modified to make it easier to get through, as well as the time limit for the volcano scene with Rosella in peril which lead to some extra deaths.
In the first case, when Rosella is tasked to getting the scale from the sleeping crystal dragon, the dragon raises its tail occasionally as it sleeps, and then smashes it down. The scale could only be taken by timing the chisel when the tail first raises. If tail comes down while she is chiseling it would lead to this death message:
"(SIGHS)Father always told me to let sleeping dragons lie--or at least stay out of the way of their tails!"
2.0 version removes the extra puzzle element and simply lets Rosella take the scale, the tail remains stationary the entire time.
Another advantage that the all Windows versions (early windows only or later windows 2.0b releases) has over the DOS is the intro and ending cutscenes. The Windows interpreter uses AVIs for these cutscenes, while the DOS uses RBTs, which are not as of high of quality and have a jerky motion.
The 2.0 release added more saving and loading options than the original had, as well as a Dos mode (which adds more color cursors).
To summarize the 2.0 Version 's changes they are as follows:
The game can run in either Windows or DOS (the DOS version has neat colored arrows for the mouse when pointing at an exit)
- The walking speed of your character can be altered by holding the +/- keys (the = key resets to default speed)
- An improved, though somewhat awkward, save game menu (or "bookmark" menu) is added, as opposed to the Quit button simply saving the game and taking you back to the main menu.
- In older versions, the mouse cursor jumps to the lower middle of the screen above the inventory window whenever it turns into a crown. This has been removed for the most part.
- The crystal dragon tail puzzle, and related death have been removed.
- There was a timer while exploring Malicia’s house requiring Rosella or Valanice to duck down below floorboards or get caught in her room. This may have been removed in this version.
- The defoliant-on-the-dog puzzle has been removed/modified (Chapter 5)
- The ambrosia-on-the-dog puzzle has been removed/modified (Chapter 5)[1] So if you haven't seen that puzzle, then you probably haven't seen the associated death sequences either.[2][3] Note: These two puzzles maybe related to having first encountered above Malicia’s returning to her house sequence, and ducking under floorboards, waiting out a timer for dog to start sniffing, and or RNG.
- Assorted timer puzzle deaths related to erupting volcano in the last act of the game were removed (digging out of the volcano, opening the gate in time).