Difference between revisions of "Sierra On-Line"
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[[Image:Sierra On-Line - Logo.png|thumb|256x256px|Sierra On-Line Logo used in the 1990s.]] | [[Image:Sierra On-Line - Logo.png|thumb|256x256px|Sierra On-Line Logo used in the 1990s.]] | ||
| − | '''Sierra On-Line''' was a [[ | + | '''Sierra On-Line''' was a [[video game]] development and publishing company founded by [[Ken Williams]] and [[Roberta Williams]] in 1979 with the name '''On-Line Systems''' which they changed the next year. Through several innovative games and several shrewd business deals, Sierra became the world's most profitable computer game company in 1995. In 1996, the Williams's sold Sierra to CUC International and retired shortly after. Over the next few years, Sierra was broken up into smaller groups, sold and resold to various companies, and the bulk of the earlier staff was fired or retired. In 2008, the company was incorporated into [[Activision]] and officially dissolved, only to be reborn, in name only, in 2014 to cash in on their previous brands. |
As a child, I adored Sierra games, especially their [[graphic adventure]] titles. However, as an adult with more refined taste in games, I find most of their games to be pretty awful, although I give them credit for pushing the bounds of graphics and sound. I became further disenfranchised with the company after reading ''[[Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution]]'' which paints the Williams's as both clever and fun-loving, but also dishonest, miserly, and not the most competent of bosses. | As a child, I adored Sierra games, especially their [[graphic adventure]] titles. However, as an adult with more refined taste in games, I find most of their games to be pretty awful, although I give them credit for pushing the bounds of graphics and sound. I became further disenfranchised with the company after reading ''[[Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution]]'' which paints the Williams's as both clever and fun-loving, but also dishonest, miserly, and not the most competent of bosses. | ||
Revision as of 13:08, 1 November 2019
Sierra On-Line was a video game development and publishing company founded by Ken Williams and Roberta Williams in 1979 with the name On-Line Systems which they changed the next year. Through several innovative games and several shrewd business deals, Sierra became the world's most profitable computer game company in 1995. In 1996, the Williams's sold Sierra to CUC International and retired shortly after. Over the next few years, Sierra was broken up into smaller groups, sold and resold to various companies, and the bulk of the earlier staff was fired or retired. In 2008, the company was incorporated into Activision and officially dissolved, only to be reborn, in name only, in 2014 to cash in on their previous brands.
As a child, I adored Sierra games, especially their graphic adventure titles. However, as an adult with more refined taste in games, I find most of their games to be pretty awful, although I give them credit for pushing the bounds of graphics and sound. I became further disenfranchised with the company after reading Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution which paints the Williams's as both clever and fun-loving, but also dishonest, miserly, and not the most competent of bosses.
Contents
Games
The following are games developed or published by Sierra that are important to me:
MS-DOS
- King's Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella
- King's Quest V: Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder!
- Manhunter: New York
- Police Quest II: The Vengeance
- Quest For Glory I: So You Want to Be a Hero
- Silpheed: Super Dogfighter
- Space Quest II: Vohaul's Revenge
Windows
Tech
Sierra On-Line created and popularized several impressive technical aspects of computer gaming. From a software side, they created the Adventure Game Interpreter (AGI), and Sierra's Creative Interpreter (SCI) game engines which were not only used in dozens of their own games, but the style engine became an industry standard throughout the 1980s and 90s which many other companies copied.
Sierra also popularized two sound modules for the IBM compatible PC market by directly selling the Roland MT-32 synthesizer and the Ad Lib Ad-Lib sound card. These two audio modules later become industry standards for the PC game industry through the 1990s.
Staff
These are people who worked at Sierra On-Line whose work I appreciate.
- Al Lowe - Creator of Leisure Suit Larry.
- Chris Iden - Co-developer of AGI and SCI.
- Jeff Stephenson - Co-developer of AGI and SCI.
- Mark Crowe - Co-designer of Space Quest.
- Roberta Williams - Creator of King's Quest.
- Scott Murphy - Co-designer of Space Quest.
Documents
Catalog, Fall 1988.
Links
