Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire Remake (AGDI)

The information from this article is from the fan game Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire Remake (AGDI) and is therefore not canon.

Released almost two decades after the cancelled Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire (VGA), Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire Remake (aka Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire VGA) is a fan remake of the original Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire. The remake was developed and released for free by AGD Interactive (formally known as Tierra Entertainment) as v1.0 on August 2008 (followed by v1.1 in September 2008 and v2.0 in July 2011)) for Windows and Mac. Faithful to the original, this game was created with the Adventure Game Studio. It uses the VGA point-and-click interface and its own (very detailed) combat system, making for its own experience (especially fighting a skilled opponent).

Behind the Scenes

Note a few of the changes require specific classes (like spell games and thus spell enhancements) or not turning off Silly Clowns (unofficial) mode.

• The game replaces the scrolling streets with static screens. However the streets are less claustrophobic, they are no longer covered tunnels and have been brightened up, open to the sky, with many things to see. Katta shops are scattered around the streets. It also possible to play the game with a simplified map that removes most of the extra dead ends and turns. This essentially removes the copyright mechanic from the game and the biggest obstacle that prevented less dedicated fans from playing the original game.
• Inns now contain storage chests (which were originally only introduced in the next game).
  • You can't drop the sword and shield, like in the original, except in the chest in the room.
• While you can save on the tight rope in QFG2 and this is a great way to build agility and other skills (easiest way is to walk and stop over and over on easy arcade mode). In QFG2 VGA you are not able to save on the tight rope, and it is more difficult to stay balanced.
• Bargaining is more difficult than in the original. Whereas in the original you could probably get the compass and map from Ali Chica for half price. In the remake he will only haggle down to about 5 centimes cheaper. Generally, merchants will let you take 20% off the price. That percentage rises along with your communication. Ali T. Fakir can still be haggled down from 50 dinars for a saurus, to 5.
• New items can be bought or won collected to decorate the Hero's bedroom in the inn.
• The Katta's Tail Inn is no longer open 24/7. You need a key to get in after closing hour; Shameen will provide the key if you leave the inn at sunset, so you can let yourself back in. Keep an eye open for an announcement of closing time, and new conversations after the customers leave. Two hours after evening starts (enough time to eat and watch the entertainment at the Inn and then get an hour's rest twice in your bedroom), Shema and Shameen will be found at a table in the front room, drinking tea and discussing the events of the day. The Hero can talk to them each night, and discuss his own background and adventures in Spielburg, and the Katta will tell of their journey from Shapeir to Spielburg and their impressions of the town. When the conversations wrap up, Shema and Shameen will go to bed.
• For non hybrid Magic Users, the game includes a couple of new mini-games to improve skills on; Force Bolt Flurry and Wizard's Whirl. These expand the interactions with Aziza and Keapon Laffin. If won, they provide Improved Flame Dart and Improved Force Bolt. They enable the spells to be charged by holding down the spell's hotkey in combat, but do not transfer into the later games.
• The game includes a couple of new boss enemies: the infamous Pizza Elemental and Sweeping Sir James.
• The thief has a new location to rob.
• The game includes a new combat system replacing the old version from the original. It has a co-pilot fight feature, which randomly does some moves for you. It also adds new skills, combo attacks, special moves, etc (that do not transfer over to the next game). The genie wishes also give new special attacks (wish for strength or weapon use gives a special 4-hit combo attack, wishing for vitality or parrying gives a spinning parry-riposte technique, and wishing for dodge or agility gives cannonball jump strike).
• The game includes Saurus Combat (a saurus will help you battle enemies), after you obtain the new red saurus.
• The WIT sequence has been expanded somewhat. Look out for a choice to travel to Mordavia, before you have enough experience to survive there.
• The hero's hometown of Willowsby is mentioned at one point during the game. This is a nod to the Authorized Player's Guide.
• Taking a nod to the original Quest for Glory, if using the parser the game will respond to assorted cuss words calling them "colorful".
• Additional interactions have been added to some characters, and in some cases new scenes. There are also new characters as well (Sweeping Sir James, Salt). Such is the case for Khaveen on the Thief path.
• The Hero can flirt with Shema for some amusing results.
• Much of the narration has been changed, edited, or expanded with new descriptions. This usually means more things to examine with eye or hand icons on screen. In some cases capitalized text has been removed, or capitals added to text.
• Some of the new easter eggs, new material, and point changes were based on some of the concepts vaguely mentioned in interviews, and development information mentioned in articles such as the ones in the Interaction Magazine. This includes losing honor points by killing griffin causes half has much honor loss as in the original. Salt's Saurus Repair Shop is based on idea of a 'saurus repair shop' left out of the game and only briefly mentioned in old interviews in magazines.
• The Coles didn't have much if any involvement with the development of the fan remake. They did get a chance to try it out after it was released. They were impressed by what they saw, although found the combat to be almost too difficult. They found the interface to be 'clunky' (but probably indicative of all the games of that era, and they just forgot what it was like). They were told that some easter eggs were put into the game. They may not have spent much time playing the remake, nor completed it.
• The developers of the remake have admitted much of the new material is original fan fiction and not canon. The new fan fiction material includes (in addition to some of the material mentioned above) much of the new story material in midnight talks at the inn, where Shema and Shameen talk about their journey to and stay in Spielburg. This in includes fan made extended backstories for Sheema, Shameen, Katrina and others. With references to new lands such as Wien and Sangerhafen (however, these locations were ideas originally presented by Lori Cole).
• AGDI has described the game as: "AGDInteractive presents Quest for Glory II, The Official Remake!" This may be in reference to them getting a fan license. However it is technically not official (in the sense of being commissioned commercial project).

Credits

• Original Game by: Sierra On-Line
• Written & Designed by: Lori Ann Cole, Corey Cole
• Backgrounds and Animations by: Christopher T. Warren, Britney K. Brimhall, John-Paul Selwood, Emily Selwood, Jack Schaedler, Anthony Hahn
• Programming by: Stijn van Empel, Christopher T. Warren, Adam Senn
• Dialogue Pictures by: Britney K. Brimhall, Christopher T. Warren, Johan Botes, Michael Freeman
• Dialogue and Alley Systems by: Adam Senn
• Combat System by: Stijn van Empel
• AGS Game Engine by: Chris Jones
• Music by: Mark Seibert, Christopher Braymen
• Conversion and New Themes by: Tom Lewandowski

Manuals and Guides

• Quest for Glory II: Trial By Fire (AGDI) Walkthrough

Gallery

The remake fixed the final screen that originally alluded to the would-be Quest for Glory III: Shadows of Darkness.

External Links

• AGD Interactive, Quest for Glory II VGA website
• The Hero's Glory, Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire VGA (AGDI)
• Midi Music Adventures, Quest for Glory II VGA Soundtrack
• The Cutting Room Floor, Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire VGA (2008)
• GameFAQs, Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire (VGA Version)
• Adventure Gamers, Fan-made sequels: An Interview with Tierra Entertainment
• Kev's Lounge, Game Review: Why the Quest for Glory 2 Remake is Awesome!
• Emach Wordpress, Quest for Glory II VGA Review