Merry Christmas From…Ral Partha?

Do you remember when companies would take out full-page ads in gaming magazines to wish their patrons a Merry Christmas? No, me neither. Yet that’s just what Ral Partha did in Dragon Magazine #56 (December 1981). How can you not feel more full of holiday spirit after reading that? I know, how about looking at it, too!

Merry Christmas from Ral Partha

From 1988 – “Merry Christmas from Sierra On-Line!”

Back in 1988, Sierra introduced the Sierra Creative Interpreter (SCI) game engine, which permitted graphics in 320×200 in 16 colors, a huge improvement from the previous AGI (Adventure Game Interpreter) engine, which ran at 160×200 resolution.  The first three  games to enjoy the improved graphics quality were King’s Quest IV: Perils of Rosella, Leisure Suit Larry Goes Looking For Love (In Several Wrong Places), and Police Quest II: The Vengeance.  Sierra also sent out a new holiday season demonstration program to help computer retailers sell their wares (just as they did in 1986).

Merry Christmas from Sierra On-Line showcased the SCI technology with a festive Christmas carol musical score.  It was programmed by Teresa Baker (whose only other credited Sierra product was the aforementioned King’s Quest IV), with graphics by Jerry Moore (who helped animate many Sierra classics, including The Colonel’s Bequest, Space Quest IV, and Quest For Glory I: So You Want To Be A Hero, but was also involved in the Legend of Kyrandia series), and music scored by Mark Seibert.

As the Night of the Jolly Fatman rapidly approaches, enjoy this retro memory…and Merry Christmas!

From 1992: Sierra’s VGA Christmas Card “Season’s Greetings”

Yesterday we traveled back in time to 1986 to watch Sierra’s Christmas Card showcase of animation and music (From 1986 – Sierra’s “A Computer Christmas”).  Today it’s time to see what 6 years of technological advancement has wrought, as we arrive in 1992 to view Sierra On-Line’s “Season’s Greetings” electronic Christmas Card, complete with 256-color VGA graphics. Enjoy!

From 1986 – Sierra’s “A Computer Christmas”

Back in 1986, Sierra On-Line, the company that brought us all the King’s Quest, Space Quest, Police Quest, and Leisure Suit Larry series, produced an electronic Christmas card to be used by retailers who carried their products as a demonstration of the advanced graphics and sound available in their games. Over two decades later, A Computer Christmas still has magic.  Enjoy this retro memory…and Merry Christmas!