Discworld

About Discworld

Discworld (1995) is Perfect 10 Productions' adventure based on Terry Pratchett's novels, in which Eric Idle's Rincewind tries to stop a dragon terrorising Ankh-Morpork, a big hit in Europe famed for its comedy cast and notorious puzzles.

Discworld in Depth

A secret brotherhood summons a dragon to wreak havoc on Ankh-Morpork, and the Archchancellor of Unseen University sends Rincewind the "wizzard" to deal with it. Rincewind builds a dragon detector, finds the lair and takes its gold, but the dragon asks for his help in breaking the brotherhood's hold over her. Travelling back in time through L-Space to see a book on summoning dragons stolen from the library, he infiltrates the brotherhood, whose members include Chucky the Fool, the Thief, the Mason, the Chimney Sweep, the Fishmonger and the Dunny King, and later, needing to become a hero with a million-to-one chance, gathers a sword that goes "ting", a birthmark and a spell before resolving things with a swamp dragon and a love custard tart. The central plot is loosely based on Guards! Guards!, with elements of other novels, especially The Colour of Magic.

In this third-person point-and-click adventure, conversations use four topics, Greet, Sarcastic or Joking, Question and Vent Anger, with extra topics appearing as Rincewind learns things. Items go in his pockets, which hold only four, or in the Luggage, and the story's four acts span locations across the city and the Disc reached through overworld maps, with characters such as Death, Dibbler and the Librarian.

Making Discworld

Pratchett liked the 1986 Colour of Magic game but blamed its failure on poor marketing and was wary of licensing Discworld until Barnett, who wanted a flagship CD game, persuaded him over about six months. Barnett rejected Pratchett's idea of adapting the books in order in favour of an original story, which Pratchett refined, and Eric Idle was cast as Rincewind, who was tweaked to be more like Idle. Nick Martinelli, from the animation industry, produced concept art and layouts. Sierra was originally to publish it but cancelled external development, and Psygnosis, which would not leave until a deal was signed, took over, after which the engine was rewritten. Announced in 1993, it was released in 1995 for PC, PlayStation and Mac, and for the Saturn in 1996. Barnett called it a "massive hit" in Europe, though it was less successful in the US. Critics praised its humour, voice acting and graphics but criticised its gameplay and very hard puzzles; Eurogamer later said it "commits every point-and-click crime you'd care to mention". Discworld II followed in 1996.