[Daventry]

I agree with you guys 100% that there's a fine line between having appropriate references vs. having way too many (e.g. excessive fan-service). But to be honest I'm more concerned about Telltale providing too little than too much (I'm not sure what to make of the term "reboot" or of some of the team's distaste for classic Sierra). I hope that there are at least some references to the previous games, be it in the form of recurring characters, the art, or even the music. Having none (e.g. creating an all-new fantasy game while using the KQ and Daventry name just to capitalize on profits) would be disrespectful to the KQ legacy and its fans. (I don't think Telltale would actually do this, but no one can say for certain, right?)

I think The Silver Lining is a prime example of how too many references can create a lose-lose situation. On one hand the excessive fan-service (the Green Isles, the recurring characters, etc., etc.), without-a-doubt alienates new players. But what's even more unfortunate is that all that fan-service doesn't equate to what I like to call the "King's Quest feeling." The game is far too serious and dramatic to be King's Quest. This is just an example, but Graham's intro monologue in the beginning of Episode III would never, ever happen in a real KQ game. Contrast this with King's Quest IV, which had very few references to the previous games (aside from the royal family), yet it still feels like KQ.

At the end of the day, what's most important to me is that Telltale re-creates the King's Quest feeling. Having a bit of fan-service is just one part of the overall puzzle.