MagiQuest: Difference between revisions
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{{Multiple issues|{{More citations needed|date=December 2021}} {{Advert|date=December 2021}}}}{{short description|Live action magic role-playing game}} |
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'''MagiQuest''' is a [[live action role-playing game]] where the participant serves as the main character. Players, called [[Magi]] in the game, use an IR [[wand]] to complete quests, adventures, interact with objects, find gold, and duel. The wand "remembers" the player's progress with each visit (if the player loses their wand or something happens to it their progress can be added to a new wand, indicating the data is actually stored elsewhere). At certain locations there are also optional items such as the key which lets you get more gold or the compass which has all the features of the key but also can be used to go on compass exclusive quests. Completing some compass quests unlocks more features such as a map showing every object in MagiQuest. In the past you were able to use it to send messages to your friends wand summoning them to the stone circle in the center of MagiQuest, however this feature was removed when the compass quests were added. The Questmaster and others suggest activities but it is ultimately up to the player. |
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'''MagiQuest''' is a [[live action role-playing game]] where players take the role of [[magic (paranormal)|magic]] users. The game takes place in dedicated MagiQuest locations in which players, known as [[Magician (fantasy)|Magi]], use an [[infrared]] (IR) emitting [[wand]] to interact with objects.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Parks |first=Michael |date=October 16, 2022 |title=Magic Wand Project For Halloween Delights |pages=1 |work=MOUSER ELECTRONICS |url=https://www.mouser.com/applications/Magic-Wand-Project-for-Halloween-Delights/ |access-date=October 16, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=MagiQuest Live Action Game {{!}} Wisconsin Dells Resort {{!}} Great Wolf Lodge |url=https://www.greatwolf.com/wisconsin-dells/waterpark-attractions/attractions/magiquest |access-date=2022-10-16 |website=Wisconsin Dells, WI |language=en}}</ref> |
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== |
== History == |
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The first MagiQuest opened in [[Myrtle Beach, South Carolina|Myrtle Beach]], [[South Carolina]] at noon on June 15, 2005.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Weston |first=Denise |date=June 15, 2006 |title=Say Goodbye to Video Games and Hello to the Real Thing |pages=1 |work=CISION PRWeb |url=https://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/06/prweb397996.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100515040640/http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/06/prweb397996.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 15, 2010 |access-date=April 18, 2023}}</ref> The opening celebration included live appearances by actors featured in the quests. Additional MagiQuest locations have subsequently opened in [[East Hanover, New Jersey]] and [[Pigeon Forge, Tennessee]]. [[Great Wolf Resorts]] made an agreement with Creative Kingdoms in 2008 to install the game at all current Great Wolf Lodge resorts. In 2010, MagiQuest opened in the County Fair Games Gallery at [[Six Flags Great America]] in [[Gurnee, Illinois]]. MagiQuest closed at the end of the 2010 park season and was removed from the park. On July 31, 2011, MagiQuest opened in Fun City at the [[Palisades Mall]] in [[West Nyack, New York]]. In Japan, there was a MagiQuest kingdom near [[Tokyo Dome]] as well as at [[Lagunasia]] park. In December 2011 - January 2012, the first Canadian MagiQuest opened in a Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls, ON. |
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*[[QuestMaster]] |
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*[[Princess Candice]] |
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*[[Winterra]], The Ice Dragon |
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*[[Princess Amora]], the Woodsy warrior princess |
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On September 7, 2015, the Myrtle Beach MagiQuest closed permanently.<ref>{{cite news|title=MagiQuest closes Myrtle Beach location after 10 years|url=http://www.wmbfnews.com/story/29981953/magiquest-closes-myrtle-beach-location-after-10-years|accessdate=22 December 2015|work=WMBF News|date=8 September 2015}}</ref> Other locations in West Nyack, New York, and East Hanover, New Jersey were also permanently closed. |
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== Locations == |
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*Wiley's Woods |
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*Crypt |
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*The Treehouse |
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*The Dungeon |
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The Myrtle Beach location was owned by Creative Kingdoms (owner and developer of MagiQuest's technology and associated patents). When the Myrtle Beach location closed it was owned by Great Wolf Resorts, who bought out Creative Kingdoms in 2010 to make it cheaper to install MagiQuest in their hotels. Other locations are franchised besides the ones in Great Wolf Lodges, though many have also closed due to them cutting off support making it difficult to manage operations post-takeover.<ref>{{cite news |first=Lisa |last=Fleisher |title=MagiQuest's creator franchises MB-first game in U.S., Japan|url=http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/business/story/249721.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070611111227/http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/business/story/249721.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2007-06-11 |work=The Sun News |date=2007-11-14 |accessdate=2007-11-15 }}</ref> |
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The first MagiQuest was opened in [[Myrtle Beach, South Carolina|Myrtle Beach]], [[South Carolina]] at noon on Wednesday June 15, [[2005]]. The opening included a magical celebration during which some of the actors featured in the quests appeared. |
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== |
=== Related games === |
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DinoQuest, a dinosaur-themed interactive game based on the same patented technologies is located in [[Santa Ana, California|Santa Ana]], [[California|CA]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Scott |last=Colbourne |title=Lose those Dockers and pick up a sword |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060719.gtplugged19/TPStory/Technology/columnists |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116124347/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060719.gtplugged19/TPStory/Technology/columnists |url-status=dead |archive-date=2009-01-16 |work=The Globe and Mail |date=2006-07-19 |accessdate=2007-11-15 }}</ref> |
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The basic wand comes in multiple color variations and comes with a "orb" topper that has no effect on the gameplay. Released in 2008 were new Dragon wands, also of varying colors. These wands give you extra protection against the dragons that you duel in the experience. |
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| ⚫ | Announced at the IAAPA 2009 (International Association of Amusement Park and Attractions) trade show are plans for Creative Kingdoms (the parent company of MagiQuest) to create a spin-off company, 'AquaKingdoms' that will bring a new form of the technology used in MagiQuest to water based attractions. The first product of AquaKingdoms, SplashQuest, was introduced in prototype form to Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels, TX for the summer of 2009, though nothing else has come out of AquaKingdoms since the buyout.<ref>{{cite news |title=Industry News|url=http://www.screamscape.com/html/industry_news.htm |work=ScreamScape |date=2008-11-24 |accessdate=2009-01-07 }}</ref> |
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There are several different replacement "orbs" and "toppers" you can buy. There is also a rune keeper to keep rune replicas on (which are purchased). The orb toppers relate to the specific clans that the player can join. While the toppers relate to the clans, the player or Magi, can choose any topper s/he wishes. The Clans are: |
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CompassQuest, a very similar game, can be found in some of the same locations as MagiQuest. It uses a compass as well as a wand, and there are no boss battles, unlike MagiQuest. At the Myrtle Beach location, after completing a Wayfinder Quest, the compass can activate stations to show you where items are for every quest and adventure in the game. At Great Wolf Lodge, in addition to the Wayfinder and Treasure Quests, it unlocks 7 other quests centered around certain lands (Piney Path, Tangled Woods, etc.). |
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Clan |Corresponding Color |
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*Warrior (red)- Warriors' strength is in their bravery. They have the power of dueling |
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*Woodsy (green)- Woodsy's strength is in their relationship with nature. They can summon any naturalistic element to help them in their quest |
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*Trickster (purple)- Trickster's strength is in their magic. They often use jokes or magic to distract their opponents. |
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*Shadow (black)- Shadow's strength is in their power and deceit. Shadow can disappear from a place on cue. |
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*Majestic (blue or pink)- Majestic's strength is in their healing powers. They can heal themselves and others. |
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In Fall 2013, a new game called ShadowQuest (now known as Journey to Save the Light), the first of projects to be created by Great Wolf post buyout, began to appear at six of the MagiQuest locations at Great Wolf Lodge. In its early version, it used pre-rendered videos for quest intros and success videos. However, encounters are now rendered in real time, allowing for dueling spells to immediately take effect. |
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==Powers/Runes== |
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| ⚫ | The objective of MagiQuest is to build and gain power by obtaining magic runes. These runes are awarded for completing certain tasks, using the |
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When the Great Wolf Lodge in New England opened in 2014, it featured a new version of MagiQuest called "Guardians of the Realm Portals", with new characters, updated quest requirements, and different strategies/real-time rendering for the pixie, goblin, and dragon encounters. It would continue to use the same software as the older game until the lodge was upgraded. |
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Once the player has obtained these runes he becomes eligible to complete Adventures. The mechanism of gameplay is the same as for rune quests. Adventures differ chiefly in the completion: the adventure is completed by interacting with a video character that is projected onto a large screen. Quests are completed at smaller kiosks containing a video character. You can complete these types of quests to obtain an "Adventure Rune" that can be used in your Duels with other Magi outside the Kingdom of MagiQuest. The Runes you may earn once you complete the Adventure are The Pixie Crystal, The Amulet of Andover, The Medal of Belmore, The Stone of Galdor, and The Fire Dragon Rune. The Ice Dragon rune has not yet been implemented into the Dueling Stations and thus cannot be used yet in Dueling. |
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In early 2016, the Anaheim lodge opened with a beta version of the new "MagiQuest Chronicles" which included a new version of Guardians of the Realm Portals, where all of the computer graphics (both at encounters and quest stations) are rendered in real time, as well as Journey to Save the Light (formerly ShadowQuest), and Rise of the Totem Masters, a [[toys-to-life]] game where the player levels up a totem figure by battling dark creatures. After the creation of MagiQuest Chronicles the original version and platform of the old game was dubbed as "Legacy MagiQuest" and Chronicles has also been given the fan name of "MagiQuest 2.0". It has since been expanded to all new Great Wolf Lodges that have opened in the past few years and the Williamsburg, Virginia location was also converted from the original game to MagiQuest Chronicles. The MagiQuest fan community has been quite critical of Chronicles as its quite different from the original gameplay and spirit of legacy. |
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Also, outside of the kingdom of MagiQuest, a player can use his or her wand and the powers they have earned in the experience to duel each other for gold and experience points. |
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In Summer 2021, another new version of the game debuted, officially branded as just MagiQuest, it is known internally as 'MagiQuest+' or MagiQuest Evergreen to differentiate it from the Legacy, ShadowQuest and MagiQuest Chronicles games. Like Chronicles, it is far removed from the original experience provided by the game prior to the Great Wolf takeover.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tuchow |first=Ryan|date=June 28, 2021|title=Great Wolf launches content division |pages=1 |work=Kidscreen |url=https://kidscreen.com/2021/06/28/great-wolf-launches-content-division/ |access-date=April 18, 2023}}</ref> |
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When new players join MagiQuest, they are given a booklet that provides, in verse form, hints to the steps to complete each quest. The riddles are simplistic, but add an element of story to gameplay. |
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The Master Magi Quests are not included in the Ancient Book of Wisdom provided at the Myrtle Beach location. It is included in the Great Wolf Lodge booklet. The Adventures available to a player are not included in the booklet. This information is given by the vidscreen at the beginning of each adventure, or when a player access his status at a vidscreen at any stage while on the "adventure." |
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The booklet's contents are dependent on the game's location. The steps for the rune quests may differ, and there may be location-specific quests included. |
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At all MagiQuest locations opened prior to 2013, with the exception of the Williamsburg Great Wolf Lodge, players are provided with an "Ancient Book of Wisdom," a booklet containing hints and riddles to help locate necessary object for completing quests, game directions, requirements for adventures (more advanced quests that require the use of certain spells obtained by completing quests), and a map of the location. The book's contents are unique to each location, much like how the quests and adventures are also unique to each location. The Book of Wisdom's ShadowQuest counterpart is called the ShadowQuest Guide. |
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At the Williamsburg Great Wolf Lodge and all MagiQuest locations opened after 2014, in addition to a printout map of the game area, players also use the MagiQuest Book of Wisdom app on iPhone or Android.<ref>{{cite web|title=MagiQuest Book of Wisdom|url=https://www.greatwolf.com/MQ-Book-of-Wisdom|website=Great Wolf Resorts|accessdate=12 August 2017}}</ref> |
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== Blackmore's Night == |
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| ⚫ | |||
Great Wolf Lodge Magiquests. |
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===Quests and adventures=== |
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== Locations == |
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| ⚫ | The objective of MagiQuest is to build and gain power by obtaining magic runes. These runes are awarded for completing certain tasks, using the wand to activate targets marked with a stylised Q. The runes available on Rune Quests are: Lightning, Enchant Creature, Music, Protection, Freeze, Distraction, Healing, Portal, Dazzle, Reveal, Ice Arrow, and Master Magi. While the Master Magi Rune does not grant any spells like the other Runes, earning it opens up new Rune Quests specifically for Master Magi. These Runes are the Fire, Shield, and Potion Runes. The Celestial and Great Wolf Runes are also available at some Great Wolf Lodge locations. |
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Outside of the kingdom of MagiQuest, a player can use their wand and the powers they have earned to duel each other for gold and experience points.<ref>{{cite web|title=MagiQuest: Dueling|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CzQE05wdfk |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/6CzQE05wdfk |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live|website=YouTube|publisher=Nicholas Nostro|accessdate=22 December 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref> At the Myrtle Beach location, Magi could also participate in "Garden Quest", a special rune that took Magi around [[Broadway at the Beach]], an outdoor shopping mall in Myrtle Beach. |
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MagiQuest is located in independent facilities in [[Myrtle Beach]], [[South Carolina|SC]] and FunPlex in [[East Hanover Township, New Jersey|East Hanover]], [[New Jersey|NJ]]. MagiQuest is also located at [[Great Wolf Lodge]] locations in [[Williamsburg, Virginia|Williamsburg]], [[Virginia|VA]], [[Pocono Mountains]], [[Pennsylvania|PA]], [[Traverse City, Michigan|Traverse City]], [[Michigan|MI]], [[Kansas City, Kansas|Kansas City]], [[Kansas|KS]], [[Grapevine, Texas|Grapevine]], [[Texas|TX]], [[Mason, Ohio|Mason]], [[Ohio|OH]], [[Pigeon Forge, Tennessee|Pigeon Forge]], [[Tennessee|TN]], [[Grand Mound, Washington|Grand Mound]], [[Washington|WA]] and [[Concord, North Carolina]]. A location was opened at the [[Lagun Asia]] theme park in [[Gamagōri,_Aichi]], [[Japan]] on [[March 21]], [[2008]]. DinoQuest, a dinosaur themed interactive game is located in [[Santa Ana, California|Santa Ana]], [[California|CA]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Scott |last=Colbourne |authorlink= |author= |coauthors= |title=Lose those Dockers and pick up a sword|url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060719.gtplugged19/TPStory/Technology/columnists |format=HTML |work=The Globe and Mail |publisher= |id= |pages= |page= |date=2006-07-19 |accessdate=2007-11-15 |language= |quote= |archiveurl= |archivedate= }}</ref> |
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==''MagiQuest Online''== |
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The Myrtle Beach location is owned by Creative Kingdoms. Other locations are franchised. <ref>{{cite news |first=Lisa |last=Fleisher |authorlink= |author= |coauthors= |title=MagiQuest's creator franchises MB-first game in U.S., Japan|url=http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/business/story/249721.html |format=HTML |work=The Sun News |publisher= |id= |pages= |page= |date=2007-11-14 |accessdate=2007-11-15 |language= |quote= |archiveurl= |archivedate= }}</ref> |
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MagiQuest Online (MQ Online) was an online version of the game created by [[Cyan Worlds]], the creators of ''[[Myst]]''. The game ran on the same engine used in Cyan's own online game, ''[[Myst Online: Uru Live]]'' ([[Plasma (engine)|Plasma engine]]). MQ Online was sold in chapters; but only the first chapter was developed and available for gameplay. While the game had a free trial mode, each "chapter" had to be purchased individually per player account. Players who completed chapter one online were allowed to access an additional quest, the Silver Dragon, that could be played at selected MagiQuest and [[Great Wolf Lodge]] locations in the United States. |
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On October 1, 2012 Creative Kingdoms announced it would discontinue ''MagiQuest Online'' on December 31, 2012. As of 2024, the game is no longer available, and the Silver Dragon quest was made available to all Master Magi who defeated Charlock, the red dragon. |
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Announced at IAAPA 2009 are openings of Magiquest in Tokyo, Hawaii, Pigeon Forge TN, and Xanadu Mall NJ.<ref>{{cite news |first=|last= |authorlink= |author= |coauthors= |title=Industry News|url=http://www.screamscape.com/html/industry_news.htm |format=HTML |work=ScreamScape |publisher= |id= |pages= |page= |date=2008-11-24 |accessdate=2009-1-7 |language= |quote= |archiveurl= |archivedate= }}</ref> |
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== Technology |
== Technology == |
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The MagiQuest wand is a battery-powered [[infrared]] (IR) remote control device with an [[LED]] at the tip. Motion sensors (a spring sensor and a ball-and-tube sensor) inside the wand detect movement and cause the LED to emit a brief series of flashes which is unique to that wand. These flashes can be seen by pointing the wand at the lens of any digital video camera in a dark room. The wand's range is several meters. There is no on/off switch; when the wand is left motionless, the circuit is not energized, saving battery power. |
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| ⚫ | Announced at IAAPA 2009 |
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The Compass Quest compass is a plastic housing containing an embedded [[RFID]] device that doesn't require battery power. Like the wand, every compass has a unique numeric code that is transmitted when in the range of a detector, approximately 1-2 centimeters (about 1 inch). |
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No information is stored in either the wand or the compass. The player's name, birthday, and nickname are associated with the wand and/or compass ID number at the time of purchase. The exact names and date given are irrelevant. This association is stored in a central online database server, and can be transferred to a new wand if the original one is lost. The server tracks the current status (runes and gold acquired, current quest, etc.) of every player in the system. |
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In-game objects contained embedded IR sensors, plus a set of RFID panels shaped like the outline of the compass. Game objects can include pictures on the walls, statues, ceiling tiles, animatronic chests, video kiosks and projection rooms. Most stations have lights and audio prompts which play briefly on activation and shut off automatically, but kiosks and projection rooms additionally contain [[touchscreen]] video displays which allow the player to interact with the system for a short session. No login is required other than the presence of the wand or compass. |
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== Magis of the Creative Round Table == |
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[[Image:CRTMQ.jpg|thumb|200px|The CRT during their first meeting. From left to right: Rick Briggs (quest designer and co-founder of Creative Kingdoms), Voldermort, Denise Weston (president and co-founder of Creative Kingdoms), Sin Killer J, and Tocpe.]] |
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The Magis of the Creative Round Table, or CRT, are a group of Magis brought together by Denise Weston. They help develop new ideas for MagiQuest and assist in testing the game. |
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Gameplay typically consists of using a kiosk to receive instructions for a quest or adventure, then finding and activating a series of game objects. The requirements for the initial quests are printed in an instruction booklet supplied with the wand, but some quests must be received from the kiosks and committed to memory. Informational kiosks throughout the complex can be used to find out what parts of the current quest have been completed and what is left to do, but these omit certain clues to the locations of the objects. |
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| ⚫ | |||
{{reflist|2}} |
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The database is nationwide. The player's status (current quest, number of gold pieces, etc.) for every location can be queried from any informational kiosk in the network. Within a complex, it is updated continuously—for instance, after activating one object, a time limit (e.g. 30 seconds) may be given to find and activate the next object in the series, and if the limit is exceeded by even a few seconds, the next object will instruct the player to return to the previous station. |
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== Related Links == |
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== Music == |
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[http://www.magiquest.com The Official MagiQuest Homepage] |
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== See also == |
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[http://www.laguna-gamagori.co.jp/lagnasia/magiquest/ MagiQuest at Laguna Gamagori] |
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* [[Laser tag]] |
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* [[TV remote]] |
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==Notes== |
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[http://www.creativekingdoms.com Creative Kingdoms The Creators of MagiQuest] |
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{{Reflist|30em}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dells' MagiQuest casts spell over young players |url=https://archive.jsonline.com/features/technology/51584677.html |access-date=2022-04-21 |website=archive.jsonline.com}}</ref> |
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==External links== |
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[http://asksin.googlepages.com Ask Sin Killer J - The MagiQuest Help Line] |
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[http://mqdomain |
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120402122802/http://www.mqdomain.com/ The MagiQuest Domain - A MagiQuest Community] |
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*[https://www.reddit.com/r/MagiQuest/ The MagiQuest Subreddit] |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Magiquest}} |
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[http://blackmoresnight.com Blackmore's Night] |
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[http://candicenight.com Candice Night] |
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{{Myrtle Beach}} |
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{{coord missing|South Carolina}} |
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[[Category:Live-action role-playing games]] |
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[[Category:Myrtle Beach, South Carolina]] |
[[Category:Myrtle Beach, South Carolina]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina]] |
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[[ja:マジクエスト]] |
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Latest revision as of 19:05, 10 November 2024
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MagiQuest is a live action role-playing game where players take the role of magic users. The game takes place in dedicated MagiQuest locations in which players, known as Magi, use an infrared (IR) emitting wand to interact with objects.[1][2]
History
[edit]The first MagiQuest opened in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina at noon on June 15, 2005.[3] The opening celebration included live appearances by actors featured in the quests. Additional MagiQuest locations have subsequently opened in East Hanover, New Jersey and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Great Wolf Resorts made an agreement with Creative Kingdoms in 2008 to install the game at all current Great Wolf Lodge resorts. In 2010, MagiQuest opened in the County Fair Games Gallery at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois. MagiQuest closed at the end of the 2010 park season and was removed from the park. On July 31, 2011, MagiQuest opened in Fun City at the Palisades Mall in West Nyack, New York. In Japan, there was a MagiQuest kingdom near Tokyo Dome as well as at Lagunasia park. In December 2011 - January 2012, the first Canadian MagiQuest opened in a Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls, ON.
On September 7, 2015, the Myrtle Beach MagiQuest closed permanently.[4] Other locations in West Nyack, New York, and East Hanover, New Jersey were also permanently closed.
The Myrtle Beach location was owned by Creative Kingdoms (owner and developer of MagiQuest's technology and associated patents). When the Myrtle Beach location closed it was owned by Great Wolf Resorts, who bought out Creative Kingdoms in 2010 to make it cheaper to install MagiQuest in their hotels. Other locations are franchised besides the ones in Great Wolf Lodges, though many have also closed due to them cutting off support making it difficult to manage operations post-takeover.[5]
Related games
[edit]DinoQuest, a dinosaur-themed interactive game based on the same patented technologies is located in Santa Ana, CA.[6]
Announced at the IAAPA 2009 (International Association of Amusement Park and Attractions) trade show are plans for Creative Kingdoms (the parent company of MagiQuest) to create a spin-off company, 'AquaKingdoms' that will bring a new form of the technology used in MagiQuest to water based attractions. The first product of AquaKingdoms, SplashQuest, was introduced in prototype form to Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels, TX for the summer of 2009, though nothing else has come out of AquaKingdoms since the buyout.[7]
CompassQuest, a very similar game, can be found in some of the same locations as MagiQuest. It uses a compass as well as a wand, and there are no boss battles, unlike MagiQuest. At the Myrtle Beach location, after completing a Wayfinder Quest, the compass can activate stations to show you where items are for every quest and adventure in the game. At Great Wolf Lodge, in addition to the Wayfinder and Treasure Quests, it unlocks 7 other quests centered around certain lands (Piney Path, Tangled Woods, etc.).
In Fall 2013, a new game called ShadowQuest (now known as Journey to Save the Light), the first of projects to be created by Great Wolf post buyout, began to appear at six of the MagiQuest locations at Great Wolf Lodge. In its early version, it used pre-rendered videos for quest intros and success videos. However, encounters are now rendered in real time, allowing for dueling spells to immediately take effect.
When the Great Wolf Lodge in New England opened in 2014, it featured a new version of MagiQuest called "Guardians of the Realm Portals", with new characters, updated quest requirements, and different strategies/real-time rendering for the pixie, goblin, and dragon encounters. It would continue to use the same software as the older game until the lodge was upgraded.
In early 2016, the Anaheim lodge opened with a beta version of the new "MagiQuest Chronicles" which included a new version of Guardians of the Realm Portals, where all of the computer graphics (both at encounters and quest stations) are rendered in real time, as well as Journey to Save the Light (formerly ShadowQuest), and Rise of the Totem Masters, a toys-to-life game where the player levels up a totem figure by battling dark creatures. After the creation of MagiQuest Chronicles the original version and platform of the old game was dubbed as "Legacy MagiQuest" and Chronicles has also been given the fan name of "MagiQuest 2.0". It has since been expanded to all new Great Wolf Lodges that have opened in the past few years and the Williamsburg, Virginia location was also converted from the original game to MagiQuest Chronicles. The MagiQuest fan community has been quite critical of Chronicles as its quite different from the original gameplay and spirit of legacy.
In Summer 2021, another new version of the game debuted, officially branded as just MagiQuest, it is known internally as 'MagiQuest+' or MagiQuest Evergreen to differentiate it from the Legacy, ShadowQuest and MagiQuest Chronicles games. Like Chronicles, it is far removed from the original experience provided by the game prior to the Great Wolf takeover.[8]
Gameplay
[edit]The Ancient Book of Wisdom
[edit]At all MagiQuest locations opened prior to 2013, with the exception of the Williamsburg Great Wolf Lodge, players are provided with an "Ancient Book of Wisdom," a booklet containing hints and riddles to help locate necessary object for completing quests, game directions, requirements for adventures (more advanced quests that require the use of certain spells obtained by completing quests), and a map of the location. The book's contents are unique to each location, much like how the quests and adventures are also unique to each location. The Book of Wisdom's ShadowQuest counterpart is called the ShadowQuest Guide.
At the Williamsburg Great Wolf Lodge and all MagiQuest locations opened after 2014, in addition to a printout map of the game area, players also use the MagiQuest Book of Wisdom app on iPhone or Android.[9]
Quests and adventures
[edit]The objective of MagiQuest is to build and gain power by obtaining magic runes. These runes are awarded for completing certain tasks, using the wand to activate targets marked with a stylised Q. The runes available on Rune Quests are: Lightning, Enchant Creature, Music, Protection, Freeze, Distraction, Healing, Portal, Dazzle, Reveal, Ice Arrow, and Master Magi. While the Master Magi Rune does not grant any spells like the other Runes, earning it opens up new Rune Quests specifically for Master Magi. These Runes are the Fire, Shield, and Potion Runes. The Celestial and Great Wolf Runes are also available at some Great Wolf Lodge locations.
Outside of the kingdom of MagiQuest, a player can use their wand and the powers they have earned to duel each other for gold and experience points.[10] At the Myrtle Beach location, Magi could also participate in "Garden Quest", a special rune that took Magi around Broadway at the Beach, an outdoor shopping mall in Myrtle Beach.
MagiQuest Online
[edit]MagiQuest Online (MQ Online) was an online version of the game created by Cyan Worlds, the creators of Myst. The game ran on the same engine used in Cyan's own online game, Myst Online: Uru Live (Plasma engine). MQ Online was sold in chapters; but only the first chapter was developed and available for gameplay. While the game had a free trial mode, each "chapter" had to be purchased individually per player account. Players who completed chapter one online were allowed to access an additional quest, the Silver Dragon, that could be played at selected MagiQuest and Great Wolf Lodge locations in the United States.
On October 1, 2012 Creative Kingdoms announced it would discontinue MagiQuest Online on December 31, 2012. As of 2024, the game is no longer available, and the Silver Dragon quest was made available to all Master Magi who defeated Charlock, the red dragon.
Technology
[edit]The MagiQuest wand is a battery-powered infrared (IR) remote control device with an LED at the tip. Motion sensors (a spring sensor and a ball-and-tube sensor) inside the wand detect movement and cause the LED to emit a brief series of flashes which is unique to that wand. These flashes can be seen by pointing the wand at the lens of any digital video camera in a dark room. The wand's range is several meters. There is no on/off switch; when the wand is left motionless, the circuit is not energized, saving battery power.
The Compass Quest compass is a plastic housing containing an embedded RFID device that doesn't require battery power. Like the wand, every compass has a unique numeric code that is transmitted when in the range of a detector, approximately 1-2 centimeters (about 1 inch).
No information is stored in either the wand or the compass. The player's name, birthday, and nickname are associated with the wand and/or compass ID number at the time of purchase. The exact names and date given are irrelevant. This association is stored in a central online database server, and can be transferred to a new wand if the original one is lost. The server tracks the current status (runes and gold acquired, current quest, etc.) of every player in the system.
In-game objects contained embedded IR sensors, plus a set of RFID panels shaped like the outline of the compass. Game objects can include pictures on the walls, statues, ceiling tiles, animatronic chests, video kiosks and projection rooms. Most stations have lights and audio prompts which play briefly on activation and shut off automatically, but kiosks and projection rooms additionally contain touchscreen video displays which allow the player to interact with the system for a short session. No login is required other than the presence of the wand or compass.
Gameplay typically consists of using a kiosk to receive instructions for a quest or adventure, then finding and activating a series of game objects. The requirements for the initial quests are printed in an instruction booklet supplied with the wand, but some quests must be received from the kiosks and committed to memory. Informational kiosks throughout the complex can be used to find out what parts of the current quest have been completed and what is left to do, but these omit certain clues to the locations of the objects.
The database is nationwide. The player's status (current quest, number of gold pieces, etc.) for every location can be queried from any informational kiosk in the network. Within a complex, it is updated continuously—for instance, after activating one object, a time limit (e.g. 30 seconds) may be given to find and activate the next object in the series, and if the limit is exceeded by even a few seconds, the next object will instruct the player to return to the previous station.
Music
[edit]The band Blackmore's Night performed some of the music for MagiQuest. Candice Night, the band's vocalist, plays the role of Princess Candice. She also plays the role of Princess Amora, who is seen only at Great Wolf Lodge locations.
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ Parks, Michael (October 16, 2022). "Magic Wand Project For Halloween Delights". MOUSER ELECTRONICS. p. 1. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
- ^ "MagiQuest Live Action Game | Wisconsin Dells Resort | Great Wolf Lodge". Wisconsin Dells, WI. Retrieved 2022-10-16.
- ^ Weston, Denise (June 15, 2006). "Say Goodbye to Video Games and Hello to the Real Thing". CISION PRWeb. p. 1. Archived from the original on May 15, 2010. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
- ^ "MagiQuest closes Myrtle Beach location after 10 years". WMBF News. 8 September 2015. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
- ^ Fleisher, Lisa (2007-11-14). "MagiQuest's creator franchises MB-first game in U.S., Japan". The Sun News. Archived from the original on 2007-06-11. Retrieved 2007-11-15.
- ^ Colbourne, Scott (2006-07-19). "Lose those Dockers and pick up a sword". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 2009-01-16. Retrieved 2007-11-15.
- ^ "Industry News". ScreamScape. 2008-11-24. Retrieved 2009-01-07.
- ^ Tuchow, Ryan (June 28, 2021). "Great Wolf launches content division". Kidscreen. p. 1. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
- ^ "MagiQuest Book of Wisdom". Great Wolf Resorts. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
- ^ "MagiQuest: Dueling". YouTube. Nicholas Nostro. Archived from the original on 2021-12-15. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
External links
[edit]- ^ "Dells' MagiQuest casts spell over young players". archive.jsonline.com. Retrieved 2022-04-21.