GK3: Blood of the Sacred - Blood of the Damned News
by Nico Sels

Main points of interest from the last month:

~ The Media Releases ~

Rumors start to spread that GK3 is to be delayed. Official word announced on January 20, by Adam Bormann GK3's release date is now SUMMER 1999.

The 4th GK3 add is published in PC Gamer, and can be seen at SIDNEY. It features a new screenshot of the 'Redhead' and something else... we won't tell you what - it's more fun to find out yourself :)

~ The Game ~

GK3's lead program architect has reprogrammed all of the characters' faces, giving them more definition, and more intelligence. They look much better, they look alive, and the animators have much more control of their facial expressions. It gives the characters an "intensity" NEVER seen in a real-time 3D character.

~ The Team ~

GK3 gets 6 new team members [additional]. 2 new animators, 2 new environment people, 2 new programmers. The animators used to be on the team, but were moved off in November. They are two of the best animators ever on the team. Now they're back.

~ The Official Website ~

The Official GK3 website relaunches with an all new look, based on SIDNEY (the "Schattenjäger Information Database", a piece of software used by Grace to solve the mystery of Rennes-le-Château).

The new site features:
A progress report by Steven Hill, producer of GK3.
New screenshots, showing off the improved characters' faces and some of the interface.
A new character: 'Estelle Stiles' played by Carolyn Seymour.

Later in the month an MP3-file of Tim Curry as Gabriel Knight introducing us to 'Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned' is added.

The Official GK3 site announces the return of monthly updates. The first one included a new progress report from Steven the producer. A new character: The taxi driver, was introduced. Along with screenshots showing some of the free-moving camera (different in-game shots of the taxi driver).

You can see the official site at:
http://www.gabrielknight.com

You will find a very nice slide show of these effects by Heath Smith at:
The Unofficial Gabriel Knight Homepage

Current Release Dates

Millennium Rising ~ Late 1999

GK3 ~ Summer 1999

Fan Website News

~Updates~

A couple great sites have recently been updated. So if you haven't been to...

The Realm of Shadows

~or~

Mosely

...lately you're missing out :)

~New Sites~

Gabriel Knight Mysteries
The Gargoyle Paperweight
The Schattenjager Library

if you know of other fan website news, please tell the ... Email ID: gkwriters @Domain: thixo.com

Where did the Stories Go?

The Official Fan Fiction Message Board was lost when Sierra re-coded all their forums. According to Philip Cayting, Sierra moderator:

"The web team is willing (barring any legal issues) to put up a GK Fan Fiction board if they think it's actually wanted. E-mailing Email ID: webmaster @Domain: sierrastudios.com is the best way to tell the web team that it IS wanted.

If they get enough requests for a GKFF board at that e-mail address, it'll probably show up!"

In the meantime please post stories, read stories, or leave comments at

The Blake Backlash Mysteries

This is also a great place to post contoversial/would get erased at Sierra topics. We'll just call this the unofficial GK fan fiction message board :)

What's New

New? This was a hard one to write. New since when? In the future I hope to put up the links and teasers to new stories since the last issue of PITW, but for this first time? What is new? The newest story that I know of is

~Rache by NyteMan

The very first part just got posted at the Blake Backlash Mysteries. The setting is Germany and the time is post GK2 and pre GK3. And guess who's back? Preiss! Dreams, the painting Gabe sold, and his parents mysterious death all come into play :)

Check out this work in progress at:

Blake Backlash Mysteries

~The Lost Ludwig Chapters: The Wolfen King by Pt

"King Ludwig II of Bavaria had found a new love - one that would never leave him, one that would never diminish over time, and one that was said to soothe the hearts of beasts, and kings. Can innocent dreams endure among the intrigues of royalty, the strategy of courts, and the betrayals of desire?"
(Rating: Mature, for adult themes, graphic imagery, some mild language.)

Read this one on-line at:
http://www.oocities.org/SoHo/Museum/3152/m_p/wolfking_index.html

-or- Download the zipped file:
http://www.oocities.org/SoHo/Museum/3152/zipper/wolfking.zip

~Voynich Manuscript by David de Sola

"It’s been a year since the Mutilation Killings. Gabriel just finished a new book and is taking some time off recovering from the werewolf ordeal. Grace has gone back to New Haven temporarily to finish her doctorate degree. One of the cruelest evils in history is killing seemingly random people at Yale. The shadow hunter must pick up his tools again, because anybody could be the next victim. Brutal murders, a scandal the school will go to any cost to cover up, and an enigma from the distant past. There are no coincidences..."

http://www.easynet.co.uk/ray/gk/fan86.html

~Goldendust by Claudia

Grace is back in the States at school, while Gabe remains in Germany at Schloss Ritter. Why did he let her go? She is all he can think about. And what is this Goldendust left by the window at Schloss Ritter?

To find out read this completed story at:

Blake Backlash Mysteries

The Official Archive

The Official Gabriel Knight Fan Fiction Archive, begun, and run by Voodoo Ray, will be moving. I am very honored to announce that Voodoo Ray is passing the torch to me and the archive will make its new home at Sidney.

I have my work cut out for me, the archive has grown so much it needs some reorganization. If you have any ideas or suggestions please email Christy: Email ID: cgallagh @Domain: badlands.nodak.edu

Until then the archive is found at:
http://www.easynet.co.uk/ray/gk/fanfic.html

The Attic

"The Attic is a rarity in the world of gamefic. Not because it houses fic, but because it's actually a selective archive of stories the webmistress believes readers will enjoy. Unlike most (if not all) gamefic websites which tack up everything they can get their hands on, the Attic makes sure the stories it archives are creative, well-written, or at least entertaining.

The Attic also is a great resource for aspiring Gabriel Knight-fic writers. It's chock-fill of writing resources and contains a forum for posting stories and suggesting plotlines they'd like to see written. The writing resources are extremely thorough, with links to essays on writing, style, genres and grammar, and more. There is also a complete list of authors who have written GK stories and a listing of their stories, as well as an area for recommendations by readers. And, in a move after my own heart ;), there is also an on-line bookstore section that gives links not only to Jane Jensen's GK novels but books related to the subjects brought up in Gabriel Knight 1 - 3."

This excerpt (and more) found at A Quest for Fanfic's Website Spotlight.

The site also under went a face lift, added a poll, and added a "Trashcan of Ideas".

Check out The Attic

Mosely

Kenn Stollery-Jones (webmaster) is looking for Mosely fan fiction to add to his site.

Check out what he already has at Mosely