Part I: Love at First Byte​

I remember my first computer, which was a rubber-keyed ZX Spectrum. I don’t recall the exact day my dad brought it home, but I can still picture myself sitting in front of a small CRT screen, trying to make sense of a simple game. That state-of-the-art device didn’t stay cutting-edge for long. It was soon replaced by an even more advanced Commodore 64, featuring a larger keyboard with what felt like an impressive four function keys and a loading screen that seemed to take forever. But once the main menu appeared, I’d grab the joystick and lose myself in a 320 x 200 resolution world rendered in a 16-colour palette. All of it led me to the machine that hardwired the gamer gene straight into my DNA: a PC.

I witnessed it all: each upgrade from the 286, 386, and 486 DX2 to my first Pentium processor; the evolution of games from 2D to 3D, powered by my first Voodoo graphics card; and the shift from simple synthesised music to full orchestral soundtracks, thanks to the Sound Blaster. Not to mention the transition from MS-DOS to the revolutionary Windows 3.11 - an early step toward what would become the world’s most popular operating system.

Every hardware upgrade marked a new milestone in my gaming experience. I went from shooting aliens in Duke Nukem 3D to racing opponents in the first Need for Speed. One day, I was building bases in Command & Conquer; the next, I was throwing punches and practising fatalities in the revolutionary Mortal Kombat. I could fill pages with the titles that shaped my childhood, but one genre truly stole my heart. Point-and-click adventure games became one of the defining genres of the ‘90s gaming era.

The term “point-and-click” perfectly sums up the core mechanic of these games: hovering your mouse over a beautifully crafted pixel-art world and clicking on objects to interact with them. These interactions were what pushed the plot forward. Puzzles typically involved finding an item and figuring out where or how to use it, often in delightfully unexpected ways. At times, you were drawn into a cleverly written dialogue where choosing the right response could unlock a clue or open up a new path. These games were often filled with humour and references to current events and pop culture of the time. The puzzles were tough and required thinking. More than once, walkthroughs from gaming magazines were a lifeline, even though game boxes often included thick manuals packed with hints.

The history of the genre dates back to the early ’80s and is closely tied to the invention of the computer mouse. While several early titles are considered pioneers of point-and-click adventure games, Enchanted Scepters, an Apple Macintosh title, is widely regarded as the first true example. But for me, the genre owes its popularity and golden era to the games developed by Sierra On-Line.

Founded as On-Line Systems by Ken and Roberta Williams in 1979, the company would go on to become one of the most renowned producers of adventure games. Their first title, Mystery House, was a horror game where players explored a mysterious mansion, uncovering the identity of a killer through text-based commands. But the true milestone, the game that marked the beginning of a new era, was King’s Quest: Quest for the Crown, their first true classic. In it, you play as Sir Graham, tasked with recovering three ancient artefacts: a magic mirror, a chest of gold, and an enchanted shield. Along the way, he visits a range of locations and encounters both bandits and beasts. The character is controlled using directional keys alongside typed commands like “pick up” or “use” to solve puzzles. The original series went on to span seven sequels, of which King’s Quest V remains my personal favourite. Sierra went on to produce some of the most iconic adventure game series of the era, including Leisure Suit Larry, Police Quest, Quest for Glory, and Space Quest.

Another studio that helped shape the adventure game universe emerged from the world of film and television: Lucasfilm Ltd., founded by visionary filmmaker George Lucas. It’s no surprise that LucasArts, the company’s game division, released numerous titles set in the Star Wars universe. After all, the brand is deeply associated with that iconic saga. But beyond the Force, LucasArts also became a legendary name in the world of point-and-click adventure games, producing titles that are now considered cult classics.

If you ask me about LucasArts, The Secret of Monkey Island is the first title that springs to mind. In the game, you play as a young man named Guybrush Threepwood, whose greatest dream is to become a pirate. Unfortunately, his knack for getting into trouble tends to complicate things.

A close second for me is Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis. I‘ve always been a fan of the Indiana Jones films. As a kid, I used to watch Raiders of the Lost Ark on a VHS tape every single day after school. I still remember seeing Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade in the cinema, with River Phoenix playing young Indy. So when I got to help my childhood hero search for the legendary city of Atlantis, it was a dream come true. The game was filled with humour and perfectly captured the spirit of Spielberg’s blockbusters. It remains the most successful point-and-click adventure game LucasArts ever made.

The titles mentioned so far are by no means a complete list of the adventure games that left a lasting mark on the history of computer gaming. On the contrary, they’re just a handful of highlights from a genre with a rich and extensive legacy. In the following parts, we’ll take a closer look at some of these iconic titles. Point-and-click games refuse to be forgotten. The nostalgia for pixel graphics continues to influence the modern era, whether through minimalist pixel art or indie games crafted by passionate developers. These games from the late ‘80s and early ‘90s have etched themselves into the memories of a generation of young gamers, and their legacy still inspires today.

Communication plays a vital role in many of today’s professions. The ability to gather and share information is essential and forms the basis for completing projects or achieving predefined goals. One of these professions that involves building and presenting knowledge is technical writing.

The role of a technical writer is to communicate complex concepts to technical and non-technical audiences. Think of it as solving a Rubik’s cube, where the unsolved cube represents a set of information you have gathered from subject matter experts (SMEs). Your job is to organise and design the information so that, like a solved Rubik’s cube, it makes sense to the end user. Everything is in its logical place. To do this, you need to work productively with members of different teams inside and outside the organisation. But not everyone is easy to work with. And when you encounter an unresponsive SME, you may quickly realise that your writing project is at risk. If you ever find yourself in this situation, you can think of several ways to move your work forward. However, there is one method that can be particularly useful when dealing with colleagues and business partners: personality types based on the DISC model.

The Colour of Personality​

In his book Surrounded by Idiots, Thomas Erikson states that personality colour differences are responsible for most misunderstandings and conflicts. Knowing your and your colleagues’ personality types can help you communicate and work successfully. There are four personality colours:

• Red: fast thinking, fast acting, determined extroverts with strong leadership qualities. They are very pragmatic and want to see immediate benefits or results. They may ignore your approaches if they don’t see the reason or if you don’t get to the point early enough. So be specific.
• Yellow: extroverts who focus on social aspects; they are very talkative, enthusiastic, and outgoing. They may not be unresponsive, but obtaining detailed information from them can still be challenging. Their high energy and tendency to drift off into non-business topics can be challenging. With this in mind, try to moderate the discussion to get all the answers you need.
• Green: introverts and good listeners. They manage their time well and don’t like abrupt action. Green personalities carry out their tasks step by step once they have understood every aspect of the project. Introducing a sense of urgency when communicating with green types can help move things forward.
• Blue: detail-oriented perfectionists. Remember that they have high expectations and not just of themselves. They communicate in a concrete and data-driven way, but they also overthink and tend to make things personal. Always prepare thoroughly for meetings with blue types; write down your questions in advance.

Try to identify the personality types of SMEs. Of course, you can’t send everyone a personality test before you approach them. Make the most of the first contact. Get to know your colleagues. Make small talk. Ask about their interests, hobbies and opinions. You can gain valuable insights by observing their behaviour, body language and communication style. The next step is to adapt accordingly.

More Useful Tips​

In a fast-paced business environment or a distributed team, you may not have the time or opportunity to get to know someone well early on. Often, your first approach will be strictly project-related. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t other ways to get answers effectively:

• Identify the SME’s preferred means of contact: some colleagues may take a long time to respond to an email. They may be too busy or favour discussing things in person. Ask your SMEs how they would like to be contacted and stick to that. You can also ask your colleagues who have worked with SMEs about the best way to contact them.
• Use the calendar: don’t catch your colleagues off guard and approach them unexpectedly. Plan and arrange meetings well in advance. Send a brief agenda with the invitation. Allow SMEs to prepare for the meeting as well as you do.
• Get involved: be proactive. Attend product meetings, even if they are not strictly related to the documentation process. Find out as much as you can about the product before you meet the SMEs. Ask them to verify what you’ve already learned. And remember to use open-ended questions.
• Get others involved: add colleagues working on the project to an email or invite them to a meeting. This can work wonders with some SMEs who need a bit of pressure. The aim is not to involve managers, but to demonstrate that a group is ready to progress.

Conclusion​

As a technical writer, you can’t just focus on your writing craft. You also need to develop your interpersonal and interviewing skills. Mastering these will help you navigate professional relationships for better collaboration and results. Remember that every SME has different motivations, expectations and preferred ways of doing things. Your challenge is to find the right approach to unlock the resources you need for your documentation.