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Three New Adventures in Development? 29 Jun, 2004 / Comments: 21

By A Pirate! Yar!


Pay attention, this pertains to you.

While LucasArts has made it more than abundantly clear that they're not interested in making adventure games anymore, you can't say the same for their ex-employees.

By our count, there are in fact three small teams of developers, all composed of ex-adventuremakers at LucasArts, each working on brand new adventure games. Let's take a look:<:MORENEWS:>

First, there's Telltale Games. Formed by three members of the Sam & Max 2 team, Telltale is working on... well, we don't know really, except that it's an adventure game, and we know they'll be revealing all in the next couple months. For now, keep an eye on their staff blog.

Second, we have the 2D, clearly CMI-inspired, A Vampyre Story. A Vampyre Story is sort of in the opposite boat from the Telltale and Pileated (see below) guys, in that we know quite a bit about this team's game, but we don't officially know much about the team itself (other than its ex-LEC guys, and looks a bit like CMI). Click that link for samples of the game's background art, and some music tracks, because they rule.

From a recent writeup about the game: "A Vampyre Story is a point-and-click-styled outing with considerable technological advancements, and is described by its maker as 'Monkey Island meets Dracula.' It's a humorous, supernatural adventure that pays homage to the old Universal monster movies of the 1930s and 1940s. Gamers control an unwilling opera singer turned vampire, as she bids to seek eternal peace (as well as making a starring role in a Parisian show) ... Gameplay will be controlled through a 'coin interface' similar to Curse Of Monkey Island, which is expandable like the one featured in BioWare's PC RPG Neverwinter Nights."

And third, there's Pileated Pictures. What are they working on? Again, we haven't got a clue! We do know, however, that a decent group of ex-DOTT team members are on board with Pileated's game brainstorm team.

So, that totally rules. We'll keep you updated on all three of these groups in the coming months, and for now we simply wish them the best of luck.
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21 Comments

  • EugeneE3RD on 10 Aug, 2004, 23:01…
    This is good news. Since Lucasarts won't support the adventure game fans, then other companies will supply us.

    It's the law of the economy, if one company can't support it's customers then another company will.

    Lucasarts, you've had your chance but you only want to support the Star Wars fans but you refuse to support the adventure gamers & by cancelling Full Throttle 2 & Sam & Max 2, you've shown they you won't support adventure game fans.
  • csenosiain on 02 Jul, 2004, 23:19…
    Is this the end of Lucasarts coverage at Mojo? Or will Lucasarts learn the error of it's evil ways and turn back to L337 adventures for redemption?

    One thing is for sure, if one of these potentially great companies succeeds, Adventure games may make a comeback.

    Adventure games didn't die, they just went into 'retirement' and may be about to make a comeback ala micheal jordan.
  • Guyfrench Threepwood on 02 Jul, 2004, 07:08…
    Good news everyone ? Finally ?
    What happened to many development companies (like Microprose, etc) now happens to Lucasarts : Its ex-employees develop on their own.
    But i can't remember of a successful experience of this type :-/
    Does anyone know for how long LEC holds the rights of Sam and Max ?
    Or maybe Steve Purcell should sue them ?
  • Bobo Donkey? on 02 Jul, 2004, 13:02…
    Steve Purcell suing them? Another good idea.
  • Guyfrench Threepwood on 02 Jul, 2004, 20:25…
    I dont understand the sarcasm. Why shouldnt he ?
  • Bobo Donkey? on 05 Jul, 2004, 08:55…
    Sarcasm? That wasn't sarcasm.
  • deadworm222 on 02 Jul, 2004, 03:44…
    Bill Tiller started the Vampire Story back in the days of SCRAMM, I remember.
  • DasJan on 30 Jun, 2004, 18:23…
    > don't officially know much about the team itself

    It's Bill Tiller. Do a whois query and you'll see.
  • laceyware on 30 Jun, 2004, 17:54…
    Good luck to all of them!
  • netmonkey on 30 Jun, 2004, 14:53…
    Y'all'll (You (plural) will) poop your pants when you play my adventure game... if I ever finish it. It'll be free, so at least you don't have to give me money for it you cheap bums!

    About death, Adventure games never died... they just never grew up. They need to stop acting so childish and step out into the real world.

    For some immature adventure games, check out http://netmonkey.cellosoft.com/ , oh, I'm just spamming because my site use to be here on mixnmojo and maybe you wondered where it ran off to. We are still alive!
  • Jake on 30 Jun, 2004, 19:16…
    I'd be happy to host your site again if you'd like :)
  • monkeyboobs on 30 Jun, 2004, 08:28…
    We can be sure that we'll never see or play a new Maniac Mansion or Monkey Island Adventure by LucasArts - but who cares? I don't. I'm totally excited of these new development teams and their descision to continue creating great games within my favorite genre. Maybe there is a Sam & Max 2 by Pileated Pictures (Steve Purcell!)? YESS!!! Today, on June, 30th, I stop smoking because there are three new reasons to live on =8)
  • Neil Joshi on 30 Jun, 2004, 09:18…
    I doubt they'll be making a new Sam n Max 2, LEC still hold the rights to that, and if they think there's a chance that some other company can make money out of it, they won't sell it. saying that, with steve purcell and Dave Grossman on board (and he's still writing his little poems every week) it's bound to be one helluva great game.
  • jp-30 on 30 Jun, 2004, 18:18…
    This article suggests otherwise;

    http://www.justadventure.com/articles/SamnMax2/SamnMax2.shtm


    But who knows. It's all just informed speculation.
  • Jake on 30 Jun, 2004, 19:17…
    While that article has a lot of good stuff in it... take much of what it says with a grain of salt, or a bag of salt.
  • jp-30 on 30 Jun, 2004, 22:51…
    Oh, I know. But a boy can dream, can't he? CAN'T HE?! ** sobs **
  • monkeyboobs on 30 Jun, 2004, 08:31…
    ...uhmm, and it's a good day and a good reason for Mixnmojo to live on =8)
  • Bobo Donkey? on 30 Jun, 2004, 06:59…
    Cool, some new adventure games that wont bear the mark of evil so they shouldn't get cancelled in place of a certain George Lucas franchise. Things are starting to look up for Mojo now.
  • Jayel on 30 Jun, 2004, 03:48…
    LucasArts is dead.
    Long live its children!
  • TyraaRane on 30 Jun, 2004, 14:01…
    The king is dead, long live the king?
  • The Tingler on 29 Jun, 2004, 14:15…
    I was wondering when someone would notice these.