Last Friday's update of LucasArts.com gave us some new screenshots for Hal Barwood's upcoming action/adventure, RTX Red Rock. True to what we've seen before, the new screenshots look very nice and continue to demonstrate the high level of detail put into the levels and environments. See them here!
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Last Friday's update of LucasArts.com gave us some new screenshots for Hal Barwood's upcoming action/adventure, RTX Red Rock. True to what we've seen before, the new screenshots look very nice and continue to demonstrate the high level of detail put into the levels and environments. See them here!
I've monkeyed around with ScummVM 0.3.0 (released yesterday, see story) and taken some screenshots, especially of the user interface, which is new to this release (and will hopefully make it easier for everyone to use ScummVM to play their old games).
Not only does ScummVM let you play many LucasArts classics on modern computers (including Windows, Mac, Linux and some oddballs like PocketPC and Dreamcast), but it supports many newer sound and video settings not found in the original versions, and lets you run games full screen or in a window. Take a look:
- ScummVM Main Menu (Double-Sized Video Mode, Windowed)
- Save/Load ("Advanced MAME" Video Mode)
- In-Game Settings (Advanced MAME, "Full Screen")
- Add New Game Screen 1
- Add New Game Screen 2
- Zak McKracken (Normal Video Mode, with IRC sneak attack)
- Sam & Max (Advanced MAME)
- Day of the Tentacle ("SuperEagle" Video Mode)
- Sam & Max (Super 2X Antialiased Video Mode)
Glenn Quinn, well known for his role on The WB's Angel died last Tuesday. The Irish actor, who played Pirate #5 in The Curse of Monkey Island and also had a role in X-Wing Vs. TIE Fighter was only 32 years old. Cause of death is not yet known. Check out his LAVAA entry, or see his filmography from IMDB.com.
Update: According to authorities Quinn was found dead of a possible drug overdose on December third. An official cause of death is pending an autopsy and toxicology reports.
Jake called me from his car and said I should update Mojo saying that ScummVM has released 0.3.0b, and that he'll be home later (after a movie) to put up screenshots and write more about it or something.
To make your very own screenshots, go here and download ScummVM! I hear it even has instructions!
He won't tell me what movie he's going to see because he thinks I'll put it in the post. Hah.
Source: Jake in his car
Though probably old news to some, those of you thirsting for more "traditional" adventure games who haven't checked out Runaway: A Road Adventure should definitely give it a look. The graphics are amazingly nice, and the story sounds pretty good too. All that aside, there's a Puerto Pollo chicken in one of the screenshots. Check out some more screens of Runaway at EuroGamer, and some reviews here, and here.
Source: Adventure Gamers
IGN has posted a transcript from the last chat session with Bioware and LucasArts concerning Knights of the Old Republic. Here's a highlight:
How is the inventory handled? Can your characters carry only a few large objects each or can they hide an entire warehouse of stuff in their coat ? la Guybrush Threepwood?Okay, so maybe that quote isn't very interesting, but we're legally obligated to write about anything that mentions Guybrush Threepwood. Be sure to read the full transcript for actual interesting info, though. This looks like it may be a really cool game.
JamesOhlen You can carry an entire warehouse.
JamesOhlen However, we're adding several containers on the Ebon Hawk where you'll be able to stash your loot.
JamesOhlen I don't know how useful these containers will be (with an unlimited inventory and all), but for those who want them, they'll be there.
The self-aware news script over a Double Fine Action News has updated itself again. In this update, the news script continues to discuss its desire to take over the world, Purple Tentacle style. Check it.
Adventure Gamers has written a preview for the upcoming Full Throttle 2. While the preview doesn't reveal any new details, it does summarize all of the information we know at this point. If you feel you may not be up to date on the latest Full Throttle 2 news, this will give you all there is to know... well, publicly.
The SCUMM Bar has reviewed the recently released Tony Tough and the Night of Roasted Moths, exploring whether or not it will appeal to Monkey Island fans. As reported earlier, Tony Tough is a LucasArts-esque point and click graphic adventure developed by an Italian game company. Here's a snippet from the review:
The plot won't set the world on fire, the the puzzle might have no logic what so ever at times, the visuals are a mixed bag and the whole game might just be one big LEC rip-off, but that's all secondary because of two things: One ? Tony Tough is a very likable character in a sad, funny sort of way, very much like Guybrush Threepwood in CMI, and two - the humor, while somewhat predictable at times, is really funny in a silly sort of way. Add this together, and you have a game that is just pure fun to play.Tony Tough is in stores now for PC.
Again, this isn't directly related to LucasArts, but you may find it interesting regardless. A really excellent teaser poster has been released for the upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean film, which is based on the Disneyland ride of the same name.
As we've mentioned many times, this theme park ride served as the main inspiration for the Monkey Island series, so the film will hopefully convey the same kind of atmosphere found in those games. This would be reinforced by the poster, which shows an undead skeleton pirate manning the wheel of a pirate ship. Cool!
As promised, LucasArts has posted the box art for Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb, which you can view here.
In addition to the sweet cover design, LucasArts conducted an interview with Drew Struzan, the creator of the box art as well as the posters for the previous Indy films and Infernal Machine. Here's a quote:
I compose the picture and elements in a strong and classical manner to set the scene with the proper emotional tone; that of secure and powerful, rock steady design. The color composition is warm, as is the trademark of so many of the Indy pieces, making it at that magic hour with the setting sun. Of course the reason I was asked to do the piece in the first place is that my style and taste is recognizable as the authentic Indy representation. With me doing it, it says immediately that this product is the real thing.Check it out! A new screenshot for the game is also available at the site. And to those of you who celebrate Thanksgiving and aren't vegetarian, enjoy your turkey dinner!
If there's any doubt that ScummVM is in fact the coolest software project in existence, that doubt should be stomped into the dirt upon viewing this scan from PCZone magazine.
Those of you who haven't been following ScummVM should definitely check out the ScummVM website for updates about the forthcoming 0.3.0 release, which will include support for The Dig, a basic GUI, as well as other things you should read up on.
For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about...<:MORENEWS:> here's a slightly altered clip from the ScummVM website, which you should read over briefly (especially the FAQ and downloads page):
ScummVM is an implementation of LucasArts S.C.U.M.M. (Script Creation Utility for Maniac Mansion) interpreter, used in games such as Monkey Island, Indiana Jones, Day Of The Tentacle, Sam and Max, and many more. With ScummVM you can run these games and more on nearly any computing platform without the usual bugs, and with some additional features. Some things are still missing, and some games cannot be completeted yet. There are quite a few known bugs. Regardless of the bugs it is still possible to play some games all the way through to the end.
BBC News World Edition has written an article about LucasArts, Star Wars games, and originals. Here is a quote:
The fact that [LucasArts] could almost depend on making money by exploiting interest in Star Wars meant it also had freedom to experiment with games and storylines, said Mr Sarris.Courthold of Adventure Developers points out that the articled used to say that a 4th installment of the Monkey Island series was in development, but later changed. This leads us (well, it leads Jake) to believe that the article was talking about EMI. Don't get all excited, we all know there will be a fifth Monkey Island game eventually.
In the past it has developed popular cartoon adventures such as Sam and Max, Grim Fandango, and Full Throttle.
A sequel to Sam and Max was being developed, said Mr Sarris, as were more instalments in the Monkey Island series of games.
The SCUMM Bar has pointed out that the LucasArts Company Store is now selling a new audio CD entitled The Best of LucasArts Original Soundtracks. The CD includes music from The Curse of Monkey Island, The Dig, Outlaws, Escape From Monkey island, Grim Fandango, RTX Red Rock, and Gladius.
I just have one thing to say... it's about friggin' time! Now how about updated recordings from Monkey Island 2, Fate of Atlantis, and Sam and Max, eh? Oh, and if you live outside the US or Canada... sorry.
Adventure Gamers has published an interesting article entitled Rose Colored Glasses, which discusses what I like to call the "good ol' days" syndrome. The author explores whether or not the former days of point and click graphic adventures were really all that great. Naturally, you can't look back on the so-called golden era of adventure games without mentioning LucasArts. Here's a quote from the article:
Many of those that have been playing adventure games for any significant amount of time often refer to the ?golden age? of adventure games, when adventure was indeed the most popular and prominent genre; back when Sierra and LucasArts still made (primarily) adventure games and managed to crank them out almost as fast as FPSs are churned out today (as an interesting aside, this was also before LucasArts managed to completely run the Star Wars franchise into the ground).This is a very interesting topic, and I would suggest that you give a read and post your thoughts here.
Although most of us lament the passing of this ?golden age,? in light of my self-realization that perhaps my own memories become positively biased with the passage of time, I?m given to wonder, ?was the golden age really all that golden, or are we all just subject to the same collective sense of nostalgia that colors our memories and makes us think of times past with more fondness than they merit??
Paco Vink of World of MI has created an all-animated guaranteed-authentic outtake from Monkey Island 1, which you can download here as a DIVX AVI file. It's one of the first fan-video's that I've seen, though World of MI does have one other posted.
A little more Indy news here, this time from TheRaider.net. Drew Struzan, the artist famous for numerous things including the original posters for the Indiana Jones films, will be doing the box art for Emperor's Tomb, and it will be released as a poster.
LucasArts will be running an interview with Drew in the near future at LucasArts.com, and you can ask questions in advance in this forum thread.
Source: TheRaider.net
According to LucasArts guy Sam Saliba (AKA Gladius Man), the instruction manual for Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb is going to seriously own, reminiscent of the extravagant pack-in goodies of yesteryear's games. Apparently the Emperor's Tomb team hunted down the biggest Indy fan they could find, who also happened to be an accomplished graphic designer, and set him loose on the manual.
Saliba says the full color book is covered head to toe in Indy, with numerous in-jokes and obscure references throughout for the bored (us) to dig around for. We're holding him to it. Sounds perfect for reading while waiting for it to install, or for your brother to stop hogging the game (the jerk).
Of course, there's no telling how cool the thing will be when it actually shows up along with Mr. Indy CD. At least it sounds cooler than the now-typical 2-page black and white Install Guides most games seem to come with.
In Friday's LucasArts.com update, you can find new screenshots for Star Wars Galaxies and Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb. You'll notice that the in-store date for the Gamecube and Xbox ports of Jedi Outcast have been set for the week of November 18th. You may also want to check out this statement from LucasArts regarding the enviornments found in RTX Red Rock. And finally, the Knights of the Old Republic product spotlight has been updated with a new character.
On a less fortunate note, it seems the 20th Anniversary celebrations have been removed from the main page. Too bad, but I guess the fun had to stop sometime.
Update: The 20th Anniverary logo seems to have returned... but for how long?
Computer and Video Games has interviewed Tom Sarris, the head of public relations at LucasArts. The interview goes over LucasArts' increased focus on the console market, other stuff like Galaxies, and then stuff about Full Throttle 2, Sam & Max 2, and a mention of Monkey Island. Here's a question about Sam & Max 2's E3 presence next year (hint: hype!), and a bit about the gameplay:
With something like Sam & Max 2, do you have any idea of how you're going to establish such credibility?Read the whole interview over at Computer and Video Games' website.
Sarris: Not quite yet. We're so concentrated on our Fall and spring games right now that we haven't really even begun to think very seriously about what efforts we're going to need to put into Sam & Max 2. Certainly we're going to showcase it in a very high-profile way at E3 2003.
It is in development, but it's very early days right now. In the next six to eight months it's definitely going to progress to a point where we can showcase it then and show people that it's going to be a very important part of our line-up.
Presumably Sam & Max 2 will still be an adventure, but you're going to have to move away from the point-and-click style of the original Sam & Max?
Sarris: Yeah, although I'm not really sure at the moment how that looks. However, I do believe that, as with the original, there will be mini-games.
Source: Shacknews