The International House of Mojo

JediKnightII.net has interviewed Mike Stemmle, LEC game designer and writer, who wrote the script to Jedi Outcast. Mojo readers probably better know Stemmle for his work as co-game designer of both Sam & Max Hit the Road and Escape from Monkey Island, and programmer on Fate of Atlantis.

The JKII interview is pretty amusing, as Stemmle rarely gives a straight answer. Sounds like he enjoyed writing JKII though.

The SCUMM Bar has run a new article, titled "Another Lesson on Legal Anarchy - Why Your Fan Game Ain't Legit (Or Even Good)." The article, obviously a response to AdventureDeveloper's original "A Lesson on Legal Anarchy - How to Avoid the Cold Wrath of LEC," tells why your LucasArts-based fan game has very little chance of surviving in the real world, and little reason to exist at all.

As was mentioned in the comments section at the bottom, the article doesn't address the "Parody" defense at all. This could be viewed as the weak point of a well written article, or the saving grace of fangames (though I sometimes wonder where some fan games lie on the line between "parody" and "rip-off").

Also, Dominic Armato drops in on the comments to further remind us why companies have to chase after fan work, even if they love it more than they love their own work. The article and most all the comments to date are definitely worth your time, so get reading.

Yes it's been very slack from my end recently, but its time to get that sorted. I need all the hosted / network sites out there to email me so I can make sure I have the correct contact address for you.

In the email please make sure you list anything you need such as the banner code. When I think I have everyone listed I will send out a letter with all the relevant information on living at mixnmojo.

The unfinished sections of Mojo will also be completed in this period of what we like to call 'Mojo Smackdown' (that is unless something insane happens to me... again)

GameSpot.com recently published this article entitled, "Where Have You Gone, Tim Schafer?" The article discusses Tim's new company, Double Fine Productions, and their new mystery title. It also talks about adventure games in general and the successful port of Escape From Monkey Island into video game consoles. While the article doesn't introduce any new information that we didn't already know, it is an interesting read that is worth checking out.

Source: The SCUMM Bar

bgbennyboy has released version 3.0 of LEC Quick and Easy, a utility that lets you run old LucasArts graphic adventures with original sound functionality. This new version adds support for The Dig, Monkey Island 1, and has fixes for various other issues. Of course, like always, you must have VDMSound installed for this to work. Enjoy!

We have another MP3 from the next Monkey Island game, which you can download here. The file arrived today from our anonymous source, and contains a conversation between three characters that we last saw in EMI. We've been told to expect at least two more sound files by Friday at the very latest, so keep checking back!

We're back with another MP3 from what indeed seems to be a new Monkey Island game! The anonymous person sent us this file (click here to download it), which is supposed to be from a cutscene that will be shown at this year's E3. The scene features (from what we can tell) new music and a character that hasn't been seen since MI2. Some people continue to question whether or not Dominic Armato is voicing Guybrush in these, but it appears to us that it is in fact Dom.

I've been told that we should recieve a few more samples in the coming days. Keep checking back, as we'll post the files as soon as we get them. This looks to be the real thing mates! Stay tuned!

Over the last few weeks we have been recieving mail from an anonymous person who not only claims but insists that a 5th Monkey Island game has been under production at LucasArts for the past year. Seeing as we are pretty close to LucasArts and have heard nothing of the sort, we demanded proof... and we were sent this sound file, which apparently is taken from the game.

Revealing a possible plot, the voice is undoubtedly that of Dominic Armato, who has yet to respond to our e-mails asking if he was involved with LEC at this time.

We will apparently be sent more 'leaked' sound files over the coming days, as this one we said was inconclusive since it could have been an out-take from EMI. Hopefully the other files will give us a better idea. Of course, if there is a Monkey Island 5 in production, more details will probably be given this May at E3.

A year and a half after the release of Escape From Monkey Island, The SCUMM Bar has released a review of this most controversial title. As many Monkey Island fans are aware, this title was cause for endless debate concerning its overall quality, as well as how it fit into the series as a whole.

Therefore, instead of doing one review, several of the TSB staffers have submitted their impressions of the title, creating a series of mini-reviews. The feature is well worth reading, so check it out already! Also, you are welcomed to leave feedback, or your own EMI review in the comment area.

Yes.. we have updated a feature. A small offering for now, with a promise of many more VERY exciting articles to come soon. OK so the "VERY" bit might be a lie...

Our Fabulous writer Lemonhead has taken a look back at another classic game Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge. Some people may note that we entirely forgot to celebeate the 10th anniversatry of this great game... Someone, anyone tell me: When did it come out? We want a birthdate!

Hulabee Entertainment, the new children's software company founded by Monkey Island creator Ron Gilbert, has released two of its new game titles for purchase. First, there's Moop and Dreadly: The Treasure on Bing Bong Island, a children's adventure game involving pirates and a big, purple... thing. Ollo in the Sunny Valley Fair is another title involving an escaped giant tomato.

Both of these games were written by Dave Grossman, who was heavily involved in such classics as the first two Monkey Island games and Day of the Tentacle. Mac and PC demos are available from Hulabee.com, so go check them out!

bgbennyboy has created version 2.5 of his Quick and Easy tool, which can be downloaded here. Quick and Easy is a tool that lets you play many of the old LucasArts adventure games under Windows 2000, Windows NT, or Windows XP with full sound.

In this version, the lockups have been fixed for Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis and the saving issues have been resolved for Day of the Tentacle. Please note that you must have VDMSound installed for this to work.

GameSpy has compiled its own list of the 30 Most Influential People in Gaming. Ron Gilbert, creator of SCUMM and Monkey Island, makes the list at #29 for basically changing the way we play adventure games. Interestingly enough, George Lucas makes the list at #17 for starting LucasArts. Here's a quote:

But beyond the Star Wars franchise is where LucasArts has really shined, with the Monkey Island series and Grim Fandango, unique adventure games with truckloads of humor and surprises. I mean, when was the last time you saw a Sam Spade-esque detective story set against the backdrop of a Mexican "Dia de los Muertos" mythology?

When indeed.

It seems that LucasArts may be working on a new original game entitled Gladius, according to observant readers of TheForce.net. On October of 2001, LucasArts filed to protect the trademark name of "Gladius" as a software title. The trademark information, which can be viewed at this page, includes such keywords as "science fiction games", "films", "music", "CD-ROMs", "DVD-ROMs", and more.

The use of both CD-ROM and DVD-ROM technology suggest that this might be a PC and console title. Also, the lack of any Star Wars references in the trademark suggests that it may be an original title. TheForce.net thinks this could be the new original title from Planet Moon that was recently announced. Hopefully, if this game is indeed in production, we will hear more about it in the coming months.

Source: TheForce.net

Hal Barwood is working on a brand new game at LucasArts, according to a recently published biography from the 2002 Game Developers Conference. Let the vagueness begin:

Hal Barwood is a project leader at LucasArts, where he was designer, writer, and team leader on Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, a PC adventure game; Big Sky Trooper, a Super Nintendo role-playing game; Indy's Desktop Adventures and Yoda Stories, a pair of PC desktop diversions; and Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine, a real-time 3D action-adventure. In addition, Barwood directed the live-action video for Rebel Assault II, a Star Wars combat game. He is currently working on a new slam-bang tale.

Slam-bang tale, eh? Call me old fashioned, but I'll always love bang-slam tales better. Time will tell, however, whether or not this is tied to the new Indiana Jones game that was recently announced.

Update: According to this thread [English Translation] on a German gaming forum, Barwood isn't working on the Indy game. Who knows then? (thanks Norimaki)

Clint Bajakian, who has written music for such memorable LucasArts games as Monkey Island 2, Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, and Outlaws, seems to have started an additional company. Clint originally left LucasArts to create his own freelance music company called C. B. Studios. Now, according to the 2002 Game Developer's Conference, Clint has created a new company simply called The Sound Department. Here's a quote:

Currently president of C. B. Studios, Inc., he is in the midst of co-founding a new audio production company with Julian Kwasneski called The Sound Department, a company providing music, sound and voiceover production services. The Sound Department features state-of-the-art digital production studios with 5.1 surround sound capability.

On closer inspection, this Jedi Knote confirms that The Sound Department is working on Jedi Outcast.

Today I was sent a translation from this months Swedish edition of PC Gamer. I has an article about future games from LucasArts, I'll just let you read it.

... Maybe the most exciting news for us nostalgic folk here at the editorial office is that they [LEC] are planning sequals to "on-hold[?]" Sam & Max, Day Of The Tentacle and Indiana Jones-series, yes, maybe even Full Throttle. Although, not nececcery in the same genres as the first games were.

Apparently the translations might not be that great, but you get the idea!

Of course, Sam and Max 2 isn't being developed by them, and they announced Indiana Jones a few weeks ago (unless it's another one). The other 2 are rumours we have heard a few times before... Could they know anything more than we do? I hope so.

Gamespot has published an article dealing with the controversial topic known as Abandonware. As we probably all know, Abandonware is the term used to describe games, etc., that are no longer supported by the company that made them. Some people believe that means that they should be freely distributed.

A great deal of LucasArts games are considered to be abandonware, it is hard to still find let alone buy some of their older games. Enter Tim schafer (amongst some other developers) to comment on this issue:

"Personally, I'd rather my old games were stolen and played for free than forgotten about..."

...and then goes on to say:

"Most of the game makers aren't living off the revenue from those old games anymore. Most of the creative teams behind all those games have long since left the companies that published them, so there's no way the people who deserve to are still making royalties off them. So go ahead--steal this game! Spread the love!"

The article does take a good look at the subject at hand and gets some interesting view points accross. I suggest you go read it!

Source: Huz

Are you irritated to no end by the fact that your old LucasArts favorites don't work with WindowsNT4, Windows2000 or WindowsXP? Well, bgbennyboy has come up with an update to his solution.

LEC Quick and Easy Fix 2.0 includes a nice new install system as well as support for the Sam and Max Hit the Road talkie version. Of course, like the previous version, you can also play Day of the Tentacle, Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, Monkey Island 2, and more with full sound support! Simply download the program here and, if you haven't already, install VDMSound. Enjoy!

In case anyone was wondering, extreme fan game IndyProject is still alive and kicking, if only a little. Not surprisingly, they've run into trouble with TeleFragged, and are stuck with a minimal temporary page until they get back on their feet.

Anyone interested in helping out with IndyProject (but might not be qualified to program, design, or create art) should note that they are currently looking for a news editor for their site.

Source: Ultimate Indiana Jones