The International House of Mojo

Thanks to the tireless efforts of some determined fans, the internet now has some more Indiana Jones 4 flavored sustenance to chew on. A devoted Indy fan and reader of Harrison Ford Web snapped a few photos that glimpse some of the massive studio sets on which the movie is currently filming as well as a few props that have been tagged as belonging to the shoot. The sets are either at a distance or only partly visible, but it's impressively sneaky work nonetheless. It's always fun to gaze, and it's not like you need much to speculate.

Of course, if you're too darned upstanding to take part in that shady stuff, you could always just read this new Sam & Max: Season 2 preview by Digital Entertainment News on your way to bible school.

Source: Harrison Ford Web

Over at Filefront you can find a new promo for one the cases in CSI: Hard Evidence. Apparently someone got stabbed in a hotel room. But wouldn't that be...murder?! If you ask me the proper authorities should get to the bottom of that. Also Filefront seems to think that the game is coming out for the PS2 and DS, but they're liars.

If you had something infinitely more important to do the day the first promo for another one of the game's cases came out, you should totally, like, watch it as well.

Telltale has posted its first gameplay video from Sam & Max: Season 2 on the minisite. The clip sees Sam and Max paying a visit to Bosco to find that...well, watch for yourself.

It should also be made known that downloadable versions of this and the splendid trailer are now available.

GameZone (apparently our favorite site ever) previewed CSI: Hard Evidence back at PAX. There's nothing really new revealed, I'm afraid, but unless you're lazy and a felon there's no reason not to stay regular.

There are also some new impressions of Sam & Max: Season 2 by Destructoid, also from PAX. Again, you'll find more old than new in your reading, but there's some good stuff in there nonetheless. I'm looking forward to that Jimmy Two-Teeth Punch Out minigame.

Finally, it should be noted that Telltale's August newsletter totally exists and features a microscopic look at what may be the cover of their Surfin' the Highway reprint. She's easy on the eyes.

Update: Sigh, I'm just not on the ball. View this new Insecticide preview as well, okay?

It seems that the internet's arsenal of Telltale interviews from PAX has yet to be depleted. Gaming Today had a few questions for Telltale, and, almost as some sort of trade, got some answers. You should read what Emily - the Emily who is not Jake - had to offer in the category of Season 2 details.

Also, in a new blog, Telltale shares a bit more about that wacky "Build a Sam & Max Episode" PAX panel. Included is a video of the finished gameplay scene without audience background noise, as well as a "rehearsal" put together at Telltale's offices prior to the event. Interactive text!

You'd better believe it. At the moment the Season 2 page is mostly a place to house the amazing trailer, but also included are brand new screenshots (the first?) and a baby FAQ that reveals a few compelling tidbits, like what's new about this season. Improvements and additions include:

Changes to all the recurring locations, and a few brand new ones! More lively NPCs who move around the world instead of standing rooted to one spot like pieces of furniture! Even more bizarre scenarios that will take Sam & Max from the arctic to the tropics and beyond! All-new, unique mini-games in every episode! Characters who pipe up of their own accord with useful information if they think you're stuck! Updated driving game with improved controls and the ability to upgrade your DeSoto! ... Flint Paper!

Also, Sam can run now if you want him to, and the games will finally support those giant widescreen monitors the kids seem so crazy about these days.

If that all sounds awesome, that's because it is.

GameZone previewed other games at PAX too you know. Like Sam & Max Season 2! The details found in their preview are unsurprisingly scarce, but it's certainly worth seeing. So see it, is what I'm getting at.

As you know from being told about it awhile back, Telltale hosted a rather interesting panel at PAX today - "Build a Sam & Max Episode with Telltale." A unique demonstration of their engine, the presentation collected audience input to construct a Sam & Max gameplay scene within an hour. As Emily Jake notes, Joystiq put up a video of the final product for the world to see.

Whether you watch the video on Telltale's blog or Joystiq's site, you'll want to read Joystiq's thoughts on the event because they include a Q&A with Telltale that occurred after the concoction was made and some of the responses are pretty interesting. Note that the Q&A is in Joystiq's own words rather than a transcript, but hey, maybe the prospects of Sam & Max on the Wii are as good as they make it sound.

At one of yesterday's PAX panels, "Once Upon a Time...Storytelling in Games Today," people discussed...well, you know, storytelling in games today. People named Dave Grossman, Ron Gilbert, and Nate Fox (Sly Cooper). If you weren't there to hear their thoughts in person, experience the next best thing by reading the write-ups by Gamespot and Gamasutra (the latter seeming to have mistaken Grossman for Steve Purcell).

The same and other Mojo Messiahs were present at other panels at PAX, so keep an eye out for more such summaries in the near future.

With the penultimate week of nourishing Sam & Max extras finally upon us, the remaining batch of commentary tracks and concept art galleries is now available, these of course being for the season finale, Bright Side of the Moon. The episode's pre-release Q&A and Play It Again list also make their expected and welcome appearances.

This all feels very conclusive, but don't forget that there's still one more week of this madness left. The update in store for us on the 28th remains a mystery, but it's hard to ignore the fact that the Season 2 trailer will premiere at PAX this weekend.

The Summer of Sam & Max was much like any ordinary summer. But with Sam & Max.

TVShowsOnDVD reports a few tikiriffic new details on the upcoming 3-disc Sam & Max animated series set being developed by the excellent Shout! Factory. Read the source forum thread by the set's producer Brian Ward to learn about several of the extra features as well as his personal feelings toward the product. You can't help but respect Shout!'s business acumen.

According to Brian we're still several months away from a release date which, due to the arbitrarily sensitive nature of the project, can't be announced at this time. You probably won't be too off if you set your sights for early '08 though.

Source: TVShowsOnDVD

It seems that The Adventure Company has put out a video interview with Dave Bogan, Telltale Art Director, to raise interest in its retail release (out in North American stores now, headed for European shelves September 5th). The 90 second interview is possibly a snippet from TAC's exclusive making-of documentary, but I can't be sure. In any case, download the video and be amazed.

Telltale has just uploaded what is perhaps the single most significant product they have or ever will create - video footage of the Sam & Max costume from the Comic-Con. There's no point in telling you about all the great stuff that's in the video since that's the only kind of stuff that's in it, though I should point out that what transpires between 2:13 - 2:28 will give you much more entertainment than you'll feel you deserve. Really, just watch.

It's amazing how the Bone possum music can elevate an inherently creepy situation to a delightful, lighthearted romp. You probably shouldn't test the limits of that power, though.

As they did last year, Telltale will be taking the trip to PAX from August 24-26. There they will have a booth which they will use to display and demo Season 2, as well as premiere the trailer for it (which will hopefully appear online soon after).

Additionally, there will be a signing session with Dave Grossman and Ron Gilbert, and Telltale personnel will be involved in no less than four panels over the course of the event, including a neat sounding one where Sam & Max game content will be created on the fly with audience participation. Check it all out.

The content that this week has washed ashore is a spiffy blooper reel for the season - a collection of voice acting flubs with some interesting (and hilarious!) visual accompaniment.

Where would you be without summer? In a place bereft of loads of awesome Sam & Max extras, that's for sure. Probably pretty cold, too. Sadly, there's only two weeks of this ecstasy left, but who knows what the fall will bring?

The crazy cats who operate 4players.de have finally lost their minds and put up a video interview with Steve Purcell that is so lifelike you'll believe you're actually watching a video file of him on a web site.

Purcell discusses, among other things, the conception and realization of Sam and Max's sexed up new Desoto. It's the sort of thing that only a fool would miss out on.

In other Sam & Max news, Telltale Games is set to hold a focus group playtest for the first episode of Season 2 on August 26th. If you live in the Bay Area or just really hate money you might consider making an attendance and demand that Telltale make the game into an FPS.

Leading the updates this week are cutscene commentaries for Reality 2.0 by the usual suspects, giving you valuable enlightenment and immeasurable entertainment. Also included is the usual smorgasbord of concept art and some already available but nonetheless irresistible reading material. If a misguided friend tells you that Sam & Max and summer are like oil and water, counter with this as compelling evidence to the contrary.

Wait, one more thing. Double Fine has thrown caution to the wind and intrepidly continued their line of Action Comics buttons with this fourth edition. Try hopelessly to contain your excitement while you order the set, christened "Polaroids," and read the interview with Mark Hamer at the same time.

Forget that previous Sam & Max interview - it was only two pages, and you were going to die anyway. This puppy is five pages long and is guaranteed* to make you live forever. Dave Grossman and Dan Connors had their brains picked by GWN at the Comic-Con about Sam & Max, and after the lobotomy they answered some interview questions too:

DAVE: Season two is going to be good. It's going to be good gradually. I'm hoping the things that are good about it are the things you won't necessarily notice until you're through it.

DAN: My hope is that it is something that will cause people to feel more engaged in it. They don't necessarily at the end of it say, "it was this or it was this or it was that," they are just even more intensely anticipating the next episode than the last one. And I think they will, because we've looked at things that worked really well and done more of it, and looked at things that didn't work and reduced it, and those are the kind of things that just show. Those are the details that seem little, but if you do a whole bunch of them, everything feels better. We removed some major annoyances, too, I think.

Sure, you have an eternity, but now's as good a time as any to read the full interview.

*not guaranteed

Source: N4G

The endearing souls of TwitchGuru cornered Steve Purcell and Dave Grossman at the Comic-Con to ask about the development and success of Sam & Max: Season 1 and of course, what's going on so far with Season 2.

Grossman: We're going to spend more time developing some of the side characters. The controls for driving will be a little more complex, too. And Sam can run in Season 2.

Purcell: Can Sam put his hands in his pockets, like in the trailer?

Grossman: That's a good question.

Purcell: Because that made me excited when I saw that. I know it's such a simple thing, but watching him do obscure little things like putting his hands in his pockets is really interesting. I think it's reflective of his character.

What trailer are they talking about? Did you see a trailer? You'd tell me if you saw a trailer right?

Source: TwitchGuru

As if you really needed convincing to buy it Music 4 Games has some very good things to say about the recently released Sam & Max: Season 1 soundtrack album, featuring the melodies of the superb Jared Emerson-Johnson. Beat the rush and place your order for one or twelve copies of the soundtrack (Now shipping!) today.

And Season 1 is out in stores now. I saw it myself. I saw it, I felt it, ...and I saw it. Pick up your copy while you can still say you picked up a copy when I said so.