A question for the younger members

LUniqueDan · Sun 19/07/2009 18:42:56

Maniac Mansion was quite a revolution in adventure gamming... Back in time. And, to tell the thruth, MM is still my reference in game playing. (Yeah I know I'm an old fart).

I have a strange question for younger members of this forum :
I'd really wanna know :

- Have you tried Maniac Mansion? (Whatever which version)
- How did you deal with the abscence of Talk to and Look at?
- Have you enjoyed it ? Or is it too far from the actual standards?

So, if you started using a computer after the rise of The internet, gimme your answer.

Arclight · Sun 19/07/2009 20:57:35

Very well. The game was released the same year that I was born. No, I have never played it. In fact, the very earliest adventure game that I remember playing was King's Quest V.

Eggie · Sun 19/07/2009 21:20:08

Yep, I bought DOTT at a car boot sale as a wee nipper and Maniac Mansion's included in with the game.

My verdict: I loved it a lot... but I didn't really love PLAYING it.
Does that sense?

LUniqueDan · Sun 19/07/2009 22:46:31

QuoteVery well. The game was released the same year that I was born.

sh** I'm older every year.

Eggie :
I always forget this MM version. Never finished it (EDIT : the MM version from DOTT) because of a mean bug in the french translation.
I guess you mean that the aftertaste was good, but meanwhile it was a pain in the ass?

Anyone else?

Huw Dawson · Sun 19/07/2009 23:21:45

Sure. I have the 6-floppy version of DOTT downstairs, and I've played the Deluxe version. I haven't completed either, though - it's too off the wall and distracted, meaning the player has to actually think to solve the game (!). The interface was also quite clunky and the whole thing was reminiscent of the old-style of adventure games (dead-ends) that Sierra loved so much.

In short, I just don't really know what I think about it.

- Huw

TerranRich · Mon 20/07/2009 01:03:29

I've never played MM, but... how did the game work without a "Look at" feature? I can understand "Talk to", but...

Eggie · Mon 20/07/2009 01:06:45

Basically they set up all these great characters with intriguing personalities...
Then had them say schtum throughout the entire game. Kind of infuriating if you've come from playing later stuff.

Mr Flibble · Mon 20/07/2009 06:05:51

I'm 18 but I played Maniac Mansion after Sam and Max and Day of the Tentacle so, I should be pretty much good to answer this. I played the EGA version of Maniac Mansion that came with Day of the Tentacle with those C64-esque graphics. I did obtain the graphically nicer version and the AGS remake but I never really bothered to play them through.

The absence of Talk To didn't bother me really. It didn't seem odd to me at all because I knew I was playing an old game. At times I wanted to talk to my other characters but I never felt like I was missing out by not being able to. And with my AGS hat on, I can see how... hideous the dialogues would be to program because of the permutations. Also, since you played ALL of the characters, you didn't really need to talk to them anyway. It's not as if you need to find something out from someone, for instance. As for the absence of "Look at", it didn't bother me either. Everything you need is pretty clearly labelled and you aren't wondering what it is. I'd have liked to be able to explore a bit more, like examining the funny things in the rooms, or reading things, but it seldom actually bothered me. It limited the humour in some instances to have the characters not talking.

I loved it. I loved the depth and sense of openness. Having multiple solutions to puzzles was amazing. When I was younger, I spent most of my time wandering around and experimenting, and doing "safe rooms" like in Resident Evil. I was terribly afraid of leaving a character somewhere dangerous. For instance as soon as we gained access to the house, I had everyone run into the sitting room and then we did excursions out from there. It was different to the other adventure games I'd played up to then in which I was always essentially safe, though different even from Indiana Jones games I'd played in which I wasn't safe but could put up a good fight. I don't think I was actually able to complete Maniac Mansion until I started looking up guides, but even before then it was fun to experiment with possible solutions. It was a real "wake up in the middle of the night and have an idea and try it" game for me.

discordance · Mon 20/07/2009 23:10:39

I tried out the remake of MM, from this very site, not so long ago. I believe the remake actually had a "look at" option, but it was kinda pointless, since every character just said "Fascinating" when they saw nearly everything. I really liked the idea of being able to choose a bunch of different characters with different personalities, but . . . when the characters don't ever actually say much of anything . . . the novelty kinda wears off. I got bored and didn't get very far.

That said, I might still enjoy the game if I felt like putting a little more effort into it.

Oh, I should say that I did get Bernard to flee screaming from the tentacle. For a moment I thought, "Hooray! A unique character reaction! Bernard is a coward!" . . . and then, "Hey, you fool, get back there and give that tentacle that food! Come on, everyone else is in jail and I don't know how to get them out!"

But he wouldn't. Stupid Bernard. Never send a computer geek on an adventure.

Greg Squire · Wed 22/07/2009 00:11:35

LUniqueDan, You're not the only old fart on this forum. I played Zork on my Atari 800XL (my first adventure game I played). I've played Day of the Tentacle (loved it), but I haven't ever played Maniac Mansion though.

Jared · Wed 22/07/2009 09:25:53

Hey, it turns of Maniac Mansion was out the year I was born as well.

I played it for about ten minutes when I found it in DoTT, and didn't really go back to it after Bernard got locked up by Nurse Edna. And... something happened to another character which I can't remember.

The game didn't really draw me in at all. I've had some trouble with the early Sierras as well, though I'm proud of myself for finishing Space Quest III with barely any walkthrough. Damn that's a good game..

Dualnames · Sat 25/07/2009 21:00:38

I played Dott on 2007. I'm 21, and well, I'm mostly a retro guy perhaps that says it..I also played Maniac mansion AFTER Dott, and found it uber amazing.

Fireball16 · Sun 26/07/2009 10:26:54

Quote from: LUniqueDan on Sun 19/07/2009 18:42:56
Maniac Mansion was quite a revolution in adventure gamming... Back in time. And, to tell the thruth, MM is still my reference in game playing. (Yeah I know I'm an old fart).

I have a strange question for younger members of this forum :
I'd really wanna know :

- Have you tried Maniac Mansion? (Whatever which version)
- How did you deal with the abscence of Talk to and Look at?
- Have you enjoyed it ? Or is it too far from the actual standards?

So, if you started using a computer after the rise of The internet, gimme your answer.

what the hell its soooo old!!!!!

Phemar · Wed 29/07/2009 00:17:13

Quote from: Fireball16 on Sun 26/07/2009 10:26:54
what the hell its soooo old!!!!!

I'm not sure whether this is sarcasm or not haha. If it isn't well... let's just say I feel sorry for you :/

You're missing out on a great era of gaming.

Tyr · Sun 02/08/2009 15:38:16

I doubt I count as one of the younger members ( quite in the middle I'd guess) but I only first played manic mansion a year or two ago and...I found no problems with it.
Emulated NES version on my GP32 (it being the easiest to get working)

NsMn · Sun 02/08/2009 17:32:36

Quote from: discordance on Mon 20/07/2009 23:10:39
"Come on, everyone else is in jail and I don't know how to get them out!"

Why didn't you try the loose brick in the dungeon?

Also, I played Maniac Mansion Deluxe a few years ago, and I really liked it. But, anyway, It took me those few years until I figured out that you can even get out of the dungeon using the brick with only one kid! (Okay, only in the C64 Version...)

perfectpixel · Mon 24/08/2009 04:18:49

When I started with adventure games, I was playing stuff like Monkey Island 1 and some modern ones(aka illogical inventory puzzles. God help me.) When I played Maniac Mansion, I already knew the interface, but the one thing that made it stand aside for me was how you could switch between characters at will, and how this game required a sort of strategy to get through, not just solve this puzzle, then the next, etc., etc. I've never beaten it, though it's still one of my favourites. (I'm probably the only person my age who has even HEARD of an adventure game.)

Phemar · Tue 25/08/2009 16:42:54

I started with Mixed Up Mother Goose when I was 3 years old... Then Leisure Suit Larry when I was 8. Talk about losing my innocence :

After that the best adventure game evar!1! Grim Fandango. =)

jetxl · Wed 26/08/2009 21:53:21

I don't fit into your focus group, but I'll tell you my take on MM non the less.

I like MM because...
1: it's non linear yet the objectives are not.
2: things happen inside the house regardless of the player's actions.
3: it's fair.
4: even today, 22 years later, it's unique.
5: this

Mr Flibble · Thu 27/08/2009 00:00:35

Quote from: perfectpixel on Mon 24/08/2009 04:18:49
how this game required a sort of strategy to get through, not just solve this puzzle, then the next, etc., etc.

This, exactly this.