What is a 'RED HERRING'

[sunshinegold]

Can someone tell me what a 'RED HERRING' is exactly?Ã,  I see that often in the posts and in games.

Is it a puzzle in itself or just a trap

Sorry for my ignorance and please don't laugh at me

[shbaz]

It's a useless item you can get an infinite amount of in Monkey Island 1. It's been a while since I played it but I think you can go to catch it, then feed it to something, then catch it again and the cycle repeats indefinately. Used to refer to other useless/futile items, posts, etc.

[sunshinegold]

It's a useless item you can get an infinite amount of in Monkey Island 1. It's been a while since I played it but I think you can go to catch it, then feed it to something, then catch it again and the cycle repeats indefinately. Used to refer to other useless/futile items, posts, etc.

Thanks for answering my post.

So if I understand correctly, you get these items, perhaps by luck, and you don't really need them in the game but you don't really know that they are useless :o

[Fuzzpilz]

A "red herring" is something that looks like a clue, but leads nowhere. In an adventure game, that would be items or background objects that seem interesting but have no actual purpose - I think the fridge in Simon the Sorcerer 1 was one.

The red herring in Monkey Island was a joke about this - it actually was useful. You needed it to pass a troll blocking a bridge on Mêlée Island.

[sunshinegold]

A "red herring" is something that looks like a clue, but leads nowhere. In an adventure game, that would be items or background objects that seem interesting but have no actual purpose - I think the fridge in Simon the Sorcerer 1 was one.

The red herring in Monkey Island was a joke about this - it actually was useful. You needed it to pass a troll blocking a bridge on Mêlée Island.

Thanks.  Appreciate your answer

[BerserkerTails]

If I remember correctly, the troll was actually George Lucas in disguise, no?

[Snarky]

The red herring in Monkey Island was actually a meta-red herring. The fact that it was a red herring seemed like a clue that it had no purpose, when in fact it did, making the red herring-ness of the red herring a red herring. 

The troll's explanations of what he wants ("I want something that distracts attention from what's really important") are real clues, on the other hand.

[evenwolf]

A red herring is a legal term in (atleast) the united states

As for the origin, I asked jeeves:

A "red herring" is a diversionary tactic - something that draws attention away from the central issue. The term originated from the use of smoked herring (which is reddish brown and extremely strong-smelling) to distract hunting dogs from the trail. In the seventeenth century, smoked herring was actually used as a lure to train dogs to follow a scent. But it was ALSO used by criminals to divert bloodhounds from the trail.

[sunshinegold]

The red herring in Monkey Island was actually a meta-red herring. The fact that it was a red herring seemed like a clue that it had no purpose, when in fact it did, making the red herring-ness of the red herring a red herring.Ã, 

The troll's explanations of what he wants ("I want something that distracts attention from what's really important") are real clues, on the other hand.

WOW!  now you really confused me

By the way, I never played Monkey Island.  and I seem to be the only one that did not play it.  Where can I download it   Is it an AGS game

[Chicky]

 :o

monkey island's commercial mate, one of the best games LucasArts made. Back in the day when that atachually made good games. To get your hands on a copy your going to have to part money for it, try www.ebay.co.uk or www.ebay.com Failing that, your local game store.

[Privateer Puddin']

If you are from America, you can order all 4 from Lucasarts it self

[Mr Jake]

but why you would want all 4 god only knowsÃ, 

Nah, 4 is ok, but the control and gameplay is a bit poo.

[evenwolf]

I think the humor and artwork of all four games are worth their respective prices.

[Gregjazz]

For a more general meaning, a red herring is anything that is "off topic".

For example, if someone asks me "What's your favorite color?", and I attempt to distract them by shouting, "Oh no, look behind you!", that'd be a red herring.

[Privateer Puddin']

Ofcourse, you'd really say "Look behind you, a 3 headed monkey"

[Ciro Durán]

Sometimes pays not knowing a language entirely ... By the time I played the game I didn't knew the meaning behind 'red herring'. I just though it was another item to collect, and so I did .

[shbaz]

I remember the troll now.. It's been so long. I think I was 7 or 8 years old when I first played that game. The last time was when I first discovered Kazaa, years ago. Thanks for correcting me.

MI is definately a must-play. Great art, great music, great story.