Secret of Monkey Island

veryweirdguy · Tue 08/04/2003 16:11:47

To be honest, I wasn't that keen on CMI OR EMI. I hope that they don't hire the same team to do the new Sam n' Max game that is being made.

Jimi · Tue 08/04/2003 18:15:34

I have to admit, I was kind of annoyed that they didn't use the SCUMM interface in CMI.

Gonzo · Tue 08/04/2003 22:08:45

Whilst I think CMI and EMI are pretty good games, and it was great to see LucasArts keeping their adventure game output going, I have to admit, after much denial, that they don't really live up to the originals.

For a start, the gags aren't as funny. If Ron Gilbert and co. had written a film together, it'd probably be hailed as the most hilarious film ever, by everyone. (Unfortunately the average person on the street has no idea what a point and click adventure is so their awesome comedy talent is appreciated by relatively few). A game without the same team doesn't stand a chance. I think Dominic Armato does a pretty good job delivering Guybrush's lines, but most of the lines aren't as laugh-out-loud funny (with some exceptions).

Then there's the graphics, the magic of the old 256-colour SCUMM games has been lost and somehow, even the most splendiferous 3D graphics can't better that for me. Call me an over-nostalgic pig-headed buffoon, but there's something in me that loves the way the first two games looked. I loved the background art in CMI but I felt Guybrush looked very little like I would imagine an updated Guybrush. He didn't seemed based on the early character at all, he had different hair colour for a start. I just find watching the pixelly Guybrush walking around MelÃ©e in SMI so much more enthralling than watching the 3D Guybrush walking around EMI's MelÃ©e. Not sure why.

Then there's the unoriginality. Look at SMI -> MI2, they were hugely different in story and structure. But the structure and puzzles within CMI and EMI seemed to 'borrow' from the first two games (mainly SMI) on occasion. Also, EMI has these ridiculous un-piratey things like the coffee bar - sure they were there early on with the Grog Machine, the (TM) etc, but never to such excess. It felt more like Sam 'N' Max or something at points, not the Carribean.

I still feel The Dig is a worse game than either of the two recent Monkey sequels though. I was really, really excited about it when it came out but I never enjoyed it a lot, it felt a bit bland. That was LEC's big adventure game mistake if they have one.

Trapezoid · Tue 08/04/2003 22:19:12

Ok. The original two games weren't THAT funny though. They were amusing, but most of the games' strength was in the atmosphere, characters, and puzzles.

Gonzo · Tue 08/04/2003 22:44:14

Well, I genuinely laughed out loud at a lot of the first two games, to me they were really funny. It's kind of crucial to the game working, so much of it is built on humour. Guybrush is fundamentally ridiculous, from the very start his name gets a little smile.

There was equal strength in those other things though you're right. I think that atmosphere was lacking a bit in the last two games as well though. I do feel that EMI had some really excellent puzzles though. I reckon that the diving competition is probably one of the best puzzles in the series.

Timosity · Wed 09/04/2003 04:57:50

This thread has made me wat to play all these games again,

I enjoyed them all for different reasons, CMI was similar to SMI in a few ways eg. same sword fighting, but obviously they were trying to bring in something that was already popular, this sort of stuff happens in many industries. Movie, Music, TV etc.

I wasn't dissappointed with the development in the graphics, well the backgrounds, the 3D character in EMI wasn't the best, but I still haven't seen a realistic looking 3D character on a computer game yet, I think it's the imperfections in real life people, that haven't been able to be perfected with computers yet. I think they still draw people too squarely and need much more diverse mathematical equations for it to seem more real.

Even in recent movies, when we get it right, we'll look back on movies like Jurassic park and Toy story and think they look too fake.

It's hard to get used to the interface in EMI, you don't have as much control but I figure it was designed with the Play Station in mind.

My favourite is SMI probably only for the fact that it started it all. I enjoyed them all, therefore I can enjoy 4 games rather than just 2.

The background art in EMI is amazing and that alone is a strong point for me, I love being motivated in a game to get further just to see some more stunning graphics.

I've just started playing EMI then I'll play through them all backwards so I finish with SMI.

I got inspired cause I just Bought and Finished Grim Fandango for the first time, And for me it was The Best Adventure game I have played, quite easily.

I'll have to play all the MI games just So it can confuse me so I can play Grim Fandango again.

Then the Indy games - LC & FOA

Then All the Sierra Games

It's just a vicious cycle, but all in amongst all the AGS games too, it will never end,

I hope

Jimi · Wed 09/04/2003 18:28:47

You will probably not agree, but I think Gonzo is right because the first three Star Wars movies they made, (ep 4, 5, + 6) are much better than 1+2, because even though 1+2 have more action, 4, 5+6 have a better storyline.

Ghostmaker · Thu 10/04/2003 09:48:53

Good point. the fact that ep 1+2 were just SHIT. now wats that i hear about a new Sam & Max?

Scummbuddy · Thu 10/04/2003 12:45:36

..... there is a new sam n max game being produced, as well as a new full throttle game.

Rhubarb · Thu 10/04/2003 12:55:59

1+2 were awesome movies. 1 was needed to just get used to new actors/characters. if they were movies on them selves without the previous 3, i would think lots of people would enjoy them, but because people don't like change, they are happy to put down the newer movies.

Gonzo · Thu 10/04/2003 12:56:43

Yep, it's an exciting time for LucasArts adventure fans...

Although it does worry me that they're talking about 'levels' in Full Throttle, like its being turned into an action game. I have an inkling it'll be like Streets Of Rage or something, with lots and lots of fighting and not much else. The original had bits of action that fit in fairly well, but it'd be a shame if they dropped the puzzley aspect. I suppose we just have to wait and see though.

E3 coming up, hopefully we'll get some screenshots of this new Sam 'N' Max, or at least some more FT 2 stuff.

Gonzo · Thu 10/04/2003 13:05:58

Quote from: Rhubarb on Thu 10/04/2003 12:55:59
1+2 were awesome movies. 1 was needed to just get used to new actors/characters. if they were movies on them selves without the previous 3, i would think lots of people would enjoy them, but because people don't like change, they are happy to put down the newer movies.

Well I don't hate 1 and 2 like a lot of SW fans do, but I think they aren't the standard of the original trilogy. They still have good acting and good direction (and some even better action scenes, the Ep1 finale duel is brilliant). But the story isn't as interesting...sure we want to know how Anakin became Vader, but it's not really fleshed out so well, it's like a framework with awesome action scenes thrown in.

I guess it must be realised that these films are a spin-off of the originals. If this trilogy had been the more interesting and captivating story, he'd had filmed this one first, instead of Eps 4, 5, and 6. He's just filling out the story for us all to see what went before, which is a great thing to do.

veryweirdguy · Thu 10/04/2003 16:50:48

The problem that George Lucas had with 1+2 is that everyone expected them to be immediate classics like the first two. They may not be brilliant, but as sci-fi movies in their own right they are pretty good. People compare them to the originals too much, but very few films can live up to their standard anyway.

Gone off topic a bit, haven't we? Oh well.

Timosity · Thu 10/04/2003 17:15:15

Ahhhh, I playing EMI and I'm up to the part with the bolders where you have to time it so 1 bolder goes down the middle shoot,

I know exactly what I have to do, but it's probably the hardest part of the game, I've tried it about 50 times and I must be out with the timing by a nano second or something.

I keep getting 2 bolders to go through, it's just pissing me off, the chances are I'll get it first time tomorrow.

bastard bullshit action parts of adventure games, they should have a skip button (well some do, even CMI{the canon battle part})

I just had to vent my frustration somewhere

Jimi · Thu 10/04/2003 17:25:27

I'm on CMI. I have reached the part when the monkeys are at the theatre, but don't have the faintest idea what to do!

Andail · Thu 10/04/2003 17:30:11

Rhubarb?
Would that be Rhubarb Celestial? Welcome back, in that case

Jimi · Thu 10/04/2003 17:39:55

How would people feel if LucasArts revealed they were making a MI film?

Gonzo · Thu 10/04/2003 17:40:39

Quote from: Jimi on Thu 10/04/2003 17:25:27
I'm on CMI. I have reached the part when the monkeys are at the theatre, but don't have the faintest idea what to do!

Do you have some kind of grease in your inventory? Look around in that back room.

Jimi · Thu 10/04/2003 17:43:19

Spoiler

YEAH. I have the chicken grease, but I can't find anything in the back room. I've already got the book out of the hat, and have used the lice.

[close]

Trapezoid · Thu 10/04/2003 18:01:09

Quote from: Jimi on Thu 10/04/2003 17:39:55
How would people feel if LucasArts revealed they were making a MI film?

That would rock. It probably won't happen though.
There is a very cool looking Pirates of the Caribbean movie coming out this summer though. Based on the Disney ride which inspired MI. http://us.imdb.com/Details?0325980