Putting the 'role' back in role-playing games since 2002.
Donate to Codex
Good Old Games
  • Welcome to rpgcodex.net, a site dedicated to discussing computer based role-playing games in a free and open fashion. We're less strict than other forums, but please refer to the rules.

    "This message is awaiting moderator approval": All new users must pass through our moderation queue before they will be able to post normally. Until your account has "passed" your posts will only be visible to yourself (and moderators) until they are approved. Give us a week to get around to approving / deleting / ignoring your mundane opinion on crap before hassling us about it. Once you have passed the moderation period (think of it as a test), you will be able to post normally, just like all the other retards.

The Random Adventure Game News Thread

LESS T_T

Arcane
Joined
Oct 5, 2012
Messages
13,582
Codex 2014
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articl...ream-dev-opens-new-narrative-studio-in-london

Ex-Quantic Dream dev opens new narrative studio in London
Caroline Marchal tells GamesIndustry.biz how Interior Night will bring the Breaking Bad audience into video games

Interior Night will specialise in "innovative and accessible narrative games" that Marchal believes will appeal to "people who love shows like Breaking Bad or Fargo but who do not necessarily game." We ask how she plans to accomplish this given that these consumers may not own games consoles.

"We think we can bring a TV audience to our games with streamlined mechanics - very accessible and simple interactions - and a very strong focus on story and character development, things TV shows are currently the best at.

its like hydra, cut off one head and another takes its place

And we should have known that Knuckles is Echidna, and thus he is its mom: https://gematsu.com/2018/01/sega-eu...mer-quantic-dream-leads-studio-interior-night

Sega Europe to publish narrative-driven IP from former Quantic Dream lead’s studio Interior Night

Sega Europe has signed an agreement with Interior Night, a studio founded by former Quantic Dream lead Caroline Marchal in October 2017, to publish the studio’s first game—a new narrative-driven IP, the company announced.

Interior Night, which was formed with the goal of developing narrative games aimed at a mature TV audience, has been recruiting and currently employs staff whose credits include Heavy Rain, Wonderbook: Book of Spells, and Beyond: Two Souls.

The company is not saying anything more about the project at this time, but noted that it is the third publishing partnership Sega Europe has signed in recent years alongside Playsport Games (Motorsport Manager) and Two Point Studios (Two Point Hospital). It also noted that it has not acquired Interior Night.

Find comments from both parties below.

John Clark, Executive Vice President of Publishing at Sega Europe

“Signing this deal with Interior Night is another great step for Sega in terms of working with talented studios whether they’re established or embarking on a new journey whilst exploring our desire to launch new franchises and experiences. We’re really looking forward to working with Interior Night as their combined talents and imaginations evolve into a really strong narrative driven gaming experience.”

Caroline Machal, CEO at Interior Night

“We are very excited to work with Sega on our first narrative game. Sega have demonstrated a strong desire to take risks, innovate and work collaboratively with studios. With their help and support, we’re confident Interior Night can deliver a great narrative experience to existing gamers and to a broader audience.”
 

LESS T_T

Arcane
Joined
Oct 5, 2012
Messages
13,582
Codex 2014
Narrative designer of Deus Ex: MD on Loom...: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2018-01-30-the-magic-of-loom

The magic of Loom
Why I Love: Eidos Montreal's Rayna Anderson explores how LucasFilm Games bucked convention for a project that "felt like a conversation with the game's creators"

Why I Love is a series of guest editorials on GamesIndustry.biz intended to showcase the ways in which game developers appreciate each other's work. This installment was contributed by Rayna Anderson, senior narrative designer at Deus Ex: Mankind Divided developer Eidos Montreal.

If you've ever asked me what my favourite game is, you've probably gotten many answers over the years. But lately, 1990's Loom has risen to the top and I have finally figured out why my appreciation of the design of this simple point-and-click adventure continues to grow.

The game opens by welcoming you into the world. The kind, grandmotherly narration is set over the soothing orchestration of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. This opening isn't foreboding or intended to set your nerves on edge like other games that came before it. Instead, it tells you to relax, settle in, that everything is ok. The mission you're given isn't to destroy something or kill someone, but to amass knowledge, help others, and rejoin your family.

While the mystery of what's happening in this world feels large, your motivation to move forward remains personal.

714x-1


And with that, you're released into this unique world where magic does ordinary things for ordinary people. I still appreciate the story's brand of magic, which doesn't involve fairies, or elves, or wizards. Magic is musical, woven into the very fabric of life. There aren't ancient, forbidden tomes to learn this magic from. You learn it by observing it in the natural world and the actions of its inhabitants. In Loom, rewards are received for passively watching life unfold.

The game also rewards you for being clever with how you use the magic you've learned. Each problem has several solutions and you're never punished for experimenting. Unlike many adventure games from this era, Loom has no dead ends, no unsolvable puzzles. What the game expects you to do is always clear and the puzzle solutions are always logical.

In fact, I was surprised when, just a few hours later, it was done. I didn't die or hit a dead end; I completed the game. No way had I ever gotten anywhere close to finishing Maniac Mansion! We're talking very early '90s here. There was no internet, no walkthroughs. If you got stuck on a game, the best you could hope for was another nerd friend with "lateral thinking" abilities. Reaching the end of Loom was an experience that brought with it a new feeling that I'd never felt playing a game before: resolution. This was not the satisfaction of having 'won', but the feeling that Bobbin's story was over and his inevitable ending earned. I walked away from it enriched by the experience.

Since then, other favourites have come and gone, those that are innovative, exciting, or compelling. But my love for Loom has continued to grow over the decades. As a player and designer I think about it often, and I finally understand why I enjoyed it.

The majority of games, especially back in the '80s, are confrontational. They tend to be a challenge between the designer and player to see who can be smarter. They got harder and harder until you ran out of quarters, died, or glitched out. Or, if you did get to the end before your mom unplugged your console, you got a single title card congratulating you for conquering the toughest challenge yet. Then, unceremoniously, your quest was over. Finished. Complete. And you, the developer assumed, should be pleased with that accomplishment alone.

714x-1


Loom was the first game that I experienced in its entirety. And it's stayed that way in my memory: a complete experience. In an age of confrontational games, Loom was the first to invite me to experience its entire vision, from start to finish. It felt like a conversation with the game's creators. I wasn't taunted to prove myself with memorization or motor-skills. Loom encouraged me to see their story, to participate in the transformation of Bobbin and his world. Their game presented nothing to block me from consuming it whole.

This is why I've been so enamoured with the recent boom of walking sims. I don't need endless hours of trying to outwit the devs to see what the meaning of the game is. Walking sims don't want you to experience the first hour, with some sections on repeat until you can master them. They want you to play through the whole game so you can understand the creator's intent. It's the journey that's the message, and without reaching the end, the message is incomplete.

Loom may be a short experience, but what I continue to learn from it will last me a lifetime.
 

Darth Roxor

Royal Dongsmith
Staff Member
Joined
May 29, 2008
Messages
1,878,404
Location
Djibouti
a complete experience that may be a short experience but one which i experienced in its entirety and i was enriched by this experience that invited me to experience it because it didn't want me to experience the first hour it wanted me to reach the end of the experience
 

LESS T_T

Arcane
Joined
Oct 5, 2012
Messages
13,582
Codex 2014
1998 horror text adventure Anchorhead is coming to Steam by the author himself:



It's out now.

edit: he's also selling "feelies", heh: http://www.anchorhead-game.com/props/

Along with the game itself, you can purchase a set of physical props (or "feelies", as we used to call them in the old days) designed and commissioned especially for the Illustrated Edition:

amulet.jpg
map.jpg

  • A genuine pewter replica of the amulet featured prominently in the game, on a leather cord. Suitable for formal and informal social engagements. Handy for warding off the evil eye and other pernicious ancestral influences.

  • An antique perspective map of the town of Anchorhead and environs, commissioned by the Miskahawnee Valley Surveying Authority. This is not a PDF; it is printed on a real, 8½ × 11-inch sheet of quality paper that you can frame and hang on your wall, or scribble crazed, conspiratorial rantings in the margins, as you like.
Both of these items can be yours for only $10 USD. Shipping is free within the U.S.!

These items are only available through this website, and supplies are limited. Click the PayPal button below and provide your shipping address.
 

LESS T_T

Arcane
Joined
Oct 5, 2012
Messages
13,582
Codex 2014
Didn't know text adventure on Facebook Messenger was a thing: https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news...th_Facebook_on_God_of_War_text_adventure_.php

Sony collaborates with Facebook on God of War text adventure

Sony has teamed up with Facebook to publish the text adventure God of War: A Call From The Wilds, which is available on Facebook's messenger app.

This isn't the first time publishers have utilized Facebook's messenger app to promote extra content for a game, as Blizzard has utilized the same tech in the past. This approach could be a way for devs to market their games as well.

A Call From The Wilds follows Kratos' son Atreus, and players progress through the text-based choose your own adventure game by typing out commands.

For example, players can see what they're carrying by typing out "inventory" or request to investigate certain items if they're emphasized in bold.
 

CryptRat

Arcane
Developer
Joined
Sep 10, 2014
Messages
3,548
FoxTail is coming to Steam in early access on March 1st :

The (old) trailer and some gameplay in russian :

 

Infinitron

I post news
Staff Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2011
Messages
97,232
Codex Year of the Donut Serpent in the Staglands Dead State Divinity: Original Sin Project: Eternity Torment: Tides of Numenera Wasteland 2 Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 A Beautifully Desolate Campaign Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Pathfinder: Kingmaker Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth
Digital Antiquarian article about Corey Cole's Dr. Brain educational games: https://www.filfre.net/2018/02/dr-brain/

Unlike many of the Sierra titles from their era, the Discovery Series has never been officially re-released as digital downloads — doubtless thanks once again to that dreaded “educational” tag. Yet they richly deserve to be remembered and, most of all, to be played. I’m therefore going to take the liberty of offering Castle of Dr. Brain and The Island of Dr. Brain for download here. As usual, I’ve included a configuration file that will make them as easy as possible to get running with the aid of DOSBox, whether you’re using a Windows, Macintosh, or Linux machine. Happy puzzling!

I really found it fascinating how these games were retrofitted into the Sierra adventure game interface.
 
Last edited:

LESS T_T

Arcane
Joined
Oct 5, 2012
Messages
13,582
Codex 2014
Daedalic opens a new studio in Munich, and it will work on a new game from Jan Müller-Michaelis (Poki), the creator of Deponia: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2018-02-14-daedalic-entertainment-opens-new-munich-office

Daedalic Entertainment opens new Munich office
Bavarian branch is publisher's third in Germany, former Klonk Games team hired to work on new title from Deponia creator


European publisher and developer Daedalic Entertainment has opened a brand new office in Germany, GamesIndustry.biz can reveal.

The studio is based in Munich, Bavaria and officially starts operating on March 1st. While it will contribute to the publisher's ongoing operations, the team's first project will be developing a new game.

There will be an eight-man team based in the Munich studio, all of whom previously worked at Shift Happens developer Klonk Games. However, GamesIndustry.biz has been told this is not an acquisition of Klonk; instead, Daedalic has hired the entire team and formed a new company - Daedalic Entertainment Bavaria. Klonk will continue to exist while it completes current contracts with its partners, after which it will be shut down.

The team will be developing a brand new property under the guidance of Daedalic co-founder Jan 'Poki' Müller-Michaelis, best known for the firm's popular Deponia series.

Daedalic has named Oliver Machek as studio head and creative director for the branch, while the publisher's COO Stephan Harms will become CEO of Daedalic Entertainment Bavaria.

While no figure is mentioned, the publisher claims it has made a "massive investment" in the new studio. This is Daedalic's third office within its home market of Germany, alongside studios in Hamburg and Dusseldorf.

"The main aspect for us was finding the right team for Poki to work on his new game," said Harms. "We haven't been able to allocate the resources needed in one of the existing offices, due to other projects in the making. We knew Klonk Games had a very talented team, we talked about it and found an agreement quickly."
 

Infinitron

I post news
Staff Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2011
Messages
97,232
Codex Year of the Donut Serpent in the Staglands Dead State Divinity: Original Sin Project: Eternity Torment: Tides of Numenera Wasteland 2 Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 A Beautifully Desolate Campaign Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Pathfinder: Kingmaker Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth
Adventure game developer roundtable discussion from 1990: https://www.filfre.net/2018/02/adventure-game-rock-stars-live-in-conference/

Adventure-Game Rock Stars Live in Conference

On August 24, 1990, CompuServe hosted an online discussion on adventure-game design which included Ron Gilbert, Noah Falstein, Bob Bates, Steve Meretzky, Mike Berlyn, Dave Lebling, Roberta Williams, Al Lowe, Corey and Lori Ann Cole, and Guruka Singh Khalsa. This is, needless to say, an incredible gathering of adventuring star power. In fact, I’m not sure that I’ve ever heard of its like in any other (virtual) place. Bob Bates, who has become a great friend of this blog in many ways, found the conference transcript buried away on some remote corner of his hard drive, and was kind enough to share it with me so that I could share it with you today.

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you probably recognize all of the names I’ve just listed, with the likely exception only of Khalsa. But, just to anchor this thing in time a bit better, let me take a moment to describe where each of them was and what he or she was working on that August.

Ron Gilbert and Noah Falstein were at Lucasfilm Games (which was soon to be renamed LucasArts). Gilbert had already created the classic Maniac Mansion a few years before, and was about to see published his most beloved creation of all, one that would have as great an impact among his fellow designers as it would among gamers in general: The Secret of Monkey Island. Falstein had created Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders for Lucasfilm in 1988 and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade in 1989. Their publisher had also recently released Brian Moriarty’s Loom, whose radically simplified interface, short length, and relatively easy puzzles were prompting much contemporaneous debate.

Bob Bates, Steve Meretzky, Mike Berlyn, and Dave Lebling had all written multiple games for the now-defunct Infocom during the previous decade. Bates had recently co-founded Legend Entertainment, where he was working on his own game Timequest and preparing to publish Spellcasting 101: Sorcerers Get All the Girls, Meretzky’s first post-Infocom game and Legend’s first game ever, in a matter of weeks. Berlyn had been kicking around the industry since leaving Infocom in 1985, creating perhaps most notably Tass Times in Tonetown for Interplay; he was just finishing up a science-fiction epic called Altered Destiny for Accolade, and would shortly thereafter embark on the Les Manley games, a pair of Leisure Suit Larry clones, for the same publisher. Lebling was at something of a loose end after the shuttering of Infocom the previous year, unsure whether he even wanted to remain in the games industry; he would eventually decide that the answer to that question was no, and would never design another game.

Roberta Williams, Al Lowe, Corey and Lori Ann Cole, and Guruka Singh Khlasa were all working at Sierra. Williams was in the latter stages of making her latest King’s Quest, the first to use 256-color VGA graphics and a point-and-click interface, and the first to be earmarked for CD-ROM as a “talkie.” Al Lowe was, as usual, hard at work on the latest Leisure Suit Larry game, which also utilized Sierra’s newer, prettier, parser-less engine. The Coles were just finishing up Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire, which would become the last Sierra game in 16-color EGA and the last with a parser.

Khalsa is the only non-designer here, and, as already noted, the only name here with which longtime readers are unlikely to be familiar. He was another of those unsung heroes to be found behind the scenes at so many developers. At Sierra, he played a role that can perhaps best be compared to that played by the similarly indispensable Jon Palace at Infocom. As the “producer” of Sierra’s adventure games, he made sure the designers had the support they needed, acted as a buffer between them and the more business-oriented people, and gently pushed his charges to make their games just a little bit better in various ways. In keeping with his unsung status, he answers only one question here.

We find all of our participants grappling with the many tensions that marked their field in 1990: the urgent need to attract new players in the face of escalating development budgets; the looming presence of CD-ROM and other disruptive new technologies just over the horizon; the fate of text in this emerging multimedia age; the frustration of not always being able to do truly innovative or meaningful work, thanks to a buying public that largely just seemed to want more of the same old fantasy and comedy. It’s intriguing to see how the individual designers respond to these issues here, just as it is to see how those responses took concrete form in the games themselves. By no means is the group of one mind; there’s a spirited back-and-forth on many questions.

I’ve cleaned up the transcript that follows for readability’s sake, editing out heaps of extraneous comments, correcting spelling and grammar, and rejiggering the flow a bit to make everything more coherent. I’ve also added a few footnotes to clarify things or to insert quick comments of my own. Mostly, though, I’ve managed resist the urge to pontificate on any of what’s said here. You all already know my opinions on many of the topics that are raised. Today, I’m going to let the designers speak for themselves. I hope you’ll find their discussion as interesting and enjoyable as I do.
 

LESS T_T

Arcane
Joined
Oct 5, 2012
Messages
13,582
Codex 2014
Random adventure games that listed on Steam today.

Trüberbrook – A Nerd Saves the World, a sci-fi adventure set in 1960s Germany:



ss_c4209d19adf412c700c6cae5a457ffbb2f6e8986.600x338.jpg


ss_e9673467d4a18531da28b66bafab91113ec81a12.600x338.jpg





The Adventures of Nick & Willikins, "a humorous look at the very British relationship of Master and Manservant as told through the lens of clueless non-British writers":

This is a free game and already available for download on their website: http://www.aalgar.com/nickandwillikins/index.html



ss_70537c5d21859546a2f21547d51b3dc534c13d7f.600x338.jpg


ss_430b72b1e9f69b54bb71bb09c44b4dcf37b2543f.600x338.jpg


 

Infinitron

I post news
Staff Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2011
Messages
97,232
Codex Year of the Donut Serpent in the Staglands Dead State Divinity: Original Sin Project: Eternity Torment: Tides of Numenera Wasteland 2 Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 A Beautifully Desolate Campaign Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Pathfinder: Kingmaker Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth




The Station is a first-person sci-fi mystery set on a space station sent to study a sentient alien civilization. Assuming the role of a recon specialist, players must unravel a mystery which will decide the fate of two civilizations.

How would you react if we discovered a sentient alien civilization, challenging everything we know about biology, chemistry, physics, religion and answering the questions man has asked throughout history? But what if this sentient alien civilization was discovered in a state of civil war? Determining that the rewards outweigh the risks, an undetectable space station with a small three-person crew deploys to research the alien culture in search of a means towards a peaceful relationship. Unable to contact the crew, a recon specialist is sent to uncover what happened. What players discover will challenge their view of surveillance, imperialism and moral law.

Welcome aboard The Station.

Gameplay
A World of Augmented Reality - The future holds a progressive attitude towards how information is stored and shared. Technology has gone through a digital revolution and conversations, notes and even computers are experienced in full Augmented Reality. Ranging from personal to professional, these AR logs will let players explore what was taking place on-board.

Intuitive Problem Solving - When a door won’t open, what will you stop at to discover what lies behind it? The secrets on-board the station will resist being uncovered and you must rely on your ability to identify and solve intuitive but subtle problems - The Station itself is a puzzle to be solved.

Piece Together a Living Story - We believe the best stories are shown not told. Each room and space will have a unique moment to share if you look close enough – as the story unravels each detail will begin to fall into place. For the keen eye, a rich story awaits.
 

LESS T_T

Arcane
Joined
Oct 5, 2012
Messages
13,582
Codex 2014
#WarGames, new FMV thing from the creator of Her Story:



ss_c7c604eedac933254065eca852a3d7cc1f2cbf2f.600x338.jpg


You shape the story as Kelly (aka L1ghtman) and her clan of misfit hackers transform from pranksters to international hacker celebrities, taking on the powers that be under the handle #WarGames.

#WarGames is a new interactive video experience from Sam Barlow, creator of Her Story.

How does it work?
In #WarGames, experience the story with Kelly and her hacktivist friends. The story plays out via the main characters’ webcams, smart phones and video feeds so you get an intimate look at the action. As you choose where to focus, the story adapts. Your experience of the show is unique to you.

Unlike anything you've watched before, #WarGames is the series that watches you.


Moon Castle, "new adventure game like Myst, Riven and Obduction":



ss_8e07a21fca3e32a6c3956051df359611090e090e.600x338.jpg


ss_ea652b2e968cd7945bc74a2d0fe100def36b0ffd.600x338.jpg


A new adventure game like Myst, Riven and Obduction. You will find yourself trapped in a mysterious old castle and its surroundings. Explore, discover and solve in order to escape.

After wandering around in nature you end up trapped in a circular room from which it seems impossible to escape. But when you do, you will find yourself in even deeper trouble.

Complete 3D virual world containing lots of puzzles and hidden secrets.
 
Joined
Mar 14, 2012
Messages
1,464
Divinity: Original Sin Torment: Tides of Numenera Pathfinder: Kingmaker Pathfinder: Wrath
Interview with Tim Krause-Murroni (Director Communications at Daedalic)

Klar, wenn man in Verbindung mit Daedalic an dieses Genre denkt, kommt einem sofort 2D Point & Click in den Sinn. Aber Adventures können auch andere Erscheinungsformen haben und/oder andere Spiele-Mechaniken nutzen. Adventures bleiben auch in Zukunft ein Teil von Daedalic – sie werden wahrscheinlich nur anders daherkommen.

Sure, when you think of this genre in connection with Daedalic, 2D point & click comes to mind immediately. But adventure games can also have other manifestations and/or use other game mechanics. Adventures will remain part of Daedalic in the future as well - but they probably will be different.

Was bedeutet das jetzt für einen Titel wie The Devil’s Men? Bevor die lange Erklärung kommt: An dem Titel wird aktuell nicht mehr gearbeitet

What does that mean for a title like The Devil's Men? To put it simple: the development of the title is ceased

Bei State of Mind ist die Situation anders. <.> State of Mind ist ein sehr gutes Beispiel für die Evolution, die wir für nötig halten.

The situation is different with regard to State of Mind. It is a very good example of the evolution that we consider necessary.
 

Infinitron

I post news
Staff Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2011
Messages
97,232
Codex Year of the Donut Serpent in the Staglands Dead State Divinity: Original Sin Project: Eternity Torment: Tides of Numenera Wasteland 2 Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 A Beautifully Desolate Campaign Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Pathfinder: Kingmaker Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth
yeah, you guys have fun, when your stupid "evolved" newshit games flop so hard lol

I think they already have flopped.

I'm not sure what it is they hope to achieve. They failed to carve out a niche for themselves with their adventure games, is that going to be any easier for what they're doing now?
 

Unkillable Cat

LEST WE FORGET
Patron
Joined
May 13, 2009
Messages
27,089
Codex 2014 Make the Codex Great Again! Grab the Codex by the pussy
#WarGames, new FMV thing from the creator of Her Story:



ss_c7c604eedac933254065eca852a3d7cc1f2cbf2f.600x338.jpg


You shape the story as Kelly (aka L1ghtman) and her clan of misfit hackers transform from pranksters to international hacker celebrities, taking on the powers that be under the handle #WarGames.

#WarGames is a new interactive video experience from Sam Barlow, creator of Her Story.

How does it work?
In #WarGames, experience the story with Kelly and her hacktivist friends. The story plays out via the main characters’ webcams, smart phones and video feeds so you get an intimate look at the action. As you choose where to focus, the story adapts. Your experience of the show is unique to you.

Unlike anything you've watched before, #WarGames is the series that watches you.


Am I being a dick for whising a C&D takedown of this from MGM?
 

Boleskine

Arcane
Joined
Sep 12, 2013
Messages
4,045
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-making-of-sam-max-hit-the-road/

The making of Sam & Max Hit The Road
By Ashley Day 12 hours ago

Creator Steve Purcell discusses the characters' origins and the classic adventure game in this archive interview.
PWMU8aWHbzeRdZLkHEgoqm-320-80.jpg



Welcome to the first Retro Gamer guest article on PC Gamer, where we feature PC-focused articles from across the magazine's long history. This making of Sam & Max Hit The Road was originally published in issue 22 of Retro Gamer all the way back in 2006, and here it's presented online in full for the very first time.

Great double acts are commonplace in the world of film, television and comedy, but games have very few duos that stick out. As far as we’re concerned, one such pairing stands out above all others—and we don’t mean Firo & Klawd. Whether they were gracing the pages of a comic book, the television screen or a PC monitor, Sam & Max is the strangest of teams.

With his trademark suit and dry wit Sam is a typical gumshoe, except, of course, he's a floppy eared dog. His sidekick Max, meanwhile, is a completely naked bunny rabbit with a set of teeth that would put Jaws to shame. The pair starred in LucasArts’ Sam & Max Hit the Road, a hilarious adventure game in which the two ‘hit the road’ in search of a missing Yeti. Along the way they found themselves visiting some bizarre tourist hotspots like the world’s biggest ball of twine and an alligator-infested crazy golf course. The game was both a showcase for the madcap title characters as well as a parody of America’s weird and wonderful tourist sights.

The 1987 comic “Monkeys Violating the Heavenly Temple” was the first appearance of Sam & Max, courtesy of creator Steve Purcell. “My brother made up a pair of characters called Sam & Max when he was a kid,” recalls Steve. “My version grew out of my own cruel parodies of his comic books. At some point he lost interest and I continued drawing them. Over the years, The Blues Brothers and Penn and Teller have also had an influence on Sam & Max and one of our family cars was a dead ringer for Sam & Max’s 60’s patrol car.”

NFyn6ZrS8DdZ2bwyf7q8Zf-650-80.jpg


The comic soon gained a strong cult following and eventually grabbed the attention of a few employees at LucasArts. “Ken Macklin, an artist at what was then called LucasFilm Games recommended me (based on my first Sam & Max comic) to the Art Director Gary Winnick.” I started on a role-playing game that was cancelled shortly after I was hired and found myself without a job. Fortunately, they hired me back to paint the Zak McKraken box cover. After that I animated on Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Working at a game company on Skywalker Ranch was like going away to Geek Summer Camp. It was great.”

It was only a matter of time until Sam & Max were transported from the comic page to the computer screen. LucasArts had been turning around more and more funny adventure games (most notably The Secret of Monkey Island) and Purcell’s wisecracking duo were perfect for the relaxed pace of the genre. “The way Sam & Max work best is that you need to spend time with them as characters. You get used to the way they interact with each other the way you do with a friend when you come to speaking a common language of references and shorthand.”

In 1992, then, LucasArts set about creating a Sam & Max adventure. With only seven-and-a-half months until release, Purcell and the team needed to get a story in place quickly. “We employed storyboarding for the first time at LucasArts, mostly because we needed to plan ahead to keep everyone busy.” says Purcell, who came up with the story by adapting the comics and incorporating events from his own life. “I love the book Roadside America, which is a hilarious travelogue of America’s goofiest tourist stops. My childhood road trips across the US with my family also helped inspire my second comic as well as Hit the Road.”

zDukbGjA2NemcaPqZLwnbf-650-80.jpg

The Sam & Max comics were pretty adult in tone and there was always the possibility that LucasArts would want to cut back some of the edgier material for the game, but Purcell was very pleased with how much they allowed him to stick to his original vision. “I think the game is really close to the spirit of the comics. There’s violence, mild cursing and a commendable lack of respect for authority, not to mention circus freaks and yetis. There’s less gunplay in the game simply because a gun is a terrible object to give someone to use in an adventure game unless you carefully guide the player to use it in a more interesting way. I don’t remember anything getting cut by management. Much to their credit, I think they trusted our judgement.”

With the story in place, and relatively un-meddled with, the team carved the narrative into an enjoyable adventure. With the aid of fellow game designers Sean Clark, Michael Stemmle and Collette Michaud, who had all previously worked on Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, Purcell was charged with the difficult task of creating a game that got the balance between story and puzzling just right. “You try to be aware of the amount of time you have players sitting and watching as opposed to interacting. Fortunately a lot of the humour came out of the way that the characters would respond to the player’s actions. Even observing something in the room could produce a funny response, in which case the interactivity is doing the work of the story.”

The Sam & Max team also decided that the SCUMM engine, which had powered all of Lucasarts’ adventure games since Maniac Mansion in 1987, was due for a spring clean. A single mouse pointer, the function of which could be cycled through by clicking the right mouse button, replaced the traditional method of selecting a verb from the bottom of the screen then clicking on an item and/or location. This freed up screen space for more expansive backgrounds, and also made interaction quicker and less laborious than in previous games. In Purcell’s opinion as a writer there were other advantages to the loss of verb lists and dialogue trees. “It may have been Mike Stemmle who first proposed the icon-based interface. I think it’s great for a game that’s driven by a lot of verbal gags. Nothing would kill a joke worse than reading it before you hear it.”

Purcell had another twist he wanted to bring to Hit the Road. LucasArts was aware that difficulty peaks in puzzles meant that adventure games could often “bottleneck”, leaving players with nothing to do if they were stuck. To alleviate the traditionally slow pace of the genre, Purcell added several minigames to Hit the Road, such as Car Bomb, a suitably dark version of battleships. “They were meant so that when you were tired of trying to solve obscure puzzles you could take a break and play something short and silly,” explains Purcell. “I liked having a grab bag of content so you could jump from thing one to another and try something different.”

o95zZF4GYTu8AxvAHyzqVf-650-80.jpg

As well as the floppy disk version, Sam & Max Hit the Road was due to be released on CD-ROM and, as such, was to be one of the first adventures to feature voice acting. For Purcell, this was a dream opportunity to hear his creations talk for the first time. “I always thought of Donald Sutherland as Sam. He sounds big and intelligent but with a bit of a lisp that gives him sincerity. Although Bill Farmer sounds nothing like Donald Sutherland, I liked his demo tape because it was very dry. He wasn’t trying too hard to sell the lines and he made me laugh. I call his Sam Johnny Carson crossed with Jack Webb, two people that a lot of your audience have probably never heard of.”

At its release in early 1993, Sam & Max was particularly praised for its starring duo, interface, tone and dialogue. LucasArts’ latest classic was incredibly popular with adventure fans and, perhaps partly due to Purcell’s characters, had some crossover success with those who wouldn’t normally buy a point ‘n’ click game. “I’m probably still not allowed to reveal sales figures but over the years it’s sold much better than any of the marketing projections. I remember a lot of people seemed to appreciate the weirdness of it when it came out but others were confused, thinking it was meant to be a cutesy kid’s game. Hit the Road won some awards that year and was on Entertainment Weekly’s Top Ten list for best software.”

Purcell has his own thoughts on why Hit the Road stood out from its LucasArts stablemates: “I think it has the impression of being edgier and meaner, because of the language and aggressiveness of the characters, but as with the characters themselves it’s mostly bluster. Most of the violence and aggression is hearsay, not really played out.”

The game’s popularity has remained strong for the last thirteen years. Re-releases have kept Hit the Road on the shelves and ScummVM (the best emulator ever made?) has opened up virtually every platform to the charms of Sam & Max. Purcell couldn’t be happier that his game is still being enjoyed, despite advancements in technology. “I’m always amazed that people are still playing Sam & Max after all these years. I know that it’s been fan-ported to PSP as well and I’m told the old graphics look great on that little screen. I meet grown people who first played Sam & Max when they were little kids and still take time to revisit it or share it with their friends. Sort of makes it all worthwhile.”
 

LESS T_T

Arcane
Joined
Oct 5, 2012
Messages
13,582
Codex 2014
Massive Galaxy, a sci-fi point and click adventure with space trading and turn-based combat:



ss_663aefd350b699958956d9cbbe22d82941d7d2c2.600x338.jpg


ss_09a035956d30c73dfd8091b82396a60862243848.600x338.jpg




Massive Galaxy combines classic point and click gameplay with space trading, turn-based combat and galactic exploration in an immersive pixel-art world

Travel to distant planets full of rich and diverse cultures, investigate technologically advanced space habitats and uncover the history and lore of ancient civilizations.

Become a space-trader seeking to turn a profit by buying and selling goods throughout the galaxy.
Undertake routine missions or embark on ethically questionable jobs for a quick-buck.

Trade in densely populated cities, harsh wastelands and discover rare alient artifacts and ships.

Features
  • Point and click narrative adventure with a highly stylised retro-vibe
  • Dozens of planets, space stations and habitats to explore
  • Trade and work as a smuggler, courier, spy or just be a space-pirate!
  • Meet several space faring alien civilizations, explore the fauna and flora of uncharted planets
  • Synth-laden soundtrack
 

LESS T_T

Arcane
Joined
Oct 5, 2012
Messages
13,582
Codex 2014
And now, the conclusion:



ss_87838d9981ae96c8337010051ad797434996cae7.600x338.jpg


Snail Trek - Chapter 4: The Final Fondue is the final in a series of four "20 minute adventures" where you take on the role of a crew of snails on a journey to a new home world.

In the style of the early Sierra Online adventure games, Snail Trek has colorful EGA-ish graphics and a text parser interface. Relive the nostalgia in these bite-sized adventures - but without all the pain. Autosaves, a text parser with auto-suggest, and puzzles with no dead ends, all combine to bring this old genre into the modern era.

In Chapter 4, it seems like the end is near. You've fallen into a trap and your entire civilization may be doomed. Can you muster your courage and cleverness one last time to save the day?

Key Features
  • Switchable characters - solve puzzles by having the snails work together.
  • Autosaves - no need to save every few minutes (though you still can if you want).
  • A text parser with both auto-suggest and auto-correct - fat finger your way to puzzle glory (but you can turn them off if you want to suffer more greatly).
  • A text parser that understands what objects are in front of you, so you can be lazy and just type things like 'get' or 'look'.
  • CRT emulation mode that gives those pixels an ever-so-slightly fuzzy look.
  • A stereophonic score.
  • Cute snails.
  • Deaths (but hey, autosaves).
  • No dead ends! Puzzle your way around with impunity!
  • Widescreen aspect ratio, since monitors are more rectangular now.
 

As an Amazon Associate, rpgcodex.net earns from qualifying purchases.
Back
Top Bottom