StarDestroyer.Net BBS

I like the old Monkey Island games yet sometimes I wonder how they would look in a modern, well done 3d engine.

Then I found this:


Here's a bit more about the whole thing: http://www.loneclone.de/projects/monkey.htm
It's only a bunch of Concept Videos but so far it really looks great (though the frog might disagree and sue).

Yeah, looks pretty good. I love the underwater Guybrush sprite. Access to your link is denied.

I admit that the graphics are impressive, especially considering that they were converted from a 2D background into a 3D one.

However, I'm pretty sure that the author will get a cease and desist order from the current IP owner.

Zixinus wrote:I admit that the graphics are impressive, especially considering that they were converted from a 2D background into a 3D one.

However, I'm pretty sure that the author will get a cease and desist order from the current IP owner.

Does Lucasarts have a history of slapping down derivative fan-works? This isn't Squenix we're talking about or anything.

Does Lucasarts have a history of slapping down derivative fan-works?

Can't say anything specific, but I don't see why they wouldn't fall down on mod projects like a ton of bricks just like any other publisher. This is legal and has to do with the IP.

Although, as long as this was only used as a demonstration of a technology, I doubt that there will be much fuss.

Zixinus wrote:

Does Lucasarts have a history of slapping down derivative fan-works?

Can't say anything specific, but I don't see why they wouldn't fall down on mod projects like a ton of bricks just like any other publisher. This is legal and has to do with the IP.

Although, as long as this was only used as a demonstration of a technology, I doubt that there will be much fuss.

It depends on how far they plan on taking the mod project, likely. If it's just some sort of demo I doubt they'll do anything since it will most likely fall under Fair Use.

Pretty nice for a fan work, although i was left wondering as why that crab did not make a splash.

Zor

General Zod wrote:Does Lucasarts have a history of slapping down derivative fan-works? This isn't Squenix we're talking about or anything.

I've seen the lengths that some mod projects have done to keep themselves on Lucas Arts good side. One group ported X-Wing and Tie-Fighter into the X-Wing Alliance engine. But to get the mod to install and work, you had to prove ownership of both X-Wing and Tie-Fighter. It would demand the original game disks, CD or Floppy. And of course you had to have X-Wing Alliance. So the mod would only work if you proved ownership of all the games the mod covers.

Poor old Crysis engine. Crysis sucked, mods are better, zero-pay guys can make better-looking games using it, making the game less huge made it better in Warhead, etc.

What attributes of the engine make it appropriate for somethign like this?

I'd like to say that I hate 3D adventure games.

I agree it looks good but, is it really necessary?

LordOskuro wrote:I agree it looks good but, is it really necessary?

graphic updates are never necessary

General Zod wrote:

Zixinus wrote:I admit that the graphics are impressive, especially considering that they were converted from a 2D background into a 3D one.

However, I'm pretty sure that the author will get a cease and desist order from the current IP owner.

Does Lucasarts have a history of slapping down derivative fan-works? This isn't Squenix we're talking about or anything.

From what I've heard, LucasArts has generally encouraged modding, or at least is ambivalent as long as the modders don't cross certain lines (like making a port of KOTOR1 into the KOTOR2 engine).

Civil War Man wrote:From what I've heard, LucasArts has generally encouraged modding, or at least is ambivalent as long as the modders don't cross certain lines (like making a port of KOTOR1 into the KOTOR2 engine).

So long as the people own both titles to begin with, I should think it wouldn't be a serious problem. That was the same issue the X-Wing moders encountered. But they required ownership of all titles involved to make the mod work.

Stark wrote:I'd like to say that I hate 3D adventure games.

It could be done interestingly, but it would require someone grow a brain and stop making them be "Collect all the items, rub them on each other until they do something, then use that to open the door." That ship has sailed long ago, and it wasn't even fun back then, we just puttered along because the jokes were good.

The essential core of an adventure game could be done, easily, in a classic detective story atmosphere--with a hard-boiled detective, his revolver, and a camera for taking pictures of clues, scenes, and a notepad for writing down interesting things suspects say. People have done this lots, but it would be a very simple thing to take modern RPGs--in which all that dialogue and the massive, over-wrought environments are really just an impediment to the average "let me go onwards with my quest for fuck's sake" gamer--and apply the adventure game idea to it. This seems pretty obvious to me. People like to collect things, do puzzles, enjoy interesting environments, and have snappy dialogue... in an adventure game. In an RPG they like dragons, swords, and an opportunity to be a badass. Why is it that they continue to pollute RPGs with the gameplay equivalent of white noise? I think they think it makes an environment more alive, but nobody gives a shit. Nobody I've ever talked to has ever felt these living environments are notable except in their hilarious failures. IE, Oblivion's Radiant AI malfunctions. They'd be quite happy with more attention paid to the parts where they use all those skills and guns and such, and less to making the town a living environment. Fuck knows I'm just going to loot it anyway.

Unfortunately I think all of the good adventure games were done on the NES, and I don't expect anyone to bring them back simply because there's not that many ways you can vary the formula. Shadowgate, Deja Vu and Maniac Mansion all had puzzles that weren't completely nonsensical and even made sense, for the most part.

Maniac Mansion was a NES game? *blink*

Personally l'd buy a fully 3D Monkey lsland 1&2 just for the awesome nostalgia value.

Lord Woodlouse wrote:Maniac Mansion was a NES game? *blink*

It was on the NES, at any rate.

Alyeska wrote:

Civil War Man wrote:From what I've heard, LucasArts has generally encouraged modding, or at least is ambivalent as long as the modders don't cross certain lines (like making a port of KOTOR1 into the KOTOR2 engine).

So long as the people own both titles to begin with, I should think it wouldn't be a serious problem. That was the same issue the X-Wing moders encountered. But they required ownership of all titles involved to make the mod work.

Has Lucasarts ever tried to come down on the Fate of the Galaxy people over at HLP? IIRC they're doing a conversion of the Alliance campaign once they get their mod off the ground.

From what I've gathered LucasArts and LucasFilm are unusually supportive of fan works. So long as you're not actively making money from your use of their material, they're mostly ok with it. Even advertising it, on occasion.