OzzieMonkey

I can't believe it's already been a week since the trailer! Already I'm (not-so) patiently awaiting the next bit of news, but I guess that won't be until the next official posting with a release date now that Ron's been (rightfully) scared off posting about the game. Atm I suspect a date by the time Gamescom rolls around, but who knows? The whole marketing campaign had been all over the place 😜 Now if we can get away from the art style/mean comments discussion, let's talk about the characters. What do we think the Voodoo Lady will be doing? Normally she's Guybrush's quest-giver, but will the dynamic be different coming off the reveals in Tales? Will that aspect of her character even be acknowledged? I hope it does, it'd be a shame to see the character in a post-Tales world where she's regressed to being unambiguously on our side again, the twist shook things up and made her more interesting, I'd hate to lose that. Will Otis join our crew again? Or will he stay in jail? I wonder what flowers he picked to end up there. Carla is back, and perhaps the new Governor? Or taking up the Sheriff Shinetop role: will we see more of the mansion this time around? I kinda hope all the swordfighting isn't just insults, I trust that Ron and Dave have cooked up something more interesting that just another grind that fans of the old games already know how to solve: perhaps the "reactive dialog trees" whatever they are, have something to do with that? Or there's an action component? Don't know how I feel about that, the action sequences of the old SCUMM games always felt a little half-baked. Wally's back! I've wanted to see him again for so long, and he looks so happy! Even got a bit of stubble too, this is definitely dealing with older characters, I'm so excited to see how we get there from MI2's ending. It's been pointed out that after he spins the globe, the ground appears to shake in every scene shown afterwards. Clever trailer editing or a sign that he has some kind of magic control over the other islands? I'm very keen to see Murray again with Ron's writing (assuming Dave's not the one writing for him). Seeing him being used as a cannonball in the trailer was hilarious. Looks like he'll be part of our crew for a good portion of it too...on the Screaming Narwhal? I'm not convinced that ship is back yet as I'd have to have a better look at it, but that'd be great.

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So I talked to Stan on the website again, and his phrasing of the crimes is interesitng. He mentions "directing people with money towards items of apparent value". Now what did he do most recently in the games? He sold treasure maps to Porcelain Power Pirates. Is that business venture finally catching up with him? I know Ron said "porcelain isn't canon" but I think that just means Guybrush's fear of it won't come up, not that the material literally doesn't exist.

Yeah, I agree with that. If they have enough other stuff going on in the interface that perhaps facilitates what inventory combination does or at least makes you forget it's gone, then maybe it's not necessary. But if it has everything most adventures have but not that and nothing else added, you can feel the lack of it, especially if the puzzles become easier in its absence. I know that one of the first things I try when I have more than one item is use them together, even if it doesn't make sense to do it just to see if the game has that function.

Is there a release date yet? How about now? ...How about now? ...GIMME!

The only thing that made me worried so far was when Ron tweeted that one character from a cross-stitch shared with him wasn't going to be in the game, and there was a disturbing lack of mentioning the Voodoo Lady by anyone until the trailer came out. Ended up getting more than I bargained for with returning characters I'm so happy about Wally, I really wanted to see him return in Tales but sadly it didn't happen so I was really hanging out for it this time. There's other little things that I hope happen, like I want there to be an opening credits sequence, not just the theme on the Main Menu. Let the suspense for this new game build a little bit. Chapter Screens obviously, I'm super excited to find out what their titles are as I progress. Man, I haven't had those experiences feel fresh in years.

Of course, we're assuming that inventory combination is still present. I hope it is anyway, to me that's almost more important than verbs. I'm just curious to see what the UI even looks like, "context-sensitive interaction" and "reactive dialog trees" is an incredibly vauge description for those of us who are familiar with the interfaces of the old games.

If there's ever a point in the game where I have all three in my inventory, you can bet I'm going to try combining them ASAP.

This is a crazy thought, but that thing on fire looks very tent-like to me, albeit in miniature form. LeChuck enters what looks like a tent at the end of the trailer, so what if there's a pocket dimension inside this thing, maybe the carnival?

I've been thinking about this, and I came to the realisation that while I'm sure Ron wants the fans to enjoy his games, he also is clearly making the game for himself as much as anyone else. RMI is something he's wanted to do for decades. He's also talked a lot about how ultimately, he's ok with not everybody loving what he does and being proud of his own accomplishments independent of an audience. He talks a lot about this in his PAX Australia speech when he refers to a statement Spielberg said about being confident enough in what you create that you will "dance naked on top of it", using The Cave as an example of a game he made that had a mixed response but he is nevertheless extremely proud of. It might take time and serious consideration, but I can see Ron taking this experience and becoming tougher from it and maybe just engaging with fans in a different, more controlled way the next time he tackles one of his old IP. I wish that last part wasn't necessary but you've gotta protect your own mental health; the shit he recieved can do some serious damage to a person's confidence, hell it made ME depressed. Now on the idea itself: hell yeah! A fully voiced, prettier looking Maniac Mansion with tighter design and more puzzles? Hook it into my veins yesterday!

Upon once more staring lovingly at the cover art, I've noticed that the clouds just above Murray are darker and form a shape that looks like he's wearing a pirate hat 😂

I think a release date would've made it easier cause I could kinda remove myself from the hype a little bit and jump back in for a series playthrough right before it comes out. Now though I'm still obsessively checking all the usual spots every day for news on when it might arrive 😜

Us in 2009: Tales' setting in the chronology is confusing! Is it MI5 or MI6? Return to Monkey Island: Hold my Grog

Yeah I didn't mention this earlier but I'd also love to see the earlier stuff remastered. Talkie versions of Maniac Mansion, Zak and Last Crusade would rule. Also a full talkie of Loom without the dialog cuts of the CD version should happen if Brian Moriarty gets to complete his trilogy. And why not, do The Dig while you're at it.

Just to clarify, I wasn't intending to speculate on that, in fact my intention was to sqaush that for every reason you said. The last thing I would want to do is belittle Ron, he's a tough cookie I'm sure. For a brief moment I might've worried, but that was simply a projection of how cut up I've been feeling about the backlash and quickly realised there's no way he'd do it.

I really want it to do absolute gangbusters too, just be the absolute triumph for him and the series to finally see it become the financial hit it wasn't in the 90s.

Haha right there with you!

Pretty much agree with all that and I'd add in the option of mouse controls for Escape. I'd really like to see a nice remastered collection like was done with Crash Bandicoot and Spyro, and while they're doing that maybe go back to MI1 and 2 to give them a polish of some rougher spots in the backgrounds and animation, remaster the opening credits of 2, put the stump joke back in voiced by Dom, stuff like that. I really just want as much to be done with the series as possible while the iron is hot. On Fate of Atlantis, we do at least know that Noah Falstein wants nothing to do with a remaster because of the %#*^s bashing Ron. That's really unfortunate, but maybe someone else could still do a good job with it. I'd also love a remaster of Sam & Max Hit the Road, just to complete the set.

It's great to see fans come out in droves to express their love. That's the thing right? They were always there, but people who like stuff don't feel the need to shout it from the rooftops, and are offen scared off by all the fierce negativity. I've seen some concern from people that the game could be cancelled because of this; I don't think so. Even if Ron was remotely thinking about it (again I don't think so, it's clear he's immensely proud of the work he and his team have done), this isn't simply his decision to make, he has Disney and Lucasfilm to answer to, and there's no way they would can a near-complete game they've sunk money into.

I do have it but I couldn't figure out how to do anything and I feel like it'd be more fun if I knew anyone I could play it with.

I think it was Fangamer after it was an exclusive to the Kickstarter.

Took me a second, ngl. Very Monty Python of you 👍

The irony is that I've seen some of the most offensive posters claim that we're the ones in an echo-chamber. What a joke.

I'm so fucking angry about this. "The joy of sharing has been driven from me" that's absolutely heartbreaking. Internet discource is poison.

I don't think there's cause for concern yet about it appearing there, Steam tends to get wishlist stuff early no matter what other stores it's on. I image that as soon as we get a release date, potentially with pre-orders, it'll show up there. I think by then if there's no word about a GOG release at all, THEN we might have to assume there's an exclusivity window for Steam.