ridiculously large cover scans etc

[plamdi]

Misusing commercial fonts would be piracy, as would distributing full versions of games which the copyright holders do not want distributed. Another difference is that fonts are still sold (not to mention they're worth much more then PG games):

 

http://www.fonts.com/findfonts/detail.htm?pid=427630&grab_id=0&page_id=30047&query=news%20gothic&SCOPE=Fonts

 

Anyway, I believe there's a way to embed text in PDF as vector graphics, I'll be looking into that option further.

 

On another note, I've recreated the two MI1 screenshots (from the manual):

 

 

I already made the first two MI2 ones (I think the thir one - ie the one where he's waling in the woods will just be a simple cap - but who knows it could well be from a pre-beta!).

 

Here are the MI2 ones:

 

 

The second one isn't perfect, but I think it'll do. The first one is pixel-for-pixel perfect.

[plamdi]

Transcript of MI1 manual complete. I'll be converting it to a format more like the CD-ROM book, and there are some modifications I need to do to it (ie removing all references of a "reference card" in the way that is consistent with the CD-ROM manual), however I would appreciate it if some of you could proof-read the txt file:

 

http://plamdi.com/transcript_mi1.txt

 

Also, I concluded the sentance line in the first MI1 screenshot must be highlighted, as the screen is moving, but if you see any other errors in the MI1 screengrabs, LMK. I'll be adding the numbers to the manual itself.

 

Here are scans, if you need them (you can right click save-as):

 

http://www.imagebanana.com/img/o4njh9ow/2.jpg

http://www.imagebanana.com/img/23z734c5/3.jpg

http://www.imagebanana.com/img/hzh1zx9y/4.jpg

http://www.imagebanana.com/img/md7rwrbk/5.jpg

http://www.imagebanana.com/img/yrb64s4f/6.jpg

http://www.imagebanana.com/img/xdobhugt/7.jpg

http://www.imagebanana.com/img/ssvrn6o5/8.jpg

http://www.imagebanana.com/img/j1a7tbyr/eula.jpg

http://www.imagebanana.com/img/tabasf6n/ref_front.jpg

http://www.imagebanana.com/img/irvu2mk/ref_reverse.jpg

 

I'm not planning on doing the back cover or CD-ROM EULA.

[plamdi]

I noticed some errors while editing it to be universal (while using the CD-ROM manual)... I'd really appreciate it if anyone can proof-read it. I've added a couple of things here and there, but there may still be more typos - spelling/punctuation errors (including misspelled names, incorrect capitalization, etc). The paragraphs are not

going to be formatted like this in the final version, I've just done it that way because

it's easy to compare to the CD-ROM manual (which I've not scanned) - and the first

one is easy to compare to the floppy disk manual.

 

I haven't made any mention of F1 for the CD-ROM mode, I don't think it needs to be mentioned as F5 also works. I'm going to keep some of the manual's inconsistencies - like S:/D: and ENTER/RETURN. I've made a replica image for the keys diagram:

 

 

Although, all the text (and numbers) will be removed and replaced with whatever fon't I'm using in the manual (or possibly a font more suitable for a real keyboard). And yes I do know that the arrows look pixilated in all versions of this diagram... I'm not replicating that.

 

Here's the updated text:

 

http://plamdi.com/transcript_mi1.txt

 

Oh by the way, don't read into the seemingly-sporadic use of "big" letters; in the CD-ROM manual they're used only if they're a new section that appears at the top of the page - this is how I plan to do it in the final manual. I also mentioned the previously-undocumented feature of selecting a different HDD to save on for CD-ROM customers (using language consistent with the manual - I wouldn't really put "hard disk volume" if I was writing the whole thing).

 

I didn't want to do two-lots of command keys, and the inconsistent use of colons is preserved.

 

The other thing worth noting is that the floppy-only commands:

 

Q - scrolls the inventory up

A - scrolls the inventory down

 

do work in the CD-ROM version, but only for speech and not inventory (for instance, when sword fighting there are scrollable responses). That will continue to remain an "undocumented feature".

 

And finally, the debug-modes will be given their rightful place in the manual.

 

I also tested an interesting feature of the debug modes (and yes, I did complete Monkey Island 1 today in about an hour), which allows the circumvention of copy-protection. For instance, the CD-ROM version of MI1 checks if the CD-ROM is in the drive (the Madness .exe launcher is cracked to ignore this command), but using a simple boot parameter will skip this check, for instance: Monkey 1. The only downfall to this is that you won't be able to see the title sequence, and you'll have to load a game if you want to play normally. MI2 also allows its debug mode to be entered into before copy-protection is completed, and so again using a boot-param you could skip it (this of course, is entirely trivial for people who use SCUMMVM). Another interesting this is that SCUMMVM does not emulate the "Reposition Instantly" command at all!

 

Finally, and most bizarre of all is the inconsistencies in the Monkey Island Madness Manual:

 

F5 - Save or Load a Game (this is valid, but the official command key for this version is F1!)

CTRL-S - Sound Control - this is not a valid command in this version of the game, or in Monkey2 for that matter! It's only valid in the floppy versions of Monkey1! Even more troubling is that the real commands that are valid; [ and ] for louder/softer aren't even mentioned!

CTRL-R - Reposition Instantly - this is not a valid command in either game, it's only valid in the floppy versions of Monkey1!

 

The quick-start guide also incorrectly tells of how to start Monkey1, it says to type: CD \MONKEY and then MONKEY1... the text file on the disc itself has it the right way around (ie CD \MONKEY1 and then MONKEY). Pressing full-stop "." to clear dialogue is valid in Monkey1 CD-ROM, although it's undocumented. I'm still deciding whether to put it into the function keys list (and I probably will actually).

 

--edit--

 

It seems that (as I've never actually noticed before) the README.EXE digital manuals for MI1 and 2 also contain these inconsistencies and more! It appears to be scanned from the LucasArts Classic Adventures manual - I actually have the installation files for this version, which confirm that it is the VGA 4-disk version without the copy protection, thus it's completely inaccurate for the CD-ROM version! The saddest thing about it, is that most copies of the Madness CD appear to have been distributed without any printed instructions!

 

Furthermore the MI2 manual contained within README.EXE is a scan off the standard MI2 instructional book, and does not even include any part of its the quick start card! To put this in perspective, we know from the scans of the classic adventures manual that everything relevant from the quick-start card was edited-into the manual. This is also how the CD-ROM manual was done (why not just scan that?) The compilation manual I have for the Classic Tales - which includes 3 game manuals printed into one manual - includes an exact copy of the reference card (with it's missing section missing) and an exact copy of the manual (except that it doesn't include the credits page or the legal mumbo-jumbo on the back). There's no reason why the MI2 instructions had to be so poorly presented on the Madness disc.

[Alien426]

Not graphical in any way, but I made Monkey Island 2's wheel into a little HTML page which uses JavaScript to calculate the recipes. The names of the ingredients are in German since I keep forgeting to get the English names...

[plamdi]

I like it! You even used the red boxes which was how the German codewheel was!

 

I've noticed still more errors in my transcript! Please if anyone has the time, proof read one of the uploaded drafts!

 

I'm currently preparing everything; the pages are looking good (you can see some "spelling errors" underlined, heh):

 

 

the cover looks good (but then again, it's made up entirely of images):

 

[plamdi]

Okay, I've given up on trying to convert the text... embedding fonts is still a grey-area, but there's nothing I can do about it so I give you my completed Monkey Island 1 manual (the page dimensions are formatted to fit in a DVD case if it were to actually be printed)...

 

UPDATE!

 

I've now made the Monkey Island 2 manual as well. I've completed both manuals - for Monkey1 and for Monkey2...

 

 

Enjoy:

 

http://plamdi.com/wotc/tales.htm

 

The page size is 12 x 18cm - the correct size for a DVD booklet. You can't tell me they don't crap all over LEC's official "M1M2DOCS.EXE" 3.83MB Monstrosity! My M1 and M2 PDF’s together are less then half the size of LEC’s .EXE – and are full colour, and full print-quality!

 

I found a good PDF of the CMI manual too: http://www.replacementdocs.com/download.php?view.2203 much better then "official" PDF version (which is 15.6MB, and not printable quality!) That one is just 6MB and is printable quality (not the greatest quality, mind you - but printable nonetheless).

 

I guess I'll take this opportunity to note that all images used in my two recreated PDF are full print quality, and both my manuals are less then 1MB in size - and aside from the logos (and screenshots), none of the text in my manuals are pictures!

[Laserschwert]

Two more (again at 60 x 80 cm, 200dpi):

 

 

Downloads:

Sam & Max Hit the Road

The Dig

 

Enjoy!

[elTee]

Those are really great Laser, good work! We're working on LucasCovers behind the scenes as we speak, so the more clean covers we have the better.

[Laserschwert]

Two more:

 

 

Downloads:

 

Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb (60 x 80 cm, 200dpi)

Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine (60 x 80 cm, 200dpi)

[japigia]

Two more:

 

 

Downloads:

 

Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb (60 x 80 cm, 200dpi)

Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine (60 x 80 cm, 200dpi)

 

I've joined finally this forum just in order to thank you for your great works. The Infernal Machine Artwork has always been one of my favorites! Keep going on!

[Guitarbrush]

Hello, everyone!

 

It's been only recently that I found this forum and it's really fun to read and view all that stuff concerning MI and other Lucas Adventures.

 

It was about 3 years ago when my old passion for those adventures rewoke again and i began to buy original (I only had German) versions of the Lucas Games beginning with Maniac Mansion up to Monkey 4. I worked on those Cover Scans to make myself DVD-Covers for all the games, but I never thought that some guys from around the world would do the same.

 

In the future, whenever I make something monkeyislandish, that I think you guys might be interested in, I will post it here.

 

 

@Laserschwert: Great work, you did on the Covers. For my 'wall of fame', I only covered the 'system requirements' on the covers with stickers reading the year the game was released in. Und schöne Grüße aus dem hohen Norden...

[Guitarbrush]

I just discovered that I once made a vector graphic out of the MI Title for T-Shirt-making purposes. Anyone interested? I have an Illustrator or PDF file.

[plamdi]

Yes please.

[Guitarbrush]

Here you are:

 

http://rapidshare.com/files/45185939/MI_title.pdf.html

 

http://rapidshare.com/files/45186192/MI_title.ai.html

[xChri5x]

That Sam & Max poster seems a bit faded in it's colour.

The image on the right has just a little too much colour but I think maybe something in the middle would be perfect.

[gulfcoastfella]

Quick test:

 

 

 

 

 

So have the leather/textured dvd covers for Loom, The Dig, etc been dropped? I would totally pay for a complete, color-coded collection of dvd covers as was shown quite some time ago!

 

Oh, i remember the poster idea, sorry... just ignore me being a wise-ass.

 

Now, my color ideas:

 

 

(I avoided reading your list first, Spiffy... but most of them are the same as yours... interesting... and a little scary... )

 

I'm pretty talented with PaintShopPro; if Laserschwert or someone wanted to pass me the original layered covers for one of the MI or IJ games, I could run with the format and complete the collection. I know Laserschwert has other things going on in his life. Seriously, let me know!

[gulfcoastfella]

So not knowing if the previous dvd covers collection have been abandoned or not, I'm trying to figure out what I can come up with (as much like Laserschwert's designs as possible). I threw this together just to see what it would look like (this is all I've done so far):

 

 

Any opinions or advice would be great.

 

 

Laters...

[Rapp Scallion]

Laserschwert: Is the MI2-covers to download colour fixed now, or do I have to fix that myself? And is there any possibilities for different versions? I like the long curls in the "LeChuck's Revenge"-paper myself. I kinda miss the stupid monkey too Thanks for your work! I will try to get a poster print soon

 

Edit: Wow, only €9.99 on posterxxl.de for 80x60. I have to use that one somehow.

[ThunderPeel2001]

Why did you make this again?

[Rapp Scallion]

I just noticed when you have uploaded the picture to posterxxl that you have the option to adjust the image to fit, or just let it be. I thought the picture already was adjusted to 80x60, but it doesn't look like that when I change between the options. I should just leave it unadjusted to get the best results?

[Sp0tted]

I just noticed when you have uploaded the picture to posterxxl that you have the option to adjust the image to fit, or just let it be. I thought the picture already was adjusted to 80x60, but it doesn't look like that when I change between the options. I should just leave it unadjusted to get the best results?

 

I know they look great @ 24x36 (inches).

 

I printed the Sam and Max one, and it looks great! No pixelation at all.

[Laserschwert]

I just noticed when you have uploaded the picture to posterxxl that you have the option to adjust the image to fit, or just let it be. I thought the picture already was adjusted to 80x60, but it doesn't look like that when I change between the options. I should just leave it unadjusted to get the best results?

 

You can get the color-corrected ones in THIS thread.

[Rapp Scallion]

I wondered about the zuschnitt-option. I notice a difference in the preview picture between zuschneiden and einpassen. I thought the picture already was 80x60, and there wouldn't be any difference between the options. What can be the reason of the difference then? Thanks for the link. And which option should I go with?

[Laserschwert]

Yeah, it already is at 60x80, so I guess it's only a difference in how the site displays it (it's only one pixel after all). I chose "einpassen", so it'll definitely be 60x80.

[Rapp Scallion]

Okay, thanks!