MI2 - Lost or Legend?

[Skinkie]

Monkeys Island 3 was in 2D Painted by Bill Tiller.

If you have played Monkeys Island 3 you will realise there were 3D elements in it. I said that Monkeys Island 3, and 4 introduced elements of 3D. MI4 full 3D and MI3 for 1 example at the very begging your on a Pirate ship with Wally and pirates are coming across the water when you use the cannon to shoot the pirates out of the water its in 3D 3 dimensional.

 

The canon scene was done by layering 2D cells over each other. No 3D there. They did experiment with it slightly for the ship to ship combat part, but not even to the extent that a 3D card was required.

 

You are obviously one of the casual gamers you talk about who picked up MI4 as their first game in the series and really enjoy it.

Because you said this

They you were referring to MI1, MI2 may have been that popular, but it was like 7 years ago, a lot changes in the gaming market in that amount of time.

If you were a hardcore Monkeys Island fan like myself who was around when they were first released on the Amiga 500, 600 you would also realise Monkeys Island 1 and 2 are a lot older than 7 years.

 

You said that they were in the charts for 7 years. I did the math and that left 7 years after they left. Those were thus the years that I was refering to in the market change. By the way, I played MI 1 when it came out, and have stuck with the series ever since.

 

Next question Yes Monkeys Island 3 and 4 where very good but In comparison what did Monkeys Island 3 and 4 achieve.

 

Hmmm, both were critically acclaimed and won quite a few awards. Not to mention CMI was awesome.

 

Did they stay in the charts for over 7 years from release and did they pick up loads of awards. Why does MI1 and MI2 still sell more copys than MI3 and MI4. Why do we still talk about MI1, MI2 more than MI3, MI4, and why do we keep playing MI1, MI2 more.

 

I'd like to see some solid evidence that 1 & 2 are currently selling more than 3 & 4 as I find that very hard to believe. Also how do you know which ones people play more? I know that i personally play CMI way more often than any of the otehr games.

[Strasse]

Since that's a direction Lucasarts is so big on these days, they should Make Mi5 as an MMORPG, and scrap the adventure game title.

 

Imagine that, massively multiplayer community online, you pick your own pirate profession, which starting isle, have loogie contests, insult battles, solve ultimate puzzles, have ship blockades, and roleplay your pirate with hundreds of others.

 

It's a sure fire winner!

[Strasse]

Let me add:

 

There is a 90% chance at least that the first Monkey Island game you play ends up being your favourite of the series. Nostalgia has a lot to do with that.

[Largo LaGrande]

Skinkie

The canon scene was done by layering 2D cells over each other. No 3D there. They did experiment with it slightly for the ship to ship combat part, but not even to the extent that a 3D card was required.

 

Largo

Correct tech info but you could have just said the word 3 dimensional its a lot shorter. Games don’t necessarily need to use a 3D graphics cards just because they have a little bit of basic old school 3D graphics. Like In MI3, for the ship-to-ship combat part a basic computer will run MI3 just fine. A 3D graphics card just specialises in 3D graphics just like the Geforce FX has a talent for Special FX. If it’s a game like MI4 in full 3D then obviously that’s what you need.

 

Skinkie

You said that they were in the charts for 7 years. I did the math and that left 7 years after they left. Those were thus the years that I was referring to in the market change. By the way, I played MI 1 when it came out, and have stuck with the series ever since.

 

Largo

I am not sure exactly what you are trying to say but

 

Fact Monkeys Island 1 and 2 are the most successful games in the series and have won many awards, and they managed to stay in the top 10 of the PC and Amiga 600 charts from when they were first released back in 1990 and 1991 for over 7 years from that date now that’s successful, and no game has managed that before.

 

Skinkie

Hmmm, both were critically acclaimed and won quite a few awards. Not to mention CMI was awesome.

 

Largo

Exactly Monkeys Island 3 and 4 achieved nothing In comparison to MI1 and MI2.

 

Skinkie you asked me 2 questions here’s the answers

I'd like to see some solid evidence that 1 & 2 are currently selling more than 3 & 4 as I find that very hard to believe.

 

Largo

ELSPA Chats are the Official top 10 and below charts for computer and video games all formats all genres. It is judged by which game has sold the most copies world wide on a week ending basis.

 

MI1, MI2 do and have sold more copies than MI3, MI4 it will be hard to find the Top 10 ELSPA charts for Amiga 500, 600 and Pc dating back from 1990 the release of MI1 and 1991 the release of MI2 for the 7 and more years on that MI1, MI2 were continually in the charts. In the years MI1, MI2 were in the charts, they were there for managing to keep on selling the required number of copies of MI1, MI2 and they continued to for over 7 years they reined.

 

That takes a lot of doing to stay in the sales charts for that long you have to sell a lot of games to maintain it. MI3, MI4 didn’t stay in the Top ten ELSPA charts for that long they were in the charts for a couple of months. Which means MI1, MI2 have sold more copies than MI3, MI4.

 

I still have every Amiga, Sega, Nintendo, 3DO and CVG magazine there every was from Issue 1 to finish. That’s the entire history of video games from the past. I could quote pages, articles over and over again for proof but it’s easier for you to ask the rest of the knowledgeable Monkeys Island fans if they were around back then they will tell you it happened. Better still You yourself as a true Hardcore Fan of Monkeys Island should know if you were around back then.

 

Skinkie

Also how do you know which ones people play more? I know that I personally play CMI way more often than any of the other games.

 

Largo

If you compare which games have sold more and had the most success you can measure which game is the most popular in which that means MI1, MI2 win.

 

If that doesn’t convince you read the majority of this forum or my mate Strasse above they all talk about how good MI1, MI2 are in comparison.

 

MI1, MI2 are referred to as Classics. MI3 not a Classic MI4 not a Classic. The reason Ron Gilbert Left Lucasarts after completing MI1, MI2 he was the creator of Monkeys Island he wrote it he was spine of all MI games he made them magical You take away Ron Gilbert the spine and then the Magic, Sucess and history stops being made that’s why MI3, MI4 are not half as good.

[Largo LaGrande]

I must say that I also would be happy if Lucasarts could put voice overs and fresh 2D graphics on MI1, MI2, stamp MI5 on the cover they could call it a special Edition. I would be first in queue to be camping outside the video game store to buy it at opening time.

 

I feel the appeal was the old 2D graphics MI1, MI2 are a well know book "The Memoirs of Guybrush Threepwood,

The Monkey Island Years". I don’t like books and don’t like reading at all. But MI1, MI2 was a game as well as the story the book is base on. I had great pleasure reading the text that appears at the same time as playing it was like the film the Never Ending story, you forget your playing a game and I felt I was actually in monkeys Island.

 

When played MI2 for the first time I am not Joking when I say that Monkey Island 2 was the first and only game I've also ever actually had a dream about many dreams. It wasn’t about the sawing the peg leg off.

 

One dream was about Wally who I had left all alone in his Choreography shop helpless and blind, because I had stolen his Monocle and given to captain Dread as a replacement good look charm so I can charter his ship.

 

After I completed it and watched the ending of how it was all a Monkeys Island ride and Lechuck was Chucky my brother it played on my mind for weeks I was dreaming about living in Woodtick and I was Guybrush.

 

Monkeys Island plays with your head if you play it too much no game managed to do that to me since.

 

Your correct when you say that the first Monkey Island game you play ends up being your favourite of the series. Nostalgia has a lot to do with that.

 

I like Both MI1 and MI2 but i think the reason why they are yours, mine and the majorities favourites in the series is because Ron Gilbet the creator of Monkeys Island made them.

 

He left Lucasarts after finishing MI2 he was the spine of Monkeys Island games. He made them magical. Ever since he left Lucasarts the sequels to MI2 have failed to be half as good as MI1, MI2. Lucasarts need to get back Ron Gilbet to create Monkeys Island games the way they should be after all he created it.

 

If you are planning on getting them again I would buy the Monkeys Island the bounty pack its MI1, MI2, MI3 for £20.00 I have it its great.

 

You probably already know but just in case. For MI2 if you have windows XP the sound doesn’t work correctly go here http://quick.mixnmojo.com/ and download Scumm VM quick and easy to fix it. It also lets you have the old Amiga 600 music instead of the pc versions. I have had MI2 for PC for ages and I refused to play MI2 without sound because its the sound that makes it so atmospheric. I only just got MI2 working correctly with sound a few days ago with the Scumm VM and it was like i had never been away I still rembered the music.

 

When you first start playing MI2 you walk across the bridge and Largo takes all your money and hangs you by your legs over the green water but if you don’t go across the bridge and try to walk in the opposite direction he comes from the right of the screen and says something different but still robs you I forgot all about that there’s always something new when you play it its fantastic.

 

I like your Idea of a Online Monkeys Island World that would be amazing as long as they also include the MI2 style Guybrush Threepwood to play as a Character and include the more detailed version of LeChuck from MI2 then it would awsome. As long as they dont charge a monthly fee like Starwars galaxies.

 

Although I would still like to see them release a special Edition of MI1, MI2.

 

Here’s my idea

I would like to see them remake MI1 and MI2 in Full 2D but with Photo realistic Characters Photo realistic Scenery everything also added Voice overs and upgraded Music. It would be awesomely breathtaking and the ultimate tribute to the fans that still play them like ourselves and the genius Monkeys Island Creator Ron Gilbert.

[Strasse]

First of all I gotta say, Largo you're my main man!

If I'm ever by your parts I owe you a beer and a chat! Alright, I have no idea where you live, but the offer stands

 

I completely agree with you, the first two games really played like a novel that you were completely and personally engrossed in. It had a lot to do with the fantastic storyline, but in the end it was a combined mixture of all the games' factors that just seemed to come together just right. The music, the 2d graphics, the way Guybrush looked and the characters were written, even the colors that were used made the whole thing a seamless experience.

 

To be honest, if I think back to monkey islands 1/2, it's almost as if they were both books that I read or long cartoons I saw (they took me aaaages to complete, I was never very good at games lol) or, and frighteningly honestly, wether they were an actual event that I lived through, a memory that got blurred into a 2d adventure by the passage of time. Now, the newer games, not saying they were bad, I actually enjoyed them a lot, but they didn't have that special effect on me at all.

It could be due to the fact that I was just a kid when Mi1/2 came out, and nostalgia is responsible for warming up the old arteries, but something is undeniably special about those first two games.

 

When played MI2 for the first time I am not Joking when I say that Monkey Island 2 was the first and only game I've also ever actually had a dream about many dreams.

So I'm not the only one!! Phew! The other puzzle that really made me toss and turn at night was the telescope in the statue, that cabin took me almost a month to figure out lol.

 

I actually had no idea that Ron Gilbert left after monkey island 2. I wonder what he's up to now, I guess it's time to look him up. The man is a genius, and I have to add, he really shaped my definiton of 'funny' for a great deal of my young life lol (As sad as that sounds)

 

Thanks a bundle for that link! Can't thank ya enough. I have a very wonderful friend of mine ordering me the bundle pack as we speak from the USA, and that sound patch will come in very handy.

 

I agree that while I'd love a monkey island MMORPG, my heart longs for more of that same magic that I found in Mi1 and 2. And as you said, the ideal source of that would be an updated remake of the originals, maybe with speech, fresh graphics (but true to the old style). Heck, if they really wanted to put a new spin on things they could add alternative endings or something, but I digress.

 

I think that the likelyhood of all this happening is sadly very slim, unless some devotees gets the licensing rights to remake the entire thing with better graphics, I fear the series will remain dormant for a long time.

What we can also hope for in the future is that the "retro remake" trend we are seeing in the console world these days (IE the old atari/sinclair games being totally redone like Gauntlet) completely catches on until even our beloved games get some attention. After all, they did port the most recent MI title to the PS/2, why not the older ones too dangit!? I admit though, I'd much prefer playing Mi1 and 2 on the PC and not the playstation. But that's just me.

 

I take my hat off to ya Largo mate, we think very much alike and I agree with everything you said 110%

[Largo LaGrande]

Cool Thanks.

 

I like the idea of remaking MI1, MI2 very much and your idea of adding alternate endings to them sound an excellent idea. Maybe they could add extra puzzles to the game too. Also I wonder if they will ever release the directors cut of the game every game has one.

 

If they actually act on what we say they will get back the signature of Ron Gilbert and signed him up make him create the proper sequel to MI2 the real MI3 in the way he was going to make it. And make him continue to create all the MI games onwards.

 

And Lucasarts in a true Monkeys Island round about way could announce that the MI3 and MI4 created by Lucasarts were a dream we had and not the real games. I think it would be one of the catchiest Gimmicks in Video games history for a games company to announce that the previous 2 games were a dream.

 

If they did it that it would be amazing but some how I don’t think Lucasarts care about Monkeys Island as long as it makes money and get a good review there happy. Its not the way that Ron Gilbert would of allowed it to be.

 

To me it sounds just like what happened to the poor Russian man that created Tetris for Nintendo. He was a programmer that created puzzle games for Nintendo working in poor conditions in Russia on very little money he created Tetris they released it sold millions and launched the Gameboy he created a few sequels. And then one day Microsoft poached him to make games for them. They hauled him and his family to America they bought him a house put him on a huge high salary in an excellent office. But In his contract with Nintendo it said they hold all the rights to Tetris he lost it and got no money from it.

 

Just like Lucasarts hold the rights to Monkeys Island.

 

Lets hope Ron Gilbert returns to Lucasarts or better he buys the rights to Monkeys Island.

[Captain Gonzo]

Nostalgia does have a lot to do with it, but when I replay Monkey Island 2 I get a lot more out of it, it has the best (and probably the most) jokes, with every opportunity for humour explored, right down to the animation. It's also my favourite 'look' of the four games (shocking I know but I still like the retro but gorgeous feel of it).

 

It expands beautifully on the first game's world, never rehashes anything, and is structured just wonderfully.

 

When I first played it I was so excited when Part II opened with Guybrush on the back of Dread's ship, and you could move between three islands at will! It was like an epiphany for me, realising how great games could be. That freedom, but a very well-designed freedom in which everything linked together tightly, made it a joyous experience.

 

And then you have the last stretch of the game which ratchets up the tension like a great film or novel can. I've always thought that Monkey Islands (and later stuff like Full Throttle and Grim Fandango) did an amazing job of being quite dramatic and compelling in story but having a really rich sense of humour also. You're not just playing for the jokes, because MI2 has this wonderful story running through it.

 

When I first played it as a youngster, my heart was pounding when Guybrush discovered Wally's office empty, with LeChuck's message scrawled into the desk. I'd got the map, and as well as the nice 'Oh, so THAT's where this story's going now' twist feeling, it was very dramatic and I had to know what happened next.

 

Finally - the music! I think the MIDI score is not only the best Monkey Island score, but the best game music ever. The team on that game did a fantastic job with dramatic cues (e.g. discovering Wally's been kidnapped), ambient stuff (e.g. all the map music, Woodtick, the opening campfire theme) and very catchy event music (e.g. the dive for the Sea Monkey). I just think it works so well for the game, and I can actually listen to it separately and really enjoy that, which probably isn't true of many game scores.

[Largo LaGrande]

Captain Gonzo your Absolutely correct your another Veteran Gamer like myself a true fan of Monkeys Island who also loved the Amiga years. GamesMaster and Bad Influence on a thursday the days of Amiga Wild the wierd and the wicked pack the or just an Amiga 500, or a regular Amiga 600. The games felt so much more special when they used to be in the glossy cardboard boxes now games come in cheap DVD or CD rom cases.

 

MI1 and in-particularly MI2 are the best in the series there my most favourite games to especially my most favourite MI2 no other games in the series for me personally have manage to be better or more enjoyable. I love to just listen to it alone like yourself. I often just walk around Woodtick in the game its my favourite location and I just like the sense of believing I am actually there its so atmospheric.

 

The era of 2D story games was the most enjoyable and successful eras for me there were so many good story games back then. Monkeys Island 1 and 2, Indiana Jones And The Fate of Atlantis, Hook, The Curse of Enchantia, The Legend of Kyrandia, Maniac Mansion, Dark Seed 2, The Dig, ect.

 

I would hope one day Monkeys Island Creator Ron Gilbert gets back with Lucasarts to create Monkeys Island games the way he made the first 2. Because the ones lucasarts made on their own don’t come close. I most want to have a new MI game in full 2D the 2D graphics seen in MI1, MI2 or even better Ron Gilbert return to make the original 2D MI3 the sequel that we never got, because Lucasarts MI3 was not the real sequel in my opinion. The real ideas for the sequel to MI2 and the entire original Monkeys Islands are in Ron Gilbert’s head and they left with him.

 

Monkeys Island 5 should definitely be point and click 2D MI2 style. 2D story games look much more detailed and it’s much more enjoyable to play story games that side scroll.

 

I would also like to see them remake MI1 and MI2 in Full 2D but with Photo realistic Characters, Photo realistic Scenery everything also added Voice-overs and upgraded Music. It would be awesomely breathtaking and the ultimate tribute to the fans that still play them like ourselves and the genius Monkeys Island Creator Ron Gilbert. They could call it a special Edition it could come with the original Monkeys Island 2 Code Wheel included, I would definitely buy it.

 

:monkey4:

[Kefky]

Man, this makes me sick... Why must my beloved lucasarts be made up of stupid, mindless selfish purist fanboys? When you come down to it, this is pretty much why the company's pretty much turned into ****... I may be a veteran lucasarts player, but I sure as hell don't belong to your categoy.

 

Oh, and Mr. LaGrande your english sure is awful for a person who's collected every single gaming magazine in excistence. You could have at least gotten the name of this series that you love so much right...

[Largo LaGrande]

Kefky So you got that job as janitor, after all. Your hemorrhoids are flaring up again, eh? Turn of your computer and go to sleep.

 

 

:monkey4: