Secret of Monkey Island - CD Talkie Edition Project

[ThunderPeel2001]

Some interesting changes. I do wonder if some of the changes were deliberate by the gamemakers, though. The "the basic theory is fine" line seems ripe for cutting, as it doesn't add anything. The next line "we just need to adjust the aim" makes it clear of their thinking.

 

Did you re-add the "Looks kind of like an emaciated Charles Atlas" line? (They was cut for legal reasons?)

 

I'd actually like to play THIS version of the game WITHOUT the voices. Lol. Is that possible? (It's probably in the readme, isn't it?)

[Laserschwert]

I'd actually like to play THIS version of the game WITHOUT the voices. Lol. Is that possible? (It's probably in the readme, isn't it?)

It is possible. You can switch between speech, speech + subtitles, and subtitles only.

[LogicDeLuxe]

Some interesting changes. I do wonder if some of the changes were deliberate by the gamemakers, though. The "the basic theory is fine" line seems ripe for cutting, as it doesn't add anything.

Of course, if they had any intention to remove that line, they'd probably just done that, instead of leaving it in a buggy script.

Did you re-add the "Looks kind of like an emaciated Charles Atlas" line? (They was cut for legal reasons?)

I considered it, but I didn't. After all, it was removed for legal reasons indeed.

I should add the script back without that line though. That would be at least useful for the German version, which had an unproblematic line here.

 

And for playing with no voice, it is possible the same way it is in Fate of Atlantis, since it is the exact same SCUMM engine. However, the original game has some moving or flashing subtitles. Those effects had to be removed in order to make it work properly. Also several sound effects won't play with voice acting turned off.

Sorry for those inconveniences. Maintaining silent playing really was not a priority, since adding voice was the whole point to begin with.

[ThunderPeel2001]

Good point about the Fettuccini Brothers line.

 

As for the Charles Atlas line, although it was censored by their legal department, it was a) originally in the game (including the Amiga version) and b) really funny!

 

Shame about the voice thing. It's ironic that you've fixed loads of annoying bugs, which I'm very interested in, but also added the voices (which, apart from a few exceptions, I really hate, lol!). Oh well. Good job, though.

[LogicDeLuxe]

Some analysis for Stan's price ideas.

The left half of the table has all cases which have a voice file, the right half has the cases which don't.

From left to right, numbers decrease by 450, which is the price for each extra (except for the porthole defogger, which is for free).

 

The first offer you make sets the value to 10000 (which includes all extras).

Following offerings changes the price in the opposite direction by half of the difference to the first offer. Which results in possible steps of 500.

 

Going away reduces the price 3 times. 1st by 1000, 2nd by 500 and finally by 100. Therefore going a way 2 times mostly results in prices already taken care of. The 3rd going away has less overlappings.

 

You can see a pattern in most of the voiced files, but also some oddities.

- 4800 is missing from a somewhat regular pattern, but let's ignore this detail for the moment.

- Giving anything other than 2000 as the first offer isn't considered at all.

- The follow up offer may be 5000, 4000 or 2000.

- After going away once, the follow up offers may be 5000, 3000 or 2000.

- After going away a second time, it is 4000 or 2000.

- Going away a 3rd time results in many unvoiced prices in any case.

 

For the impossible prices, the director apparently assumed that all 7 extras reduce the price by 450, since those would continue the existing rows.

 

Now, for making sure that the price you get is voiced, what would I do? I have some ideas so far:

 

- If the player offers 2000, then 4000, I have to disable the option to leave, since this would result in unavailable prices?

 

- I have to prevent leaving a second time, unless the player offered 2000.

 

- Leaving a 3rd time could be prevented completely. Or alternatively, I could just disable the price reducing effect.

 

- All offers leading to unvoiced lines have to be disabled.

 

So far, this might be slightly confusing, but still very playable.

But there is still the ugly part about the missing 4800. I could just cheat a bit and let Stan say 5250 instead, since he won't hesitate to sell for that price anyway.

 

Of course, those restrictions would be completely optional. Just you can do with Spiffy and the narrator, you could just choose between completeness and voice coverage mode.

 

What do you think?

Sea Monkey price voiced:                     Sea Monkey price silent:                   
 regular prices after any offers and after going away one or two times:
                                             7000  6550  6100  5650  5200  4750  4300
 7500  7050  6600  6150  5700  5250                                              4800
                                             8000  7550  7100  6650  6200  5750  5300
 8500  8050  7600  7150  6700  6250  5800                
 9000  8550  8100  7650  7200  6750  6300        
                                             9500  9050  8600  8150  7700  7250  6800
10000  9550  9100  8650  8200  7750  7300
                                            10500 10050  9600  9150  8700  8250  7800
                                            11000 10550 10100  9650  9200  8750  8300
                                            11500 11050 10600 10150  9700  9250  8800

 possible prices after going away three times:                                             
                                             6900  6450  6000  5550  5100  4650  4200
                                             7400  6950  6500  6050  5600  5150  4700
                                             7900  7450 
 8400  7950                                
                                             8900  8450 
                                             9400  8950 
                                             9900  9450 

 impossible prices, but voiced nevertheless:
 5350  5850  6850

[Krasas]

It's probably a silly idea, but wouldn't it be possible to mix some of Stan's sound files to produce the 4800 offer? e.g. the speech for the 5800 offer edited and mixed with a speech file where Stan uses the word "four" (if any) or perhaps alternatively the word "for".

 

I guess the result would probably sound awkward though.

[cocomonk22]

I am assuming that the SE only uses prices in the voiced category, so in that case you should change the lines of code that affect the price Stan will say to match the way it is computed in SoMI:SE.

[LogicDeLuxe]

I am assuming that the SE only uses prices in the voiced category, so in that case you should change the lines of code that affect the price Stan will say to match the way it is computed in SoMI:SE.

I did. In fact, I implemented it like described in my analysis above. This works better than in the SE, which just used the wrong numbers in case there is no voice file. It will be in the next version.

 

You can choose between keeping the original lines, for which some have no voice. Or you can play with voiced lines only, so you will get a 100% talkie.

This switch will also affect the swordmaster insult, the ship's kitchen floor, and the stump joke.

[Mau1wurf1977]

A small suggestion:

 

How about creating a folder called MI1_Ultimate_Classic_Version_ScummVM when you run install_flac.bat or install_ogg.bat

 

and

 

a folder called MI1_Ultimate_Classic_Version_DOS when running install.bat?

 

And calling the install files:

 

install_DOS

install_ScummVM_compressed_audio

install_ScummVM_lossless_audio

 

just so it's a bit easier for the average Joe

 

And finally why wasn't the better music from the SE (the remake) picked. Might as well pick it considering all the other tweaks :-)

[JezzaTheLagomorph]

If you read the readme, ScummVM gives you the choice to use the enhanced music from the Special Edition if you change the extra path.

[Mau1wurf1977]

If you read the readme, ScummVM gives you the choice to use the enhanced music from the Special Edition if you change the extra path.

 

The SE has two versions...

 

The "DOS" version and the "Remake" version.

 

Secret of Monkey Island - CD Talkie Edition Project only supports the Music from the "DOS" version of SE.

 

But I would like to have the music from the "Remake" version. The one where you hear background noise / laughter in Scumm Bar...

[LogicDeLuxe]

Secret of Monkey Island - CD Talkie Edition Project only supports the Music from the "DOS" version of SE.

Actually, the installer should convert both versions ready to use in ScummVM. Are there files missing for some reason? What does your MI1_Ultimate_Talkie_Edition folder exactly look like?

The one where you hear background noise / laughter in Scumm Bar...

That's a different matter altogether. Those noises are in a separate file. Unlike in CMI and EMI, the SE music files have no noises mixed in most of the time.

[Mau1wurf1977]

Hmm interesting...

 

I have 2 subfolders:

 

cd_music_flac (this is from the DOS CD version right?)

se_music_flac (this sounds exactly like the DOS version of the SE edition)

 

However when I play the remake version the audio sounds richer...

 

So I assumed that the SE edition has 2 soundtracks, one for the DOS version and one for the remake...

 

But if like you say, this is because of missing sound effects, well that would explain it...

 

Any plans on adding these effects (background noise in the Scumm Bar, background noise in the fire scene right at the start)

[LogicDeLuxe]

So I assumed that the SE edition has 2 soundtracks, one for the DOS version and one for the remake...

Which is what those sub-folders contain respectively. Did you set the sample rate to 44100 Hz in ScummVM?

Any plans on adding these effects

I'll see what can be done. Probably not all of them.

[Mau1wurf1977]

Thanks for the sample rate tip! That did make the difference!

 

Very happy so far. But I am most impressed about the DOS version as I have a bare metal DOS machine with a MT-32 and getting speech for that version is really really special!

[LogicDeLuxe]

And now, real-time sample splicing:

 

Now, Stan can say any possible value up to 10950 pieces of eight. The existing samples are still use of course. The splicing script is only called for those cases where no pre-recorded sample exists.

 

And I think, it is a bug that the porthole defogger has no price. I set it to 450, like all the other extras. Not only are some samples recorded under the assumptions that each extra costs 450, there is also this line by Stan in every version of the game: "TWO THOUSAND LOUSY PIECES OF EIGHT!?!". With the ability to reduce the price a further 450 by not taking the porthole defogger, it is actually possible to get the ship for 2000. The existence of that line make me think, that it was the actual intention to begin with. Plus, it doesn't seem like Stan to give that for free.

 

The only restriction I have still in place when voice-only-mode is used: Your first offer can not be higher then 3000. Once you said your first offer, all options are available again, like it was in the original game.

 

Although this splicing script requires a bunch of print instructions to be executed in order to form the sentence, I managed to have the '.'-key usable to skip the line in its entirety.

[LogicDeLuxe]

Is it just me, or can someone reproduce this one problem?

It's the CTRL-p shortcut. It works fine in ScummVM and in DOSBox. On my old PC however, it doesn't. Neither in native DOS nor with Windows 95 running. The keyboard is fine, as other shortcuts work as ususal. Also the p-key invokes the "pick up"-verb as expected.

All of you with a true DOS machine capable of natively running SCUMM V5, could you please check, if CTRL-p works for you? Just start the game and skip all cutscenes until you arrive at the dock and press CTRL-p.

I want to know, if this is some issue I should fix in the game, or if my old PC is just playing some strange tricks on me.

[ThunderPeel2001]

Is it possible to play without the Voice Acting, but WITH the music?

[Laserschwert]

To quote myself:

 

It is possible. You can switch between speech, speech + subtitles, and subtitles only.

 

The speech setting is independent from the music selection.

[LogicDeLuxe]

Version v1.0 release candidate 1: http://www.mediafire.com/?6oo543u1tyb85hj

 

Improvements in this version:

- "Raff." with a Guybrush sample when the dog is talking. (v0.5 beta)

- Low volume in DOS. Now it starts with the same default volume the original game had. In addition to that, your adjusted volume can be saved to monkey.cfg. (v0.5 beta)

- Subtitle mode toggle added.

- Title sequence now uses iMuse for beat matching instead of inaccurate timers. (v0.5 beta)

- Dialog option "You say you got a key from the locals?" did appear only if Guybrush did NOT learn about the key. Now it is the other way around. (all versions)

- Dialog option "You're the only one on the island?" was availabe instead of "So you're not the only one on the island?" under some circumstances, even when he just told about the key he got from the locals. (all versions)

- Stan did say "Inflation works in the other direction, you know." when you offer the same amount twice, even if your previous offer was less. (all versions)

- Stan had no voice for many possible values. This is now fixed for anything up to 10950 pieces of eight. (Special Edition)

- The porthole defogger now is actually worth something. (all versions)

- It was possible to burn the feather pen and get stuck. (all versions)

 

The modified ScummVM source: http://www.mediafire.com/?1u6cpr1ki0q3a8q

This minor modification was required for two reasons:

- Better support the options menu, since orignal ScummVM assumes that the enhanced CD has neither MIDI nor voice acting.

- Even worse, original ScummVM refuses to use the string save feature, unless it is an Indiana Jones game. I use this feature to save the preferences (Spiffy mode, narator mode and subtitle mode).

[ThunderPeel2001]

WONDERFUL!!!

[questinghero]

The modified ScummVM source: http://www.mediafire.com/?1u6cpr1ki0q3a8q

This minor modification was required for two reasons:

- Better support the options menu, since orignal ScummVM assumes that the enhanced CD has neither MIDI nor voice acting.

- Even worse, original ScummVM refuses to use the string save feature, unless it is an Indiana Jones game. I use this feature to save the preferences (Spiffy mode, narator mode and subtitle mode).

 

Is this going to be pushed to the main ScummVM? I only ask because I have been playing this patch on the Wii, and if I have to use this patch (as it is right now), I will not be able to do that.

[LogicDeLuxe]

Is this going to be pushed to the main ScummVM? I only ask because I have been playing this patch on the Wii, and if I have to use this patch (as it is right now), I will not be able to do that.

This is yet to be discussed with the ScummVM team. Unfortunately, they give very little priority to fan patches. So don't expect it to be there in the near future.

Of course, anyone able to compile ScummVM for further systems is welcomed to post it here.

 

Of course, you might try official builds. Sometimes, older versions might work. If it does, you would only miss on those two things mentioned above. The game should still run fine otherwise.

 

In case you're thinking of tricking ScummVM to believe it is running Indy4 by renaming the files (yes, the game does start then), this has one catch: Savegames don't work this way.

[LogicDeLuxe]

A new version with some minor upgrades I forgot to include in the RC1: http://www.mediafire.com/?ujyh1hxc9w9igz9

 

v1.0 RC2:

- Environment sounds mixed into Scumm Bar music.

- No Charles Atlas, but Guybrush now says: "He's pretty creepy." (a voiced line) which makes more sense than "No thanks. I'd rather not touch any of this creepy voodoo stuff." when you just look at it. (enhanced CD)

- Swordmaster invisible after showing the kidnapper's note. (v0.5 beta)

- Wrong colors with some boot params. (v1.0 RC1)

- Walking off path after visiting Sword Master's (enhanced CD)

[questinghero]

Posted on the ScummVM site if they would push your code changes... I figure it never hurts to ask (I am theratt on the scummvm site).

 

feel free to chime in here.