SMI:SE #1 on Steam revenue charts

[Monkey Mania]

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/20/secret-of-monkey-island-has-strong-start-on-steam/

The popularity of one Mr. Threepwood and his pirating ways remain strong, as sister site Big Download reports the The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition remake has managed to be the top seller (based on revenue) on Steam last week. Guybrush and his gallivanting managed to best the likes of recently released Street Fighter IV, as well as Steam favorite Left 4 Dead.

 

Steam isn't the only platform the game has been a success on, though. After debuting on Xbox 360 last week, the game has managed to brighten the lives of at least 38,693 individuals (based on game leaderboard data at the time of this post). So, how about that LeChuck's Revenge remake, eh LucasArts?

 

Top-selling titles on Steam (week ending July 18):

 

1. The Secret of Monkey Island - LucasArts

2. Left 4 Dead - Valve

3. Aion Collector's Edition - NCsoft

4. ArmA 2 - Bohemia Interactive

5. Street Fighter IV - Capcom

6. Counter-Strike: Source - Valve

7. Dawn of Discovery - Ubisoft

8. Brothers In Arms Pack - Gearbox Software/Ubisoft

9. GRID - Codemasters

10. Team Fortress 2 - Valve

[LordTrilobite]

Seeing how the MI Special Edition turned out, I actually hope they don't make a special edition for LeChuck's Revenge and just release the original version on Steam.

 

Don't get me wrong, I like the MI Special Edition, but it's just not as good as the original. Some things are better left unchanged.

[purple_tentacle_]

Seeing how the MI Special Edition turned out, I actually hope they don't make a special edition for LeChuck's Revenge and just release the original version on Steam.

 

Don't get me wrong, I like the MI Special Edition, but it's just not as good as the original. Some things are better left unchanged.

 

I totaly agree. I havnt played it but they just wont get anything better than the originals. Even remaking the Original Game wont be anybetter. Just leave things the way they were found. I am fine playing the original. I acctually like the old graphics.

[SyntheticGerbil]

In a way, this can be a good omen if LucasArts sees that maybe they need to ramp up their production values for further remakes.

 

That also depends if they are aware if anyone was unsatisfied with the sloppiness in the first place

 

Maybe they can just do more rereleases with just rescanned artwork? I would at least like to get away with new voices for MI2. Maybe they can not make it so campy this time around. It would just seem wrong with how scary MI2 is. I can only hope!

[Monkey Mania]

The Special Edition is hackable, therefore you could mod it to the way you prefer. If LucasArts does a SE MI2, you'd get recorded voices and updated music.

[SyntheticGerbil]

The Special Edition is hackable, therefore you could mod it to the way you prefer. If LucasArts does a SE MI2, you'd get recorded voices and updated music.

 

Yeah that's what would really like, but a part of me also really doesn't want that game to be messed up.

 

I'd rather have the voices than not though.

[Zak McKracken]

Seeing how the MI Special Edition turned out, I actually hope they don't make a special edition for LeChuck's Revenge and just release the original version on Steam.

 

Don't get me wrong, I like the MI Special Edition, but it's just not as good as the original. Some things are better left unchanged.

 

I agree. I've been thinking about this since last week and I gotta say if future SE's turn out like this did I'd rather just forget it. It's crucial for Monkey Island 2, Maniac Mansion, Zak, Last Crusade, Loom etc that they both respect and understand the originals. It's crucial that they understand the Tone, Style and Spirit of these games and if at all possible bring in the original design team to consult at the early stages. I know that Ron Gilbert, David Fox, Brian Moriarty and Steve Purcell would love to do it.

 

Don't get me wrong I respect the effort of the SE and they took a huge risk in doing it but there is no heart or soul in this game that the original had in spades.

 

I love Monkey 2 too much to see cartoony art and campy over the top voices and unneeded injected humour dumped on top. I can only imagine Largo sounding effeminate because he wears a bra or more of that goofy narrator. Monkey 2 has a dark atmosphere and if they don't understand the theme or any of the other games for that matter they should just walk away right now and re-release the originals.

[ThunderPeel2001]

I disagree! Give us an MI2:SE... but give use the original artwork!

 

[Jeff]

Yeah, using that original art, with voices and new music and a Guybrush sprite like the updated one made in that above shot would be great for a MI2 SE. I can see why some people aren't liking SoMI SE now that it's out so hopefully they do a good job on the next one which they almost will undoubtedly do.

[Zak McKracken]

I disagree! Give us an MI2:SE... but give use the original artwork!

 

That's definitely the right direction they need to go. Those pictures are beautiful. You think there is any way that we can get the message to LucasArts early enough or hope that are listening to all the feedback not just the 90% reviews at Metacritic. I'd love to send a letter or email voicing some of my concerns while also praising the stuff i liked.

 

Like I said in another thread. I give the effort an 80%. I respect the initiative and the risk but they really need to be more faithful to the original and not try to inject any unnecessary stuff. I have faith that if they did it right and put more care into this it could turn out to be a pretty good thing. Since it has been selling well I'd be calling Ron Gilbert or even Steve Purcell right now and ask them to be more involved this time around.

 

I do want further SE's, just done right.

[SyntheticGerbil]

I know that Ron Gilbert, David Fox, Brian Moriarty and Steve Purcell would love to do it.

 

Really? Do you have any quotes for this? I know Ron Gilbert definitely could because he came and did some consulting for ToMI, which was a great idea I think. Dave Grossman did say he had to do some legal wrangling to have Ron Gilbert consult in that Eurogamer interview, but didn't go into why.

 

I can only imagine Largo sounding effeminate because he wears a bra or more of that goofy narrator.

 

Yikes, I really hope not! That's one surefire way to run a joke into the ground.

 

That's definitely the right direction they need to go. Those pictures are beautiful. You think there is any that we can get the message to LucasArts early enough or hope that are listening to all the feedback not just the 90% reviews at metacrirc. I'd love to send a letter or email voicing some of my concerns while also praising the stuff i liked.

 

Yes this worries me too. Metacritic is not a measure of success, but it seems to be more of an indicator of profitability. I would hate for this team to get Sonic Team syndrome, who releases whatever untested badly developed **** they feel like without a care in the world because it will still sell very well.

[LordTrilobite]

New music in MI2 isn't really needed, it's already fantastic. So on account of that there's no real need to make an SE. Same goes for the backgrounds, they may be a bit dated and low res, but they still look beautiful. The one thing that obviously everyone wants, is voices, and higher res characters wouldn't hurt either.

But I think that if LucasArts is going to make a MI2 SE, they will probably give it a makeover like MISE got, maybe not the same style, but different from the original anyway. Which is probably what most fans fear for.

 

If a special edtion for MI2 got made, I'd most likely buy it. But I bet the original will still be better. I feel that in this case one can better leave, what is pretty much perfect by the standards of those days, untouched. And remember the game exactly as it was. Even if that means we'll never hear voices in MI2, I think that's a small sacrifice to make.

[Apple24]

Seeing how the MI Special Edition turned out, I actually hope they don't make a special edition for LeChuck's Revenge and just release the original version on Steam.

 

Don't get me wrong, I like the MI Special Edition, but it's just not as good as the original. Some things are better left unchanged.

 

I totaly agree. I havnt played it but they just wont get anything better than the originals. Even remaking the Original Game wont be anybetter. Just leave things the way they were found. I am fine playing the original. I acctually like the old graphics.

 

I don't get this; it's not like by remaking the game they get rid of the old one. Hell, you can even choose to play the original, unenhanced version of Monkey Island in the Special Edition if you like.

If you don't like the remakes, don't play them. But please don't go around saying that you'd prefer LucasArts not to make a special edition, I honestly don't understand what difference it would make to you.

[spiralout]

New music in MI2 isn't really needed, it's already fantastic. So on account of that there's no real need to make an SE. Same goes for the backgrounds, they may be a bit dated and low res, but they still look beautiful. The one thing that obviously everyone wants, is voices, and higher res characters wouldn't hurt either.

But I think that if LucasArts is going to make a MI2 SE, they will probably give it a makeover like MISE got, maybe not the same style, but different from the original anyway. Which is probably what most fans fear for.

 

If a special edtion for MI2 got made, I'd most likely buy it. But I bet the original will still be better. I feel that in this case one can better leave, what is pretty much perfect by the standards of those days, untouched. And remember the game exactly as it was. Even if that means we'll never hear voices in MI2, I think that's a small sacrifice to make.

 

You don't think the music would sound better with real instruments rather than MIDI?

[SyntheticGerbil]

But please don't go around saying that you'd prefer LucasArts not to make a special edition, I honestly don't understand what difference it would make to you.

 

Why not? Fans can state a preference if they want.

 

I think what you are missing here is that people want a *well done* Special Edition or nothing at all. What the current Special Edition offers is average to mediocre. People don't have to settle or feign satisfaction if they don't want to.

 

You don't think the music would sound better with real instruments rather than MIDI?

 

I think they would sound better with real instruments, but it will be hard to not screw up, considering how wonderful iMuse works on MI2. It does not work the same as MI1. There's a transitional blend between songs from one location to another all over the game. There's also a lot of instance music. This is not as easy to do with prerecorded stuff unless you were to record every transition and also work with layering music at many points. It would probably require additional programming to support live music in this instance, but I'm no expert.

 

So I think everyone would love for this to be done right, which is the hard way. But I'm betting if put up the task, the Special Edition Team would just scrap all the transitions and throw prerecorded tracks over everything given their apparent sloppiness.

[don_quixote]

Why not? Fans can state a preference if they want.

 

I think what you are missing here is that people want a *well done* Special Edition or nothing at all. What the current Special Edition offers is average to mediocre. People don't have to settle or feign satisfaction if they don't want to.

 

I think there's no way to please everyone no matter what they do because someone always imagines something differently. I've heard complaining about the voice work in new MI:SE, for example, which I just don't understand considering how superbly done it is (I could have done without the narrator I suppose). The new sprites are not what I would have gone with, but we also have an opportunity to hack them without LA cease and desist letters.

 

I'd buy the new MI2:SE in a second, and I'm sure so would many other people. You do not need to buy it, and you can enjoy the old version just as you always have. However, I will be able play the new one with voices which bring so much more to the game, and also share it with my niece which sure is nice.

[Sven_Q45]

Don't get me wrong, I like the MI Special Edition, but it's just not as good as the original. Some things are better left unchanged.

That´s what I said in the "further Special Editions" thread lattely. It´s good. The atmosphere and the voices are a dream! But actually I hate it to try to make a good thing better.

[Zak McKracken]

I think there's no way to please everyone no matter what they do because someone always imagines something differently. I've heard complaining about the voice work in new MI:SE, for example, which I just don't understand considering how superbly done it is (I could have done without the narrator I suppose). The new sprites are not what I would have gone with, but we also have an opportunity to hack them without LA cease and desist letters.

 

I'd buy the new MI2:SE in a second, and I'm sure so would many other people. You do not need to buy it, and you can enjoy the old version just as you always have. However, I will be able play the new one with voices which bring so much more to the game, and also share it with my niece which sure is nice.

 

Like I've said before I gave the whole effort an 80%. I'm not a person whose expectations can never be pleased. I as well as others just want a good product and the best work put in to it. And I can honestly say this was not that. I mean they gave it a good try and I respect the initiative and risk to do this but this was not the best they can do and that's all I want and expect is their best.

 

I think Thunderpeel said in another thread the whole thing felt like it was a re-interpretation rather then 100% faithful rendition that they promised in interviews. And that’s what it felt like. And if that's what they want to do and there's a market for it, fine but just let me know beforehand and I won't get it.

 

These SE's are a perfect way to introduce these games to newer audiences and I don't think it would be too hard to re-touch up these games in the original style with newer graphics, voice, music etc. You just have to put the time and effort into it and respect the original.

 

 

One last quick note on the voices. I know we all have different ideas on what is good and everything but can you look me in the eye and say the whole thing was superb or that you just liked that it had voices. Because for the most part the voice direction is over the top and it felt like they injected humour into it to make it funnier instead of letting the game stand on it's own. I mean even Guybrush and LeChuck felt off at times

[Monkey Mania]

The right way would be to scrap the whole new code on top of old code thing and make the game from scratch. That way you can add more animation, fix old bugs, create new camera angles(in a 2d way), etc.

 

You won't get the real-time comparison, but that was more like a gimmick.

[SyntheticGerbil]

I think there's no way to please everyone no matter what they do because someone always imagines something differently.

 

Well that's the easy way out. Of course there is no one who can please everyone with anything they could possibly do in their whole entire lives. Them's the breaks, so why state it?

 

The team can aim to please more people, including old fans. It's not like it's an impossible task and it's certainly not an "all or nothing" situation.

 

I think Thunderpeel said in another thread the whole thing felt like it was a re-interpretation rather then 100% faithful rendition that they promised in interviews. And that’s what it felt like. And if that's what they want to do and there's a market for it, fine but just let me know beforehand and I won't get it.

 

Zak McKracken (and Thunderpeel) says it best.

[Zak McKracken]

Really? Do you have any quotes for this? I know Ron Gilbert definitely could because he came and did some consulting for ToMI, which was a great idea I think. Dave Grossman did say he had to do some legal wrangling to have Ron Gilbert consult in that Eurogamer interview, but didn't go into why..

 

In regards to Brian and Steve it's just something I heard through the grapevine they they both both would very open to the idea. But I don't have a link though. I emailed David Fox right after the announcement of the SE and to my surprise he emailed me back a day later. He just said he would love the idea of coming back and doing it and in retrospect he wished he had removed the mazes and the cash problem. He also loved my idea of the aliens abducting people other then Zak and Annie such as Lou when you use the blue crystal which I thought was really cool and made my day.

 

 

Yes this worries me too. Metacritic is not a measure of success, but it seems to be more of an indicator of profitability. I would hate for this team to get Sonic Team syndrome, who releases whatever untested badly developed **** they feel like without a care in the world because it will still sell very well.

 

Which is why I'm hoping there taking everything into account and not just the positive. I'd even go in person If I lived near LA or San Diego but alas.

[don_quixote]

Well that's the easy way out. Of course there is no one who can please everyone with anything they could possibly do in their whole entire lives. Them's the breaks, so why state it?

 

The team can aim to please more people, including old fans. It's not like it's an impossible task and it's certainly not an "all or nothing" situation.

 

Sure, it's not an "all or nothing" situation. But, it IS an impossible task to please all people, and last I checked many people are pleased. You are not. Many, including old fans such as myself, are. You've been quite vocal about your dissatisfaction and how you're not the only fan who's displeased. True, but so what?

 

$10 was a steal for just the voices - everything else was a nice bonus, which has also introduced MI to people who would have never given the original a glance.

 

This is not to say that I am 100% pleased, but if there were no improvements between MI:SE and MI2:SE, I'd still buy the sequel gladly.

 

MI and MI2 are graphically sparse games which consist of thick globs of pixels. It worked back then because that was the standard resolution. But I am far too much of a realist to put on those rose coloured glasses and be charmed by those original pixelly sprites and backgrounds. They were nice for the times, but are hopelessly dated. MI:SE is a much needed makeover. I share the general dislike of how Guybrush looks, but I don't think the few pixels of the original were very good either. Further, MI:SE so far appears to be relatively easy to modify, which is also fantastic and gives everyone an option to modify the world according to how they think it works.

 

 

One last quick note on the voices. I know we all have different ideas on what is good and everything but can you look me in the eye and say the whole thing was superb or that you just liked that it had voices. Because for the most part the voice direction is over the top and it felt like they injected humour into it to make it funnier instead of letting the game stand on it's own. I mean even Guybrush and LeChuck felt off at times

 

Yes, there are times when the voice I hear isn't how I would have said it, but that's much like finding out that the character in a movie adopted from a book you've read doesn't sound and look exactly how you've pictured him. It's happened to me with LA games before and I don't think it's a valid complaint with MI:SE.

[SyntheticGerbil]

In regards to Brian and Steve it's just something I heard through the grapevine they they both both would very open to the idea. But I don't have a link though. I emailed David Fox right after the announcement of the SE and to my surprise he emailed me back a day later. He just said he would love the idea of coming back and doing it and in retrospect he wished he had removed the mazes and the cash problem. He also loved my idea of the aliens abducting people other then Zak and Annie such as Lou when you use the blue crystal which I thought was really cool and made my day.

 

Ah that's really cool! Especially the Zak part. Yeah those mazes were kind of annoying, as if they were just put there to pad out the game. It was already pretty long.

 

Sure, it's not an "all or nothing" situation. But, it IS an impossible task to please all people, and last I checked many people are pleased. You are not. Many, including old fans such as myself, are. You've been quite vocal about your dissatisfaction and how you're not the only fan who's displeased. True, but so what?

 

So what are you trying to say here? I'm the only fan who's displeased?

 

And I guess you don't understand how useless it is to say, "well no one is going to be satisfied no matter what we do." Pay more attention to what I said instead of saying, "So what?" If everyone used that excuse about any kind of work they did then the world would be full of people doing mediocre jobs just because of a base attitude. So it goes without saying.

 

This is not to say that I am 100% pleased, but if there were no improvements between MI:SE and MI2:SE, I'd still buy the sequel gladly.

 

And the cat's out of the bag. You are fine with mediocrity, others are not. It's a personal thing to settle.

 

MI and MI2 are graphically sparse games which consist of thick globs of pixels. It worked back then because that was the standard resolution. But I am far too much of a realist to put on those rose coloured glasses and be charmed by those original pixelly sprites and backgrounds.

 

So everyone who doesn't agree with you is not a realist? The original games are sparse? Do you know a thing about drawing and composition? Scroll up a little bit to Thunderpeel's post and look at the original scanned paintings and tell me those are sparse.

 

I could just as easily be as pompous as you are acting and say you only like the Special Edition because you have to justify your $10 spent. Don't presume you know why people feel a certain way and proclaim yourself a realist, that's not nice. Is everyone else then living in some kind of sub reality, then?

 

You also seem to imply that everyone who doesn't like the new art style and sees mistakes only plays games made before 1995. It's really not that easy.

[Monkey Mania]

No matter what LucasArts does or does not do to the game, someone WILL NOT be satisfied.

[Zak McKracken]

Yes, there are times when the voice I hear isn't how I would have said it, but that's much like finding out that the character in a movie adopted from a book you've read doesn't sound and look exactly how you've pictured him. It's happened to me with LA games before and I don't think it's a valid complaint with MI:SE.

 

I'm not talking about the voices not matching up to my expectations. Honestly, if we were going to go there, I still hate Guybrush's voice but I've accepted it and adjusted. I'm talking about the voice direction itself for the actors. Even actors like Sean Penn, Daniel Day Lewis, Glenn Close, Meryl Streep etc can seem like a bad actor or over the top given the wrong direction. It was a choice from the design team or the voice director to have some of the voices over the top or hammy. Cobb, Otis, Estevan, the Narrator and others were exaggerated and over the top. Like I said before even Guybrush and LeChuck were off at some point. And this is what I object to. To quote Thunderpeel again it seemed like they just injected humour in the voices and characterization to make it even funnier instead of letting the game stand on it's own. For example, nowadays, most people hate laugh tracks in sitcoms because they are told when to laugh instead of being able to figure it out for themselves and enjoy the show as is. The voice direction was a choice and I thought it could have been better and extremely toned down