Monkey Island 2 Remake

[ThunderPeel2001 89]

Actually uses 128 colors (even fewer than your conservative 150 colors), and probably reduced down to that limited palette with a dithering routine which sucks more than modern ones.

 

But yeah even so, the old MI2 stuff seems to have a fair bit of grit to it.

 

Here's the 128 colour version:

 

You were right... it made surprisingly little difference.

 

Also, comparing other artwork we've got shows that the dithering routines have hardly improved at all. (There actually isn't any dithering on the above image at all in this instance.)

 

But yeah, you're right, there's definitely a fair bit of "grit" that was added in some screens.

[elTee 36]

Yes, it is wistful thinking. Ron Gilbert did not leave Hothead to make the 'real' Monkey Island 3 at LucasArts.

 

Or did he??

 

No. Bear in mind the SE will probably have a hint system to help with puzzles you find difficult.

[Fealiks 10]

I maintain that they didn't change the rebars to roots like everyone says. There's lots of evidence to suggest that they're rebars, but the only thing suggesting that they're roots is that they kind of look a bit like roots.

 

I doubt they're removing anachronisms on purpose, at any rate, but you could well be correct.

[SyntheticGerbil 10]

MI2 was flawed, as Gilbert has acknowledged, because they decided to ditch the medium mode and keep easy and hard. Nobody (to my knowledge) played Easy. I never did, and later versions of the game didn't even bother to include it. It was designed to make adventure games more accessible, but anyone who'd bought MI2 wasn't really thinking "I've never played an adventure before, I'm scared"... so that left hard - aka "****ing evil mode"

 

What?! You've never played easy? I've played MI2 and CMI on both modes. I remember as a kid starting with hard mode but switching to easy and finishing when I got too stuck on one part. I then used that knowledge to finish hard mode. No hints needed!

 

Also if you don't play Monkey Lite mode, you can't witness Wally peeing out the candle. How he aims with no free hands is amazing!

[ThunderPeel2001 89]

No. Bear in mind the SE will probably have a hint system to help with puzzles you find difficult.

 

Yes.

 

Anyone know why Gilbert did leave Hothead... Such a weird move. Wasn't he the head of development? Also, leaving before his game was even finished? Bad blood or what?

[SyntheticGerbil 10]

He was their creative director during Deathspank's development but before came on board as a design consultant on the Penny Arcade games.

 

Maybe elTee's theory is the truth!

[Aububuh 10]

 

There's a lot of glare on that glass case. Not that I think that's bad, of course. I don't nitpick that much... Sometimes.

[Monkey Mania 10]

I'm getting tired of all this complaining, especially the nitpicks.

[Aububuh 10]

I'm getting tired of all this complaining, especially the nitpicks.

 

That was the joke. Too subtle?

[Monkey Mania 10]

That was the joke. Too subtle?

 

Nah, I'm talking about overall.

[ThunderPeel2001 89]

Another one that looks really good, wow. Here's the original to compare.

 

 

I'm getting tired of all this complaining, especially the nitpicks.

 

Was that deliberately ironic, or accidentally?

[Haggis 12]

People only nitpick because they love these games. And when the only criticism is on small details, you know LucasArts got most of it right.

[Fealiks 10]

Another one that looks really good, wow. Here's the original to compare.

 

 

I think that this is the main flaw in some people's logic, where "good" is synonymous with "the same as the original". Each to their own, obviously, but in my opinion, we should allow the art to be slightly different. This is a special edition, not a less pixelated edition.

Edited April 22, 2010 by Fealiks

[Monkey Mania 10]

People should focus on the appeal rather than "an exact high resolution copy" of the backgrounds.

[ThunderPeel2001 89]

People should focus on the appeal rather than "an exact high resolution copy" of the backgrounds.

 

So now you people are complaining because others don't like the Special Edition in THE RIGHT WAY?!?

 

You all need your heads examining!

Edited April 22, 2010 by ThunderPeel2001

[Gabez 10]

The art looks good, but there is a direction to make it a bit more stylised, and also a bit brighter and with less contrast. I can see the logic in making it more stylised, because it brings the SE in line with the later games (e.g. the clouds), but I wonder what the thinking was in terms of the colour palette and brightness? Perhaps it is a more accurate way of portraying light, or maybe it was just the artists' personal techniques and style that were different?

[Fealiks 10]

So now you people are complaining because others don't like the Special Edition in THE RIGHT WAY?!?

 

You all need your heads examining!

It's not that at all. At least that's not what I was talking about.

 

All I'm saying is that you're expecting something that they aren't even trying to deliver, so you're obviously going to be disappointed. It's fair enough if you're criticizing it because it's not what you wanted, but bear in mind that what you want isn't in line with what they were going for (not that this makes your criticisms any less valid, of course )

[Aububuh 10]

 

 

I love that it's SMI:SE LeChuck. It gives it that same sense of consistency that the original MI2 had.

Edited April 23, 2010 by Aububuh
Broken link

[Laserschwert 210]

I love that it's SMI:SE LeChuck. It gives it that same sense of consistency that the original MI2 had.

But it's not:

 

 

He looks quite a bit different now... more detailed mainly.

[The Tingler 10]

Another one that looks really good, wow. Here's the original to compare.

 

 

Indy's whip looks a lot more Indy-whip-like, as I always thought the original was a hanging noose until you Look at it.

[anothercustard 11]

Don't think I've seen this screen posted yet?

 

 

From here: http://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/23/monkey-island-2-special-edition-screens-tour-booty-island/

[Kroms 13]

Guybrush's coat is flappin' in the water. Nice!

 

Also, Lucas should try make sure their screenies aren't leaked every Friday.

[ThunderPeel2001 89]

Not sure why the ship's mast looks so... wonky. Also, the bit of Booty that's visible in the distance looks a bit wishy washy. (The original always suggested a sense of scale to me.) Otherwise more great improvements over the Scabb shots! (I'm still annoyed by the blandness of the of Inn where Largo is staying, especially when these other graphics show the team can do some really really nice stuff.)

 

Overall: Mood = hopeful.

[Snugglecakes 10]

Despite all our complaints there a big difference between the first SE and this one. If I had lots of money and decided to pay an artist to paint every scene from MI2 so that I could hang them on the wall, and he presented me with these screenshots, would I be happy.

 

Hell yes.

 

BUT... I didn't notice all the patheticness in the first SE until I played it so who knows...

[SurplusGamer 10]

Not sure why the ship's mast looks so... wonky.

 

Overall: Mood = hopeful.

 

 

I think it might be because they've applied a whole effect to the screen to make the image wobble and sway a little for an underwater effect.