Monkey Island Special Edition coming to XBox Live Arcade!

[MusicallyInspired]

http://www.gamerbytes.com/2009/05/the_secret_of_monkey_island_co.php

If this happens I'm totally getting a 360 next chance I get!

Yes, it's been an awfully long time, but it appears that The Secret Of Monkey Island is coming back, and to the Xbox 360.

The German USK rating board has revealed that The Secret Of Monkey Island - Special Edition is on its way. This was the very original Monkey Island game, from all the way back in 1990. As for what makes it a Special Edition is currently unknown -- could they be re-doing the graphics? Could the game possibly have a voice cast?

The rating suggests that Activision might have some involvement in the project, but most likely this is simply Activision Europe rating the title for LucasArts, as they are the European publishing arm that LucasArts use. We can only assume this is an Xbox Live Arcade title, but there is a slim chance that this is a retail retelling of the original too.

[andrew603]

That's awesome.  Can't wait to see what's 'special'...

[jharris01]

Can't wait to see what's 'special'...

That they are gonna charge you for it!  *joke*

I guess at the very least they will upgrade the graphics so that they look nice on HD (like other similar old games that have been ported over). That and the obligatory HD marquee that will surround the 4:3 game window. They could also add USB keyboard/mouse support but I doubt it.

If this comes true I wonder what device they will end up using for the music recordings.

[MusicallyInspired]

They'll probably just use the audio tracks from the CD release. I'm intrigued to see what's to 'special' about it as well. I hope it's simply additions and features and not changes.

[andrew603]

If this comes true I wonder what device they will end up using for the music recordings.

I imagine they will just use the CD Audio tracks from the CD VGA version of the game.  Those were made using the D-110, D-50, and some post-added sound effects here and there.



LOL MusicallyInspired, you beat me to it!

[parazythum]

I can tell you I will follow this... But I don't think it will make me buy a console one day ! (I could be wrong)

Let's see the result first.

[jharris01]

I'd like to buy a 360 but the red ring/E74 errors keep me from it. I can't get myself to buy something knowing in advance that it will most likely break within a short period of time. I don't really get how people are just fine purchasing the same console over and over (some even buying a console while the defective one is being repaired at Microsoft). I guess I am old fashioned (as in expecting hardware to last a long time)

[endre1952]

I think the "Red Ring of Death" issues were fixed in the newer versions of XBOX 360 (those with HDMI output). I have a 360, but don't expect much from this release. The so-called "remastered in High Definition" Sega Mega Drive Collection looks like crap. They simply use an emulator and a graphics filter, also found in PC emulators. Gimme a genuine 15khz display anytime!

[jharris01]

Its possible the game will have upgraded sprites for HD displays.

[Great Hierophant]

I think the "Red Ring of Death" issues were fixed in the newer versions of XBOX 360 (those with HDMI output). I have a 360, but don't expect much from this release. The so-called "remastered in High Definition" Sega Mega Drive Collection looks like crap. They simply use an emulator and a graphics filter, also found in PC emulators. Gimme a genuine 15khz display anytime!

Amen!

[jharris01]

Looks like you are preaching to the choir endre  Scale 3x for me!

[endre1952]

We have our different opinions. I always thought resolutions like 320x240 looked too blocky on anything other than a CRT TV. They looked too blocky even on the CRT VGA monitors found in the early 90's (for me at least). I was actually jealous of those Amiga owners for having a 15khz display. Today, I prefer using a real CRT TV over those fancy  smoothening filters. I use a direct Scart RGB connection, however, not TV Out. Yes, I know, Scart is not available on US TV sets.

Ever heard of the ArcadeVGA project?

[jharris01]

If you refer to the special VGA card made for arcade cabinet builders, then yes. I thought Soft15Khz sort of stole its thunder.

Maybe I misunderstood you but I thought we were agreeing to liking retrogames as they look on real hardware (meaning pixelated blocky, not LCD-chunky blocky). Unless you meant it as in playing it in that specific CRT hardware. I guess I am caught in semantics, but I do understand the appeal.

Once I had a chance to play the Contra port of Xbox Live Arcade on a friend's 360. I am very familiar with the arcade game so I immediately noticed the improved sprites and added effects. I thought this was standard practice for retro games ported to XBL.

[endre1952]

I use Soft-15khz. I've had an ArcadeVGA cardm, but sold it, because Soft-15khz is just as good. Actually, I nowadays prefer outputting DosBox to a 15khz CRT TV with RGB connections. I've always dreamed of playing PC games on a CRT TV (but in good quality, not using the card's TV-out), and now it has finally become a reality. Amiga, C64, Sega Genesis and SNES emulation also look damn perfect.

[Great Hierophant]

We have our different opinions. I always thought resolutions like 320x240 looked too blocky on anything other than a CRT TV. They looked too blocky even on the CRT VGA monitors found in the early 90's (for me at least). I was actually jealous of those Amiga owners for having a 15khz display. Today, I prefer using a real CRT TV over those fancy  smoothening filters. I use a direct Scart RGB connection, however, not TV Out. Yes, I know, Scart is not available on US TV sets.

Ever heard of the ArcadeVGA project?

I use Soft-15khz. I've had an ArcadeVGA cardm, but sold it, because Soft-15khz is just as good. Actually, I nowadays prefer outputting DosBox to a 15khz CRT TV with RGB connections. I've always dreamed of playing PC games on a CRT TV (but in good quality, not using the card's TV-out), and now it has finally become a reality. Amiga, C64, Sega Genesis and SNES emulation also look damn perfect.

While we in the US may not have SCART, we do have component video, which is almost as good.  The modern video cards that soft 15khz support also support component video as well.  I am anxious to try this on my PC.  However, I would think a TV would probably be limited to 200-line resolution output for US TVs. 

[MusicallyInspired]

Looks like SOMI Special Edition is getting revamped after all! Voice actors from Curse of Monkey Island, remastered soundtrack, enhanced HD 2D graphics, and even some "deleted scenes" like the close-up shot of Spiffy the dog that never made it into the original. You can switch between the HD graphics and remastered soundtrack and the original graphics with the CD-audio soundtrack from the original PC version at any time during gameplay. I'm very impressed with LucasArts on this move. They really look like they've taken great care and pride in the development of this game all the while keeping the original idea intact without altering too much. It even has Ron Gilbert's blessings. The producer even said that if the fans want it they might re-release other older adventures as well!



Some videos:

First Look and Interview

Opening Custscene

Also, Tell Tale Games is now creating a series of Monkey Island games entitled Tales of Monkey Island in collaboration with LucasArts! This, too, has Ron's blessing and the original voice cast from Curse of Monkey Island as well as Michael Land, original composer for Secret of Monkey Island.



The Secret of Monkey Island Special Edition will be released on XBox LiveArcade and PC (digital download). Tales of Monkey Island will be released on PC (not sure if it's digital download only or not) and WiiWare. I'm getting BOTH.

Secret of Monkey Island Special Edition Website

Tales of Monkey Island Website

[endre1952]

While I'm not too knowledgeable in such matters, I'd still like to share my thoughts. I assume you'd get good results, if the component output is not filtered through the "TV out" found on most modern cards. My Sapphire Radeon 3850 AGP card came with a component output cable, which obviously connects to the "TV out" socket. I have not tried this, as I have not bought a Component-to-Scart adaptor. The custom-made VGA to Scart cable I use connects directly to the D-Sub output. You can get composite sync by just soldering together the H-sync V-sync pins in the cable. While ATI Radeon cards can output composite sync, I don't think soft-15khz supports it (so those pins have to be connected together).

I assume you'd get less pleasing, or at least all authentic, results if your TV supports progressive scan.

[Great Hierophant]

While I'm not too knowledgeable in such matters, I'd still like to share my thoughts. I assume you'd get good results, if the component output is not filtered through the "TV out" found on most modern cards. My Sapphire Radeon 3850 AGP card came with a component output cable, which obviously connects to the "TV out" socket. I have not tried this, as I have not bought a Component-to-Scart adaptor. The custom-made VGA to Scart cable I use connects directly to the D-Sub output. You can get composite sync by just soldering together the H-sync V-sync pins in the cable. While ATI Radeon cards can output composite sync, I don't think soft-15khz supports it (so those pins have to be connected together).

I assume you'd get less pleasing, or at least all authentic, results if your TV supports progressive scan.

Most of these component cables, include the one I intend to use, do connect through the TV-out port of modern cards. 

I think a VGA to component converter would work just fine with soft 15khz. 

[NewRisingSUn]

Can you split the video technobabble into a separate thread, please?

The remake looks far worse than we've seen from AGDI and consorts --- increasing the color count and resolution while keeping the overall graphics design doesn't make much of an improvement. In fact it makes it worse in my opinion --- the graphics style, meaning the location design and choice of colors, in the old game were done the way they were because of the limitations in the original display and production technology, so redrawing them in the same style but with higher resolution makes for a rather unbalanced result. Imagine if Sierra remade SQ1 with the same room structures and color choices as in the AGI version! The same applies here as well, on a different level.

And on a side note: that they're using hand-painted backgrounds instead of Deluxe Paint-drawn graphics is old fare for anyone who has played Sierra's 256-color games; it essentially lifts Monkey 1's graphics to Monkey 2's level.

I wish they'd keep the classics alone.

[MusicallyInspired]

So don't play it. There's still the original. Besides, you can switch to the older graphics at any time you want during the game. Personally, I think it's a great way to introduce a new generation of gamers to the classics. And the original is still there at the touch of a button so they can still experience it the way it was in 1990 if they want to.