Ron Gilbert Returns With DeathSpank 66
KingofGnG writes to tell us that the genius behind games like Monkey Island, Maniac Mansion, and the SCUMM script engine has returned to bring you another action-adventure entitled "DeathSpank". Showcased at the recent Penny Arcade Expo, the game promises the same adventure-styled gameplay of Monkey Island with the RPG-style gameplay of Diablo. Now all you have to do is get the fish out of your pants and belly up to the SCUMM bar.
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Probably because slashdot is targeted towards people with IQs above 90.
You must be new here.
Re:Hey, (Score:5, Funny)
How do you know there aren't?
I heard there was actually a dedicated association for black Slashdotters. But I gather that you also have to be American, and gay, which seems to me to be a bit exclusive all things considered.
DethSpank? (Score:5, Informative)
Brutal.
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The last trailer reminded me a lot of Munchkin [wikipedia.org]. A computerised Munchkin could be really cool :)
Theme? (Score:4, Funny)
Maniac?
Monkey?
Spank?
Sounds like my late nights on teh interwebs...
In all seriousness, I can't wait. I LOVED the MI games and recently went through them all again courtesy of SCUMMVM. Will be nice for something new from Ron.
Me and my monkey, with a dream and a gun... (Score:1, Offtopic)
A cleverly hidden reference to 'Manque' is found in a song by the British artist Robbie Williams from the 2003 album Escapology (album). A song called 'Me and my Monkey' referrs to 'Manque' or 'Monkey' as a slightly disturbed and dangerous companion in which the 'Monkey' is acting independently of the singer. In fact, they are one person, and 'Monkey' is the dark, 'failed' side of his character.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manque [wikipedia.org]
Absolutely brilliant track. Here on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylyc61vS4kQ [youtube.com]
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He said Spank.
You know, like, masturbation.
Thank you for pointing that out - because none of the rest of the people here (with /.'ers being the sophisticated and mature people they are) would ever think of that.
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Even BEFORE they smell your breath?
Oh wow! http://www.scummbar.com/community/games/swordfighting/ [scummbar.com] Great idea for a flash game :p
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Ah, it's not even flash. Good stuff
Thongs of Justice... (Score:1)
Please tell me they'll revert to EGA graphics whenever anything gets pulled out of that one... (Unless they are worn by a female of course.)
All of the big industry publishers refused it... (Score:5, Insightful)
... so there's a fair chance it could be pretty good.
Re:All of the big industry publishers refused it.. (Score:5, Funny)
The creator(s)of the game seem to agree with you...
Everyone hated it - says Gilbert - But the weird thing is the more publishers that turned it down, the more convinced I became that this was a great idea. Every rejection fueled me with excitement and the knowledge that I was right. Nothing says innovation and creativity like armed security showing up to escort you out of the building while saying 'Let's not have any trouble'
LOL
Action Adventure (Score:1)
I guess the whole action deal is why so many people consider adventures a dead genre.
Platform? (Score:4, Interesting)
Ok, I just skimmed over TFA, but I didn't see any mention of the targeted platforms for this.
Will a great game be once again limited to Microsoft Windows and/or Xbox 360 or will it also be available for Macs, possibly Linux and hopefully Wii, Nintendo DS, PS3, PSP?
Heck, how about an iPhone/iPod touch version?
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I hope it IS limited to the Windows platform.. maybe a few others later. The worst thing for it would be to make a stupid new interface just so consoles idiots can play it.
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Old SCUMM games could be played with a touch screen (Nintendo DS, iPhone/iPod touch), not sure about DeathSpank...
Also, the PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii all have USB ports and can support keyboard and mouse. I wish publisher would stop assuming that console = gamepad and make console games that require keyboard+mouse.
These aren't exotic accessories that cost a fortune and are only available from a handful of manufacturers.
Re:Platform? (Score:4, Interesting)
Also, the PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii all have USB ports and can support keyboard and mouse. I wish publisher would stop assuming that console = gamepad and make console games that require keyboard+mouse.
These aren't exotic accessories that cost a fortune and are only available from a handful of manufacturers.
I don't know about you, but I don't have a desk set up in my living room in front of the television. Any game which required mouse control would be absolutely no use to me.
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I don't know about you, but I don't have a desk set up in my living room in front of the television.
And unfolding a little TV tray is too complicated?
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I don't know about you, but I don't have a desk set up in my living room in front of the television.
And unfolding a little TV tray is too complicated?
Ergonomic nightmare!
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Trackball. Seriously. It has all the advantages of a mouse and needs no hard surface. I use mine regularly while 'balanced' on the arm rest of my sofa or just plain on the seat next to me. Logitech TrackMan Wheel works like magic.
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wireless keyboard with touchpad
been eyeing one off for a multimedia machine - but cannot justify the price at the moment , though that should decrease over time.
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Old SCUMM games, like Maniac Mansion, could be played on a NES. Directional pad, plus four buttons for those who didn't know (A, B, Select, Start). You would need a stupid new interface if you wanted to exclude consoles just for the sake of excluding them.
Also, PCs have USB ports and can support gamepads. I wish publishers would stop assuming that PC = keyboard+mouse and make games that support whatever input the player wants to use.
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Also, PCs have USB ports and can support gamepads. I wish publishers would stop assuming that PC = keyboard+mouse and make games that support whatever input the player wants to use.
The thing is that they already do. I haven't played any game recently (that also has a console version) that doesn't have gamepad support in the PC version.
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I really don't like that. I have pretty good aim from far too many hours of CS, and I really enjoy getting those headshots in. In a game converted from console to asdw + mouse they often don't bother to change the mechanics. You still just point in the general direction and fire, Rambo style. No chance to take advantage of good aim, which is really fru
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Re my sig, I probably meant accurate, not exact...
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Also, the PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii all have USB ports and can support keyboard and mouse. I wish publisher would stop assuming that console = gamepad and make console games that require keyboard+mouse.
These aren't exotic accessories that cost a fortune and are only available from a handful of manufacturers.
It's not as simple as that, unfortunately. When a console game is produced, it must be approved by Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo before the publisher is granted permission to release the game on the associated hardware. One of the bare minimum requirements is that the game must be fully functional and playable using the standard game controller. Even Guitar Hero and DDR follow these rules.
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Which really is a good thing, the last thing anyone wants is having to read the back of a console game box to see if their console meets the requirements.
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I don't see the purpose in lots of ports either, just buy the best system or the one which can play the games you need. Why port to everything?
And yes, Windows would probably be sufficient, though I'm on a mac without Windows but that's my choice.
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Well there are SCUMM VM players for most "PC" platforms (which is to say, Win/Mac/Linux/others), but I agree that a new interface for consoles would be foolish. It could conceivably work on the iPhone (I played a bit of the SCUMM-based Day of the Tenticle on mine when I had it jailbroken) and other touch-based devices as well as point-and-click desktops, provided there's a lower-resolution version available or it scales nicely.
Granted the interface to get into the game itself on the iPhone was quite clumsy
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Considering that Hothead did it for Windows/Mac/Linux platforms on Penny Arcade Adventures, I have a feeling that it'll be on those selfsame platforms like PA:Adventures is, possibly using a similar UI with a differing storyline.
Police Quest type game (Score:1, Interesting)
I miss the Police Quest games. There were some problems with the game being a bit simple, but I like the idea of being dectective trying to solve a case. The play mechanics today of story-based action/adventure games focus on shooting, sneaking and assassinating bad-guys. They're cool, fun games but lack a lot of brain power to complete.
I was thinking the other day that using the Splinter Cell engine would make a great environment (shadows, lighting wise) for a setting. With the popularity of Dexter, makin
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I saw the movie - come to think of it, it's one of the few movies I ever saw that I had no idea what was going on half the time.. it's rather messed up in places.
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Or its predecessor, "Ripper" [wikipedia.org], starring Walken, David Patrick Kelly, Paul Giamatti, etc. I loved this game, and had to buy the disks (it was a 6 disc game) again from ebay since the disks were so scratched up.
Also, I should mention the Home of the Underdogs [the-underdogs.info] for anyone looking for some great classic games. It hasn't been updated in a while, but it has a ton of great games listed.
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You have a spare shield. You put it on...
RPG style of what...?! (Score:4, Funny)
RPG style of Diablo? Is that like the flight simulation style of Super Mario? Or maybe like the FPS style of Ultima 7?
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Actually Ultima Underworld (the first one) was released before the first successful FPS (Wolfenstein 3D), and used superior technology, so in fact it was Wolfenstein (and Doom, etc.) that had a "FPRPG" look. :-)
Ultima 7 (parts 1 and 2, plus the expansions) and the Underworlds were the golden age of RPGs.
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Superior technology, hah I say. In Ultima Underworld you only had swords and bows, Wolf3D had pistols and submachines guns.
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Hey, in Underworld you could stop time, walk on water, and summon imps. Top that, Blazkowicz!
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What? It had magic? I knew those runes could be used for something, but I didn't have a manual (pirated game) thus I didn't know any spells.
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I am pretty sure that the FBI doesn't want to have a word with me, I had a perfectly legal pirated copy, made from the original game that some friend of mine had.
But Mobile Racoon Suit: Mario rox! (Score:1, Interesting)
> Is that like the flight simulation style of Super Mario?
Hey! Mobile Raccoon Suit: Mario hasn't even come out yet! Don't be a hater!
Next in line (Score:1)
Get thee to the Wii (Score:5, Interesting)
I have a hope that the Wii will bring about a revival of the adventure game. The Strong Bad game on WiiWare was a fun diversion, and the Sam & Max games are close to release on the console. The point and click format is perfect for the Wii.
I love my hard core games, but pointing and clicking through something fun and puzzley can be relaxing. A man needs variety.
Re:Get thee to the Wii (Score:5, Insightful)
I have a hope that the Wii will bring about a revival of the adventure game. The Strong Bad game on WiiWare was a fun diversion, and the Sam & Max games are close to release on the console. The point and click format is perfect for the Wii.
I love my hard core games, but pointing and clicking through something fun and puzzley can be relaxing. A man needs variety.
One thing I miss that the Wii is bringing back is social gaming. I remember 5 of us sitting in a room playing 7th Guest figuring out puzzles together. I also remember playing doom with us against the monsters, just clearing the levels. Now it is you alone, or kill your friends only. Not very social, until the Wii came along.
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But yeah, I remember a bunch of us trying to solve the Monkey Island puzzles and yelling at the guy who had the control... not really multiplayer but still fun
International Superstar Soccer was also a great multiplayer game... for playing 4-player games we had to buy a multitap for the PS2 and even then it's mostly used for s
Zack and Wiki (Score:3, Interesting)
Difficulty goes from "intuitive and easy" to "avoid thrown Wiimotes".
Re:Get thee to the Wii (Score:5, Interesting)
Just so you know, if you install the Homebrew Channel on your Wii, you can play SCUMMVM games from it. I recently played through Day of the Tentacle on the Wii and it was glorious.
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Ah, so THAT's why there are multiple fleshlights and not just the-best-one(TM.)
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Retro Gaming is huge for some people... last Saturday night a friend of mine popped his Nintendo and we played some Contra
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I always thought anything that required a point-and-click interface was extremely clumsy on the Wii, prior to selling mine. Maybe it was more of an issue with early games, but I found that you'd tire your arm pretty quickly unless you were just resting your hand on your crotch and aiming from there. [insert 'joystick' remark] Even the bow and arrow in Zelda felt much less natural than it should have as compared to swinging around the controller for swordplay.
Oh yes! Mr Gilbert is teh awesome! (Score:2)
My introduction to R.Gilbert's work was monkey island 1 (ega 16-color version) when I was 8 I think. The box art drew me in, and the details upon the back sold me. Ron, if you read this - Thanks so much for the lifelong influence and I'm glad to see you making new games!
an interesting topic (Score:2)
Well I obviously didn't read the link and I know nothing about this game, but from the title I assume it's an innovative new game with a genre-creating videogame take on BDSM snuff porn.