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The Return of (Old) PC Graphic Adventures

Posted by Soulskill on from the back-to-the-past-ure dept.

KingofGnG writes "Though they belong to a genre already considered defunct and inadequate for the mainstream video game market, adventure games have a glorious past, a past that deserves to be remembered, and, of course, replayed. At the center of a good part of this effort of collective memory, there is ScummVM, the virtual machine which acts like an interface between the feelings and the puzzles from the good old times and the modern operating systems. As already highlighted before, the ScummVM target has grown immensely over time, going from the simple support of the 'classic' adventure games par excellence published by Lucasfilm/Lucasarts, to a range that includes virtually any single puzzle-solving game developed from the beginning of time up to the advent of the (Windows) NT platform. The last video game engine added to ScummVM within the past few days is Groovie, created by the software house Trilobyte for its first title released in 1993, The 7th Guest ."

6 of 93 comments (clear)

  1. Not mainstream? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    While the definition of mainstream videogames can be debated, new adventure games are still sold in places like best buy and wal-mart. That seems mainstream to me. It is true they don't have the prestige or marketing behind them that they used to but they are still good.

    I picked up the Agathe Christie series on a whim at best buy one day and am presently surprised.

    adventuregamers.com and justadventure.com are still 'keeping it real' so to speak.

    1. Re:Not mainstream? by Psychotria · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I think I agree with you. But the way you phrased your comment made me have to think twice and read it more than once. Correct me if I am wrong, but are you saying: they're not "games", they're "adventures" and deeper than the modern conception of video games. They (text based adventures) were not games, they were, somehow, more... a way that hackers communicated with each other. Made jokes with each other. Spun engaging tales to others interested. Programmed and had fun. Did things for the hell of it. Told a story. Engaged the player. Let the player become part of the story. Hacked. Am I way off track? The masters of text-based adventures were poets, philosophers, comedians, wizards, magicians, storytellers, riddle makers, writers, mathematicians, programmers and, (I dunno how they did this last one) friends? People I'd never met, but I bet if I met them in the street I'd like... that kind of friend

      Yeah... those old games...

    2. Re:Not mainstream? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      Even though helicopters can fly, they are not planes.

      So the question is: does a video game need video?

  2. SCI? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Well, that's all fine and dandy, but when are we finally going to see SCI support (for Sierra's later games)?

    I remember that many years ago, the ScummVM team said, essentially, "ScummVM is for SCUMM games only, therefore we won't add SCI support even though Sierra's games were the 'other big thing' along wit LucasArts'"; these days, with support for just about any and every engine thrown into ScummVM, is there any update on whether SCI support is planned? Or at least considered?

  3. In case you liked the 7th Guest music... by TheMightyFatMan · · Score: 2, Interesting

    You can hear the tunes from the 7th Guest and 11th Hour again, and download them, from Amiestreet: http://amiestreet.com/music/the-fat-man-and-team-fat/7-11-soundtrack-to-the-7th-guest/ I tried to make the audio CD a real nice experience, flowing from track to track, and kind of telling a story. I think it came out pretty enjoyable--it feels better to listen to than the CD that came with the game, or the mp3's. At least to me. I hope you enjoy it... http://www.texasmusicroundup.com/The_Fat_Man_p/ru0206.htm

  4. Re:Well by CheshireDragon · · Score: 2, Interesting

    hahaha, reminds me of the old skool D&D games. 320x240 graphics..oh yeah that takes a whopping 32K of graphic memory heh oh yeah the guide into the game thing. same games by SSI/TSR Look on page 3 word 4 of paragraph 2. Those were easy to crack because all you had to do was open the (.EXE) in a hex editor and then pick out any english words. copy them and when they worked you put the question next to it. after about 20 or 30 plays, depending on the game and how many passwords; you had your password list all set, until you lost it but, that is another story for another thread on another day...

    --
    "That's right...I said it."