Well here we are! There are only three games on the playlist after the one I'm currently playing (Mean Streets), so it's time to start discussing the year ahead. 1990 looks awesome, with stacks of classic adventure games that I'll definitely be covering, but there are also some intriguing Borderline games that I'm sure will have you guys looking at the CAP leaderboard.
For anyone uncertain about how this works, I will be playing any game marked as Accepted. Readers can spend CAPs to make me play the games marked as Borderline (50 CAPs for an individual or 100 CAPs for a joint effort) and Disregarded (200 CAPs). Unlike last time, the below is now set in stone, so don't bother heading off to Moby Games to vote or Wikipedia to edit the Notable list. Any CAP trades need to occur before my introduction post for the last game of 1989 (The Colonel's Bequest), after which time 1990's playlist will be set. I intend to try to play next year's games in chronological order rather than alphabetical wherever possible, hence the need to know what I'm going to be playing prior to starting.
If my recent completion rates are anything to go by, you've got over 2 months to discuss and trade. All discussion should be had on this post, and I will be adjusting the CAP leaderboard and each game's status as trades are made. Here we go!
For anyone uncertain about how this works, I will be playing any game marked as Accepted. Readers can spend CAPs to make me play the games marked as Borderline (50 CAPs for an individual or 100 CAPs for a joint effort) and Disregarded (200 CAPs). Unlike last time, the below is now set in stone, so don't bother heading off to Moby Games to vote or Wikipedia to edit the Notable list. Any CAP trades need to occur before my introduction post for the last game of 1989 (The Colonel's Bequest), after which time 1990's playlist will be set. I intend to try to play next year's games in chronological order rather than alphabetical wherever possible, hence the need to know what I'm going to be playing prior to starting.
If my recent completion rates are anything to go by, you've got over 2 months to discuss and trade. All discussion should be had on this post, and I will be adjusting the CAP leaderboard and each game's status as trades are made. Here we go!
Altered Destiny
| Is it clearly a graphic adventure game? | Yes |
| Does it have 20 or more Moby Games ratings? | No (14) |
| Is it on the Wikipedia Notable Games list? | Yes |
| Result | Accepted (Canageek) |
This game looks pretty weird, but intriguing.
B.A.T.
| Is it clearly a graphic adventure game? | Yes |
| Does it have 20 or more Moby Games ratings? | No (9) |
| Is it on the Wikipedia Notable Games list? | Yes |
| Result | Accepted (Laukku) |
I believe this game to be more adventure than RPG, but Chet has already played through it.
Circuit's Edge
| Is it clearly a graphic adventure game? | Yes |
| Does it have 20 or more Moby Games ratings? | No (18) |
| Is it on the Wikipedia Notable Games list? | No |
| Result | Disregarded |
Cyberpunk seemed to be all the rage during this period. Another future based detective story.
Conquests of Camelot: The Search For the Grail
| Is it clearly a graphic adventure game? | Yes |
| Does it have 20 or more Moby Games ratings? | Yes (38) |
| Is it on the Wikipedia Notable Games list? | Yes |
| Result | Accepted |
Really looking forward to this one! Another Sierra classic that I've not played before.
Countdown
| Is it clearly a graphic adventure game? | Yes |
| Does it have 20 or more Moby Games ratings? | Yes (26) |
| Is it on the Wikipedia Notable Games list? | Yes |
| Result | Accepted |
Access' follow-up to Mean Streets, this is a Secret Service thriller with digitized actors
Deja Vu II: Lost in Las Vegas
| Is it clearly a graphic adventure game? | Yes |
| Does it have 20 or more Moby Games ratings? | No (3) |
| Is it on the Wikipedia Notable Games list? | Yes |
| Result | Accepted (Group) |
Well at least it's in VGA! Is anyone going to make me play another ICOM game?
Earthrise
| Is it clearly a graphic adventure game? | Yes |
| Does it have 20 or more Moby Games ratings? | No (8) |
| Is it on the Wikipedia Notable Games list? | Yes |
| Result | Accepted (Zenic) |
Another sci-fi adventure. Earthrise already looks retro in 1990!
Elvira
| Is it clearly a graphic adventure game? | Yes |
| Does it have 20 or more Moby Games ratings? | No (9) |
| Is it on the Wikipedia Notable Games list? | No |
| Result | Accepted (Group) |
Added to the list because its sequel meets the Potential criteria. We haven't had vampires yet! Anyone tempted?
Future Wars: Adventures in Time
| Is it clearly a graphic adventure game? | Yes |
| Does it have 20 or more Moby Games ratings? | Yes (35) |
| Is it on the Wikipedia Notable Games list? | Yes |
| Result | Accepted |
This game looks beautiful and I recall at least starting it as a kid.
Hugo's House of Horrors
| Is it clearly a graphic adventure game? | Yes |
| Does it have 20 or more Moby Games ratings? | Yes (26) |
| Is it on the Wikipedia Notable Games list? | Yes |
| Result | Accepted |
Looks like Maniac Mansion with a Sierra interface
It Came From the Desert
| Is it clearly a graphic adventure game? | No |
| Does it have 20 or more Moby Games ratings? | Yes (24) |
| Is it on the Wikipedia Notable Games list? | No |
| Result | Disregarded |
I have fond memories of this from my youth, but it's not a true adventure game
James Bond: The Stealth Affair
| Is it clearly a graphic adventure game? | Yes |
| Does it have 20 or more Moby Games ratings? | No (16) |
| Is it on the Wikipedia Notable Games list? | Yes |
| Result | Accepted (Bleaghhh) |
I wouldn't mind the chance of being James Bond for a few weeks.
King's Quest V: Absence Make the Heart Go Yonder!
| Is it clearly a graphic adventure game? | Yes |
| Does it have 20 or more Moby Games ratings? | Yes (66) |
| Is it on the Wikipedia Notable Games list? | Yes |
| Result | Accepted |
Another one that I'm very much looking forward to.
Les Manley: Search for the King
| Is it clearly a graphic adventure game? | Yes |
| Does it have 20 or more Moby Games ratings? | No (8) |
| Is it on the Wikipedia Notable Games list? | No |
| Result | Accepted (Group) |
Added to the list because its sequel meets the Potential criteria. This one's got Larry all over it!
Loom
| Is it clearly a graphic adventure game? | Yes |
| Does it have 20 or more Moby Games ratings? | Yes (143) |
| Is it on the Wikipedia Notable Games list? | Yes |
| Result | Accepted |
I can't believe I haven't played this! Can't wait!!!
Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire
| Is it clearly a graphic adventure game? | Yes |
| Does it have 20 or more Moby Games ratings? | Yes (80) |
| Is it on the Wikipedia Notable Games list? | Yes |
| Result | Accepted |
BRING...IT...ON!
Rise of the Dragon
| Is it clearly a graphic adventure game? | Yes |
| Does it have 20 or more Moby Games ratings? | Yes (47) |
| Is it on the Wikipedia Notable Games list? | Yes |
| Result | Accepted |
Yet another futuristic detective game that I haven't played.
Roberta Williams' King's Quest I: Quest for the Crown
| Is it clearly a graphic adventure game? | Yes |
| Does it have 20 or more Moby Games ratings? | Yes (37) |
| Is it on the Wikipedia Notable Games list? | No |
| Result | Accepted (Laukku) |
An official remake of the first King's Quest. Anyone keen to see these updates?
Spellcasting 101: Sorcerers Get All the Girls
| Is it clearly a graphic adventure game? | No |
| Does it have 20 or more Moby Games ratings? | Yes (24) |
| Is it on the Wikipedia Notable Games list? | Yes |
| Result | Accepted (Ilmari) |
It's interactive fiction with graphics, but it's on the Wiki list so...
The Oregon Trail
| Is it clearly a graphic adventure game? | No |
| Does it have 20 or more Moby Games ratings? | Yes (36) |
| Is it on the Wikipedia Notable Games list? | No |
| Result | Disregarded |
This is the 1982 game, finally given a DOS port. It's not an adventure game though.
The Secret of Monkey Island
| Is it clearly a graphic adventure game? | Yes |
| Does it have 20 or more Moby Games ratings? | Yes (467) |
| Is it on the Wikipedia Notable Games list? | Yes |
| Result | Accepted |
The Secret of Monkey Island? Never heard of it!
The Last Express is on sale at GOG for only $2.39! I'd snatch it up immediately if I didn't already own it.
ReplyDeleteI'll plonk down my fifty, and only fifty, points so you can play at being James Bond Trickster.
ReplyDeleteVery good choice.
DeleteTrade complete. James Bond: The Stealth Affair is now Accepted.
Delete50 points for Spellcasting 101! Sold to the Harry Potter look-alike!
ReplyDeleteOn another note, Trickster, did you make any decision about the first Les Manley? It would have to come this year...
I've only got seventy to give... But there again, it's virtually guaranteed for at least two CAP assist bets if someone's else wants to jump on board with me!
DeleteTrade complete. Spellcasting 101: Sorcerers Get All the Girls is now Accepted.
DeleteForgot all about Les Manley. As previously discussed, I will add any games that don't meet the Potential criteria as Disregarded if they have a sequel that does.
DeleteLes Manley: Search for the King is now Disregarded.
Ah, as Deimar mentioned, Elvira should also be added as Disregarded then.
DeleteYep. Will add shortly.
DeleteDone!
DeleteFor all those dropping points, I would just like to remind everyone of how dreadful Emmanuelle was and if we could please avoid putting Trickster through having to play something that bad again (as well as me having to read it, although I know no one comes here for my benefit). Having said that, glad to see someone has put down for James Bond. I have vague memories that I started playing that somewhere but never got to go very far. Interesting to see if it brings back more memories or just my memory playing tricks on me.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Draconus that we shouldn’t bug Trickster with bad games. And since I am one of the few who have thrown CAPs around now, I think I should justify my decision. Spellcasting-games aren’t best of what Legend has to offer and 101 isn’t the best of the series, but it’s still an entertaining piece of humourous fantasy. And yes, it’s technically interactive fiction, but it could be played with mouse ;)
DeleteI agree. Each bad or boring game just makes it that much longer to get to the good ones. But I'm glad the king's quest remake's in. Will be interesting how it compares to the original.
DeleteI don't know - I'd rather read about some interesting, albeit seriously flawed, obscura I've never heard of than Sierra Quest 12: Diminishing's Return.
DeleteOf course, I don't actually have to play them...
Alan Twelve: That is my main problem with skipping over games. How do we know that we aren't missing over an obscure classic?
DeleteThat said, most of the games that we are skipping have a bunch of people here who have played it and say they suck.
I think anything that no one on the blog has played should get a borderline by default though, just for the historical value of such a rare find.
And what is Carmen Sandiego doing there, when it fails to meet all of the three conditions?
ReplyDeleteYes, was going to discuss that. I think it's fair to remove games completely if they don't meet any of the three criteria, even if they have over 10 votes on Moby Games.
DeleteWhere in Time is Carmen Sandiego is now removed from the Potential list.
50 points for the remake of King's Quest 1. It's the first version of any KQ game I played, and really liked the graphics, music and atmoshpere. I found it much more fun than KQ5. :-P
ReplyDeleteIn general, the dates of the game files last being edited should be a good guide to their release dates, of no other info is available.
Trade complete: Roberta Williams' King's Quest I: Quest for the Crown is now Accepted.
DeleteIf anyone is still willing to spend some CAPs, I’d suggest Earthrise. It looks a bit dated at this point and the interface is clearly copied from Sierra, but don’t think it is just some sort of Space Quest –clone. Instead, it is much more serious in tone, a sort of scifi-horror-mystery. Nothing spectacular, but a decent adventure game.
ReplyDeleteWow, the years are getting fuller with some really great games now.
ReplyDeleteConsidering the games that are up for grabs here;
Altered Destiny: I have not played it, but considering the reviews I'll probably save my CAPs.
B.A.T.: It could be an interesting addition to the history of adventure games, but ready Chet's playthrough it doesn't seem like much fun. Considering it.
Circuit's Edge: Seems to be more of a RPG than adventure. I'll skip it.
Deja Vu II: No thanks.
Earthrise: Considering it as of Ilmari's recommendation.
It Came From the Desert: Not an adventure, not interested.
James Bond: Already snatched up.
Maupiti Island: People and encounters based on time of day where being in the wrong place at the wrong time ends the game by killing you? I'm not that cruel.
King's Quest 1: Already snatched up.
Spellcasting 101: Already snatched up. I seem to have vague recollections of playing this one.
The Oregon Trail: Not an adventure, not interested.
Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego?: Not an adventure, not interested.
That leaves me B.A.T. or Earthrise as potentials. Guess I have to poke around a bit and see if I should spend some of my CAPs or not.
I'm also curious about Earthrise. It's one of the few on the list I've never heard of, let alone played.
DeleteCircuit's Edge is another overlap that Chet will play once he gets to 1990. It looks interesting.
DeleteLars-Erik: I've played Altered Destiny. Strong point is the atmosphere and setting, which is probably one of the most imaginative fantasy worlds I've seen. Apart from that, well, you can really tell it's made by the same company that was behind Les Manley -games. The interface is a Sierra ripoff, only it feels far more difficult to navigate. The producers evidently wanted to copy the authentic Sierra experience, so they filled the game with all the nasty ways to die and/or screw your game: I think there was even a possibility to fall off a cliff on a difficult to navigate mountain path. There's also too little information given about the world and its denizens, which makes solving some of the puzzles almost impossibly difficult (Earthrise shines in comparison: although it has its fair share of strange alien creatures, it provides you with enough data to logically conclude what to do with them). All in all, if you want to show Trick and others how good Sierra games actually were in comparison, by all means, spend your CAPs for this. Otherwise, I'd consider a second time.
DeleteThanks Ilmari for saving my CAPs and Tricksters sanity. :p
DeleteTrickster, I was considering Deja Vu, but I thought better of it after reading some of the text descriptions, which bored me from the short few I looked at. So, put me down for 50 points towards Earthrise, and I'll join you later for a rebate.
ReplyDeleteActually, there is a good number of games this year that I plan to join. We'll see how my schedule turns out.
Partial Trade: Zenic has put down 50 towards Earthrise. 150 more CAPs to change its status to Accepted.
DeleteIt may be because it's so early in the morning here, but isn't Earthrise Borderline? In that case, isn't Zenic's 50 points enough?
DeleteI need more sleep.
You're absolutely right! Sorry, it's me that needs more sleep!
DeleteTrade Complete: Earthrise is now Accepted
Sweet!
DeleteI almost suggested we could go back to sleep, but then realized 1) I'm at work, and 2) it'd sound weird.
So I didn't.
I was seriously considering putting my CAPs on James Bond (a good french game can't hurt after Mortville Manor or Captain Blood) or Spellcasting (very good memories on this series) but I'm once again too late...
ReplyDeleteWell, can't hurt my CAPs count really, especially considering how real life made me absent from the forums for the last few months (but still reading every single entry ;), I'll try first to participate more often and grab a few more CAPs before spending them ;)
There are actually two games on here I've watched LPs of in the past year, all by Yahtzee and Gabriel over at his blog.
ReplyDeleteLinks:
Future Wars: http://fullyramblomatic-yahtzee.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/future-snores.html
Operaton Stealth (James Bond): http://fullyramblomatic-yahtzee.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/a-wealth-of-stealth.html
I can't exactly say I'd recommend playing them, but watching the LP was certainly entertaining.
Personally, I'm looking forward to Monkey Island and King's Quest 5. It's also quite interesting to see the range of graphical quality and style on show in this list, it really was a big jump from 16 to 256 colours. Part of the reason why King's Quest 5 will always be a favourite of mine is how amazing it looked, with the quality of the music and even voice acting. It was beyond anything else I'd played at the time.
A very interesting list. Loom is tied as my favourite adventure game ever, so you're in for a treat with that one (although, I prefer the non-talkie version, as that's how i first played it) :)
ReplyDeleteI wonder if it's time to come up with an official policy regarding which game version will be played.
ReplyDeletePreviously we've had discussions about which version of Zak McKracken and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade to play (and perhaps others I've forgotten)
A quick check of Mobygames says that King's Quest V was released in 16 colour EGA in 1990, 256 colour VGA in 1991 and fully voiced CDROM in 1992.
Now that we're approaching the CDROM era, this will happen a lot. Another notable example will be Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, where the Floppy version came out in 1992 and the CDROM talkie in 1993.
My personal opinion would be that Trickster should play the best/most commonly played version available at the time.
I'd hate for you to play Fate of Atlantis without the great voice acting for the sake of being fair to other 1992 games. I'd much prefer if that game was pushed back to 1993 if it meant you get to play the definitive version of the game.
Seeing as you won't be playing the game twice I see no reason not to give yourself the experience most people will remember fondly from their past, and the same experience most people will get if they buy the game on Steam/GOG today.
Well, the only thing I'll say is that I really want to play each game in the year that the particular version I'm playing was released. Not doing so results in skewed PISSED ratings. So, the decision comes down to whether or not I should wait to play the "best" version of a game or not.
DeletePerhaps we put it to a vote?! Each time a game comes up that has multiple versions released in different years, I could create a Poll to find out what year to attach the game to?
[Draconius' post ( http://advgamer.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-year-ahead-1990.html?showComment=1366104957061#c6105414112353897543 ) should be here but ended up on the bottom, I'm replying to that one as well]
DeleteI see some problems with playing only one version of a game. Take an extreme example; The Secret of Monkey Island.
It's up for playing within this series (1990). But as we know it was re-released in 2009 with vastly improved graphics and sound. That's 19 years of difference. If we go for the strategy of playing a game in its original year but the best version available, it'll have an immense advantage over everything else. On the other hand, if we just play the first version now, what happens with the high quality soundtrack that came on the CD version in 1992? Or the new version in 2009?
The only "fair" solution I can see is to play the original version when it came out, and maybe add an update post of some kind when newer versions become available. That way the original SoMI will be judged now, but we'll still take into consideration newer versions when they become released. It'll mean more work(and playing) for Trickster, but where else can we draw the line and still judge games up against each other? Take into account that as the game already has been played through an update-playthrough shouldn't take too long.
I'm thinking that to make things a little bit simpler, well. The majority of these remakes are literally just that - remakes. The exact same game with bugfixes, voices, better sounds, better graphics, a new interface etc. I would suggest that instead of waiting, for instance, three years until you reach the MI CD version, you play the remake directly afterwards, 'speedrun' ability in mind - and give it an according score either immediately, judge the score to begin with alternating the scores.. etc. The exact 'scoring' details I'm fuzzy on - but the notion of playing, say, Space Quest 1 VGA directly after the EGA version - is a lot easier than trying to remember that you need that piece of glass or you get deadended, etc.
DeleteThere's a difference between updated rereleases and proper remakes; remakes are completely remade from scratch, whereas updated rereleases reuse most of the game code. I don't think there's much point in playing remakes right after, especially if there's several years between.
DeleteI think in general Trickster should play the original version, but allow for exceptions - for example rereleases that did something new (such as the speech version of KQ5).
I understand the need to be fair, but I am thinking how boring it would be to for Trickster to play and for us to read about essentially the same game. After all, these updates appeared usually just few years after the original.
DeletePersonally, I’d consider it case by case which version of a game Trick should play. KQ V I’d push to 1991, because no one remembers the EGA-version. Then again, waiting to play first Monkey Island after the second (which appeared 1991) would be downright silly.
Just like Laukku said, remakes are a bit different from mere updates. Take for instance, Space Quest I, which Aperama mentioned. It adds new items, tweaks the puzzles a bit, has scenes not in the original etc. I’d say the differences are enough to allow for a chance of replay.
Another option, which I think Trickster already took with another game (I don't recall which one) is to play through the latest version, then replay the original for a proper PISSED rating. That way Trickster plays (and enjoys) the one that offers the best experience, but can still judge the graphics and sound from the original.
DeleteIn the end though, we're only talking about a point or two on the PISSED scale.
I agree with you Zenic that this would be a good option to consider, but Trickster's comment above appears to disallow it.
DeleteAh, it was Maniac Mansion. It's Trickster's blog, he can do what he wants and since he's the one that has to play through the game it should be his ultimate enjoyment we cater for.
DeleteOne more option... companions joining in on the game can comment on version differences while they play through them for additional CAP rewards.
While Zenic's comment makes sense (play the best version and then replay the original before rating), I really think there's too much chance of it swaying my judgement. If I play the best version and absolutely love it, then rip through the original version straight afterwards with full knowledge of what to do, it's unlikely to change my opinion of the game, regardless of the differences between the two. I don't think graphics, sound and interface changes only have an effect on two PISSED categories. They can change the overall feel of the game!
DeleteManiac Mansion was a mistake, and one that I still fear swayed my judgement. Thankfully, the enhanced version was purely a graphical improvement.
Regarding the update vs remake, I will always treat remakes as new games. The recent Monkey Island Special Editions are not updates to Monkey Island 1 & 2. They're full blown remakes and should be treated as such.
DeleteOtherwise it would be like watching The Ring and then reviewing Ringu.
Technically I would consider the Special Editions updates, as they're actually running on top of the original game code. :-P
DeleteThe main difference between the Monkey Island Special additions and the early 90s VGA updates is that the art style is different. he VGA updates are clearly just the same art style with more colours/pixels
DeleteWell, actually the MI 2 SE has a kind of major flaw: it lacks the original iMuse music system that allowed seamless transitions between tunes.
DeleteI am thrilled, THRILLED that this year brings both QFG II and Secret of Monkey Island - to name but two among the stellar fare awaiting us all in 1990.
ReplyDeleteI have 40 CAPs I would be willing to put down for Deja Vu II. I really liked the first one!
ReplyDelete(On a side note, did you get my What's Your Story email trickster?)
Partial Trade: Pacpix has put down 40 CAPs towards Deja Vu II. 60 more CAPs to change its status to Accepted or 50 for an individual trade.
Delete(Let me know if you didn't mean for this to be official)
Yes, I received your email, and the post is scheduled for about 5 hours time. :)
If someone else wants to throw in for it, I'll put up 30 CAPs. Sorry Trickster, I know you're not looking forward to this one. At least the colors are better, and it isn't the Mortville Manor sequel. ;)
DeletePartial Trade: Zenic has put down 30 CAPs towards Deja Vu II, meaning there are now 70 CAPs on it. 30 more CAPs needed to change its status to Accepted or 50 for an individual trade.
DeleteI put up 25 CAPs for Deja Vu II :)
DeletePartial Trade: mpx has put down 25 CAPs towards Deja Vu II, meaning there are now 95 CAPs on it. 5 more CAPs needed to change its status to Accepted or 50 for an individual trade.
DeleteOh what the heck, here's the extra 5 CAPs!
DeleteWoot! Thanks guys!
DeleteTrade Complete: Deja Vu II is now Accepted.
DeletePacpix - 40 CAPs
Zenic - 30 CAPs
mpx - 25 CAPs
Charles - 5 CAPs
Hey Trick, just an FYI, Deimar made a guess in your last post as to your ROT13 riddle, but I never saw any acknowledgement as to whether it was a right guess or a wrong guess.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the heads up Jarikith. I've answered now.
DeleteAs of this moment, there are 13 Accepted games for 1990. I spent some time trying to figure out the approximate release dates of them all so I could start putting together a chronological order to play them in. This exact details are not available on the net for the majority of games, so I've taken Laukku's advice and checked the most recently modified date from the install files. This is what I've found
ReplyDelete1. Hugo's House of Horror (the date on the install files is 31st of December 1989, meaning this game was likely released very early in 1990.
2. Loom (we'll need to discuss which version of this game that I play, but the EGA version was released early in January 1990. The CD-ROM version was released in 1992 and has enhanced VGA graphics, a re-recorded soundtrack and voice over)
3. Conquests of Camelot (the date on the install files is 25th of March 1990)
4. Future Wars (The date on the install files is 29th of May 1990. It's worth noting that there was a CD-ROM version released in 1992, but all it added was an enhanced soundtrack)
5. King's Quest I: The Quest for the Crown (The date on the install files is 18th of September 1990)
6. The Secret of Monkey Island (The standard version was released in October 1990. It's worth noting that a CD-ROM version was released in 1992 that offered CD quality music and a graphical inventory.)
7. King's Quest V (Another one that we need to discuss. The EGA version was released on 9th of November 1990, but the install files for the VGA version are dated 30th of January 1991. There was also a CD-ROM version released in 1992 which had full speech.)
8. Quest For Glory II (The game was released in November 1990)
9. Countdown (The date on the install files is 5th of November 1990)
10. Spellcasting 101 (The date on the install files is 5th of November 1990)
11. James Bond: The Stealth Affair (The date on the install files is 6th of November 1990. It's worth noting that this is the third version of the game. The first was EGA and under the title Operation Stealth. The second was VGA, but still Operation Stealth. The third was VGA and titled James Bond: The Stealth Affair. All were released in 1990.)
12. Rise of the Dragon (Interestingly, the date on the install files is 8th of January 1991. I've read that both the EGA and VGA releases came out simultaneously, but perhaps not.)
That only leaves Earthrise, which I can't find anything conclusive on. The install dates say 1993 and all sites I've found just say 1990. If anyone can find anything else, let me know.
I took a look at the reviews for Earthrise. They were printed June, August and October. Considering it was 1990 I think we can assume the game came out before the reviews. I would stick it maybe between Conquests of Camelot (March) and Future Wars (ending of May), although it could have came out even earlier in the year.
DeleteGenius! Can't believe I didn't think of that. So, unless it's decided that I play later versions of any of the games, the list order currently sits at.
Delete1. Hugo's House of Horror
2. Loom
3. Conquests of Camelot
4. Earthrise
5. Future Wars
6. King's Quest I: Quest for the Crown
7. The Secret of Monkey Island
8. King's Quest V
9. Quest for Glory II
10. Countdown
11. Spellcasting 101
12. James Bond: The Stealth Affair
13. Rise of the Dragon
I'm biased and want Loom pushed back so I have extra time to get through another game before it comes up. That said, I think you should play through the latest version available if you're only going to play one. If you're looking to rank games by score, which you seem to be doing, then setting them up to get the highest score seems best.
DeleteTaking the case of Hero's Quest though, it looks like you're going to play through the VGA version in a couple of gaming years. I can see that as a combination of change in interface and the ability to play as a second class though, so not completely without difference to the current situation.
Just so you know, for Loom, Rise of the Dragon, and Secret of Monkey Island, I'm going to join you on the console versions to give some perspective. Those most likely are based on the CD-ROM versions or completely new ports. I'll try to keep it up for future games as well (we'll see how long that lasts).
Should we be expecting a poll for each game, or an all encompassing one?
Deja Vu II is now Accepted. I've downloaded a copy of the game and the date on the install files is...wait for it...21st of December 1989.
DeleteThat makes it the first game on the 1990 playlist, followed by Hugo's House of Horror. Not the most exciting start to the year. ;)
1990 Playlist as it stands
Delete1. Deja Vu II: Lost in Las Vegas
2. Hugo's House of Horror
3. Loom
4. Conquests of Camelot
5. Earthrise
6. Future Wars
7. King's Quest I: Quest for the Crown
8. The Secret of Monkey Island
9. King's Quest V
10. Quest for Glory II
11. Countdown
12. Spellcasting 101
13. James Bond: The Stealth Affair
14. Rise of the Dragon
OK, I've downloaded copies of Altered Destiny and Maupiti Island. The date on the install files for Altered Destiny is 3rd of October 1990. The date on the install files for Maupiti Island is 30th of November 1991 though!
DeleteI'm wondering whether there were different language versions of the game and perhaps the English one was released late in 1991.
Time to follow Lars-Erik's lead and look for some reviews.
Interesting!
DeleteThe earliest Maupiti Island reviews on MobyGames for each platform are as follows:
Atari St - April 1990
Amiga - July 1990
DOS - January 1992
This backs up the install file dates! So, I either put Maupiti Island at the very end of the 1990 playlist, or I move it onto the 1991 playlist.
What to do...
Those dates can get messed up by compression/decompression programs, particularly older ones, such as would have existed in the early 90s.
DeleteAdditionally, if they are patched versions (either officially or unofficially) or if the DOS/PC version came out later, that would explain the separate date. Or if it were remastered onto 3.5" floppies from 5.4" or something like that it could explain the dates.
I agree that there are various reasons why those file dates can't be completely trusted, but they've been surprisingly accurate for all the games I've looked at where I already know the release date. After the last couple of days, I'm pretty convinced that they're fairly reliable.
DeleteWhen you add the review dates to the mix, it's looking more and more likely that Moby Games is wrong about the release date of Maupiti Island, at least for DOS.
Fair. Someone should point this out to Chet, as he has complained a few times about how he can't find reliable release dates.
DeleteI'm all for playing later versions of games when they fit in, especially for games you haven't played before. I know you want to see the evolution of adventure games but you want to enjoy yourself as much as possible too. A game like Loom that you are really looking forward to playing, you should play the best version to get the most enjoyment out of it. It's not likely that you'll play it again any time soon to see the advances made in the game
ReplyDeleteSo, the time has come to show some love for Elvira. I'm willing to put out 50 CAPs to make Trickster venture the mansion and fight all kinds of supernatural beasties, solving rather obscure inventory puzzles and dying in a plethora of creative and very gory ways.
ReplyDeleteWho's with me!!??
I'm sorry, I'm busy...umm...washing my hair. *cough*
DeleteI'll put down my meager 40 CAPs. Maybe it just my memories fading away, but I liked it a lot.
DeleteOK Charles, I've never played this, but if you truly vouch it is worth trying, I'll put out 50 CAPs for this venture - that means Elvira will still need 60 points to get on the playing list. And I expect you'll back me up on some equally good project in the future ;)
DeleteAnd this is the very limit I'm going to spend for this year, if anyone wants to know ;) (Come to think of it, where's Canageek? I'd expect he could be persuaded to put some CAPs on the table.)
Partial Trade: Charles has put down 50 CAPs for Elvira. 150 more CAPs needed for it to be Accepted.
DeletePartial Trade: Deimar has put down 40 CAPs for Elvira. 110 more CAPs needed for it to be Accepted.
DeletePartial Trade: Ilmari has put down 50 CAPs for Elvira. 60 more CAPs needed for it to be Accepted.
DeleteI've been doing other things and getting behind on my blog reading. I'll toss down another 30 for it, and reserve the right to roast Charles slowly over the fire if it is any worse then Emanulle. (Seriously, I did NOT think it was that bad. I'm surprised you didn't fine me CAPS)
DeletePartial Trade: Canageek has put down 30 CAPs for Elvira. 30 more CAPs needed for it to be Accepted.
DeleteWe get those back if the game DOESN'T go through, right?
DeleteOf course! I don't even deduct them from the leaderboard until it goes through.
DeleteThank you, thank you, O ye of Faith! We're really close now, all we need is another generous soul to bridge the final gap.
DeleteLet's see, what can we add to our pitch to entice the yet undecided... I already said the game has a nice ghoulish atmosphere, harsh puzzles, gory deaths... oh yes, did I mention **cleavage**? I expect CAPs will begin rolling in soon enough.
@Canageek: don't worry, I don't think there are many games out there that can touch Emmanuelle in sheer awfulness... Elvira might not be your cup of tea as a whole, but you should find plenty to like in it.
I'm torn. I love ghoulish atmosphere but I find Trickster's posts on bad games much less interesting.
DeleteI'll read a few reviews on the game and if it seems like the game's an underrated gem I'll cough up the final 30 caps. I'll get back to you.
Mmmh, just checked the reviews at Mobygames and they're all over the place. I seem to remember the game received quite a bit of praise back in the day, though. I will concede that it's extremely punishing! Also, if you love ghoulish stuff and enjoyed Manhunter's death scenes, you'll love this.
DeleteIt's interesting that for all its lite RPG-hybrid trappings, every review brands it unequivocally as an adventure game.
And the combat is somewhat fun... unlike the arcade sequences of Mean Streets :p
DeleteI'll pony up the remaining 30 CAPs for everyone favorite B-Movie Horror Hostess to get her night in the moon on this blog.
DeleteTrade Complete: Elvira is now Accepted.
DeleteCharles - 50 CAPs
Deimar - 40 CAPs
Ilmari - 50 CAPs
Canageek - 30 CAPs
Jarikith - 30 CAPs
Yay, way to go Jarikith! Looking forward to all the tomato throwing (not really, I'm hoping Trick will have fun playing with Elvira - teehee)
DeleteAnd my CAPS are no longer required. By the way, I actually liked the Elvira movie. Not sure i should admit that publicly though
DeleteTBD They made a movie? Do we get CAPS if we watch it?
Delete2 movies.
Deletehttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095088/combined
and
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0265171/combined
I liked the first one better but still got a few laughs out of the second.
CAPS? Why the hell not - anyone who watches and writes a short review in the comments of Adventure Gamer will get 10 of my CAPS.
Probably makes sense to do it when Trickster gets to the game, so unless someone breaks into my car and steals all my CAPS in the meantime (I keep my CAPs in my glovebox along with the deed to my house and transferable bearer bonds) my offer will be available during the entire time Trickster blogs about the game.
Cool. I can do that. We should all watch it on the same night, so we can all post our reviews at once.
DeleteNow, where to FIND those movies.
How is nobody going for Les Manley, here? Assuredly, I'm not the only one who has memories of stabbing my eyes out with pencils - er... I mean, of bewilderedly using a walkthrough which it takes me almost an act of god to do.. er.. I mean, of the fun had playing it?
ReplyDeleteNo point in me wasting my 70 CAPs if there's really nobody else who enjoys pulling the legs off of ants. (Okay, it's really not that bad, but I'm trying to make Trickster feel otherwise here! C'mon!)
Well, if you are insistent on spending all your CAPs, I'll join with 50 points (it's not THAT bad game, after all, even if it fails to be of Sierra quality). That way, we will only need another 80 points.
DeleteHey Ilmari! Why don't you take a look at my Elvira CAPStarter? We're only 110 CAPs short of getting funded!!
DeleteAperama, is this an official trade? I'm not certain whether you actually want to put down all of your 70 CAPs.
DeleteSure thing. I'll throw 'em away. :)
DeletePartial Trade: Aperama has put down 70 CAPs on Les Manley. 130 more CAPs are needed for it to be Accepted.
DeletePartial Trade: Ilmari has put down 50 CAPs on Les Manley. 80 more CAPs are needed for it to be Accepted.
DeleteI'll toss in 1 CAP to help with it. I don't really like it, but it will make my current total a round number.
DeletePartial Trade: Canageek has put down 1 CAP on Les Manley. 79 more CAPs are needed for it to be Accepted.
DeleteI did play the Les Manley games, and I found them to be indeed pretty bad Larry rip-offs.
Delete@Ilmari: However, I feel obliged to pay you back for so generously contributing to the Elvira CAPstarter. Do you want me to invest in this one?
Charles: No, this is Aperama’s project. I’m just here for a moral (and financial) support. There’s a Disregarded Legend game coming in few years and I’m collecting potential investers for that.
DeleteBut if I may make a sales pitch on behalf of Aperama, this game has also gratuitous cleavage. And Elvis! And world’s smallest man! And bad puns (Les Manly is less manly. Haha!). And did I mention cleavage?
I'm starting to regret my CAP investment.
DeleteOh, they're terrible. Don't get me wrong, here, guys, this is a terrible game. A 40% would be a generous amount given. However, it's a game that's just bad enough to be easy to make fun of without quite being so bad as to cause yourself to stab certain critical parts of your body (which would make the game difficult for Trickster to write about, making it simply a silly notion to throw out the points in the first place)...
DeleteAnd more importantly, it's gaming the system. There are a minimum of two puzzles that fall under the 'throw everything at the wall and see what sticks' regime. I -cannot- see Trickster solving them. I know the solutions and I am still amazed by them! We've yet to have a puzzle bet flummox him, and given he's likely played through a lot of the Quest games which have somewhat difficult to work out yet 'oh! of course!' moments all over the place that he possibly -remembers-, even if it's deep down in his brain..
C'mon, guys. Game the system. His name? Les Manley.
You make a good point in your first paragraph, Aperama. It is a bad adventure game, but it might be quite fun to see Trickster put up with it.
Delete@Ilmari doesn't most of the cleavag-y stuff happen in Les Manley 2: Search for the King, though? Memories of VGA bikini babes...
Urgh, I meant Lost in LA, of course...
DeleteI'll throw 30 points at Les Manley. Looks kinda interesting.
DeleteCan I put anti-CAPs on this one to nullify some of the other ones? ;)There's already 16-17 games accepter for this year, and considering the rate of completion we won't be done with 1990 until the end of next April. :p
DeleteLars-Erik: I could always just take away my 1 CAP at the last moment, leaving them one short....
DeleteLars-Erik: Your math is off. At 1.84 games per month Trickster should finish 17 games sometime in ~9.2 months, or next January.
DeleteAlso, we are in the golden age of adventure games, aren't we? Wouldn't it make sense for the list to be pretty long?
Eh, I didn't put huge effort into the math, I just took a look at where we are (Game 31), and saw that 17 games ago we were in April last year.
DeleteAnd you're absolutely correct, I'm just being a bit impatient looking at the list later on with some games I'm really looking forward to. It wasn't meant seriously in any way.
That's an interesting idea, putting CAPs towards not playing a game...
Delete@Charles: There's plenty of cleavage in Search for the King also, although only in EGA. There's even one cut scene which producers admit is there only to provide something to ogle.
DeletePlaying the devil's advocate:
DeleteComparing Les Manley with Emmanuelle, it is bad in a different sort of manner. Emmanuelle was plain tedious, because many of the things were based on randomisation and one just had to try the same actions for several times. Les Manley just has a bad puzzle structure in the manner of LSL 2's "escaping the boat" -puzzle: you have to first play the game up to a certain point, before you can determine what you should have picked up. Emmanuelle could only offer endless pressing of Enter, but Les Manley would provide Trick with good candidates for worst puzzles in the 1990 awards.
So, what you are saying is that I'm the only one Trickster is going to kick in the balls if we ever have an international The Adventure Gamer convention?
DeleteOh don't worry Canageek, after what I put him through today I'm guessing you're not even first in the line.
DeletePartial Trade: Laukku has put down 30 CAPs on Les Manley. 49 more CAPs needed for it to be Accepted.
DeleteI'll also further pony up the remaining 49 CAPs just to see how bad Les Manley is. :P
DeleteTrade Complete: Les Manley is now Accepted
DeleteAperama - 70 CAPs
Ilmari - 50 CAPs
Canageek - 1 CAP
Laukku - 30 CAPs
Jarikith - 49 CAPs
Lars-Erik: I didn't get out my spreadsheet this time either. I just took the game number we are one, divided by the number of months we've been playing and multiplied by the number of games next year. Now, this raises the question as to if Trickster has been taking longer per game over time, but as I don't think his spread sheet has start/end dates that would be a lot of work, which I'd only do for CAPS. So, anyone want me to work out how various things with the spreadsheet can pay for them with CAPS....
DeleteActually, I have all of this information showing on Blogger.
DeleteGAME START END DAYS
Below the Root 26/11/2011 3/12/2011 7
King's Quest I 4/12/2011 8/12/2011 4
King's Quest II 9/12/2011 13/12/2011 4
déjà vu 16/12/2011 23/12/2011 7
King's Quest III 27/12/2011 13/01/2012 17
Space Quest I 15/01/2012 18/01/2012 3
Black Cauldron 19/01/2012 23/01/2012 4
Tass Times 24/01/2012 28/01/2012 4
Uninvited 29/01/2012 7/02/2012 9
Leisure Suit Larry I 8/02/2012 13/02/2012 5
Maniac Mansion 14/02/2012 24/02/2012 10
Mortville Manor 28/02/2012 12/03/2012 13
Police Quest I 13/03/2012 22/03/2012 9
Shadowgate 23/03/2012 6/04/2012 14
Space Quest II 8/04/2012 14/04/2012 6
Captain Blood 17/04/2012 26/04/2012 9
Gold Rush! 28/04/2012 9/05/2012 11
King's Quest IV 10/05/2012 23/05/2012 13
Leisure Suit Larry II 26/05/2012 26/06/2012 31
Manhunter I 28/06/2012 11/07/2012 13
Police Quest II 13/07/2012 25/07/2012 12
Psycho 28/07/2012 2/08/2012 5
Zak McKracken 6/08/2012 7/09/2012 32
Kult 15/09/2012 16/10/2012 31
Codename: ICEMAN 17/10/2012 19/11/2012 33
Hero's Quest 20/11/2012 14/12/2012 24
Emmanuelle 17/12/2012 15/01/2013 29
Indiana Jones I 16/01/2013 7/02/2013 22
Leisure Suit Larry III 11/02/2013 12/03/2013 29
Manhunter II 16/03/2013 12/04/2013 27
Sorry about the formatting, but you should be able to see that the amount of time I've spent on each game has increased dramatically over time. This is probably for three main reasons:
DeleteFirstly, the games are getting longer and longer.
Secondly, there were quite a few games at the beginning that I'd played previously, meaning I ripped through them in 3 or 4 days.
Finally, the amount of detail and effort I put into each post has increased tenfold since I started the blog. A good example can be seen by comparing Indiana Jones to Uninvited. I hadn't played either game before, and I spent 10 hours playing each of them, but I put up 9 posts for Indy over 22 days and 6 posts over 9 days for Uninvited.
If I'm going to play 18 games for 1990, it's going to take me about a year to get through them. That doesn't bother me though. It's the golden era of adventure games!
Ah, opps. I said that from memory, which was a dumb thing to do. I could map out how long it has taken you if you want, so we can see if it ever stabilizes.
DeleteHere is new adventure Kickstarter project
ReplyDeletehttp://www.kickstarter.com/projects/clickshake/a-small-favor-2d-side-scrolling-adventure-game
A Small Favor is a hand-drawn, 2D adventure that combines the gritty, futuristic adventure style of Full Throttle and Beneath a Steel Sky with the side scrolling sci-fi exploration of Another World (aka. Out Of This World). You play as an alien assassin (with a laser gun!) trying to escape the clutches of a dangerous gangster
*Walks in, thunks down a giant wallet full of caps on the table*
ReplyDeleteAlright, high roller here. Time to spend some coin:
Now, I need to keep 200 CAP in the bank for when Fatty Bear's Birthday Surprise comes along. That leaves me with 141 CAPS to burn.
Altered Destiny: Done. I love science fiction games. 91 left.
B.A.T.: That was boring when Chet played it, I don't see a need to make Trickster play it.
Circuit's Edge: Damn, cyberpunk. However, Chet will play it, so I won't spend a bunch on it. Talk to me if you are going to puts some CAPS on it though and I'll join in.
Elvira: I already put CAPS on it up above.
It Came From the Desert: Looks like an FPS from the screenshot, though what a screen shot!
Les Manley: Search for the King: Not my style of game. Looks silly and dumb. Let me know if you are going in on it and I'll toss in a small number (To make my score a round number...)
Maupiti Island: Sequal to Mortville Manner? That was one of Trickster's best reviews! I'll take it (41 left)
The Oregon Trail: Really? REALLY? No, that isn't an adventure game, and I've beaten it a few dozen times.
Whew. I'm a bit low on CAPS now. So much for first. I guess I'll have to compete on the lifetime list.
*Throws on shades, walks out as everyone gasps at the amount of CAPS I've just thrown down*
Trade Complete: Altered Destiny is now Accepted.
DeleteTrade Complete: Maupiti Island is now Accepted.
Delete@Canageek: Trading CAPs will not affect your position on the Leaderboard. That's why I have the second number in brackets to represent how many CAPs you have left to spend.
DeleteAs a note, might I suggest that in future years the 2 person amount for games be dropped to 75 points? 100 means that two people can't work together on it, while 75 (Or even 90) would still let each save a bit on it.
ReplyDeleteI see your point. After the last two days though, I might have to increase the amount it costs for one person rather than decrease the amount for two. ;)
DeleteTo be fair, that took a HUGE dent out of my total. I don't have enough for even one more game right now, after my reserved points, anyway.
DeleteI wouldn't jump the gun Trickster. We haven't had to spend CAPs to add games for very long (just started last gaming year), and there were only two choices. I'm pretty sure we can't keep in the coming years. Of course, I wouldn't mind it since I plan to join in on a number of games, so my CAPs score should be rising quickly.
DeleteAre you still willing to give a bunch of CAPs for playing through the games you don't? I've never played Oregon Trail. :D More seriously, games in later years seem more interesting.
1) I'm also going to have a lot less time soon, as I'm starting grad school. This will likely hurt my CAP accumulation as I won't have 2 hours on a weekday morning to type up an entire Steam sale.
Delete2) Zenic: I played one of the early Windows versions and the Apple II version. Go for the windows one with the mouse support. Hunting is far more fun.
Never fear Zenic. It was a comment made in jest. :)
DeleteYes! Any game that isn't picked up and added to the playlist by the required date can be picked up by anyone else. I will reward posts generously, although I haven't decided exactly how much.
The Oregon Trail? Surely you'd play the Organ Trail instead... Just as much dysentery, and infinitely more zombies!
DeleteDoes it count if I beat it a couple dozen times as a kid? :D
DeleteI hope nobody already posted this, and if so, I apologize in advance:
ReplyDeletehttp://kotaku.com/if-i-made-another-monkey-island-473013720
Seems a bit arrogant, though it has a lot of good points. However, I can't respect anyone who uses the word "Pansy" as an insult.
DeleteI enjoyed MI3 (Curse), and MI4 (Escape) could have been saved if they'd made it in the same way as MI3 and altered the "monkey combat" bit. Worth it for the invention of Murray, the talking skull. (I may revise my opinion of MI4 when we reach it on this blog, I haven't played it since it was released. I've played Curse several times though, and I think it holds up well to the originals).
DeleteAlso for another take on the monkey island series, there's an alternative take by Richard Cobbett: http://www.pcgamer.com/2013/02/16/monkey-island-reboot-post/
OK, so there are two new Accepted games, taking the total for 1990 up to 18!!! It looks like 1990 is going to be a long year (not necessarily a bad thing).
ReplyDeleteThe date on the install files for Les Manley is 30th of August 1990 and for Elvira is 7th of November 1990.
That leaves the 1990 Playlist as per below
1. Deja Vu II
2. Hugo's House of Horror
3. Loom (EGA Version)
4. Conquests of Camelot
5. Earthrise
6. Future Wars
7. Les Manley
8. King's Quest I: Quest for the Crown
9. The Secret of Monkey Island (Original Version)
10. King's Quest V (EGA Version)
11. Altered Destiny
12. Quest for Glory II
13. Countdown
14. Spellcasting 101
15. James Bond: The Stealth Affair (VGA Version)
16. Elvira
17. Rise of the Dragon (VGA Version)
18. Maupiti Island
There are a few questions we need to get answers to though.
1. Will I play Loom in its original EGA state or wait until 1992 and play the VGA version?
2. Will I play King's Quest V in its original EGA state or push it back to after Rise of the Dragon and play the VGA version? Or, will I wait until 1992 and play the enhanced version with full voice?
3. Will I play Maupiti Island as part of the 1990 batch of games, or should I push it back until the end of 1991, which seems to be when it was actually released for DOS?
Either we talk it out or I go to a poll. Thoughts?
Poll for the version differences, but I think pushing Maupiti Island to 1991 is the right thing to do if you're following the DOS release date.
DeleteI'd play Loom and KQ6 in their far better known versions (both I've played several times yet have never touched the earlier versions.) No idea as far as Maupiti Island though. I suppose it depends on whether the game was actually enhanced in that period, or if the delay was simply either a licensing or translating period?
DeletePersonally I think that no more than a year of slack should be allowed. When considering that the difference between for instance Loom 1990 and Loom 1992 theoretically can be over 50 games released (and two years of blogging) I still think it'll be both an unfair advantage due to skewed PISSED scores, and give a historically wrong impression of the era.
DeleteIt will both increase the score of the game itself, and potentially decrease the score of other games due to being compared to it even though it can be a version from two or three years later. The 90s is a period with such amazing technological advances that to jump too far ahead is too much of a risk.
Of course, I do realize that I'm probably outvoted on this one. :)
But taking this into account, my suggestion is playing the EGA version of Loom, and the VGA version of King's Quest after Rise of the Dragon (since it's the same year). And Maupiti in 1991.
I was going to make this a long comment, but Lars-Erik said everything I had in mind. I agree with him completely.
DeletePlay the EGA version of Loom. The fact that it was the first adventure game to have no fail state is far too important to delay it. Furthermore, the CD release makes tons of changes in various cutscenes.
DeleteThere's also an EGA version of Monkey Island 1 (older than the VGA one), you didn't mention that. Or didn't you know?
I was already thinking exactly what you've all described here, but to read it from some of the more active community members is enough to convince me once and for all.
DeleteI will play the Loom EGA version, push King's Quest V back to the end of the year, and then push Maupiti Island into 1991.
It therefore makes sense to put Maupiti Island back as Borderline and to refund Canageek his 50 CAPs, since there's a chance the game would be Accepted without the need for a trade by the time we reach 1991.
As for Monkey Island, I can see that there were three versions of the game (EGA, VGA and CD-ROM VGA), but I can't find anything conclusive about when the VGA version was released. Anyone know?
Apparently, the EGA version was released sometime during the spring of 1990 and the VGA version a few months later, fall of 1990.
DeleteThere are no dates in this article (http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/monkeyisland/monkeyisland2.htm) , but it allows to compare both versions.
I personally like the idea that you play the first version, then do an update when you reach the later versions. You probably will remember enough of the game to burn through it in one posting, but have forgotten enough that it will take long enough to get a feel for the new version.
DeleteEverything I can find suggests both the EGA and VGA came out in 1990, so I'm happy to play the floppy disk VGA (as opposed to the CD-ROM VGA) version of the game unless someone can find something that conclusively suggests otherwise.
DeleteWow - there really are some great ones here. And by 'great', I mean somewhere between legendary and craptastic.
ReplyDeleteCircuit's Edge: I should have loved this game. It should have been awesome. Some great ideas, but methinks the devs were a little too ambitious.
Camelot: Oh, such you cruel, uneven, mistress. Had big expectations for this one. Awesome parts (well, pretty good parts) and less awesome parts. Looking back abj xabjvat gur gurbevrf evccrq bss ol gur Qn Ivapv Pbqr, I'm amazed how ahead of her time Christy Marx was. Though I remember reading on the back of this game after I got it for Christmas that it was made by the creator of 'Gem' which I had to sit through the last 5 minutes of before GIJOE came on every day. That almost sent me packing.
Future Wars: Woohoo! Psyched someone else has even heard of this game. Loved it as a kid. Bargain bin gold for me - when every game you pulled out could either be this, or Les...
... Manley: Notorious Les Manley. When I ran this for the first time, I thought I'd had the great-fortune on stumbling on the next Leisure Suit Larry. Alas, after $20 of 900 number hints, I gave up.
James Bond: Pretty solid game here - another I'm surprised to see. As a secret agent kid I freakin loved this one, tho it probably isn't as great as I remember. Good environments though.
Rise of the Dragon: Looking forward to this play through, never did finish this game on PC or SegaCD
Grog Grog Grog!
Trickster Maupiti Island for DOS is 1992. game...
ReplyDeleteI found evidence here:
http://goo.gl/UAZGY
http://goo.gl/ukBhv
http://goo.gl/yHcX1
This is from french magazine Joystick from February 1992... Btw I noticed that in short review they gave 95 % :D
There are lot of inaccuracy with release date of some obscure games, but luckily today you can find online scans of old video game magazines around world. I presume that DOS version was released in December 1991. or January 1991.
If you want, I can give you links of reliable web sites with scans of old vide ogame magazines.
I found Atari ST Maupiti Island review from March 1990. in Joystick issue 3
Deletehttp://goo.gl/mKJic
Score is here 96 % :D
Ah... so it was an Atari/Amiga port perhaps. In that case, the game is probably better played later regardless (as the Amiga was largely more powerful than the average PC... or at least more purpose built, making the majority of the PC ports between the two almost night and day until, if I remember my history correctly, the 486DX went under a hundred bucks to buy in around 91... I still remember having troubles getting "XMS" running for the majority of Origin releases around that time!
DeleteI'm speaking from the way I remember PC magazines around the year explain it anyhow. Basically I'd suggest that graphically and audibly the game would be so far ahead of its competition in 1990 that the competition would be blown out of the water. That said, all Sierra releases are MT-32 now!
Maupiti Island has been pushed to 1991 and set back to Borderline. I've refunded Canageek his 50 CAPs too.
ReplyDeleteHere is the current play order for 1990
1. Deja Vu II
2. Hugo's House of Horror
3. Loom (EGA Version)
4. Conquests of Camelot
5. Earthrise
6. Future Wars
7. Les Manley
8. King's Quest I: Quest for the Crown
9. The Secret of Monkey Island (VGA Version)
10. Altered Destiny
11. Quest for Glory II
12. Countdown
13. Spellcasting 101
14. James Bond: The Stealth Affair (VGA Version)
15. Elvira
16. Rise of the Dragon (VGA Version)
17. King's Quest V (VGA Version)
In memory of Canageek's interest of when we are getting to an age of more serious games, here's a quick serious/silly-evaluation:
Delete1. Don't really no Deja Vu II, based on what the first game was like, it probably at least tries to be serious
2. Never played Hugo-games either, but it sure looks silly
3. Difficult to say; the main story is pretty serious (although faery talish), but there are humorous and even silly scenes
4. Serious, close to historical realism
5. Mostly serious (silliness mostly due to graphical limitations)
6. Serious, I'd say
7. Very silly
8. Silly collection of faery tales
9. Extremely silly
10. Epitome of silliness
11. Main plot is pretty serious, but there are many goofy details
12. Serious and gritty
13. Silly and proud of it
14. Serious enough, but a bit more unrealistic than the previous agent game, Codename Iceman; if that was Timothy Dalton, this is Pierce Brosnan (if anyone is interested, KGB will be Daniel Craig)
15. Don't know the game, but I have a feeling it might veer into silliness
16. Seriously serious
17. More serious than its predecessors, but still pretty silly (there's Cedric, after all)
So the seriousness is gaining ground, but silliness still has the upper hand
Bwahahaha! We are gaining ground!
DeleteI still wonder why adventure games have such a larger proportion of sillyness then any other genre.
I've updated the playlist to reflect the above.
ReplyDeleteWow thats a lot of games :D
DeleteBtw I looking forward to 1992. and KGB (video game):D
This sounds like an amazing year ahead. Is there a post where you describe the rules for playing along in a way that counts? Do we have to have a certain number of blog posts about the game? Do we have to win the game?
DeleteHi Reiko! Basically I will pay anyone that plays along 10 CAPs, even if they don't get very far. If they complete the game, I give them 20 CAPS. If they complete the game without requiring assistance or a walkthrough, I give them 30 CAPs.
DeleteNow obviously this system relies on honesty, but I'd like to think that no-one in this community is sad enough to fake playing along for CAPs.
All I look for is a few comments from people along the way with their thoughts and experiences. Then I'm more than happy to pay up. :)
It's a bit of a shame that you apparently won't be playing B.A.T. I wouldn't say that it's exactly a great game (some parts are rather annoying), but it certainly has some unique characteristics and a nice atmosphere. So I guess in that sense it's somewhat similar to the other French games you've already played. Too bad I don't have any CAPs!
ReplyDeleteI could throw 50 CAPs at it, I have enough.
DeleteHmm...
Yes. Let it be done. 50 CAPs for B.A.T.!
Chet (CRPG Addict) played through it. I don't see the experience being much different.
DeleteI suggest start playing along with Trickster to build up CAPs. 10 - 20 per game depending on if you need help or not builds up pretty quickly.
Didn't see Laukku's post when I made mine. Looks like it gets in under the wire.
DeleteChecking out the CAP board I noticed there was one person in the negative. Can I donate 10 CAPs to bring that total up to 0?
Do they post here anymore? I thought Cedric showed up, posted a spoiler and then left? Or am I really bad at remembering names?
DeletePossibly. Still, don't like leaving someone behind. He may come back eventually.
DeleteTrade complete: B.A.T. is now Accepted.
DeleteThe install files tell me that B.A.T. was released around the 29th of November 1990, making it the 16th game out of the 18 I have lined up for the year.
Delete@Zenic: That's very generous of you, but unfortunately Cedric hasn't reappeared since his discretion. I can't let you devalue the CAP currency by just giving it away! ;)
DeleteObviously I meant indiscretion there! *sigh*...long day!
DeleteHey, thanks Laukku! I hope it's going to be an interesting experience for Trickster, even if Chet has already played it, since it's really more of an adventure than an RPG. It's also not that long a game so it shouldn't take too much time away from other games. Zenic, I would have liked to do that but there aren't really enough games left in 1989 :).
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