Joystiq

THQ needs your money to publish more Double Fine games

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 20:20:00 EST

Between the adorable (and enjoyable) Costume Quest last October, and the forthcoming (and quite charming) Stacking some time this year, we're quite looking forward to the other two downloadable titles in Double Fine's four game roadmap. And though THQ isn't the only publisher that could release them, it would sure like to be. "I really wanna do a lot more with Tim [Schafer]. I've always been a huge Tim fan. Grim Fandango to me is one of the greatest works of art in gaming," THQ Core Games head Danny Bilson gushed to us this afternoon.

He said the choice to publish Stacking was an easy one. "Stacking I fell in love with. When Tim brought that in, I was like, 'Let's do this game! This is fantastic!'," he said. The game was later moved to THQ's "Kids, Family, and Casual" department (like Costume Quest), though Bilson's desire to publish more Double Fine games clearly hasn't diminished.

He reiterated that, currently, his studio only has a two-game contract with Double Fine: the aforementioned Costume Quest and Stacking. "There's a few more that I've identified, but I haven't made those deals yet," Bilson told us. He then paused before adding, "We've gotta get some hits rolling so I have more money to spend, to be honest with you." And between Homefront, Red Faction: Armageddon and Stacking, there's ample opportunity for that money to be made in the first quarter of 2011.

THQ needs your money to publish more Double Fine games originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 12 Jan 2011 20:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LucasArts wants to re-release classic adventure games (if you want to buy them)

Griffin McElroy — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:25:00 EST

If the words Day of the Tentacle, Grim Fandango and Full Throttle bring pangs of joy to your heart of hearts, you'll want to hear this -- several LucasArts higher-ups have stated the desire to bring more of their catalog of classic adventure titles back to life, provided that people show interest in purchasing them. For starters, you could drop a few bucks on the upcoming XBLA and PC remake of The Secret of Monkey Island as a good faith offering.

This sentiment was mentioned to Australian news outlet WAToday by LucasArts community manager Brooks Brown, who said, "if this sells, there's no one at this company who doesn't want to do these games." One fan of the company's beloved point-and-clickers is LucasArts CEO Darrell Rodriguez, who spoke with Joystiq on the possibility of more classic revamps just before E3, and explained that he "couldn't do anything but release more of these titles" if sales for Monkey Island and desire from the gaming populous were strong.

Long story short, if you don't buy Monkey Island, and they don't re-release Grim Fandango because of your non-purchase, we're going to find you and punch you repeatedly in your most delicate places.

Gallery: The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition (PC, XBLA)

LucasArts wants to re-release classic adventure games (if you want to buy them) originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We deserve these Grim Fandango action figures

Justin McElroy — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:00:00 EST

Dear Santa,

Yeah, we know it's early in the year, but we thought we'd beat the rush. Listen, we get that we still haven't gotten off the Naughty List after the BioShock 2 Game Informer thing. WE GET IT. We posted a bunch of craziness about Santa's Most Anticipated Game of 2009 without laying eyes on so much as a magazine scan? Shoddy, at best.

But haven't we suffered enough? Look, just this morning we single-bloggedly (or at least that's what we're telling ourselves) made Microsoft extend its three-year warranty to 360s with E74 errors! Haven't we done enough to deserve these gorgeous Grim Fandango figures of Glottis and Manny. custom-made by Iain Reekie, in our stockings? Wait, wait, don't answer yet. You've got a few months to think about it.

Love,

Joystiq

[Via A Bunch of Broken Ideas]

We deserve these Grim Fandango action figures originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Weekly Webcomic Wrapup is Left 4 The Living

Ross Miller — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Online, Polls

16 November --Dear Diary,

Manny here. Meche and I decided to go visit Stubbs in the city, ran into a few ne'er-do-wells harassing a quartet of the living. Far be it for me to get in the way of schoolyard play, but these half-living mobs -- they weren't even well dressed! -- were being big bullies. Savages these days.

I saw the four not-yet-departed heading toward a nearby theater, so I decided to leave them a shotgun and assault rifle. Hope that helps clear the crowds. I'm not in the travel business anymore, but I'm always for new neighbors in the Ninth. It raises the value of my condo.

Time to go, Stubbs is here and he's got tickets for the off-broadway performance of Nightmare Before Christmas.

How We Used to Do It (CAD Comics)
No Escape (MNC)
Limitless Adventure (Penny Arcade)
Discontent (Castle Vidcons; context)
Guilt Ridden All Over His Face (2P Start)
It Takes Two (VG Cats)
Crash Test Crummy (Sidescroller)

Gallery: Weekly Webcomic Wrapup logo designs

Continue reading Weekly Webcomic Wrapup is Left 4 The Living

Weekly Webcomic Wrapup is Left 4 The Living originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 16 Nov 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How to design a classic adventure game

Ludwig Kietzmann — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, PC

Tim Schafer is a man who needs no introduction.

So, anyway, in celebration of adventure classic Grim Fandango's tenth birthday, he's magnanimously released the game's puzzle design document to the teeming TL;DR masses online. Not only is it a fascinating and often amusing read (be wary of nonlinearity's "repulsive, yet fascinating head"), but it's full of valuable guidance for those fledgling adventure designers still struggling to solve the classic "talking walrus in a trench coat" dilemma. We struggled with that one for weeks.

And in case you're one of the sad types currently shrugging their shoulders and asking, "Grim Fanwhatnow?," know that it's one awesome adventure pie rhinoceros the meaning of life neo-classical breakfast cereal did I turn the stove off this morning blathering typhoon wrench flinging submarine spectacular.
neato.

pirate pastiche omnivore non-stick pan umbrella deleterious consternation savage clown groin kicking bats-in-your-brother's-belfry sugar mama extra special super

How to design a classic adventure game originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Born for Wii: Grim Fandango

Wesley Fenlon — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 13:38:00 EST

Filed under: Born for Wii

If spending your existence selling travel packages to the dregs of society sounds like a peculiar form of Hell, that's because it is -- quite literally. For Manny Calavera, life-after-death in the Land of the Dead is little more than a series of disappointing clients and missed opportunities. But things are astir at the Department of Death. Strange things. On the Day of the Dead, Manny finds his life as an indentured travel agent in serious jeopardy -- but could hope lie in the saintly (and recently deceased) Mercedes Colomar?

Released in 1998, Grim Fandango was an inspired capstone to an era of PC gaming. Though Lucasarts published Escape from Monkey Island in 2000, Grim Fandango represents the last truly great adventure game from the company. Like far too many of its point-and-click brethren, Fandango failed to sell as many copies as it deserved. Few games can match the sheer originality and style Tim Schafer crafted -- a comedy noir set in the Land of the Dead with a Mexican motif is like nothing else out there. In honor of its recent 10th anniversary and place in gaming history, Grim Fandango is this week's game that's Born for Wii.

NEXT >>

Gallery: Born for Wii: Grim Fandango

Every week, Born for Wii digs into gaming's sordid past to unearth a new treasure fit for revival on the Nintendo Wii. Be sure to check out last week's entry in the series, Eternal Darkness, and for more great titles that deserve your attention, take a look at Virtually Overlooked.

Born for Wii: Grim Fandango originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 Nov 2008 13:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Return to Quest Quiz: Tim Schafer

Ludwig Kietzmann — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 20:30:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Adventure

Alright, Tim Schafer, you win. After targeting various industry folks with a typically contrived adventure game puzzle and then assembling their responses in our GDC Quest Quiz feature, we simply weren't prepared for your relentless response to our silly challenge. Not only did you trick us into doing all the hard work, but you successfully navigated through our made-up-as-we-went-along chicane of bizarre logic. But don't grow complacent in your victory -- we'll get you next time.

The Player
Double Fine's Tim Schafer, designer of Full Throttle, Grim Fandango, Psychonauts and upcoming god of gwar epic, Brütal Legend. Prior to the release of those games, he worked on The Secret of Monkey Island, Monkey Island 2 and Maniac Mansion: Day of the Tentacle.

The Puzzle
You're standing in front of a cave. The goal is to get inside the cave, taking care to foil the ferocious robot bear guarding the entrance first.

The Inventory

(1) perforated parasol
(1) rubber chicken with a pulley in the middle
(1) sealed manila envelope
(1) miniature macaroni Tim Schafer statue

Make your way past the break to read our adventurous e-mail exchange.

Continue reading Return to Quest Quiz: Tim Schafer

Return to Quest Quiz: Tim Schafer originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 07 Mar 2008 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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