The first thing we did after firing up our Steam client this afternoon to check in on the status of those LucasArts games was ... well, the first thing we did was write a post about the prices for you, dear Reader. The second thing we did, however, was download The Dig to discover if this classic adventure game – as delivered through Steam – would work via ScummVM, allowing this blogger in particular to play the title in another operating system, sans Steam (namely: Mac OS X).

Well, since The Dig is having some issues and won't play in Windows through Steam (@lucasartsgames says it's "looking into Dig issues") we went with LOOM. Another brief, $5 download later and it works ... in Steam at least. Our attempts to get it to run in ScummVM weren't as successful, despite having all the necessary files available to us, unencrypted. So we went digging, and came up with this blog post by ScummVM team co-leader Sev who writes, "As of the ScummVM compatibility, we see that here were some changes that make the games incompatible with the current ScummVM version."

So, did LucasArts intentionally change the files to break compatibility with ScummVM? Doesn't sound likely. Sev calls the changes "very trivial" and says they "do not seem to constitute any kind of copy protection." Since this isn't any kind of copy protection or encryption, patching ScummVM to work with these new releases would be a "five minutes hack." However, much to our surprise, he and his team have "decided to abstain from it at least for now." He writes, "We do not want to interfere with their sales and/or any upcoming plans for other platforms. Also we are really open for cooperation in this regard and will be more than happy to make any upcoming releases run with use of ScummVM."

Sounds like an honorable stance to us, though one that will deprive this blogger of the ability to play these two games anywhere but Windows. We've reached out to LucasArts for a comment on the format changes and their thoughts on ScummVM enabling playback of these games.

Sure, news that George Lucas himself had dug out his leather jacket, fedora, and whip in order to go exploring in the LucasArts vaults for forgotten treasure may have made your Monday but now the honeymoon's over and you're faced with the harsh reality of putting down real money. How much will they be? Do you want to pay to replay old games? Is your "red" the same as my "red"? These are all important questions ...

... so we were heartened to see the pricing schema in place on Steam this afternoon. Per @lucasartsgames Twitter feed, "pricing is easy." There's a "5-10-20 model" meaning classic adventure games are $5 (that's LOOM, The Dig, and the two Indiana Jones adventure games on here, as well as Star Wars Starfighter, though it sort of messes up our categorization here). For $10, you have your choice of squad-based Republic Commando and Armed and Dangerous. And for $20, you can choose from LEGO Indiana Jones, Star Wars Battlefront II, and Thrillville: Off the Rails.

We don't know about you, but $5 for a classic adventure game smells like a bargain to us (mmm, bargain). And with promised Steam bundles on the way ("CHEAP!") there's more value to be had if you like your Abe Lincolns to go a little further. Buying anything today? Share with us in the comments.

An inside source close to Joystiq has informed us LucasArts is bringing a brand new game (imagine that!) to XBLA, coinciding with the company's focus on downloadable releases as of late. Dubbed Lucidity, this title is described as a kind of side-scrolling adventure ... with a twist. Instead of controlling the main character, Sofi, in the traditional manner, players instead place certain objects in her path as she independently navigates the gameworld. As she runs into these objects, she will use them to tackle whatever obstacle is in her way.

The game will definitely have a fantasy element to it, as it supposedly takes place inside of Sofi's head while she's looking for her grandmother. Let's just hope there's no big bad wolf waiting at grandma's to gobble her up, though.

Stay tuned for further developments -- or please hit up our tips line if you've got additional details.

The purists amongst you might be curious to learn precisely which versions of LucasArts' classic adventure games are making their way to Steam this Wednesday ... after all, LOOM was released in both a 16-color EGA floppy disk version, as well as a 256-color CD-ROM version with full voiceover (so-called "talkie" support); Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis was released on both floppy disk and then CD-ROM a year later; and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure was released on both floppy and CD as well ...

... but the Steam version of The Last Crusade isn't the CD-ROM version that was released in 1992! LucasArts tells us that the version of The Last Crusade that will be put on Steam is a "previously unreleased version" with "even more bugfixes" than the original CD-ROM re-release, along with a "Tandy 1000 sound engine." As for LOOM and Atlantis, you'll be seeing the CD-ROM "talkie" versions for both on Steam.

The Dig was CD-ROM only, and the other six titles being released on Wednesday only had one version. The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition is a special case – the remastered version is obviously new, but you can switch back and forth between the "Special Edition" and the original. That "original" release is in fact the CD-ROM version of the game, not the floppy disk version, in case you were wondering.

Also of note: the copy protection system for both LOOM and The Last Crusade was to include an add-in – the "Book of Patterns" and "Grail Diary" respectively – that would have to be referenced while playing the game (take that, pirates!). LucasArts tells us they'll have PDF versions of both, so fret not, Adventure Gamer. It's your week!

He actually said that out loud. When asked whether LucasArts' classic lineup -- recently unearthed for Steam release -- could wind up on portable platforms such as the iPhone, DS or PSP Go, company CEO Darrell Rodriguez told Joystiq, "On iPhone, you know Apple's policy that we can't talk about a release until it's ready to release. But it would make sense that we would do something like that if we were to go in that direction ... wink wink, nod nod."

Wink wink, nod nod. Thanks to our remarkable journalistic acumen, we can only conclude that he's attempting to convey relevant information by verbally describing physical body language. Other drifts tossed into our cupped hands: Rodriguez has deemed LucasArts' new endeavor to release old, beloved titles a "passion project" -- and it's "just the beginning." He also said that out loud.

As for iPhone ports of point-and-poke classics (or even remakes like The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition), well, we think we would quite like that. If you know what we mean.

Mighty pirates and lowly flooring inspectors alike are encouraged to sign up for a return trip to the shores of Monkey Island on July 15th, when a remastered version of the adventure classic arrives on Xbox Live Arcade and PC (via Steam and other online distribution channels). The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition sees that lovable display of ineptitude, Guybrush Threepwood, rendered in splendid HD graphics, surrounded by newly recorded voices and ... fired out of a cannon with a pot on his head. That part's still the same.

LucasArts has yet to announce a price for the point-and-clicker, but if there's anything our encounters with the dreaded ghost pirate LeChuck have taught us, it's that you should never pay more than $20 for a computer game.

LucasArts is poised to deliver a one-two ... err, three punch for classic gaming fans, beginning with tomorrow's PC release of the first chapter of Tales of Monkey Island, titled "Launch of the Screaming Narwhal." Today, LucasArts announced not only the release date for Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition – it's next week, on July 15th – but also the availability of ten LucasArts classics from the back-catalog, to be made available on Steam this Wednesday, July 8! We spoke with LucasArts CEO Darrell Rodriguez, who told us that this is "a passion project" for him as well as his team. "This is the first time these titles have ever been on digital distribution, and it's something we're all very excited about," he told us this morning. "And this is just the beginning."

That "beginning" includes ten titles from the LucasArts vaults, including adventure gaming classics like Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure, LOOM, and The Dig. Also included in this first batch of games are Armed and Dangerous, LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventure, Star Wars Battlefront II, Star Wars Republic Commando, Star Wars Starfighter, and Thrillville: Off the Rails. The press release calls this the "first round of releases" and Rodriguez promises us they've got more in store, including "some bundles that offer some extra value." Those bundles are Steam-only for now, though; a retail package is "something to definitely consider" Rodriguez tells us, though LucasArts has "no plans for them right now."

Speaking to the Guardian, Craig Derrick, producer of The Secret of Monkey Island Special Edition, said that the game may make the jump from XBLA and PC to another platform as well. When asked about why LucasArts chose Xbox Live Arcade as the launch platform and not Wiiware or PSN, Derrick responded, "Well, we never said we wouldn't be on Wiiware or PSN now did we?" He added, "We may have another platform announcement to make very, very soon," though he failed to elaborate any further on the matter.

Derrick also seemed to share the sentiments of some other folks involved with both the Special Edition and the upcoming Tales of Monkey Island from Telltale, saying that he'd like to see a redone version of Monkey Island 2. He noted that Monkey Island Special Edition is an "experiment to see what interest there is for these types of games and if people are interested in playing them on a console." In other words, whether or not we see another revamped LucasArts adventure game depends on how well the Monkey Island sells.

We're sure the Joystiq staff will buy at least one copy, if that helps ....

There are a few weird, internal reactions a nerd has to deal with when a company -- Bensussen Deutsch & Associates, in this case -- announces that it's creating the first officially licensed Star Wars lightsaber and blaster accessories for the Wii. On one hand, Wii accessories are, by and large, completely pointless. On the other hand, they're lightsabers ... and they light up. On yet another hand (wait ... three hands?) the accessories, including the blaster, clearly don't have enough room to accommodate MotionPlus (as far as we can tell).

Granted, these are being released in conjunction with Star Wars - The Clone Wars: Republic Heroes, which has no MotionPlus support that we're aware of, but come on! Any lightsaber accessory should have an extra slot for MotionPlus. We don't care if LucasArts ever makes another lightsaber game or not. Hell, we'll pick up Red Steel 2 and just pretend we're using a lightsaber. At least, we would, if these accessories supported MotionPlus.

Oh, the Clone Trooper blaster also comes with stickers.

Update: We've confirmed with BDA that neither Republic Heroes nor its accessories support MotionPlus.

With an HD remix of The Secret of Monkey Island and a full-on episodic assault in Tales of Monkey Island on the way, many might find themselves wondering what all of the fuss is about. Those individuals have likely been stomping around the Earth for no more than 12 years or so, and thankfully GameSetWatch has come to the rescue with an incredibly lengthy retrospective (like, 5,000 words long) on the series.

We must warn you that the piece is filled with various spoilers, so if you've never played any of these games before, don't say we didn't warn you. But, for the rest of us, it's a great primer for the bounty of content ahead.

This week, the Nintendo Channel has been flooded with a variety of interviews about big upcoming Wii titles. There are interviews with the folks behind FFCC: The Crystal Bearers, Red Steel 2, Cave Story, and, as you can see above, Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles. So, hit up the video above, then if you want more E3 interview goodness, be sure to boot up your Wii and check out what's on the Nintendo Channel.

Is Telltale single-handedly reinvigorating the point-and-click adventure genre with 15+ year old game licenses? Yeah, it is -- and you don't hear us complaining. First Sam & Max made a triumphant return in 3D and then E3 saw the announcement of a new episodic Monkey Island series from the studio. Now, talking to Videogamer.com, Telltale's CEO Dan Connors said that "feasible is a good word" when asked about the chances of an episodic Day of the Tentacle series.

"I always think of Sam & Max, Day of the Tentacle and Monkey Island as the big three franchises," Connors continued. Seeing as two of the three are under the company's belt already, that makes DOTT the logical next step, but it's "having a 'wait and see' approach with Monkey." So if you want a new Day of the Tentacle series, you'd better buy -- and enjoy! -- The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition and Tales of Monkey Island and help usher in the next golden age of point and clicks.

Be ye ready for a ... sorry, we can do better pirate than that! Noy jitat, arrrrrrrrre ye ready to watch some LucasArts developers play Monkey Island and answer your barnacle infested questions? Then head on over to Justin.tv/lucasartsgames tomorrow at 3PM Pacific.

LucasArts devs will play through the early part of the game for approximately an hour and answer viewer questions. The event will not be recorded, so you'll have to make a date if the event interests you. Or, you know, someone out there in the stormy seas of the internets can record the event and then maybe slide a link where people can watch it later. You know, in the comments here or something. Too right, now ye be thinkin' like pirates!

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.

There's an unnavigable divide between the world of MMORPGs and the art of good storytelling. Not writing, mind you -- the gang at Blizzard know their way around a word processor -- but rather, the actual sharing of a story. It's not a genre that supports the relaying of intricate plotlines. Most players are in it for the grind, for social status or notoriety. The option to enable "text skipping" doesn't exactly lend itself to plot development. Even if the mass interest was there, all of the game's players are receiving the same storyline. No choice, no branching, no consequences.

Attempting to build a bridge with which to cross this divide would be an extremely ambitious undertaking. Fortunately, Bioware is a studio well versed in ambition -- and, if our brief time with the game is any indication, Star Wars: The Old Republic is going to irrevocably change the way MMOs tell stories.