ScummC Source Code

Update: January 20, 2014: Disregard this, The ScummC website is back.

Since the ScummC homepage and SVN repository is down, I thought I'd upload the sourcecode for those who want it. For those who don't know, ScummC is a set of compilers and tools that let you make games for SCUMM (version 6, as in Day of the Tentacle and Sam & Max) with a C-like scripting languge.

It should be noted that the sourcecode can't be compiled out-of-the-box on any Windows compiler (this includes MSVC, MinGW, and Cygwin). I tried to get it to compile for MinGW, but it was beyond my skill level.

Deals on LucasArts and Telltale Adventures!

There are a few deals going on for LucasArts and Telltale adventure games. First of all, there's the Complete Collection of Sam & Max,which includes all three seasons of Telltale's Sam & Max games.  It is $49.95 for a limited time, which is 50% off the price it would be if you bought all three separately.  This offer ends on June 2, 2010.

The LucasArts Adventure Pack, which includes Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and Fate of Atlantis, as well as Loom and The Dig, is also on sale for 50% off. The game is $4.99, and the offer is available until Friday.

Point-and-Click Adventure Review: Sam & Max Save the World - Reality 2.0

The fifth episode of Sam & Max Season one continues where the last one left off, bringing more much needed freshness to the season.

In this episode, Sam & Max must enter a virtual world to try to stop a plan for world-wide hypnosis.  The locations finally get a much needed update, since each real life location is given it's virtual doppleganger in the virtual world.  The running jokes are still here Sybil still has a new job, and Bosco is still paranoid as ever.  His avatar in the virtual world is a delight though.  I enjoyed Max's quips about him.  The Bosco-tech device they're given is also one of the funniest this season.

This episode shines in it's new characters.  The C.O.P.S. are definitely the highlight of the episode.  I'm not going to spoil who they are here, but I will say the loud, large one rightfully became a fan favorite.  He doesn't say much, but his vocal delivery is hilarious.  The voices of each of them are performed by Jared-Emerson Johnson, who also composed the score for this season.  There is a really funny musical number performed by the C.O.P.S. here, which can be heard through dialog options and then later over the credits at the end of the game.


The greatest part about this episode, and the reason it's still one of my favorites, is that it is full of video game parodies and references.  Sam & Max in a virtual world lends itself to video game humor, and you'll find references from everything from the 1970's to the present, from adventure games, to platform games, to RPGs.  There is a really funny sequence at the end of the game that I don't want to spoil.  But if you were a fan of adventure games in the late 70's and early 80's, you'll love it.  The video game references also lend themselves to video game music parodies, and Jared Emerson-Johnson does a great job with that.  There are new songs here that sound like they could have been delivered through 8-bit video game machines of the past. 

The puzzles here are also really enjoyable, and many of them are memorable even years after playing them.  The difficulty level has been raised in this episode too.  The painting puzzle was the first time I had to consult a walk-through during all of my playtime of the episodes of this season. 

Abe Lincoln Must Die was the high point of the season at the time of its release, and Reality 2.0 has it beat in every respect.  The locations were given a much-needed face-lift, and the new characters are among the most memorable of this season.  There are so many jokes, parodies, and visual gags, it might be worth playing through more than once.

Update February 4, 2023: There is now another way to play the game. Sam & Max Save the World Remastered by Skunkape games updates the game to the latest version of the Telltale Tool. It also has improved lighting, high-definition graphics, and a remade title song. Because of changing views on various culture-related issues, Bosco has a new voice actor and some of the lines of dialog were changed. Because the new Bosco fits the game well, and the script changes are minor, this is now my favorite way to play the game.

Final Verdict:

4½ out of 5

Sam & Max Save the World (Season 1) Episode 4 Review

Save the World: Episode 6 Review

Doctor Who Gets Four Episodic Adventure Games

Sumo Digital is bringing the popular long running BBC science fiction series Doctor Who to the PC and Mac in a four part adventure game episodic series.

According to the BBC, the first episode will be titled City of the Daleks, and will be the first time the doctor visits Kaalaan, the Dalek capital city.  The game will follow the current Doctor, the eleventh, and his companion Amy Pond.

The episodes will be free, with the first episode scheduled to be released on June 5, 2010.

Complete Gabriel Knight Collection Sale at GOG.com

The Complete Gabriel Knight promo is going on now at GOG.com. All three games are on sale for the combined price of $12.57. If you already purchased one or two of the games and would like the rest, the game(s) you already own will be deducted from the total price!

Point and Click Adventure Review: Sam & Max Save the World - Abe Lincoln Must Die!

The fourth game removes the feelings of deja-vu, and brings the series to new heights.

In this episode, the duo must investigate a situation where it seems that the president of the United States has been hypnotized. Things don't turn out the way Sam & Max expected, and soon an emergency election for the president of the United States is launched. The giant statue of Abraham Lincoln has been brought to life, as the general feeling is that the original Abe is the one man who the public would never vote against. Sam & Max need to stop this, so it's decided Max has to run for the president of the United States against the giant Abe Lincoln.

The new location of the White House is a lot of fun. Telltale has also thrown in an Easter egg in this location, so feel free to try to find it if you like. It's a pretty clever joke. The previous locations still are the same, and the running gags are still here, but thankfully the locations now have different descriptions for the objects you select. So, the feeling of deja-vu is lessoned a lot with this episode. The funniness factor is also upped a lot here. The running jokes with Sybil's new jobs were becoming tiresome, but her new job here and the lines written for her were pretty funny. Bosco is still imitating accents from other nations (poorly). His actor always gives a great performance with the lines he's given, and they are funnier here than ever.

The last episode had excellent music, but this episode tops that one in every regard. The musical number in this one is even more brilliant than the last, and is so catchy it will be stuck in your head long after you've played. It's an excellent bit of absurdity that fits into the Sam & Max universe perfectly. The voices are also great here. Bosco is great as always. The voices of Sam, Max, and Sybil seem to have hit their stride as of this episode. The dialog seems to flow more naturally than before, and it sounds less like Sam & Max are trying to imitate the Hit the Road characters and more like they are taking the characters in a new direction. Which is an excellent thing, since this series has a different tone than LucasArts' game, so the different interpretation fits well.

The writing has improved, the puzzles are excellent, and the voice actors are beginning to hit their stride. The musical number is the funniest one yet in a Sam & Max game. Now that the episode is free on the PC, this episode should be played by everyone. It's the turning point of the first season, and one of the best episodes the Sam & Max series has to offer.

Update February 4, 2023: There is now another way to play the game. Sam & Max Save the World Remastered by Skunkape games updates the game to the latest version of the Telltale Tool. It also has improved lighting, high-definition graphics, and a remade title song. Because of changing views on various culture-related issues, Bosco has a new voice actor and some of the lines of dialog were changed. Because the new Bosco fits the game well, and the script changes are minor, this is now my favorite way to play the game.

Final Verdict:

4½ out of 5

Sam & Max Save the World (Season 1) Episode 3 Review

Save the World: Episode 5 Review

Mystery House on iPad and iPhone/iPod Touch

Josef Wankerl ported Sierra's first adventure game, and the first ever adventure game with graphics, to the iPhone and iPod Touch in 2009. Last month, he updated the game to be compatible with the iPad Touch. The game was released to the public domain by Sierra in 1987. The iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad version can be purchased at the iTunes store for (the pretty high price for a game of this kind) $5.99.