A new (fan-made) Indiana Jones adventure game
May 26, 2006 1:32 AM Subscribe
Indiana Jones and the Fountain of Youth A fan-made adventure game featuring a SCUMM-based system. A demo is available for download here.
Holy shit, the art is amazing. I love these kinds of games.
I really hope these guys don't get sued.
posted by secret about box at 2:27 AM on May 26, 2006
I really hope these guys don't get sued.
posted by secret about box at 2:27 AM on May 26, 2006
Oooh, oooh - my wish has come true. Will be downloading this as soon as I get home from work.
posted by greycap at 2:49 AM on May 26, 2006
posted by greycap at 2:49 AM on May 26, 2006
This looks excellent - it's so good to see adventure game enthusiasts making new games where the industry's largely given up. Having had a skim of the site, I really do hope Lucasarts overlook this, too - they've been working on this for five years, and it'd be a terrible shame to see it all lawyered into oblivion.
If it's sufficiently SCUMM-based, it'd be great to see a SCUMMVM-compatible release sometime in the future - this + DS = win.
posted by terpsichoria at 2:59 AM on May 26, 2006
If it's sufficiently SCUMM-based, it'd be great to see a SCUMMVM-compatible release sometime in the future - this + DS = win.
posted by terpsichoria at 2:59 AM on May 26, 2006
This quote is sweet suicide: "We understand that 'Indiana Jones', 'Marcus Brody' and 'Barnett College' are registered trademarks (™) of LucasFilm Ltd., LucasArts and George Lucas."
I'm gonna try this with my "new" MP3 device called the J-Pod. It will look identical to the 5G iPod. In fact, it will be the 5G iPod. I'll buy them from Apple, mark them up, and then sell them online with disclaimer that reads, "I understand that the 'iPod' is a registered trademark and that I am seriously breaking the law. Sorry."
The game looks very cool, but this is asking for a lot of trouble. Then again, it worked for Danger Mouse. His distribution of unlicensed work turned him into a hotshit Grammy nominee.
posted by JPowers at 3:42 AM on May 26, 2006
I'm gonna try this with my "new" MP3 device called the J-Pod. It will look identical to the 5G iPod. In fact, it will be the 5G iPod. I'll buy them from Apple, mark them up, and then sell them online with disclaimer that reads, "I understand that the 'iPod' is a registered trademark and that I am seriously breaking the law. Sorry."
The game looks very cool, but this is asking for a lot of trouble. Then again, it worked for Danger Mouse. His distribution of unlicensed work turned him into a hotshit Grammy nominee.
posted by JPowers at 3:42 AM on May 26, 2006
While they still may get sued, your analogy is broken. You're talking about reselling someone else's product, while they're fans giving away for free what amounts to an interactive story.
Cutting off the pedants: I am not making a statement in regard to the actual legality of this Indy game, simply speaking in reference to the above analogy.
posted by secret about box at 4:06 AM on May 26, 2006
Cutting off the pedants: I am not making a statement in regard to the actual legality of this Indy game, simply speaking in reference to the above analogy.
posted by secret about box at 4:06 AM on May 26, 2006
They are reselling someone else's products: trademarked characters, which are intellectual products.
posted by JPowers at 4:23 AM on May 26, 2006
posted by JPowers at 4:23 AM on May 26, 2006
And while they aren't selling the game, they are profiting from it by using it as a showcase for their skills as game designers, which will lead to $$$ (which is similar to what Danger Mouse did). Right?
posted by JPowers at 4:27 AM on May 26, 2006
posted by JPowers at 4:27 AM on May 26, 2006
Buying iPods and selling them to people under the name "J-Pod" is not the same.
"The project is FREEWARE and must under no circumstances be reproduced or sold for profit."
They're not selling the product. (And again, I state that I'm not saying this is legal or illegal.)
they are profiting from it by using it as a showcase for their skills as game designers, which will lead to $$$
Says who? That's an assumptive leap. Sure, this sort of project goes on your resume, but it doesn't look like they're here for BIG GAME DEVELOPER BUCKS. Seriously, have you ever built a game mod before? It's fun. They're Indy fans, point-and-click-adventure fans, and they found an engine that let them build a game.
It COULD be their Big Showcase, but it doesn't necessarily HAVE to be.
And while I'm here, being able to donate to a volunteer project != selling, to cut off your next post.
posted by secret about box at 4:54 AM on May 26, 2006
"The project is FREEWARE and must under no circumstances be reproduced or sold for profit."
They're not selling the product. (And again, I state that I'm not saying this is legal or illegal.)
they are profiting from it by using it as a showcase for their skills as game designers, which will lead to $$$
Says who? That's an assumptive leap. Sure, this sort of project goes on your resume, but it doesn't look like they're here for BIG GAME DEVELOPER BUCKS. Seriously, have you ever built a game mod before? It's fun. They're Indy fans, point-and-click-adventure fans, and they found an engine that let them build a game.
It COULD be their Big Showcase, but it doesn't necessarily HAVE to be.
And while I'm here, being able to donate to a volunteer project != selling, to cut off your next post.
posted by secret about box at 4:54 AM on May 26, 2006
Wait a second.
They are reselling someone else's products
And while they aren't selling the game
Which is it? Are they selling something or not?
posted by secret about box at 4:55 AM on May 26, 2006
They are reselling someone else's products
And while they aren't selling the game
Which is it? Are they selling something or not?
posted by secret about box at 4:55 AM on May 26, 2006
How many times do we have to have the same stupid moral vs. legal argument?
Until we win.
posted by Ryvar at 6:41 AM on May 26, 2006
Until we win.
posted by Ryvar at 6:41 AM on May 26, 2006
You're talking about reselling someone else's product, while they're fans giving away for free what amounts to an interactive story.
When there's a term for a series of legal notices and actions regarding fan projects (that was coined a decade ago) I think that means there's not much of a conversation to be had here.
This really does look excellent though, and it's a shame all of their assets will be put to waste when they get a C&D. Considering the SCUMM scene doesn't really have much in the way of fresh content, how many avid users would have objected to a new, original story line with all different characters and settings? There are so many ways you could riff on the "Indie" and "Tomb Raider" themes without explicitly asking for legal trouble. Infernal Machine was released for consoles and PC in 2000, and Emperors Tomb was released in 2003. This is not an inactive or dead franchise, in terms of its video game counterparts. It's too bad the creators of this apparently felt they couldn't get an audience for their project without appropriating a mainstream franchise.
posted by prostyle at 6:58 AM on May 26, 2006
When there's a term for a series of legal notices and actions regarding fan projects (that was coined a decade ago) I think that means there's not much of a conversation to be had here.
This really does look excellent though, and it's a shame all of their assets will be put to waste when they get a C&D. Considering the SCUMM scene doesn't really have much in the way of fresh content, how many avid users would have objected to a new, original story line with all different characters and settings? There are so many ways you could riff on the "Indie" and "Tomb Raider" themes without explicitly asking for legal trouble. Infernal Machine was released for consoles and PC in 2000, and Emperors Tomb was released in 2003. This is not an inactive or dead franchise, in terms of its video game counterparts. It's too bad the creators of this apparently felt they couldn't get an audience for their project without appropriating a mainstream franchise.
posted by prostyle at 6:58 AM on May 26, 2006
Oooh, oooh - my wish has come true.
Indeed, mine too! Downloading now.
posted by ludwig_van at 7:44 AM on May 26, 2006 [1 favorite]
Indeed, mine too! Downloading now.
posted by ludwig_van at 7:44 AM on May 26, 2006 [1 favorite]
I would think the market for low-res adventure games using a 10 year old graphics engine is low enough that LucasArts would not feel threatened by this enough to sue.
posted by empath at 7:45 AM on May 26, 2006
posted by empath at 7:45 AM on May 26, 2006
I would think the market for low-res adventure games using a 10 year old graphics engine is low enough that LucasArts would not feel threatened by this enough to sue.
You would think that, but Adventure Game mechanics are weird. Dreamfall (the sequel to The Longest Journey) was one of the worst games I've ever played, adventure or otherwise, yet it got good reviews in the AG community simply because of the dearth of ANY adventure games. If this game were to be commercial (with the backing of LucasArts, of course), I'm sure that there would be many (myself included) who would buy it as a bargain title.
posted by hoborg at 8:35 AM on May 26, 2006
You would think that, but Adventure Game mechanics are weird. Dreamfall (the sequel to The Longest Journey) was one of the worst games I've ever played, adventure or otherwise, yet it got good reviews in the AG community simply because of the dearth of ANY adventure games. If this game were to be commercial (with the backing of LucasArts, of course), I'm sure that there would be many (myself included) who would buy it as a bargain title.
posted by hoborg at 8:35 AM on May 26, 2006
Wow, I'm playing it now and it's totally neato. Just like Fate of Atlantis.
posted by ludwig_van at 9:13 AM on May 26, 2006
posted by ludwig_van at 9:13 AM on May 26, 2006
Which is it? Are they selling something or not?
It claims to be freeware, but then why is there a "demo"? Why isn't it just a 0.x or whatever version?
And technically (depending on persuasion) it isn't pure freeware. It's donationware. A slight difference.
We consider FoY to be a "sister" product.
Oh really now?
posted by mrgrimm at 9:58 AM on May 26, 2006
It claims to be freeware, but then why is there a "demo"? Why isn't it just a 0.x or whatever version?
And technically (depending on persuasion) it isn't pure freeware. It's donationware. A slight difference.
We consider FoY to be a "sister" product.
Oh really now?
posted by mrgrimm at 9:58 AM on May 26, 2006
It claims to be freeware, but then why is there a "demo"?
Because the full game isn't finished yet?
posted by ludwig_van at 10:47 AM on May 26, 2006
Because the full game isn't finished yet?
posted by ludwig_van at 10:47 AM on May 26, 2006
hoborg: sorry to derail but I don't see an email in your profile -- just curious, did you hate Longest Journey too? My wife and I played that together and it is one of the only computer games she has ever liked. I hoped the sequel would be as good.
posted by The Bellman at 11:42 AM on May 26, 2006
posted by The Bellman at 11:42 AM on May 26, 2006
I loved the Longest Journey and haven't played the sequel, but I heard negative things about it from friends and reviewers who enjoyed the original as well. An example (although 7.4/10 isn't an awful review, the review itself doesn't make the game sound too appealing).
posted by ludwig_van at 11:46 AM on May 26, 2006
posted by ludwig_van at 11:46 AM on May 26, 2006
Any SCUMM-based project has my full support. This looks great, thanks!
posted by Sibrax at 11:54 AM on May 26, 2006
posted by Sibrax at 11:54 AM on May 26, 2006
Windows only? MAKES NO SENSE
posted by interrobang at 12:31 PM on May 26, 2006
posted by interrobang at 12:31 PM on May 26, 2006
It makes sense when you check the docs: "We use Adventure Game Studio, the free engine - for all our games!" While SCUMM-like, it's not SCUMM, hence the platform-dependance. So I won't be playing this on my Palm...
posted by sysinfo at 1:55 PM on May 26, 2006
posted by sysinfo at 1:55 PM on May 26, 2006
I think that The Longest Journey was a game that outpaced its peers in the Adventure Game genre by leaps and bounds. It was a little wordy, though, which is a common-enough complaint about it. My advice would be to stay away from Dreamfall - the problem-solving is just a long, boring trading sequence, and the "action" is so badly implemented that it's almost funny. I've updated my profile if you want to continue the derail for suggestions, etc.
Back to the post, though - this wouldn't be the first fan-made sequel to be shut down. It's strange that the copyright holders always seem to wait until a significant amount of work has been put into the game before slapping them with a C&D. It's almost as though they (quite rightly) assume that most fan-made sequels will never get finished. Just food for thought.
posted by hoborg at 5:45 PM on May 26, 2006
Back to the post, though - this wouldn't be the first fan-made sequel to be shut down. It's strange that the copyright holders always seem to wait until a significant amount of work has been put into the game before slapping them with a C&D. It's almost as though they (quite rightly) assume that most fan-made sequels will never get finished. Just food for thought.
posted by hoborg at 5:45 PM on May 26, 2006
The graphics and sound are very well done, takes me back to day :) I don't like the writing much for some reason though, it seems to go on in the wrong places, humour often flat, etc. Overall seriously nice work! Shockingly good value :)
posted by -harlequin- at 4:35 PM on May 27, 2006
posted by -harlequin- at 4:35 PM on May 27, 2006
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posted by Goblindegook at 2:11 AM on May 26, 2006