Adventure game remakes to VGA links list

[Schloss Ritter]

I know there are multiple threads asking for this already, but I thought I would start a thread consolidating all the various links to various (potential) VGA or extended VGA+ remakes of pre-VGA (less than 256 colors), text parser games. I would like to keep this updated by editing this post, so if there is anything needed to be added (whether a remake project yet exists or not) post and let me know.


The format I'll be using, alphabetically listed:
Company
Website: ...

Game
Original: (video/engine, year)
Remake (VGA/VGA+): none / in progress / completed (year)
Remake Site(s): ...
(other info)


Infocom
Website: (? - company defunct)

Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
Original: Text, 1984
Remake: browser based with custom GUI, completed 2004
Remake site: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/hitchhikers/game.shtml

Zork I
Original: Text, 1980
Remake: none
Remake Site: none

Zork II
Original: Text, 1981
Remake: none
Remake Site: none

Zork III
Original: Text, 1982
Remake: none
Remake Site: none

Beyond Zork
Original: Text + monochrome line map, 1987
Remake: none
Remake Site: none

Zork Zero
Original: Text w/ EGA graphic border and some graphic puzzles, 1988
Remake: none
Remake Site: none


Sierra
Website: http://www.sierra.com

The Black Cauldron
Original: AGI, 1986
Remake: completed 2005
Remake Site: [url]http://tg_comics.tripod.com/bc.html[/url]

Codename: ICEMAN
Original: SCI, 1989
Remake: none
Remake Site: none

The Colonel's Bequest (aka Laura Bow 1)
Note: Original game an expanded somewhat-remake of Mystery House
Original: SCI, 1989
Remake: in progress ???
Remake Site: viewtopic.php?t=11039 - last update 8/2006

Conquests of Camelot
Original: SCI, 1990
Remake: none
Remake Site: none

Cranston Manor
Original: Apple II, 1981-2
Remake: none
Remake Site: none

The Dark Crystal
Note: Also released simplified version as Gelfling Adventure
Original: various 8-bit, 1982-4
Remake: none
Remake Site: none

Donald Duck's Playground (educational game)
Original: AGI, 1984
Remake: none
Remake Site: none

Dragon's Keep
Original: various 8-bit, 1982-4
Remake: none
Remake Site: none

Gobliiins
Note: Original 16-color disk and VGA enhanced CD versions developed (simultaneously?)
Original: various 8-bit, 1991-2
Remake: completed - see note
Remake Site: http://www.sierra.com

Gold Rush!
Original: AGI, 1988
Remake: none
Remake Site: none

King's Quest
Original: AGI, 1984
Remake: completed 2001-3
Remake Site(s): http://www.agdinteractive.com/KQ1.php - link inactive, new site pending 8/08

King's Quest II
Original: AGI, 1985
Remake (+): completed 2002-3
Remake Site: http://www.agdinteractive.com/KQ2.php - link inactive, new site pending 8/08

King's Quest III
Original: AGI, 1986
Remake: completed 2006
Remake Site(s): http://www.infamous-adventures.com/kq3/

King's Quest IV
Original: SCI, 1988
Remake: in progress
Remake Site: http://www.mmgames.org/ - Magic Mirror Games - last update 2/2008

Leisure Suit Larry
Original: AGI, 1987
Remake: completed 1991
Remake Site: http://www.sierra.com

Leisure Suit Larry II
Original: SCI, 1988
Remake: completed 2004(?) - (original EGA graphics with AGS point and click interface), no updated graphics version yet
Remake Site: http://www.freewebs.com/skimbleshanks/

Leisure Suit Larry III
Original: SCI, 1989
Remake: none
Remake Site: none

Leisure Suit Larry IV
Original: MIA, 1990
Remake: haha
Remake Site: http://www.allowe.com/Larry/4.htm

Manhunter: New York
Original: AGI, 1988
Remake: none
Remake Site: none

Manhunter 2: San Francisco
Original: AGI, 1989
Remake: none
Remake Site: none

Mickey's Space Adventure
Original: various 8-bit, 1984-6
Remake: none
Remake Site: none

Mission: Asteroid
Original: various 8-bit, 1980
Remake: none
Remake Site: none

Mixed-Up Mother Goose
Original: AGI, 1987
Remake: completed 1990-96
Remake Site: http://www.sierra.com

Mystery House
Original: Apple II, 1980
Remake: none (sort of - see The Colonel's Bequest)
Remake Site: none

Police Quest
Original: AGI, 1987
Remake: completed 1992
Remake Site: http://www.sierra.com

Police Quest 2
Original: SCI, 1988
Remake (+): in progress
Remake Site: http://www.novellice.com/theRedPress/?page_id=67 - last update 6/2008

Quest for Glory (aka Hero's Quest)
Original: SCI, 1989
Remake: completed 1992
Remake Site: http://www.sierra.com

Quest for Glory II
Original: SCI, 1990
Remake: completed 8/2008
Remake Site: http://www.agdinteractive.com/

Softporn Adventure
Original: Text, 1981
Remake: completed as Leisure Suit Larry, 1987-91
Remake Site: http://www.sierra.com

Space Quest
Original: AGI, 1986
Remake: completed 1991
Remake Site: http://www.sierra.com

Space Quest II
Original: AGI, 1987
Remake: in progress
Remake Site: http://www.infamous-adventures.com/index.php?page=sq2 - last update 8/2008

Space Quest III
Original: SCI, 1989
Remake: none
Remake Site: Squadron Six Entertainment - http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu ... =119453405 - (now defunct, new source code possibly given to Infamous Adventures)

Time Zone
Original: Apple II, 1982
Remake: none
Remake Site: none

Troll's Tale
Original: various 8-bit, 1983-4
Remake: none
Remake Site: none

Ultima: Escape from Mt. Drash
Original: VIC-20, 1983
Remake: none
Remake Site: none

Ulysses and the Golden Fleece
Original: various 8-bit, 1981-4
Remake: none
Remake Site: none

Winnie the Pooh in the Hundred Acre Wood
Original: various 8-bit, 1984-6
Remake: none
Remake Site: none

The Wizard and the Princess (aka Adventure in Serenia)
Original: various 8-bit, 1980-2
Remake: none
Remake Site: none


LucasArts
Website: http://www.lucasarts.com/

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Original: EGA, 1989
Remake: completed; FM Towns (Japan) - new graphics and sound; DOS - new graphics only; 1990
Remake Site: http://lucasarts.vintagegaming.org/inde ... ystemid=21 - screenshots only

Labyrinth
Original: various 8-bit, 1986
Remake: none
Remake Site: none

Loom
Original: EGA, 1990
Remake: completed; FM-Towns (Japan) 1991; DOS "Talkie" 1992
Remake Site: http://lucasarts.vintagegaming.org/inde ... systemid=8 - screenshots only

Maniac Mansion
Original: SCUMM (1st), 1987
Remake: completed 2004
Remake Site: http://www.lucasfangames.de/ (site defunct), http://new.bigbluecup.com/games.php?act ... ail&id=401 - alternate download site

The Secret of Monkey Island
Original: EGA, 1990
Remake: completed, 1990-2
Remake Site: http://lucasarts.vintagegaming.org/inde ... ystemid=21 - screenshots only

Zak McKracken
Original: EGA, 1988
Remake: completed; FM Towns (Japan) 1991
Remake Site: http://lucasarts.vintagegaming.org/inde ... systemid=8 - screenshots only

[Broomie]

This is what I had and currently doing with Fanventures. I'm hoping it will be up and running by August. Although I can say that the Police Quest II remake has probably been cancelled, which is a big shame.

[Schloss Ritter]

Once I did this list, I thought about making a website too Broomie.  I may be interested in working with you on that.

[antonyo]

Zak McKracken, Indy and the Last Crusade, Loom and Monkey Island 1 were first released in 16 colors before being remade in VGA by LucasArts.

As for the SQ3VGA remake, the http://sq3vga.by.ru/news.htm project is indeed defunct.

This is what I had and currently doing with Fanventures. I'm hoping it will be up and running by August.

Good to hear, I missed your website for a long time now. Let's just hope the curse that afflicted this project is gone for good now.

Although I can say that the Police Quest II remake has probably been cancelled, which is a big shame.

Yes, that project really interested me. Not only the backgrounds were very Police Quest ish, but it had the guts to not censor a certain part of the game, like some persons wanted. It's really too bad we haven't heard about it for so long.

[Lambonius]

Zak McKracken, Indy and the Last Crusade, Loom and Monkey Island 1 were first released in 16 colors before being remade in VGA by LucasArts.

Actually, I'm fairly positive that Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade was released in VGA, and that running it in EGA depended on your system, same as The Secret of Monkey Island.  If there were EGA versions, they may have been released simultaneously, but I remember when those games first came out, and I was playing them in VGA.

Also, Zak McKracken VGA was for the Japanese FM-TOWNS only, and is near impossible to find nowadays.  I looked on ebay a while back but to no avail.  Then again, I'm not even sure if that version would even run on a standard PC.  I've always wanted to play that game in VGA (and with improved music as well, so I've read.)

[Billetwound]

You can actually play the FM-Town Version of Zak Mckracken with ScummVM its like dosbox but designed for use with Lucasarts games but you would still need to get a copy of it. I have a copy of it somewhere and it uses digital music and sounds instead of midi's or the old commodore 64 sound lol so the sound quality is better, the game itself is really pretty much a repaint it looks just like the ega pc version of it.

http://www.scummvm.org/

As much as people have problems you would figure someone would startup a game site like that Gametap one but specifically for pc games that you can't find and you could purchase the game from the site and just download it.  Obviously there seems to be a large amount of people who are into all these old games and like i said above you can use DosBox or ScummVM to run then.  Then all it would take is talkin things out with the Copyright Holders to work them out a deal.  Shit No Packageing, No Advertiseing, since the games are already made (a long time ago at that)  Thats just pure income right there.  THere'd be no reason Not to do it lol.

[Schloss Ritter]

I knew my knowledge was somewhat lacking on the LucasArts adventures.  I'll do a bit more research on what is to be listed.

[antonyo]

Actually, I'm fairly positive that Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade was released in VGA, and that running it in EGA depended on your system, same as The Secret of Monkey Island.  If there were EGA versions, they may have been released simultaneously, but I remember when those games first came out, and I was playing them in VGA.

Nope. Check on Wikipedia, all 4 games were first released in EGA version, then remade several months later in VGA and ported for FM Towns. The gap isn't as big as for Sierra's remakes, but personally, up until several years ago, I had only known about and played the 16 colors version of these games.

[MusicallyInspired]

The LA games definitely do not depend on your system specs. There are completely different versions for EGA and VGA. There are noticeable graphic changes in each version as well. For example, the VGA version of Indy3 has a totem pole of Sam & Max in Dr. Jones' office at the university. The EGA one doesn't.

[Lambonius]

My mistake then.  I may just have to hunt down those EGA versions now...(at least Last Crusade and Monkey Island; I've got the other two.)  It's a shame that all but ZakVGA were released in America for PC, though.

[MusicallyInspired]

Ah but ZakVGA is easily playable on ScummVM!

[antonyo]

Several SCUMMVM fans offer to download several SCUMM games in their various version (floppy, CD, FM-Towns, demo), with box scans and manuals, for comparison and archiving reasons. I'm sure if you search thoroughly you will find it somewhere on the internet. Don't seriously expect to find this game on ebay. Original LucasArts games on ebay are rare enough already, let's not even think about the foreign, ultra rare, FM-towns version.

This particuliar game is old, discontinued, and impossible to find. I say, if you already own the original game, go ahead and download the FM-towns version from the internet. I won't give you any URLs, but I don't really see the point of forbidding people from playing a piece of art when a company no longer support it, no longer profit from it and when it can't be reasonably found anymore in the stores/ebay, when it is, those who'd buy it are collectors who'd pay little fortunes just to own the original and store it on a shelf.

[Billetwound]

reguardless if you own say the ega version of a game you do not have legal rights to download another version of a game that is still piracy. thats the kind of thing that can get you in trouble round here. just because they don't support the game anymore doesn't mean they gave up their copyrights to it, like gametap has to pay the copyright holders everytime someone pays to play a game, so they still make money off of it.  So just because at the current time you can't buy the games anywhere doesn't mean someone who has them can just give them away

[MusicallyInspired]

Ah but hasn't a law been passed that says if the system that the media is designed for is no longer supported or released (in this case the FM Towns system) that acquisition of the media is legal? I'm sure I've heard that somewhere in a discussion about ROMs somewhere. The FM Towns system is definitely not available anymore. The media barely is. So I don't see a problem with acquiring an unsupported and obsolete media for an unsupported obsolete system. So I agree with antonyo.

Regardless, discussions such as these don't belong on this forum so I also agree with Billetwound.

[Billetwound]

well they don't sell the old 8-bit nintendo's or games anymore but because of sites like gametap that make money from the games and the copyright holders make money off the games its illegal to download the roms for those so its kind of the same thing.  Someone should just get smart and open a site up for old computer games with their own emulator that can deal with the copyright holders so that you can purchase older non supported games and download them and play them.  That way everyone could get the old games they'd want and not have to worry about never finding them on ebay lol.

People used to talk about this subject and called it abandonware were as the company has basically abandoned the software and no longer supports it and is done with that franchise.  but if you check this out basically it says that abandonware means squat. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abandonware

and also note while reading it that LucasArts is one of the big dogs that highly defends its copyrights.

[MusicallyInspired]

Heh, lately LucasArts hasn't seemed to care much at all about its older franchises.

And I know what abandonware is. I'm not talking about that.

Anyway, wrong discussion + wrong place = hijacked thread.

[antonyo]

Nothing is all black or all white. I agree with you on several points about piracy, Billetwound, abandonware and emulation should be avoided, and if done, it should be by respecting the will of the copyright owners. However, in some cases, it's because of those big evil abandonware pirate meanies that some games managed to not be forgotten forever.

Suppose it was illegal to take a picture of the Mona Lisa, that nobody drew, painted or took any picture of it, and someone decided to buy the original and keep it in their basement for the next 100 years. It would mean we'd have people who'd be born and die without even having the chance to look at it. It would be an huge waste of culture, don't you think?

It's the same case here. Some games or console system are simply too old to end on ebay anymore, even if you were ready to pay for it, like Lambonius wanted to do, and sometimes the media they are stored on can also be incredibly fragile or simply unreadable. I don't think we're doing any good to the gaming culture by preventing people from playing them and letting some titles to be forgotten. It's important to do the part of things and make the distinction when abandonware and emulation are theft, just to save a few bucks, and when they actually save this culture from being forgotten. And I personally think that the FM-towns version of Zak apply in this particuliar case. And I would be singing a very different song if LucasArts had re-released it in a compilation, if it was widely available on ebay or in flea stores like it is the case with NES cartridges.

But yes, it's the wrong place to have this discussion.

Another game that was remade, Gobliiins. The disk version has only 16 or 32 colors and the CD version has 256 colors and enhanced music I think. And while looking for it on Wikipedia I just discovered there's a Gobliiins 4 project. Sound interesting.

http://www.gobliiins4.com/

The website is in French but I think the screenshots tell a lot.

[Lambonius]

well, we can still talk about the concept of abandonware can't we?  just so long as we don't post links or make requests (which no one has done.)  It's really just a slight divergence from this topic anyway.  A lot of rom sites get away with posting downloadable roms because they have the disclaimer that you must own the game to legally download it.  Abandonware sites don't seem to be as lucky in that department, which seems somewhat strange to me, since it's essentially the same as roms except on a different system.  I'll admit to having used those sites before, and I won't lie--I really wasn't planning on ebaying those old EGA versions of games that I already own in VGA, since I'm not a collector; I would have just sought out the other versions on the web illegally.  But anyway, just wanted to jump my two cents onto the off-topic tangent.

[Broomie]

Once I did this list, I thought about making a website too Broomie.  I may be interested in working with you on that.

Well, I've got the design finished, but I'm not going to do anything until July when I leave college. However, I do need someone to help write content in the mean time, so if you're willing to help me make Fanventures again I'm more than happy to oblige.

[Schloss Ritter]

Added some LucasFilm Games entries today and fixed a few other things.  Broomie, I seem to be more a research and programming type than the creative writing type, but I'll help out where I can.

[antonyo]

Here you go, screenshots of Gobliiins, both in 16 colors and 256 colors for comparison. It is not 16 colors in the sense of the EGA default's 16 colors we've seen in the old Sierra games, but careless of what colors were chosen, each screens don't have more than 16 colors on each of them. The CD version also has a soundtrack, while the disk version only had sound effects and no musics at all.

Disk version                    CD version



Anyone who loved the first game should try to get a hand on the CD version since, graphically and musically, it's like comparing day and night.

[Lambonius]

Here you go, screenshots of Gobliiins, both in 16 colors and 256 colors for comparison. It is not 16 colors in the sense of the EGA default's 16 colors we've seen in the old Sierra games, but careless of what colors were chosen, each screens don't have more than 16 colors on each of them. The CD version also has a soundtrack, while the disk version only had sound effects and no musics at all.

I'm having a hard time understanding what is being compared here.  Is this EGA vs. VGA?  Or are we on the 256 colors vs. 16 million colors topic?  The differences between the images are clear enough, but I'm not quite getting the criteria for comparison.

[MusicallyInspired]

It's 16 colours vs 256 colours. But the 16-colour screens are not truly EGA since EGA is a fixed colour palette. These 16-colour screenshots are a selective 16-colour palette which means they don't have to be blue, navy, green, dark green, cyan, red, orange, yellow, etc but can be 16 shades of green if that's what the game called for.

[Lambonius]

It's 16 colours vs 256 colours. But the 16-colour screens are not truly EGA since EGA is a fixed colour palette. These 16-colour screenshots are a selective 16-colour palette which means they don't have to be blue, navy, green, dark green, cyan, red, orange, yellow, etc but can be 16 shades of green if that's what the game called for.

Ahh, I get it.  Thanks.

[Schloss Ritter]

I can't find much info on seperate releases of Gobliiins, let alone that the CD version would be considered a "remake" for the purposes of this thread.  It looks to me like they took the final graphics and dithered them down to 16 colors for the "EGA" version while they kept the polished graphics for the CD (can you also play in 16 colors on that version?).  Sierra released many of their games on both disk and CD in the early 90s, usually with only minor / a few major tweaks here and there and speech support.  I wouldn't really consider them remakes.