Monkey Island 1 & 2 versions comparisons

[Hewitson]

I strongly disagree with everyone who has suggested Monkey Island 1 & 2. The Amiga versions of these games were crap!

[Anubis]

Originally Posted by Hewitson

I strongly disagree with everyone who has suggested Monkey Island 1 & 2. The Amiga versions of these games were crap!

Compared to what? PC??

[Foebane]

Originally Posted by Hewitson

I strongly disagree with everyone who has suggested Monkey Island 1 & 2. The Amiga versions of these games were crap!

I finally tried Monkey Island 1 a while ago, and I couldn't see what all the fuss was about. Maybe I don't like the subject matter, or that I thought the humour was too obvious, or most likely because I don't like adventure games, with USE and TALK TO and EXAMINE and all that stuff. SCUMM might've made it easier, but like Hewitson (although I wouldn't use the same language as him) I certainly think Monkey Island as a franchise is overrated, massively.

[nobody]

Monkey Island 1 is one of the best games ever made, and the Amiga version is probably the best due to music being superior to all other versions. Graphics are acceptable compared to VGA. This, as long as you don't play it on floppies on a 68000 A500. There, the PC version with much faster loading beats the Amiga version as it becomes frustrating.

[StingRay]

I find your definition of "crap" rather questionable to say the least. Care to elaborate why both games are crap for you?

[project23]

Perhaps he's comparing the re-drawn PC re-release, which looks great, but obviously isn't contemporary with the Amiga version.

John

[jotd]

original PC release has 256 colors. Amiga graphics are dithered to match 32 colors. At least it's not 16 ST port colors...

Yesteryear 256 chunky VGA PC beat the ECS amiga on the color aspect (also see Flashback) but the lack of standard soundcard made that Amiga sound was better. That's not only for Monkey Island.

[project23]

Originally Posted by jotd

original PC release has 256 colors. Amiga graphics are dithered to match 32 colors. At least it's not 16 ST port colors...

Yesteryear 256 chunky VGA PC beat the ECS amiga on the color aspect (also see Flashback) but the lack of standard soundcard made that Amiga sound was better. That's not only for Monkey Island.

This is very fair and true.

But in 1990 how much did a VGA graphics card cost, as well as a PC?

I know thats not your argument, i'm just saying - at the time the VGA version was an 'upgrade offer' (go look at the PDF that came with the PC version, haha) for those with VGA cards.

John

[Hewitson]

To clear things up, I am NOT saying the games were crap. Both games are brilliant!

But the graphics are so much better on the PC. The Amiga versions were not much better than Sierra's Amiga ports in my opinion. No copper usage for example.

Also, the Amiga version does not have the best music. This award goes to the PC version played through an MT-32.

[donnie]

mi sounds better on amiga. Imho.

while mt-32 might be superior technically, it sounds like a cheap o soundtrack.

I prefer graphics too, since i can play them on a pvm.

Mi2 looks pretty crappy though, and is missing music.

With that said. I do think its weird how so many amiga fans hold pc games as their favourite. In many ways amiga was just a cheap pc. I guess thats why so many amiga fans still look up to pc and want pc games ported.

I prefer the more typical amiga games.

[project23]

Originally Posted by Hewitson

Also, the Amiga version does not have the best music. This award goes to the PC version played through an MT-32.

I'm not sure if I agree with you or not, i've not heard it through an MT-32...

But in 1990, who had access to a PC with VGA and such an MT-32 for the sound?

I'm not saying you're wrong, i'm sure it does sound much better, i'm just wondering where you draw the line on 'when' the PC versions were much better.

Because it could be argued that graphically the version released in 2009 and playable on pretty much any bog-standard PC/Laptop/Phone beats all prior releases.

So I guess my question is, what are the upper limits of cost of hardware, and release date, when judging various platforms?

John

EDIT: The MT-32 was released in 1987 at $695 for example. Not really the average setup for the home user.

[Mikerochip]

Originally Posted by nobody

Monkey Island 1 is one of the best games ever made, and the Amiga version is probably the best due to music being superior to all other versions. Graphics are acceptable compared to VGA. This, as long as you don't play it on floppies on a 68000 A500. There, the PC version with much faster loading beats the Amiga version as it becomes frustrating.

The Amiga music is fine, but the DOS version came with CD audio, which is one of the best versions. The DOS version also had the option of playing the music out through the Roland MT-32, and this sounded just amazing. Both of those options blow the Amiga out of the water. (As others said!)

If in doubt, listen!

Amiga: [ Show youtube player ]

MT-32: [ Show youtube player ]

DOS CD Audio: [ Show youtube player ]

Edit: Ah, other people already replied!

[donnie]

Amiga sounds better.

[project23]

Originally Posted by Mikerochip

The Amiga music is fine, but the DOS version came with CD audio

According to wiki, the CD version was 1992.

Again i'm not saying any of the claims are wrong here, but I just don't understand what bars we're setting?

Because arguably the 2009 version blows them all away, and its not platform specific.

[Mikerochip]

Originally Posted by project23

According to wiki, the CD version was 1992.

Yup. And it's the DOS CD version. There are two DOS versions. DOS Floppy, and DOS CD. What difference does it make what year it came out?

[project23]

Originally Posted by Mikerochip

Yup. And it's the DOS CD version. There are two DOS versions. DOS Floppy, and DOS CD. What difference does it make what year it came out?

Well like, the OP strongly disagree's with M1 and M2 (i assume) being listed as an all time Amiga classic or something that stood the test of time or whatever, right? He even calls them crap.

Well... They are crap compared to versions that came out either later (at least two years - the CD version, in my opinion 19 years - the re-release), or to those who had both a VGA card in 1990 and were happy with the worse audio of the 1990 PC version.

So like... the difference it makes is whether or not the comparison is fair, yeah?

It seems fair to me that if you're going to call the version of a game crap, that the contrasted version be at least at the point of release - let alone on hardware available at similar prices. I mean who the hell had a VGA card in 1990? Let alone in the same demographic of those who could afford and own an Amiga. Ya know?

I just think its a little unfair to the artists who worked on the Amiga version to call it crap simply because today it doesn't compare well with the best quality equipment of the era and a CD audio version that was released two years later!

But whatever man, that's just my opinion and you've got yours, and its all good!

Cheers,

John

[alkis21]

Every time someone puts the terms 'Monkey Island' and 'crap' in the same sentence, a little monkey somewhere in the world bursts out crying.

[Mrz]

monkey island 1 Amiga is fine, the music is better
but monkey island 2 sucks, lack some music,sfx etc

anyways pc versions are better

[DamienD]

I love the Amiga versions; and as people have already mentioned, at the time of release they were awesome.

I remember at this time seeing the PC versions and thinking; no comparison...

Anyway, seems everyone is forgetting about the FM Towns versions which are very cool indeed

[FM TOWNS] The Secret of Monkey Island:

[ Show youtube player ]

[FM TOWNS] Monkey Island 2 - LeChuck's Revenge:

[ Show youtube player ]

[DrBong]

Originally Posted by Hewitson

I strongly disagree with everyone who has suggested Monkey Island 1 & 2. The Amiga versions of these games were crap!

Originally Posted by Hewitson

To clear things up, I am NOT saying the games were crap. Both games are brilliant!

But the graphics are so much better on the PC. The Amiga versions were not much better than Sierra's Amiga ports in my opinion. No copper usage for example.

Originally Posted by Amigajay

And you did you say the Amiga versions were crap, it's in your first post!

Yep, but the point Hewitson is trying to make is that he generally likes the MI games......but thinks that the Amiga release in each case is a poor man's PC conversion, much like Sierra's PC ports of similar games to the Amiga. It really does help to closely read what people actually post and to put emotion aside - but I'm sure he was hoping to get people to bite and he certainly achieved that, didn't he!

@Hewitson
You managed another strong response in this latest "contentious" thread designed to evoke/provoke discussion! I think you're being a bit harsh, though, equating Lucasfilm's MI games to Sierra's mundane PC ports of their point 'n' click adventures to the Amiga. Sierra were crap for several years on the Amiga and couldn't even manage a good fist of games when they had a second go of it with their Amiga conversions of all the "enhanced" editions of King's Quest, Leisure Suit Larry etc. (see HERE). These "enhanced" editions were as piss-poor as the original Ami conversions, if you ask me!

Lucasfilm definitely put a decent effort into the OCS/ECS conversions of the MI games, and probably would've given the PC a better run for its money (well, for gfx anyway) if AGA machines had been released by C= 2 years earlier like they should've. Moot point, I know, coz it didn't happen.

Still, quite a good effort by Lucasfilm considering pragmatic stuff like publisher deadlines that had to be dealt with by the devs. Perhaps an even better effort by the devs when you factor in that the Amiga was pretty much dead in the water in the U.S. by 1991/92, with the A500/1000 looking decidedly long in the tooth compared to the VFM bells 'n' whistles PCs flooding the American market (which, incidentally, were at least 25-50% more expensive everywhere else in the world!).

In the end, Lucasfilm probably went above and beyond to get such decent Ami conversions of the MI games done for the captive Euro market. God knows they weren't gonna break any records with Amiga sales in North America or the tiny Aussie/NZ markets!