Release of "DK" tool used to reduce Monkey Island from 256 color VGA to 32 for Amiga

[earok]

Via https://corteximplant.com/@lardratbo...57146071102954

"I've been going through old hdd images and looking for fun stuff to post. I found a doozy today and I've put it up on github. Back in 1990 I was hired at #LucasArts and given the task of maintaining and building new tools for the #SCUMM system. Long story cut-short here is a #Win32 port of the #DOS tool named #DK. This was used to bring the #MonkeyIsland #VGA 256 color art down to 32 colors for the #Amiga. In any case I thought people should have chance to see it."

https://github.com/lardratboy/DK

[drHirudo]

Most criminal tool in Amiga history?
This tool made these PC ports to look on the Amiga very inferior, not making any favour of the excellent graphics capabilities of the machine.

[TCD]

The alternative most likely would have been to not release Amiga versions of the games as manually converting them would have been too expensive.

Thank you for the heads up earok

[pipper]

I wonder, now that the file format is all known and color processing made big strides, if a remaster could be done. I.e. convert the graphics again with better algorithms…

[pipper]

Actually, Sierra games could use a face lift much more than Monkey Island…

[vulture]

yup, exactly my thought, Lucas Arts weren't bad at all compared to Sierra. Terrible gfx conversion there.

[Matt_H]

I’d like to see the results of this compared to Art Department’s color reduction and dithering tools.

[CFou!]

Originally Posted by vulture

yup, exactly my thought, Lucas Arts weren't bad at all compared to Sierra. Terrible gfx conversion there.

I agree, it must be recognized that the change from 256 to 32 colors was rather nice for the MI1 and MI2 games

[gimbal]

I don't think this person understands how hashtags work.

... neither do I, to be honest. #clueless.

[TCD]

Originally Posted by CFou!

I agree, it must be recognized that the change from 256 to 32 colors was rather nice for the MI1 and MI2 games

Indy 4 also doesn't look too bad.

[gigabates]

Originally Posted by CFou!

I agree, it must be recognized that the change from 256 to 32 colors was rather nice for the MI1 and MI2 games

It probably helps that the original version of MI1 was EGA i.e. 16 colours. The VGA version came later and from what I understand, a lot of people prefer the original.

[sokolovic]

Originally Posted by drHirudo

Most criminal tool in Amiga history?
This tool made these PC ports to look on the Amiga very inferior, not making any favour of the excellent graphics capabilities of the machine.

Not a very bad tool IMHO. There is far worst VGA to OCS conversion than classic LucasArts games.

That said It is strange that they didn't ever tried to make a VGA to EHB Mode conversion. Considering how these games were using massive dithering , adding 32 shades of colors upon the original 32 ones would have been a massive improvement and making Amiga version almost as good as the VGA ones.

[TCD]

Originally Posted by gigabates

It probably helps that the original version of MI1 was EGA i.e. 16 colours. The VGA version came later and from what I understand, a lot of people prefer the original.

Not sure about that. The VGA version was released in December of 1990 and the Amiga version not before June 1991. Might be worth asking Bard Taylor about that.

Edit: Signed up with Mastodon and will ask the question once/if they approve my account.

[gigabates]

Originally Posted by TCD

Not sure about that. The VGA version was released in December of 1990 and the Amiga version not before June 1991. Might be worth asking Bard Taylor about that.

Sorry, yeah. What I mean is that even though the Amiga version came after, and was probably based on the VGA version, it helps that the original artwork was designed for a low colour palette.

[sokolovic]

I won't be surprised that the Amiga version is an upgrade of the EGA one and not a downgrade of the VGA version.
I'm not even sure that the VGA version use so many colours. A color count on some screen would be interesting.

[Calabazam]

Originally Posted by earok

Via https://corteximplant.com/@lardratbo...57146071102954

"I've been going through old hdd images and looking for fun stuff to post. I found a doozy today and I've put it up on github. Back in 1990 I was hired at #LucasArts and given the task of maintaining and building new tools for the #SCUMM system. Long story cut-short here is a #Win32 port of the #DOS tool named #DK. This was used to bring the #MonkeyIsland #VGA 256 color art down to 32 colors for the #Amiga. In any case I thought people should have chance to see it."

https://github.com/lardratboy/DK

Very interesting, thanks. I thought the monkey 1 Amiga version came before the vga 256 pc version and was an upgrade of the EGA version with better palette.


Envoyé de mon iPhone en utilisant Tapatalk

[Gaula92]

Why didn't just port the EGA version intact instead? It has better art style anyway. VGA version was dull, so Amiga version derived from VGA was.. ehmm... well..

[sokolovic]

Originally Posted by Gaula92

Why didn't just port the EGA version intact instead? It has better art style anyway. VGA version was dull, so Amiga version derived from VGA was.. ehmm... well..

This is why it's impossible to make a game for the Amiga.

I'm astonished to see someone saying that the poor 16col EGA version of Monkey Island is better than the one that was released on the Amiga.

[saimon69]

Originally Posted by sokolovic

This is why it's impossible to make a game for the Amiga.

I'm astonished to see someone saying that the poor 16col EGA version of Monkey Island is better than the one that was released on the Amiga.

Welcome to amiga world ^^

[TCD]

Originally Posted by sokolovic

I won't be surprised that the Amiga version is an upgrade of the EGA one and not a downgrade of the VGA version.
I'm not even sure that the VGA version use so many colours. A color count on some screen would be interesting.

Just got the answer from Brad Taylor. The Amiga version uses downgraded VGA graphics. https://corteximplant.com/@lardratbo...19129796483605