| 20021108.title | ||
|
English
Downtime notice
|
||
| 20021108.content | ||
|
English
Greetings fellow Adventurers!
SourceForge, our host, is moving hardware on the 14th and 17th of November. During this time, there will be a number of outages: * 14th: ScummVM Downloads and Mailing Lists will be unavailable between approximatly 16:00 Pacific Time (GMT-8), till 19:00. * 17th: The main ScummVM site, and CVS tree, will be unavailable from 10:00 Pacific. This may last up to 12 hours, but hopefully less! Thank you, and please shop at Snuckeys again! |
||
| 20021207.title | ||
|
English
Can it be true? Is it a bird? Is it a plane...?
|
||
| 20021207.content | ||
|
English
**No!**, it's ScummVM 0.3.0b, our first official release since LucasArts decided to go after us!
*Small update, we've also added a few links to our Links page that you might want to check out. Expecially VOGONS, please stop asking us if we're going to do things like add support for Beneath a Steel Sky :)* That's right, since the many many months since LucasArts first issued us with a DMCA notice (and wisely decided after the subsequent slashdotting and fan backlash from you, our users, to negotiate a deal :), we have been waiting for a settlement with LucasArts before releasing a long awaited new version. The wait is over. No, we haven't reached a settlement, we just got tired of waiting to release this gem. There have been hundreds, if not thousands, of bugfixes since our last 0.2.0 release... not to mention support for at least three new games (The VGA version of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and support for The Dig and Simon the Sorcerer 2)... and new features such as a vastly improved in-game gui and a built-in launcher to make it even easier for you to add, configure, and run your classic LucasArts (and AdventureSoft) games. Experimental support for Full Throttle is here, as well as many bugfixes for the games introduced in our last version... such as the FmTowns 256 color version of Zak McKracken, and the VGA floppy version of Monkey Island. For a short summary of changes, check out the [Release Notes](https://downloads.scummvm.org/frs/scummvm/0.3.0b/ReleaseNotes), or even better... just head over and [download the dang thing](/downloads/). Hopefully we will be able to come at you with new releases more often from now on, hopefully at least monthly. Please enjoy this release as much as we've became frustrated making it, and remember - if you give all your money to LucreArts, maybe they'll let us live instead of abandoning us on... on.... Monkey Island! (Ugh, Bananas... I hate Bananas). For those interested in the boring news, here's both a summary and an update on our legal situation, for those users who are just now discovering ScummVM. * * * *We've been at a deadlock with LucasArts for some time now. LucasArts simply do not like our current license, the GPL (General Public License). While we do not think it necessary, we have agreed to change the license to something more LucasArts-'friendly'. However, LucasArts wish us to include distribution terms which are against section one of both the [Debian Free Software Guidelines (DFSG)](http://www.debian.org/social_contract#guidelines) and the [Open Source Definition](http://www.opensource.org/docs/definition.html). We cannot agree to this, nor the condition they wish to require (no commercial distribution)... because it conflicts with the DFSG and OSD, which we require, and it is something we legally cannot be sure of enforcing - several Linux and BSD distributions already include ScummVM packages, and we cannot be certain they will notice a license change. Oh, and we WANT distributions to be able to include our software :) To date, LucasArts has not been able to give us any firm complaints regarding ScummVM, besides some vague claims that if they didn't enforce these conditions on us, it would effectively give up their rights to their own Intellectual Property. We do not believe this, there certainly have not been any documented cases of the GPL leading to such a challenge in the past, and far more important properties have been licensed under the GPL in the past, such as the Quake titles from [id software](http://www.idsoftware.com/). LucasArts isn't releasing any of their own code under the GPL, and we really do not believe that they should require us to change our license - all we want them to do is leave us alone to create our emulator. Sanction us, if it makes them feel safer legally. But if they are going to require such a major step on our part of changing our license, they at least have to capitulate on the point of OSD/DFSG compliance. We here at the ScummVM team would like to thank the people at LucasArts who are supporting us, and attempting to help us come to an arrangement. But guys, we're your fans. All we are doing is updating the engine for games, in a form of an emulator... because you haven't - although we've asked you to for years. We've even made more money for you, as quite a number of us have went out and BOUGHT your classic bundle packs, just to play it with ScummVM.* **These last few paragraphs have been brought to you by the "Please don't sue us for making a new release" department.** |
||
| 20021214.title | ||
|
English
Media Blitz
|
||
| 20021214.content | ||
|
English
I forgot to mention this when we released 0.3.0b, but ScummVM has recently been spotted in a UK magazine: *PC Zone* mentioned ScummVM in a review of the iPAQ 3870. A [page scan](/data/news/pczone.jpg) is available. In addition, the german computer magazine [c't](http://www.heise.de/ct/) had an article about games for PDAs which also listed Pocket Scumm (sorry, no picture available right now).
Monkey in your pocket? Definitely. If anybody else notices ScummVM in the media, we would appreciate it you dropped us a line at [press\_stuff@scummvmNOSPAM.org](mailto:press_stuff@scummvmNOSPAM.org). Remove the NOSPAM from the address, obviously. If possible, please also send us a scan of the page. If you **work** for a magazine that wants to mention ScummVM, maybe in an article on retro-gaming (\*hint hint\*), then also feel free to drop us a line. We can probably arrange an interview, screenshots, help... and/or large bribe-like quantities of bananas. |
||
| 20021227.title | ||
|
English
Murray Christmas
|
||
| 20021227.content | ||
|
English
We here on the ScummVM team hope everybody had a good Christmas!
First we would like to mention that LucasArts has put out a pack, at least in the UK, featuring updated versions of Sam and Max and Full Throttle, designed to work with Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2K/XP. This pack (entitled, imaginatively, "The Entertainment Pack") also comes with The Dig and Grim Fandango... these versions have not been updated, and are the original Windows versions (yes, these games DID come with native Windows ports in some of the earlier LucasArts Adventure Packs). The updated Sam and Max and Full Throttle engines were not ported in-house by LucasArts, likely because of a lack of time AND because most people who worked on SPUTM/SCUMM have left anyway, but by Aaron Giles - the original Mac Porter (and renown MAME developer :). There are no modifications except for a DirectX wrapper around the graphics code and a really really bad graphics scaler. Our take? Call us biased, but unless you *need* perfect compatibility, want to play Full Throttle now, or are missing more than two of these games - it will probably be far cheaper to buy these games second-hand or individually. The included updated binaries are inferior feature-wise to ScummVM, as you miss out on our enhanced features, such as support for platforms -other- than Windows (such as Macintosh, Unix and PocketPC), our graphics scalers, etc. Of course, if you do purchase the pack, the game datafiles are unchanged and of course compatible with ScummVM anyway. It *is* nice to see LucasArts releasing something like this, and doing something positive to try and revive their classic games - or at least drum up marketing hype for the sequel :) Final conclusion, buy it if you want it or are a collector - but it's not worth the money simply for Windows compatibility. However if you do purchase it, you ARE encouraging LucasArts to update more classics in the future - although hopefully ScummVM will make such a need obsolete shortly. We suggest LucasArts spend it's development costs on re-releasing it's lost and RARE classics, like the FmTowns 256 color version of Zak Mckracken. For those interested, the updated versions were compiled on October 2nd for Full Throttle, and October 24th for Sam and Max. In development news, several ScummVM developers have actually been really boring people and *coded* this Christmas, coming up over just a few days with the basics for Curse of Monkey Island support. I'm sure our Macintosh users will be happy to hear they will, in maybe as little as a month, finally be able to play this game. Support is in the latest CVS and Daily Builds, but **do NOT file bug reports** as we know it doesn't really work or do anything at the moment. Full support will be available "When It's Done".. or the day after Duke Nukem Forever comes out. Whichever is first. Ho Ho Ho! |
||
| 20021230.title | ||
|
English
And a Happy New Year!
|
||
| 20021230.content | ||
|
English
.. to everybody except Casa Addams, many users on the Clie Source forums (whom obviously have brains as big as their PDAs,) and that other idiot who is bundling ScummVM with warez LucasArts games on UseNet. This is somewhat of an open plea, although we do not really expect morons who have done something so idiotic to listen.
Sorry for this open message being so harsh guys, but do you not realise that by associating and bundling ScummVM **with** pirated copies ("Abandonware" or otherwise) of LucasArts games, you're basically giving them even more excuse to take legal action against us (and bring possible financial ruin on the developers of this program :)... I'm especially disappointed in chrilith who has almost certainly guaranteed that, unless we feel very forgiving, there will never be an official Palm port of ScummVM integrated into CVS. If you appreciate what we are doing, and have done, then do not abuse it. Otherwise you are damaging the reputation, and possible legal status of both ScummVM and its developers. I've seen some VERY ridiculous comments on the Clie Source forums to the effect that LucasArts do not sell these games anymore. With the exception of some versions (specifically Zak256 and LoomCD), this is stupid. Most LucasArts games can be ordered in collection packs from Amazon or the LucasArts store (if you live in America.). Heck, I saw a bunch of LucasArts classic adventures in Electronic Boutique when I was Christmas Shopping. * * * In other news, Curse of Monkey Island support is progressing nicely! Be sure to try out the latest Daily Builds if you like living on the wild side (but of course do not file bug reports on CMI support). |
||
| 20030104.title | ||
|
English
Ho Ho Ho and a Bottle of...
|
||
| 20030104.content | ||
|
English
First, a quick note that the problems with the Clie Source forum have been resolved, and the Clie/Palm port will be merged into CVS as soon as chrilith has updated his port to work with 0.3.0's OSystem architecture.
A quick update on CMI (COMI/Monkey3) support. Within just several weeks, remarkable progress has been made on support for this game, but work will likely be slowed for the next week as various developers are otherwise occupied. Currently, except for some bugs that make the Cannon scene rather difficult and unstable, it is possible to play some way into Part II of the game. The current main issues remaining include a bug with flObject allocation (causes a crash in some dialog sequences), some script termination issues (causes various game-crippling crashes in the cannon scene and several Part II puzzles) and the various problems with the opening cannon puzzle. As usual, please remember this work is still experimental, and please do not file any bug reports regarding it. Patches, however, are very welcome! :) |
||
| 20030106.title | ||
|
English
Penguins, Penguins.. everywhere
|
||
| 20030106.content | ||
|
English
Hey all.
I (Ender) am interested in finding out if any ScummVM users will be present at Linux.conf.au '03 here in Perth... if you'll be there, drop a post in the forum. If there are a few people going we might get together for Pizza or something afterwards, or maybe chuck together a last minute spontaneous Classic Gaming BOF (if somebody else wants to organise it, I'm a terrible person for that kind of stuff :) Blonk. |
||
| 20030114.title | ||
|
English
You've learned a valuable lesson today, and that's the best prize of all! (Hyuk hyuk hyuk!)
|
||
| 20030114.content | ||
|
English
If you're a Linux user, Happy Penguin are running a [series of polls](http://happypenguin.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=17) to determine the best games in a ton of categories. Go vote for your favourite emulators, what you think the most promising project is, et cetera... Hopefully some of those votes might even be for us :)
|
||
| 20030128.title | ||
|
English
The people have spoken :)
|
||
| 20030128.content | ||
|
English
Over at the Linux Game Tome (http://happypenguin.org), ScummVM has been voted [Best Emulator](http://happypenguin.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=549). Thanks to anybody who voted for us.
In other news, Curse of Monkey Island support is stabilizing. While there are still a number of small graphical glitches, currently we are down to two known gameplay-critical bugs and a number of other 'inconveniences' and cases of incorrect behavior. We hope to be able to announce Curse of Monkey Island completable very soon. A lot of people have been asking where we are going from here. Here is a brief (very subject to change!) guide to our next few targets: * February 2003: Curse of Monkey Island completable * Feb - Mar 2003: Regression testing/bugfixes for other supported games * Feb - Mar 2003: Completion of the Launcher functionality (tabbed option dialogs, etc) * Early March 03: CVS Freeze, Regression testing, 0.4.0 release * March onwards: V1/V2 game support (Maniac Mansion, non-FmTowns Zak, EGA Loom, etc.) As usual, this is but a rough guideline depending on both progress and free time for our developers. If you want to help, and know how to use CVS and a compiler... either fix bugs, or regression test! We are very much looking for people to test CVS with games other than ComI and look for critical bugs that were not present in 0.3.0b, then attempt to try different versions of CVS and locate at least the day when the bug started occurring. This allows us to more easily determine what changes have caused problems, without spending weeks blindly guessing. Needless to say, if you find a critical bug that IS also present in 0.3.0b, check for a bug report. If one isn't present, please submit one! |
||
| 20030308.title | ||
|
English
Playstation 2 Port
|
||
| 20030308.content | ||
|
English
Work has been slow lately, but recently with the addition of Super Dooper Secret Project Number Six, development has started to pick back up with a lot of code cleanup and some fairly important bugfixes. Expect a new release eventually.
In other news, there has been a surge in interest of a Playstation 2 port again. I (Ender) am quite willing to do one if people donate at least US$75 (see that little button under the menu) to purchase a modchip. It shouldn't take long, and one of you - our loyal users - has already volunteered to install it for me if I do manage to obtain one. If we find there is enough interest (which will obviously depend on the donation status :), we will start an official port ASAP. |
||