Everybody here at ScummVM Central, well, everybody still conscious, hopes that everybody is having (or has had) a good Christmas! As a vague attempt to start our new years resolution (of posting news more frequently) a bit early, here is a mostly pointless news post. First, a request. If anybody notices any article in the media about ScummVM (or indeed is from the media), please e-mail press \[at\] scummvm.org so we can add it to our press page. The release schedule for 0.6.0 has been pushed back a little due to various problems (such as reencoding Broken Sword cutscenes) and heavy development on certain features (like Full Throttles INSANE subsystem). In an effort to reduce the length of our pre-release testing phase, I would ask that anybody here who does use a daily or CVS build please report any bugs they find in every-day use. This includes (despite what we usually say) our 'new' games: Full Throttle, Flight of the Amazon Queen, Broken Sword 1 and 2. As we are calling for testers before we 'freeze' development for a new release, please ensure you test with the latest available CVS before reporting any bugs.
So, what has been going on in the world of ScummVM lately? Currently we are gearing up for our 0.6.0 release - this release will mark a major milestone in ScummVM history. As of ScummVM 0.6.0, ScummVM should finally support (at least the PC versions) of all LucasArts SCUMM adventures! However, we need some help. As part of our next release we are also adding support for the Revolution games Broken Sword 1 and 2 which will require specially reencoded versions of the in-game cutscenes, as well as releasing another classic adventure game as freeware. However, we are not yet sure whether SourceForge will be able or willing to host these files. So if anybody reading this news article happens to run, for example, a large bandwidth-plenty archive (http or ftp) that preferably doesn't require annoying registration methods (ala Fileplanet) and is willing to help... then please e-mail Ender (@ scummvm.org) and offer your assistance. Stay tuned for more information on our next release, as it happens.
Some people appear to think that yesterdays news post implies that Broken Sword 1 and 2 will be released as freeware. We would just like to clarify that this is not currently the case. We will be releasing cutscene packs for use with the ORIGINAL game data in ScummVM, and hopefully freewaring a completely different non-Revolution game.
Just a quick news post to let everybody know that ScummVM 0.6.0 is still in-progress. Unfortunatly, recent downtime and other issues with SourceForge.net have delayed the branching and final testing of this release, but we're still hoping to get it out as soon as we can! On another note, continuing the current rash of computer problems, all scummvm.org e-mail addresses are currently broken. We hope to fix this within the next few days, and no messages should be lost. If however you want to discuss something important with us, we really suggest talking to us in real-time on our IRC channel (#scummvm, on irc.freenode.net).
We have recently branched ScummVM 0.6.0, and are now entering the final testing phase. As such, we would be most happy if people could test the latest daily builds (or CVS build from tag 'branch-0-6-0' and report their results. We have already conducted preliminary testing of several games, but the following still have not been tested and should take priority: *V1 Maniac Mansion *V2 Maniac Mansion *V1 Zak McKracken *V2 Zak McKracken *EGA Indiana Jones 3 *VGA Indiana Jones 3 *EGA Monkey Island 1 *Monkey Island 2 *The Dig *Curse of Monkey Island (Monkey 3) Please report bugs in our bug tracker and successful completions of games on our General Forum. Thanks in advance for helping to shape up the next release of ScummVM!
What? We promised more frequent news updates? You lie! Prove it!... News archives you say? Pfffah. Um. We were hacked! We are nearing the final release of ScummVM 0.6.0, and there are just a few last minute bugs to fix. We're also waiting for a reply to an e-mail from [two](http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,1859/)[people](http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,1858/) whom have recently gone on an international jaunt, under the guise of 'work'. We have heard rumors they have been seen in San Francisco running around naked screaming "I'm working, I'm working". If spotted, approach with extreme caution, as they may be holidaying and dangerous. On a related, but more serious note, since the above pair are reasonably incommunicardo, we may be releasing ScummVM 0.6.0 without the previously promised freeware game, which will instead be released at a later stage. We will leave you now with the promised blatently stolen quote. There is no subliminal message enclosed. Honest. > Anyway, to answer your question, to get into the games industry, **b**reak into the Sony party at E3, walk aro**u**nd sa**y**ing "Online multi**p**layer i**s** the future," and if nobod**y** has hired you by 11:00 pm, sleep with the first person you hear speaking either Japanese or French. Worked for me! \- Tim S**ch**afer, as seen **on**[DoubleFine](http://www.doublefine.com/news.htm), replying to **a** n**ut**ty fan**s** e-mail. Finally, Ender, your humble (yet lazy) news poster and co-project leader would like to let any Sony employees who happen to read this site know that he believes Online multiplayer is the future. We're not even going to touch the Sam and Max 2 thing. (Boo! Hiss!) Stay tuned for more zany and space-filling content-less news posts in the future!
ScummVM 0.6.0 will be released in the next 48 hours, along with our super special yet not really all that secret surprise! Keep your eyes on this page!
**In other news, ScummVM will be featured on TechTV's Call for Help show, on the 19th of March as Free File of the Day.** The ScummVM project is pleased to announce the immediate release of ScummVM 0.6.0. ScummVM is a graphic adventure game interpreter designed to allow users to play many classic adventure game titles on various computer systems; (Linux, Windows 2000/XP, \*BSD, Mac OS X, PocketPC/Handheld PC, Palm, Dreamcast and more) Version 0.6.0 brings with it a new milestone in ScummVM history, with all LucasArts/LucasFilm SCUMM adventure titles now being supported. We are also proud to announce in conjunction with ScummVM 0.6.0 the release of the classic adventure game 'Flight of the Amazon Queen' (originally available for the Amiga and DOS) as freeware. The ScummVM team would like to thank the authors Steve Stamatiadis and John Passfield for providing the team with the source code to this classic game, and allowing us to release it. So, what's new? ScummVM 0.6.0 includes, as usual, many bugfixes in all supported game engines. There have also been dramatic fixes and improvements in the area of sound and music, as well as a greatly improved game management/options screen and two new graphics modes (HQ2x and HQ3x). Most importantly, we have also added new support for the following games: *The classic V1 versions of the original LucasArts SCUMM games Maniac Mansion and Zak McKracken and the LucasArts SCUMM game 'Full Throttle' *Broken Sword 1 and Broken Sword 2. Many thanks to Revolution for providing us with the source-code to these games. *Support for Flight of the Amazon Queen. Thanks to Steve and John for providing us with the source code to this game, and permitting its release as freeware. ScummVM 0.6.0, the two freeware games Flight of the Amazon Queen and Beneath a Steel Sky, as well as converted cutscenes required for playing Broken Sword 1 and Broken Sword 2 may be downloaded from the [Download Page](/downloads/)
A few people have asked for further details on the TechTV segment featuring ScummVM. Well, you can read the online article intended to compliment the segment on the [TechTV Website](http://www.techtv.com/callforhelp/freefile/story/0,24330,3640615,00.html). ScummVM will be shown as 'Free File of the Day' on the 'Call for Help' program at 3PM EST on Friday the 19th of March, and again at 9AM Eastern on Monday the 22nd of March. Don't know how to watch TechTV? I'm told those of you in America can tune into DirecTV channel 354, Dish Network channel #191, or locate the cable channel by following the instructions on [tv.yahoo](http://tv.yahoo.com/grid?) Or, if you just happen to have a C-band dish in the general vicinity of GE Americom Satcom C4 at the time of the show, it's on transponder 12 at 135 degrees west, 40 degrees elevation. Those lucky Australians subscribed to Foxtel Digital can also watch the program. I have to try and find somebody with FTD so I can watch it myself.
April 1st, THE INTERNET: The [FreeSCI](http://freesci.org/), [Sarien](http://sarien.sourceforge.net/) and [ScummVM](http://www.scummvm.org/) teams today announced the formation of CABAL (Coalesced 'Adventures beyond Architecture' League), a universal adventure game interpreter. This new project will unite the strengths and capabilities of the projects involved, creating what the project members believe will be a revolution for adventure game fans around the globe. When asked about the relevance of CABAL for the worldwide adventure gaming market, ScummVM project lead Max Horn commented that "\[with\] the market for adventure titles waning, we believe that the formation of a project with the explicit goal of running every adventure game ever released will infuse it with new life." FreeSCI maintainer Lars Skovlund added that "this will certainly cause an upheaval in the gaming world. Adventure game fans around the world, rejoice!". In addition to supporting LucasArts' SCUMM games (including famous titles such as "Monkey Island", "Indiana Jones" and "Sam and Max"), Sierra's SCI and AGI lines ("King's Quest", "Leisure Suit Larry", "Space Quest"...), and other games already supported by the retrospective engines, the newly united team plans to continue to add further titles to their already impressive list. Some of the juicy new modules include: *An Infocom module (based on the [Frotz Z-machine interpreter](http://www.cs.csubak.edu/~dgriffi/proj/frotz/)), so you can now play your favorite text adventures anywhere you go! *[Exult](http://exult.sourceforge.net) is being merged in as a plugin, allowing Ultima 7 fans around the world to play their favorite game on the many platforms already supported by the CABAL component engines - including Palm/PocketPC PDAs and the Dreamcast. *Revolution software has offered the source-code for Broken Sword 3, which will be added to the titles supported by the upcoming CABAL3D project - alongside with Grim Fandango and, possibly, Ultima IX (negotiations are ongoing). *Support for the SNES games Final Fantasy IV through VI (Japanese numbering, i.e. FF2/FF3 according to US releases) is planned for sometime this Fall. Whilst these are not strictly adventure games, the storyline and plots in this series are more imaginative than any 'action adventure' title published in recent years. Offers by various companies, including Microsoft and Amiga International, to buy out the team have been gently but firmly declined by the leads of the joint project. "We know that we could earn a lot of money from this, but we are idealists and at this time we have the goal to reform the worlds adventure market. Once that is achieved, we can reconsider about making some money out of this."
