Thank God LucasArts canceled Sam & Max: Freelance Police

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  • edited March 2007
    ToXic wrote: »
    Where did you hear that? Lucas has never and will never re-write any of their games for XP compat, it even says on their website that they can't ensure compatibility for their older titles on XP.

    Surely you are mistaken. I bought the Sam & Max that was released just two days ago(30th), and that cd includes a rewritten Sam & Max executable(a so called version 2.0) that runs fine on everything from Windows 95 to XP

    I've heard the same goes for all the other newer releases in the Lucas Classic Line series.

    From the readme file for the version 2 update:

    Thank you for purchasing Sam & Max™ Hit the Road
    version 2.0.

    This version of Sam & Max Hit the Road has been
    modified to allow you to play the game in Windows 95
    OSR2, 98, 98SE, Millennium Edition (ME), 2000, or XP.

    NOTE: The original Readme on this CD has not been
    modified to reflect the additional supported
    operating systems.
  • edited March 2007
    happy april fools day to you too.......... :rolleyes:
  • edited March 2007
    1st of april is a gift that keeps on giving :D
  • edited March 2007
    marsan wrote: »
    Surely you are mistaken. I bought the Sam & Max that was released just two days ago(30th), and that cd includes a rewritten Sam & Max executable(a so called version 2.0) that runs fine on everything from Windows 95 to XP

    I've heard the same goes for all the other newer releases in the Lucas Classic Line series.

    From the readme file for the version 2 update:

    Thank you for purchasing Sam & Max™ Hit the Road
    version 2.0.

    This version of Sam & Max Hit the Road has been
    modified to allow you to play the game in Windows 95
    OSR2, 98, 98SE, Millennium Edition (ME), 2000, or XP.

    NOTE: The original Readme on this CD has not been
    modified to reflect the additional supported
    operating systems.

    Ah well I didnt know that, just shows how out of date I am, me owning the original and all.
  • edited March 2007
    ToXic wrote: »
    Ah well I didnt know that, just shows how out of date I am, me owning the original and all.

    lucky you. I wish I had the original. Unfortunately I didn't consider it back then. At least I was able to find a original first release copy of day of the tentacle in germany, but unfortunately they didn't have sam & max. I'm glad they re-released it at least, so I at least got something to put on the shelf. Also, this re-release is probably the best one I have ever seen.
  • edited April 2007
    I'm pretty sure they actually release discs like that in Europe and Australia, but it's not Lucasarts itself doing that, it's their distributors.

    Why can't Lucasarts get a US distributor? Their current one sucks
  • edited April 2007
    I think Telltale could buy the licence after LucasArts got their sam and max game out. But of course, it wouldn't be the same hype as it is now.
  • edited April 2007
    LuigiHann wrote: »
    I'm pretty sure they actually release discs like that in Europe and Australia, but it's not Lucasarts itself doing that, it's their distributors.

    Why can't Lucasarts get a US distributor? Their current one sucks

    LucasArts is the LucasArts distributor in the US. That's the thing.
    marsan wrote: »
    ToXic wrote: »
    Where did you hear that? Lucas has never and will never re-write any of their games for XP compat, it even says on their website that they can't ensure compatibility for their older titles on XP.
    Surely you are mistaken. I bought the Sam & Max that was released just two days ago(30th), and that cd includes a rewritten Sam & Max executable(a so called version 2.0) that runs fine on everything from Windows 95 to XP

    You're both right kind of. LucasArts (or Activision) did update some of the games, including Sam & Max, for XP, but those releases were never available in the US (with the exception of the Armed & Dangerous demo disc which did have the updated Sam & Max on it, but there was an error in the mastering that caused the audio to cut out).
  • edited April 2007
    LucasArts is the LucasArts distributor in the US. That's the thing.

    I know, I was semi-joking. Well, I was totally joking, but it would still be nice if somebody distributed the old LucasArts adventures on this side of the ocean. LucasArts hasn't been doing a great job of it lately.
  • edited April 2007
    LuigiHann wrote: »
    LucasArts hasn't been doing a great job of it lately.

    That's because LucasArts really sucks lately. ;)
  • edited April 2007
    Actually, you do need the manuals for some of the old Sierra games. They used copy protection in the form of puzzles in the manual that you had to solve at some point in the game.

    Right, and they included the manual on the CDs for that, and alert you to that fact beforehand, at least on the Space Quest one
  • edited April 2007
    Ah, yes, I do remember that wonderful manual of Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders. A sort of newspaper with even some clues in it, if I remember well. Or at least, I was hoping to find some clues in it.
    Come to think of it, I'm not even sure I found any clues in there.

    I do have the original packaging, so I could check it out, if I wanted to.
    But why spoil a perfectly happy memory?

    The fun of this kind of manual is that it's a sort of tangible piece from the game-world. It deliciously fades all borders between the reality you're living your life in and the reality of the game you're playing.
    Well, maybe I just have an overactive imagination and a problem with accepting reality as it is. Maybe it's the result of playing too many computergames in the past 20 years, or so.

    Mommy, I need help!
  • edited April 2007
    Smollie wrote: »
    The fun of this kind of manual is that it's a sort of tangible piece from the game-world.

    I was surprised that the manual for WarioWare Smooth Moves was somewhat along those lines. It was some sort of bizarre tabloid. It was neat.

    ...

    What was this thread about again?
  • edited April 2007
    LuigiHann wrote: »
    What was this thread about again?

    If my memory serves me well, it was about me being greatfull for LucasArts' cancellation of S&M2.

    You could always go to the top of this thread of course, or were you pointing out the fact we're going somewhat off topic with this manual business?

    But then, threads tend to do that.
    I don't know why. But I don't mind.
  • edited April 2007
    I was just joking around, making fun of myself as much as anyone else.
    As for it being a good or bad thing that S&M:FP was canceled, it's hard to say. I'm content with the current incarnation of Sam & Max, but who's to say their alternate-universe versions aren't having equally exciting episodic adventures? It's possible that if Freelance Police came out and did well, then Lucasarts might have made one or more sequels, or if it did poorly, they might have let the license expire and Telltale might have gotten it then!

    Still, it's nice to have certainty, through the episodic schedule, that there is more Sam & Max to come. And it's nice to be able to be confident that each episode will be good quality, thanks to the talented Telltale team. With some game franchises, sequels are frightening, because you never know when the company is going to muck it up.
  • edited April 2007
    There's no doubt in my mind that Telltale is doing better then LucasArts would've done. S&M2 was a lot like what we are getting today according to the trailer for S&M2, but the models and voices are better, and the humor is better too. I doubt S&M2 would have met our high standards.
  • edited April 2007
    Smollie wrote: »
    Ah, yes, I do remember that wonderful manual of Zak McKracken and the Alien Mindbenders. A sort of newspaper with even some clues in it, if I remember well. Or at least, I was hoping to find some clues in it.
    Come to think of it, I'm not even sure I found any clues in there.

    I loved how they hid hints where you least expected them... my favorite example: Shivers 2. They hid hints in the lyrics of the songs on the second CD. (The game itself had the songs in them too, but only abbreviated versions... you had to listen to CD2 to get all the clues)

    Best part was, it was actually some good rock music! You could listen to it in your car without getting weird looks from passersby :D
  • edited April 2007
    AdamG wrote: »
    There's no doubt in my mind that Telltale is doing better then LucasArts would've done. S&M2 was a lot like what we are getting today according to the trailer for S&M2, but the models and voices are better, and the humor is better too. I doubt S&M2 would have met our high standards.

    I agree. When I watch the trailer of Sam & Max - Freelance police, and compare it with the telltale games sam & max episodic trailer, I feel Telltale games have done much more of sam & max than lucasarts would have done with a sequel(in terms of humour, graphics, and other things you already mentioned).

    Still, I am sure the Sam & Max - Freelance police game would have ended my appetite for Sam & Max. After I have waited such a long time since the last Sam & Max game, one only really needs a certain something(a game) to end that hunger. One doesn't really expect there to be another Sam & Max game(at least not in another 10 years) after waiting for such a long time for the sequel, so after one has gotten the sequel, one kind of goes back to normal life and are happy to have gotten the sequel they promised all those years (ago?).
  • edited April 2007
    I agree. When I watch the trailer of Sam & Max - Freelance police, and compare it with the telltale games sam & max episodic trailer, I feel Telltale games have done much more of sam & max than lucasarts would have done with a sequel(in terms of humour, graphics, and other things you already mentioned).

    From what I see on http://media.pc.ign.com/media/489/489000/vids_1.html -- the dancing stuff looks really fluid and spiffy! And the way the De Soto drives away is very cartoonish. I wouldn't say the current S&M is better than back then.
  • edited April 2007
    barchetta wrote: »
    From what I see on http://media.pc.ign.com/media/489/489000/vids_1.html -- the dancing stuff looks really fluid and spiffy! And the way the De Soto drives away is very cartoonish. I wouldn't say the current S&M is better than back then.

    The trailer doesn't really say much about the plot, so it's a bit hard to judge from it. Too bad it was canceled, because it would have been great to play it. At least season one has put out my thirst for a sequel to hit the road, so even though these episodes aren't directly sequels I feel I have gotten some closure to the waiting. When this season is over, I can lie back and forget sam & max again :cool:

    Alright. Funny story. I tried reading some of the sam & max comics, and I think they are good, but not really the kind of comics I usually would read nor like. But Hit the road must've had some kind of perfect balance, because I really loved that game(even though it took a few years before I really grew to like it). Anyway, my question is if anybody else have experienced not liking the comics but loving the sam & max game(s)?
  • edited April 2007
    Sorry for asking, but I'm alittle bit curious...
    What do some of you mean about that Season One aren't real secuals to Hit the Road, and that Freelance Police would have been more of a "true" seaquel to HtR?

    I mean... How would you even ever know that?
    (If you aren't Steve, or some other guy that worked closely on FP, of course).

    Just curious... :rolleyes: (many apologieses for my poor spelling)
  • edited April 2007
    I think the suggestion is that, since Sam & Max is a license, Season One and Hit the Road are separate games based on the same license, and not necessarily related to one another. Like how the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games aren't really related to the old TMNT arcade games.
    But when LucasArts was making Freelance Police, it was often referred to as "Sam & Max 2" and while the storyline might not have been directly connected to Hit the Road's story, they could have referenced the original game much more directly, since Telltale doesn't have the rights to characters created for the first game.
    I would probably call Season One a "spiritual sequel" to Hit the Road.
  • edited April 2007
    I'll never forgive Lucasarts for their frankly idiotic suicidal move. Cancelling freelance police lost them a lot of loyal fans who'd been with them since the beginning and had helped make lucasarts games what they were. Once they were thriving with their inivative unique adventure games, now they just pump out rehashed shootemups based on Starwars which quite honestly have NEVER interested me. Even KOTOR which was produced with biowares help I think, never really interested me much. Why? because lightsaber battles and droids are just dull, dull and over done.
    Boo Lucasarts, booo, you guys have lost any respect you once had.
    Even if they did bring out another adventure game, i'd be reluctant to buy it. The wounds run deep, far far too deep.

    What gets me, is how close to completion they were when they canned the project. Screams of nonsensical to me. Why get that far? pump that much money into something and then NOT release it? you've already lost all that development time and cash, the final touches and packaging really aren't going to add that much more to your overall loss surely? They had all the advertising they needed from excited games magazines, all those adventure gamers waiting with baited breath. bah.. some of the high ups really seem to have taken a few too many blows to the head or something because the entire decision was just illogical

    anyway. In a way yes, it's great. Telltale have done a brilliant job and it's great to see sam and max back and better than ever! thank you telltale!

    IN reference to the manual thing: Yes the zak mckracken newspaper did have hints, at least hints as to what was to come story wise. Like the story about elvis and the one about the two wise men playing golf.
    I still have a couple of the old manuals from my old original copies of things. Alas, when we moved from nz to england my father made me ditch all the old boxes and such forth so I don't have a lot of the original packaging.
    I always loved how lucasarts had done copy protection though, incorperating it most of the time into the game: the exit visa in zak, the gold/vinegar puzzle in DOTT etc. I loved that, it was such a great idea.

    I miss excessive in game packaging. The grail diary that came with indiana jones and the last crusade, the book of patterns from Loom... they were just brilliant! you don't get that much anymore.. the last really interesting manual I saw was GTA San andreas with all the tourist info.
  • edited April 2007
    barchetta wrote: »
    From what I see on http://media.pc.ign.com/media/489/489000/vids_1.html -- the dancing stuff looks really fluid and spiffy! And the way the De Soto drives away is very cartoonish. I wouldn't say the current S&M is better than back then.

    The footage in the trailer isn't actual gameplay footage, so it wouldn't have been as polished in the actual game. If you look at screenshots from the actual game, the models are pretty poor looking compared to the Season One models.

    Sam_Max_2.jpg
    freelance12g.jpg
  • edited April 2007
    To be fair to the team of Freelance Police, you can't be sure those screenshots are representative of the final game either, since it was still like six months out at the time of its cancellation. There's a pretty significant improvement from the trailer to those later screenshots, though. Max has thankfully lost the triangle teeth and both look more detailed.

    Personally, based on everything I've seen of Freelance Police, I prefer Telltale's Max (in FP his ears seem too straight and his eyes look weird, though he does retain that yellow tinge from Hit the Road), whereas I think the LucasArts Sam looks a bit better. I dig the rough textured skin that his shiny counterpart lacks and his coat just looks more creasy and greasy. I think both efforts look really solid considering the task of translating cartoony characters to 3D with a probably not astronomical budget.

    But anyway.
  • edited April 2007
    Just looking at all the FP media that was released it makes me sad about what could have been.
    That concept art of that space station alone is enough to bring a tear to my eye.
  • MelMel
    edited April 2007
    Max looks taller in the Freelance Police screenshots.

    I'll have to go look and see how tall he is (in comparison to Sam) in both Season 1 and the web comic.
  • edited April 2007
    b85085307.jpg

    The many faces of Sam & Max. Max's ears seem to reach Sam's shoulders in most of them.
  • MelMel
    edited April 2007
    Thanks for that! :)

    It's neat to see them all together. Even though they all look a little different, they all have the same vibe/essence of Sam & Max.
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