Grim Fandango: Special Edition

ThunderPeel2001 · 06-26-2010, 09:15 AM

Since everyone has started a thread to do with the game they love the most, I thought I'd start one for the one I'd love to see: Grim Fandango!

As many of you might be aware, it's very hard, if not impossible, to play Grim Fandango with modern graphics card and hardware rendering. That's one very annoying thing... But even if it did work, the game's backgrounds, art direction, music, voice acting are all FANTASTIC --

but the 3D models are really basic.

I'd love an SE that: Ran properly on modern machines, had higher quality videos, and had beautiful 3d models. (And also made sure that Dominic's lines were spoken at the right moment at the end of the game!)

ThunderPeel2001 · 06-26-2010, 09:20 AM

Also, I know the top image is a screenshot, but not from my machine -- wah. Also, also, this is an awesome costume.

Aububuh · 06-26-2010, 01:04 PM

I would love to see a Grim Fandango special edition, but mostly in hope that there would be a Mac version as my PC is so slow it can't run anything from later than 2004 without being slow to the point of unplayability.

On a slightly more random note, here's me in costume.

urluckyday · 06-26-2010, 02:16 PM

You got my so excited by the title like there was some announcement! If only...

This is my all-time favorite game, and even with patches, installers, etc., I've never been able to play it on my new machine...I'm holding out hope that this game will be re-released in the future..

Snugglecakes · 06-26-2010, 02:58 PM

I doubt they'd revisit this as a special edition, but just a new executable ala Sam & Max would be great.

jp-30 · 06-26-2010, 06:01 PM

If it ever got a SE, I think I'd to see Telltale hired to remake it in true 3D using their engine.

**Huz** · 06-27-2010, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jp-30

If it ever got a SE, I think I'd to see Telltale hired to remake it in true 3D using their engine.

That would be amazing! Just thinking of the atmosphere of Rubacava in real 3D is giving me goosebumps.

It's a shame the ScummVM "Residual" engine doesn't seem to be going anywhere. I had a look at it about a year ago and the progress to date was very impressive, but you weren't able to play through the game.

ThunderPeel2001 · 06-27-2010, 01:30 PM

Awesome costume! Love the hands!

Oh for something Grim Fandango. I want to play thought it again, but I want the experience to be perfect... One day.

Aububuh · 06-27-2010, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThunderPeel2001

Awesome costume! Love the hands!

Thanks! You can't tell from the crappy picture, but the mouth can move.

***Thrik*** · 06-28-2010, 05:56 AM

Yeah I'd love to see this. I mean I'd be perfectly happy if it were just given a fidelity makeover (higher-resolution models and art, higher-quality audio, compatibility with modern machines, a bit of lighting improvement, etc).

SyntheticGerbil · 06-28-2010, 10:46 AM

Yeah, I think this game could be remade pretty well with the Telltale engine now that you guys mention it.

I'm all for a Grim Fandango remake if it's just higher poly models for both characters and backgrounds as well as just higher resolution all around. I don't even need the backgrounds to change from prerendered to fancy moving camera a la Telltale, but that would be nice.

I would not be up for any sort of reinterpretation of the art style or characters at all though.

wannabe_pirate · 06-29-2010, 09:54 AM

While a remake would be nice, I would happily settle for a 9.99 steam download. My discs are getting a little tattered from 10+ years of constant use, and it gets harder and harder to get the graphics/sound to work right every year.

Maybe they could package it with the old soundtrack? I never got a copy of it and I always wanted one, but I seem to remember them going for hundreds of dollars on ebay

Snugglecakes · 06-29-2010, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wannabe_pirate

but I seem to remember them going for hundreds of dollars on ebay

Really? Mmm... I have a copy

SyntheticGerbil · 06-29-2010, 01:27 PM

My soundtrack CD is pretty ratty now. It's kind of scratched, as I guess I've listened to it a lot. It came with the game. Sucks it's such a collector's item now. They should have sold it separately or put it in all boxed copies, I think.

ThunderPeel2001 · 06-29-2010, 05:58 PM

Man, talking about this game, and Rubacava in the other thread, has really made me want to get lost in that world again.

Snugglecakes · 06-29-2010, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThunderPeel2001

Man, talking about this game, and Rubacava in the other thread, has really made me want to get lost in that world again.

Me too, and one of these days I will, but the controls put me off a hell of a lot, must just force my way through the first part.

Longcat · 06-30-2010, 02:16 AM

Get a logitech joystick, I recommend the Rumbepad 2. But I really don't have have a problem with the keyboard controls either. Grim Fandango SE would be great!

ThunderPeel2001 · 06-30-2010, 04:17 PM

The controls never bothered me, but playing it in software mode most definitely does. *sob*

LordTrilobite · 06-30-2010, 04:21 PM

The controls never bothered me either.

Gabez · 06-30-2010, 05:52 PM

It's odd that I found the controls (mostly) fine in GF, but I had more of a problem with them in EMI. What was the difference? EMI perhaps had more areas that you could bounce off of (like in the LUA bar) and could you run inside in GF? I can't remember but it's a bad idea. Who would run indoors anyway? Surely not Manny.

Longcat · 06-30-2010, 06:01 PM

Yes,you can run in Grim. Indoors as well

SyntheticGerbil · 06-30-2010, 07:40 PM

Yeah I'm fine with the controls and that kind of keyboard control. I've also never understood the complaints.

Like Gabez, I actually had more problems with EMI just because the invisible boundaries were everywhere in that game and hardly ever readily apparent. Grim was pretty clear on where you could and couldn't go I think.

I liked running inside just because I pretended I was some kind of ******* knocking into things on purpose.

Snugglecakes · 06-30-2010, 08:04 PM

No football on tv for the first night in almost 3 weeks so I just installed it again (only 2cm of cobwebs). Can't get it to run using hardware 3D at all. What is the visual difference between hardware and software anyway? I can't remember. At least it works, and it's awesome!

EDIT: No... wait... maybe it doesn't work
EDIT: It definitely doesn't work

***Thrik*** · 07-01-2010, 07:17 AM

Software just uses your CPU for the graphics, whereas hardware uses your graphics card which theoretically results in smoother textures, anti-aliased (non-jaggy) edges, and better performance. Unfortunately the game has become pretty much entirely incompatible with modern graphics cards.

ThunderPeel2001 · 07-01-2010, 04:26 PM

It's a travesty! :'(

The top image (in this thread) is from Hardware mode, I believe. The middle is from a rendered scene. The bottom one is Software rendering. (Quite a difference!)

bergqvistjl · 07-01-2010, 04:31 PM

I used software rendering and noticed no difference compared to the hardware rendering, Although I was on a small (12") CRT monitor, so pixelation was a lot less.

SyntheticGerbil · 07-01-2010, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bergqvistjl

I used software rendering and noticed no difference compared to the hardware rendering, Although I was on a small (12") CRT monitor, so pixelation was a lot less.

Well definitely the anti-aliasing option from your graphics card for hardware mode makes a difference as easily seen in the screens Thunderpeel pointed out.

Snugglecakes · 07-01-2010, 05:48 PM

Yeah it looks kinda bad without anti-aliasing. I can't even get software mode to work though... starts doing weird things with sound and characters. There are some threads here on the subject, will get to them eventually.

SyntheticGerbil · 07-01-2010, 07:53 PM

It might have to do with running it on modern machines. I've never actually played Grim Fandango on Windows XP even (it's been a while since I last beat it), but I can only imagine it would cause weird problems.

Aububuh · 07-02-2010, 09:08 AM

I've played it on XP just fine, but that's probably because my PC's hardware is older than dirt.

Snugglecakes · 07-02-2010, 09:29 AM

I have an ancient 386 which is set up to run all the old SCUMM games. That one is too slow for Grim Fandango, this one is too fast. Typical.

C'mon LucasArts, give us a new release with a new executable! No "remake" necessary, just get it to work!

**elTee** · 07-02-2010, 10:16 AM

There is a Windows XP executable, I think. It may be different to the original - for the Entertainment Pack re-releases (in Europe circa early 2000s) optional smoothing a la ScummVM was added to The Dig, Sam and Max, and Full Throttle. I'll dig it out after work

(There was also a Hit the Road/Day of the Tentacle double pack released prior to the Entertainment Pack, but I don't have that. That version of DOTT may well have smoothing, too.)

Snugglecakes · 07-02-2010, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elTee

There is a Windows XP executable, I think. It may be different to the original - for the Entertainment Pack re-releases (in Europe circa early 2000s) optional smoothing a la ScummVM was added to The Dig, Sam and Max, and Full Throttle. I'll dig it out after work

(There was also a Hit the Road/Day of the Tentacle double pack released prior to the Entertainment Pack, but I don't have that. That version of DOTT may well have smoothing, too.)

Whaaaa? Why don't I know about this... I'm supposed to know everything. I know about the other CD releases yeah, but Grim Fandango, I'd love to have that. And all the information on it for my obsessive LucasArts release table. Which I thought was complete until now!

SyntheticGerbil · 07-02-2010, 11:09 AM

Hmm, I actually don't have the Windows XP executable either, upon checking my Grim files (just have the patch still). I should probably get that file just in case, elTee, so I'd be most grateful as well.

Longcat · 07-02-2010, 11:40 AM

I can with 99.9% certainty gurantee that there does not exist an executable for Grim Fandango in english that is updated for modern hardware or software:P

**elTee** · 07-02-2010, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Longcat

I can with 99.9% certainty gurantee that there does not exist an executable for Grim Fandango in english that is updated for modern hardware or software:P

You're almost certainly correct, the more I think about it. The updates were all to the SCUMM games. But I'll double-check tonight anyway!

Here's some info for those of you who weren't aware of this.

ThunderPeel2001 · 07-02-2010, 04:06 PM

I was SO excited for a moment, there, ElTee

Ah, well. Come on, LucasArts! (We know you read us!

)

Ascovel · 07-03-2010, 11:55 AM

All the bugs fixed (including problems with the elusive Domino dialog in Year 3) is the only change I would like to see in an SE. The character models are great as they are.

On a somewhat related note, much more to a SE or a GF2 I'd prefer someone getting out Insecticide Part 2, or a completely new Insecticide game. Part 1 brought me back a lot of fond memories of playing Grim.

**elTee** · 07-03-2010, 12:12 PM

To confirm, then, the Entertainment Pack version of Grim Fandango is the same as the original release. Sorry for getting anyone's hopes up!

Snugglecakes · 07-03-2010, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elTee

To confirm, then, the Entertainment Pack version of Grim Fandango is the same as the original release. Sorry for getting anyone's hopes up!

No worries, we're LucasArts fans, we're used to disappointment