Aghhh here be pirates, but not just any scurvy pirates. Before Hollywood reignited the imagination with blockbuster movies featuring the swash buckling adventurers, Lucas Arts introduced the world to pirate wannabe Guybrush Threepwood.
One of the most loved point and click adventure games, The Secret of Monkey Island and its sequel LeChuck’s Revenge is full of charm, ghostly pirates, and mind bending challenges.
Controlling Pirates
Point and click adventures once implied the use of a mouse, hovering your cursor over any object (pointing) and then selecting an item (clicking). A touch screen device offers a direct connection with the imaginary world without the need for an extra peripheral.
Previously, early games within this genre resorted to selecting worded commands such as give, pick up, open, push etc. Verb icons now represent the actions if you wish to manually select your next step. There is a much simpler method now though as you can drag your finger around the landscape, highlighting various objects and characters that you can interact with. Of course, the most likely event when selecting a character is the desire to ‘talk to’ them and learn the clues crucial to completing the game. The control method is clever enough to automatically select the ‘talk to’ option, without the need for an additional selection. Shaking the phone gently will also reveal a hint on how to complete the next task.
Blast from the Past
Monkey Island 2 isn’t an exact replica of its original 1991 release. The graphics feature a more contemporary artistic style and the music re-recorded using this time a live orchestra. Back in its prime, Monkey Island 2 relied on subtitles to show a conversation in progress, however a full voice-over cast is now included.
Even though these advancements in technology and design will please old and new gamers of the series, there is always a hardcore element that yearns for a true nostalgic step back to the complete original experience. This is provided for in a very cunning way.
Sliding Back and Forth
Using two fingers and swiping across the screen reveals the pure classic look, interaction and sound – while swiping again with your two digits returns you to the updated classic. This is a far more exciting method than just giving you an icon to select or worse an in-game menu option.
Even better is that you can switch at any point during the game and even those who never experienced the original will find themselves switching regularly just out of curiosities sake.
iTunes Store Link: Monkey Island 2 Special Edition: LeChuck’s Revenge | Monkey Island 2 Special Edition: LeChuck’s Revenge for iPad
App Creation Series
There are literally hundreds of thousands of applications and games available to download using the digital marketplace. These range from basic clocks to fully fledged 3D gaming experiences rivalling even the leading portable devices that usually only specialise in this field.
Your challenge is competing with this vast library of already impressive offerings which, although a daunting prospect to the fledgling traveller, can be navigated successfully with the right ideas and implementation. Whether you want to create an income generator or simply desire recognition for your efforts, this book will aim to show you the path and inspire your imagination to overflow with possibilities.
Allow James Woodcock to guide you through the wilderness and raise your chances of realising your development dreams by detailing different routes with this light hearted tour of the Apps terrain. Featuring a myriad of exciting and surprising examples, you can glean important suggestions for your own creation.
App Creation Series Index:
App Creation – Beginners Guide to App Design, Development and Marketing
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