Issue #104: Of Thimbleweeds and Monkeys

The quiet times are over, or so we hope.

Welcome to The Adventurer!

Thimbleweed Park 2 might just’ve been announced, but the Domino news-bricks are falling at an alarmingly awesome pace. The official blog has made its way online, while Bloomberg sat down with Ron and talked financing. And, perhaps most importantly, Laura Cress put together a video interview with the grumpy gamer himself.

For being so early in development, there isn't a lack of TWP2 information, and the video sheds light on a number of things. For example, the game won't try to explain away the OG’s rather controversial ending — if you have played Delores, that might not come as a shock. Meanwhile, the verb interface will be streamlined, yet maintain the classic point-and-click vibe. Physical boxes and other merch are under discussion. And, the mysterious investor is not Elijah Wood.

Go watch the whole video — it’s as excellent as anything we've come to expect from Cressup.

In non-TWP news, Neil Cicierega — you may remember him from the Mojo Forums during the early aughts — has done some palette magic in DOSBox.

EGA has never looked so realistic.

And, if you're interested in how the Anthology statue of Guybrush came to be, here’s your chance.

Looks like we're in for a Ron-filled couple of years, and we’re all better for it.

— Remi

This Week’s Trivia

So, in lieu of a stable MojoDB, we went with the second… third… maybe fourth… best option: Using The SCUMM Bar as TWP Central. It's a work in progress — like most anything Mojo ostensibly “does” — but it's also as good of an excuse as any to toss in some TWP trivia…

Sandy & Dave Lives

There are some characters in Thimbleweed Park that appeared in older games. Perhaps most prominently, Sandy and Dave from Ron Gilbert and Gary Winnick’s Maniac Mansion.

Dr. Fred’s Office

Also making a comeback from Maniac Mansion: Dr. Fred’s office, or at least a replica of it.

Call Edna for a Good Time

Even more Maniac Mansion — Edna makes an appearance in the most Edna-style way.

Ron Gilbert’s Graphics BASIC

Delores’s copy of Graphics BASIC is real and was indeed written by Ron Gilbert and Tom McFarlane. HESware released it for the Commodore 64 in 1984 (some sources claim it was 1983). (Image nabbed from eBay.)

This Week’s Poll

The polls were, perhaps not surprisingly, busy the last time around, and 87% of you named TWP2 an instabuy. 3% said it was too early to tell, while 10% simultaneously admitted to being friendless losers and that they weren't buying the game. Sheesh, just unsubscribe right now¹.

This week’s poll:

Merch for the People

Only the best! The Adventurer has a web store for all your apparel and decoration needs! Don the original LucasArts logo, Manny Calavera’s face, or the OG Adventurer logo, though be warned: Popularity will smack you in your face when you wear – or display – these masterpieces.

Full News Roundup

• 15 Aug: Ron Talks Thimbleweed Investments: … and the possibility of a future Monkey Island.

• 15 Aug: Telltale Hosts Choices Matter Festival Steam Sale: Discounts on Telltale and other choices-and-consequences games

• 13 Aug: Guybrush resin statue backstory: revealed: And you probably thought it just sprouted into existence.

• 11 Aug: Reimagining The Secret of Monkey Island with softer colours: Some love EGA, others can’t go without VGA. How about neither, eh?

Last Week’s Mojole Results

It’s the game that sweeps the nation! Can you beat Mojole, our fiendishly difficult daily puzzler? Only hardcore LucasArts aficionados need apply.

• 09 Aug: “mark###” – Mark Darin -- Telltale veteran.

• 10 Aug: “wii####” – They sadly downgraded Tales of Monkey Island for the Wii.

• 11 Aug: “boen###” – Man, Earl Boen was awesome as LeChuck.

• 12 Aug: “#fish##” – Cavefish. ‘Why put fish in a game about bikers?’ - A Wise Man (paraphrased). Also, Joey the Fish.

• 13 Aug: “hit####” – Sam & Max Hit the Road, but you knew that.

• 14 Aug: “year###” – Mojole turns a year today! Basically the longest-running Mojo project of all time.

• 15 Aug: “bye####” – And as it has been a year, we decided to shut down Mojole. :(

And for the competitive amongst you, the Mojole forum thread has gone strong for more than two years. The two juggernauts to beat: Sushi and Huz.

Your Daily Challenges

Mojole too easy? Too hard? (Probably too hard.) Here are other daily challenges to get the brain cells firing on all cylinders.

• Monkey Island Frantic: A Monkey Island scene-guessing game at a frantic pace. Image updates at midnight Pacific time. Brag about your results on the Mojo Forums!

• Guess That Tune: Each daily game features a clip from Monkey Island music. Guess the tune in up to 6 tries, and return each day for a new challenge! Here, too, you can post your results on Mojo Forums.

• Return to Monkey Island Trivia Card Game: The card-guessing game, now in your browser.

Become a Mojoer! (sponsored content)

Hey, kids, do you want to become one of us? Why not join our Patreon? One single dollar will make you a Friend of Mojo. And for the privileged few, there’s the $5 Diamond Club tier, which will earn you a special mention in The Adventurer. Join now! Our interns are hard at work finishing up the special mention section!

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The Mojo Network

The International House of Mojo: Web, Bluesky, YouTube, and Mastodon.

The Monkey Island SCUMM Bar: Web, Bluesky, and Mastodon.

The Grim Fandango Network: Web, Bluesky, and Mastodon.

1. Actually, don’t do that, we love you just the way you are, warts and all.