While I can't comment on the game itself - I've only played Day of the Tentacle, but not Maniac Mansion or Zak McKracken - I think that you hit the right balance between lecture and entertainment with this video.
It's all there: The intro of the game, some comparisons to other games, lots of game footage to illustrate the game mechanics and finally some excerpts from conversions to other platforms. Your scripts is very good, as always.

You really hit the sweet spot - at least mine - with this Matt Chat. Very well done!

take care,
Calibrator

Thanks, Calibrator! I really appreciate the feedback.

What do you guys think about a "Matt Laugh" type of comedy skit?

Matt,

Another great Matt Chat. I always enjoy the ones on adventures the most...

Not sure if you're aware, but there was a fan-made remake of this game a few years ago that I think deserves a mention:

http://www.abandonia.com/en/games/300/

In general, I think it would be a good idea, that in addition to showing the original versions of the game, to also show the latest update and/or which version someone today, who has never played the game, should take a look at. (In this case I think it's the aforementioned Maniac Mansion Deluxe...)

Keep em coming!

Maniac Mansion seems to have a large cult following in Germany. There are fan-made sequels and even a Maniac Mansion sitcom on Youtube - all in German.

One can say that most of the LucasArts graphics adventures are still very popular in Germany. *Especially* the Monkey Island series, but also Maniac Mansion, Zak McKracken, Day of the Tentacle, Full Throttle and the Indiana Jones games. In fact Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis is still heralded in Germany as one of the best graphics adventures of all time.

One of the reasons for this popularity - besides their obvious quality - is that they were brilliantly localized for the German market. Most of the adventures were translated by Boris Schneider-Johne who really understood their wicked humor and who was able to successfully translate the difficult parts (for example the Monkey Island fencing duels).
He not only was a games player himself but a writer and journalist for a very popular games magazine at the time and now is a product manager for the Xbox with Microsoft Germany. Even though he is siding with the evil empire one cannot deny his merits. ;-)

You may be wondering why localization is really that important as most Germans are able to understand English. Well, English language is a required subject in German schools - or more precisely: It was required in West German schools but of course not in East German ones before the wall came down in 1989.
The East German youth and other East German people interested in video games therefore had practically no means to understand these games until they were localized.
As most of the LucasArts-games got released in the years after the wall came down these very well done translations may have been an important factor of their success.

take care,
Calibrator

Thanks for the extremely informative post. As someone who knows a thing or two about language and writing, I have very high respect for skilled translators. It's an art unto itself.

As always a very nice? Matt Chat, excellent choice. Interesting to see Day of the Tentacle figures appearing in this game and the interface being already very much like the later games.

Xbox 360: Lactobacillus P | Wii: 8151 3435 8469 3138
Armchair arcade Editor | Pixellator | www.markvergeer.nl