Residual VM Stable Release Brings Grim Fandango to Modern PCs

[Sarah LeBoeuf]

Residual VM Stable Release Brings Grim Fandango to Modern PCs

After nine years in development, ScummVM offshoot ResidualVM is finally ready for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.

Grim Fandango is one of the most beloved games of the 1990s, but 14-year-old software makes it nearly impossible to play on modern systems. That is, until ResidualVM set out to make a program that could recreate 3D games that utilized LucasArts' GrimE engine. More than nine years after the project began, ResidualVM has announced its stable release, making it possible to play Grim Fandango on Windows, Mac OS X, or Linux--assuming you've still got your copy of the game.

Like its sister emulator ScummVM [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCUMM_VM], ResidualVM was created to allow gamers to enjoy old-school classics that are no longer compatible with modern technology. The project began in 2003, when a former ScummVM designer felt the need to expand the emulator's horizons beyond games using the SCUMM engine (such as Maniac Mansion and The Secret of Monkey Island). In 2009, its focus was expanded to support other 3D game engines; though Grim Fandango is the only title currently supported, Escape From Monkey Island and The Longest Journey are works in progress.

Though ResidualVM is finally stable, glitches present in the original Grim Fandango might still be an issue. "While we have tested ResidualVM quite thoroughly, there MIGHT be cases where you end up in a situation where the game is incompletable," states the program's site. "Some of these were actually also existent in the original game... So, please follow the old adventure-game mantra of 'save early, save often'."

I used ScummVM to replay all of my old LucasArts adventures a few years back (after tracking the discs down in my parents' house). I'm hoping to locate my copy of Grim Fandango over the holiday season, so that I can play it for the first time in nearly 15 years.

Source: ResidualVM [http://www.residualvm.org/news/20121221/]

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[Vanquishuer]

Neat. Even though it does require that you still have the ancient discs.

 

[LavaLampBamboo]

This is great news and all, but I'm relatively sure I have Grim Fandango on my PC right now. There's been an installer for Windows 7 about for a while now.

Still, excellent news that they are working on bringing back more games. I loved ScummVM. Especially that fast forward button =D

 

[porous_shield]

I have the discs and I managed to get it to work a few years ago on WinXP. I don't remember how I did it but I don't remember it being that hard. It's one of the games I revisit every now and then and it's due for a revisiting.

 

[EMO_of_LiGHT]

That's awesome! Now hows about a digital re-release for those of us who were 5 at the time of the original and only played stuff Humongous made because we didn't know better?

 

[josemlopes]

Thats great, I wanted to play Grim Fandango but after knowing that its one of THOSE games that got forgotten in the realm of incompatiblety I ended up just watching a walkthrough on youtube. Very cool story with a very unique setting

 

[Fightgarr]

Awesome. I ended up hunting down a couple of copies of the game itself. I now have 2 working copies, but no computer that can run them. Now I can go back and enjoy the game once more. I am content.

 

[1337mokro]

To the everlasting horror of anyone who has ever talked to me about videogames I love this game to death. My incessant whining constantly nagging them to play it so they might now die happy knowing that they have basked in the glory of this masterpiece. Now I can start all over again with this new emulator.

I might lose some friends in the process but all is worth it in the name of the Grim Crusade.

 

[Evil Smurf]

Is it at GOG? Where can I get a disk?

 

[Irridium]

So, now that this is a thing, how about a GoG release?

Because I'd buy it if it was released on GoG.

 

[cobra_ky]

This is the best news i've heard in months.

Why is no one selling it to me?

 

[YouShouldDeleteThisAccount]

Too bad LucasArts own the rights.

I SHOULD be able to go on to GOG and buy any SCUMM engine LucaArts adventure game because SCUMMVM makes them all work on modern computers. And yet I can't. You can't buy them anywhere.

Why? No reason. They just haven't done it, even though it would make money and take little-to-no effort. So I don't expect them to suddenly get their act together for Grim Fandango.

 

[Metalrocks]

sounds good. i wasnt able to play this games for many years now. i coulndt even get it to run on with scum vm, wile others worked fine.
why not make a modern version as they did with the original monkey island titles. you could always switch back to the original graphics when ever you want. something like that would be nice.

 

[Harker067]

Nearly impossible? ummm not so impossible. I just beat grim fandango today on a quad core computer I use to play crisis and witcher 2 (admittedly running windows XP). Installed the game, 1 patch, run windows 95 compatibility, and turning on hardware acceleration and that whole things ran quite well a couple textures went funny (which could be fixed by turning off hardware acceleration although it became crash prone). But it was all very playable and ran very well. And actually I still run longest journey and escape on that computer as well. But still good for them ScummVM is a great program and hopefully residualVM keeps up that tradition.

 

[jetriot]

I played this on Vista not that long ago and don't remember it being very difficult to get running.

 

[johnnnny guitar]

Are you kidding I literately found out yesterday how to get Grim Fandango Working on my modern PC after Years of trying and now this happens after I just get it working and started playing (It's a bloody good game BTW, with tons of charm and great characters, setting etc all standard stuff you expect from a schaffer game)

 

[Airon]

Wohohohohohohohoooooooooooooo.

I'm digging out my disks as I type this.

And oh ma gawd, is copying from those old disks slow.

"an EPIC tale of CRIME and CORRUPTION in the LAND OF THE DEAD".

Cue the geek giggle.

-edit-
And it works nicely. All you need is the files. Hope everyone finds it.

 

[The Artificially Prolonged]

Great news, now if only I bought Grim Fandango in 90s I'd be sorted. Come on Lucasarts release your back catalogue on gog already, or are you that afraid of success and money?

 

[lacktheknack]

Great news, now if only I bought Grim Fandango in 90s I'd be sorted. Come on Lucasarts release your back catalogue on gog already, or are you that afraid of success and money?

They have to get it working on XP, Vista, 7 and 8 (or AT LEAST 7 and 8) before they can even think about releasing it on gog.com.

(looks at OP)

...Well, will you look at that...

 

[The Artificially Prolonged]

Great news, now if only I bought Grim Fandango in 90s I'd be sorted. Come on Lucasarts release your back catalogue on gog already, or are you that afraid of success and money?

They have to get it working on XP, Vista, 7 and 8 (or AT LEAST 7 and 8) before they can even think about releasing it on gog.com.

(looks at OP)

...Well, will you look at that...

Well the old SCUMM engine games like Broken Sword and Beneath a Steel Sky on gog.com are installed along with SCUMMVM so they can work on modern systems. The same is also true for old dos games sold there which are bundled with dosbox in same installer. So it could happen if Lucasarts gave the go ahead and gog.com are able to work out some sort of arrangement with the ResidualVM guys to allow them to bundle the VM in with the game installer.