Maniac Mansion: Day of the Tentacle (DoTT) is a graphical adventure game, originally released in 1993, and published by LucasArts. It is the eighth game to use the SCUMM engine. The game was released simultaneously on floppy disk and CD-ROM, with the CD-ROM version featuring a full voiceover soundtrack. Day of the Tentacle was designed by Dave Grossman and Tim Schafer. Cover Art from the Lucas Arts adventure game, Day of the Tentacle. ... A video game developer is a software developer (a business or an individual) that creates video games. ... LucasArts is an American video game developer and publisher. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... LucasArts is an American video game developer and publisher. ... A game designer is a person who designs games. ... Dave Grossman is a noted game programmer and game designer. ... Tim Schafer (born July 26, 1967) is an American computer game designer. ... A game engine is the core software component of a computer or video game or other interactive application with real-time graphics. ... SCUMM stands for Script Creation Utility for Maniac Mansion and is a scripting language developed at LucasArts (known at the time as Lucasfilm Games) to ease development of the graphical adventure game Maniac Mansion. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... Video games are categorized into genres based on their gameplay. ... Adventure is a genre of video games typified by exploration, puzzle-solving, interaction with game characters, and a focus on narrative rather than reflex-based challenges. ... In computer games and video games, single-player refers to the variant of a particular game where input from only one player is expected throughout the course of the gaming session. ... The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) is a self-regulatory organization that applies and enforces ratings, advertising guidelines, and online privacy principles for computer and video games in the United States. ... The Recreational Software Advisory Council (RSAC) was an independent, non-profit organization founded in the USA in 1994 by the Software Publishers Association as well as six other industry leaders in response to video game controversy and threats of government regulation. ... ‹ The template below has been proposed for deletion. ... Instructions on how to use the directory command. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... A floppy disk is a data storage device that is composed of a disk of thin, flexible (floppy) magnetic storage medium encased in a square or rectangular plastic shell. ... The CD-ROM (an abbreviation for Compact Disc Read-Only Memory (ROM)) is a non-volatile optical data storage medium using the same physical format as audio compact discs, readable by a computer with a CD-ROM drive. ... Operating a mechanical 1: Pulling the mouse turns the ball. ... It has been suggested that Keystroke be merged into this article or section. ... Adventure is a genre of video games typified by exploration, puzzle-solving, interaction with game characters, and a focus on narrative rather than reflex-based challenges. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... LucasArts is an American video game developer and publisher. ... SCUMM stands for Script Creation Utility for Maniac Mansion and is a scripting language developed at LucasArts (known at the time as Lucasfilm Games) to ease development of the graphical adventure game Maniac Mansion. ... A floppy disk is a data storage device that is composed of a disk of thin, flexible (floppy) magnetic storage medium encased in a square or rectangular plastic shell. ... The CD-ROM (an abbreviation for Compact Disc Read-Only Memory (ROM)) is a non-volatile optical data storage medium using the same physical format as audio compact discs, readable by a computer with a CD-ROM drive. ... VoiceOver is a feature built into Apple Computers Mac OS X v10. ... In film formats, the soundtrack is the physical area of the film which records the synchronized sound. ... Dave Grossman is a noted game programmer and game designer. ... Tim Schafer (born July 26, 1967) is an American computer game designer. ...

Gameplay

Day of the Tentacle follows the point-and-click two-dimensional adventure game formula, first established by the original Maniac Mansion. Players direct the controllable characters around the game world by clicking with the computer mouse. To interact with the game world, players choose from a set of commands arrayed on the screen and then on an object in the world. This was the last SCUMM game to use the original interface of having the bottom half of the screen being taken up by a verb selection and inventory; starting with the next game to use the SCUMM engine, Sam and Max Hit the Road, the engine was modified to scroll through a more concise list of verbs with the right mouse button and having the inventory on a separate screen. This formula carried on to later games in the franchise, such as The Dig, Full Throttle and The Curse of Monkey Island. In Day of the Tentacle, the player can switch between any one of the three playable characters at any time, though two of the characters must first be unlocked by the completion of certain puzzles. The three protagonists can also share inventory items amongst themselves (at least, those items that can be stowed in a toilet), a feature that plays into many of the game's puzzles. Point and click describes the simple action of a computer user moving a cursor to a certain location on a screen (point) and then clicking a mouse button, usually the left one (click), or other pointing device. ... Adventure is a genre of video games typified by exploration, puzzle-solving, interaction with game characters, and a focus on narrative rather than reflex-based challenges. ... Maniac Mansion is a graphical adventure game originally released in 1987 by Lucasfilm Games (now known as LucasArts). ... Sam and Max Hit the Road screenshot Sam and Max Hit the Road is a graphical adventure game, originally released in 1993, published by LucasArts. ... The Dig is a graphical adventure game developed by LucasArts and released in 1995, and a novel based on the game written by Alan Dean Foster. ... Full Throttle is a graphical adventure game, originally developed in-house and released in May 1995 by LucasArts. ... The Curse of Monkey Island (CMI) is an adventure game developed and published by LucasArts, and the third game in the Monkey Island computer game series. ...

In Maniac Mansion, the playable characters can be killed by various sequences of events. LucasArts adopted a different philosophy towards its adventure games in 1990, beginning with The Secret of Monkey Island. Their philosophy was that the game should not punish the player for exploring the game world. Accordingly, in most of the adventure games released by LucasArts after Monkey Island, including Day of the Tentacle, the player character(s) cannot die. The Secret of Monkey Island (SMI) is a well known adventure game that spawned a series of famous and classic comedy adventure games, known as the Monkey Island series as well as making a name for LucasArts (then Lucasfilm Games) as a producer of adventure games, thus the largest competitor...

The whole original Maniac Mansion game can be played on a computer inside the Day of the Tentacle game, a practice that other game developers have repeated, but at the time of Day of the Tentacle's release this was unprecedented.^[1]

Story

The Purple Tentacle, seen here shortly after his mutation in the opening cinematic, is the main antagonist in Day of the Tentacle.

Day of the Tentacle begins five years after the events in Maniac Mansion. Of the seven playable characters in the first game, only Bernard Bernoulli, a stereotypical nerd character, makes a return appearance. This time, Bernard has a starring role, as he leads his two house mates, Hoagie and Laverne, back to the Mansion. One of Dr. Fred Edison's two creations, the Purple Tentacle, drinks industrial waste from the Mansion, growing two stubby appendages for arms and an appetite for global domination. Bernard and friends plan to travel back in time, using Dr. Fred's Port-a-Potty-turned-time machines (dubbed "Chron-o-John"s), to turn off the toxic waste producing machine therefore stopping Purple from drinking the toxic waste in the first place. Maniac Mansion 2: Day of the Tentacle This is a screenshot of a copyrighted computer game or video game. ... Maniac Mansion 2: Day of the Tentacle This is a screenshot of a copyrighted computer game or video game. ... Maniac Mansion is a graphical adventure game originally released in 1987 by Lucasfilm Games (now known as LucasArts). ... Bernard Bernoulli is a fictional character in the Maniac Mansion series of adventure games. ... Look up nerd in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Global domination, global conquest, taking over the world, world conquest, or world domination is an ambitious goal in which one government, one ideology or belief system, or even one person, seeks to secure complete political control of the entire planet. ... The Port-a-john, also called a Port-o-let, Sani-Privy, Port-a-san, Porta-Potty, Portaloo, or any of a variety of other trade names, is a modern portable self-contained outhouse manufactured of molded plastic in a variety of colors. ... Time travel is a concept that has long fascinated humanity—whether it is Merlin experiencing time backwards, or religious traditions like Mohammeds trip to Jerusalem and ascent to heaven, returning before a glass knocked over had spilt its contents. ...

Unfortunately, the cheap imitation diamond in Dr. Fred's time machine fails, leaving Hoagie 200 years in the past (where he can meet such famous historical figures as George Washington and Benjamin Franklin), Laverne 200 years in the future (where Purple Tentacle's dreams for domination have come true) and Bernard still in the present. Bernard has to find a non-imitation diamond in order to make the time machine functional once more, and Hoagie and Laverne both have to get back to their time machines and connect them to a power source, in order to team up again and finally defeat Purple Tentacle. The game uses the three time streams effectively, with several puzzles depending on actions in one era affecting the other eras and the characters sometimes having to exchange items from different time periods. George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799)[1] led Americas Continental Army to victory over Britain in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and in 1789 was elected the first President of the United States of America. ... Benjamin Franklin (January 17 [O.S. January 6] 1706 – April 17, 1790) was one of the most well known Founding Fathers of the United States. ...

The game has several puzzles that require the player to perform actions in the past that affect the future. For example, a vacuum cleaner advertisement flyer can be inserted into the suggestion box for the American constitution; consequently a clause is added to the constitution that every American should have a vacuum cleaner in their basement. And consequently, in the future when vacuum cleaners have actually been invented, you can find one and use it.

Historical interaction

Day of the Tentacle characters (left to right) John Hancock, Thomas Jefferson, Hoagie and George Washington

One of the unique aspects of Day of the Tentacle's plot is that it gives the game player the opportunity to interact with several important historical figures from colonial America, namely George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock and Betsy Ross. Their personality traits are exaggerated for comic effect. Their descendants (or at least characters that resemble them) can be seen in the other ages. Harold, seemingly a descendant of Washington, appears as a transvestite in a future beauty contest organized by the Tentacles. An apparent descendant of Ben Franklin makes an appearance as a novelty toy salesman. Image File history File links Dottscreen. ... Image File history File links Dottscreen. ... It has been suggested that Warning out of town be merged into this article or section. ... George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799)[1] led Americas Continental Army to victory over Britain in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and in 1789 was elected the first President of the United States of America. ... Thomas Jefferson (13 April 1743 N.S.–4 July 1826) was the third President of the United States (1801–09), the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776), and one of the most influential Founding Fathers for his promotion of the ideals of Republicanism in the United States. ... Benjamin Franklin (January 17 [O.S. January 6] 1706 – April 17, 1790) was one of the most well known Founding Fathers of the United States. ... For other persons named John Hancock, see John Hancock (disambiguation). ... Artists interpretation of Betsy Ross and two children presenting her sewn flag to George Washington and others Betsy Ross (January 1, 1752 - January 30, 1836) was an American woman who is said to have sewn the first American flag. ...

Some of the more entertaining puzzles of the game involve these characters. In one sequence, Hoagie must give an exploding cigar to Washington in order to replace his famous false teeth with chattering novelty mechanical dentures, while in another he gives a drawing of a tentacle to Ross, who sews it into the American flag. By painting the fruits of a kumquat tree red, the player forces Washington to chop down the created "cherry" tree, also a myth concerning Washington's youth. Upper jaw dentures Dentures, or, more accurately, removable complete dentures are full-mouth false teeth, which are used when a patient has no teeth left on either the mandibular arch, the maxillary arch, or both. ... Flag ratio: 7:12; nicknames: Stars and Stripes, Old Glory The flag of the United States of America consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars... Species See text The kumquats or cumquats are a group of small fruit-bearing trees in the subgenus Fortunella of the genus Citrus in the flowering plant family Rutaceae, often segregated as a separate genus Fortunella. ...

Reception

Day of the Tentacle was well received at the time of its release, and still features regularly in lists of 'top' games to this day. Adventure Gamers included the game as #1 on their 20 Greatest Adventure Games of All Time List.^[2] IGN rated it number 60 on their 2005 top 100 games list,^[3] it is also listed as one of the greatest games of all time on GameSpot.^[1] Adventure Gamers is a computer game website created in 1998 dedicated to the genre of adventure games. ... IGN is a multimedia news and reviews website that focuses heavily on video games. ... GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. ...

Adventure Gamers' review rated the game 5 out of 5, stating "If someone were to ask for a few examples of games that exemplify the best of the graphic adventure genre, Day of the Tentacle would certainly be near the top".^[4] Adventure Gamers is a computer game website created in 1998 dedicated to the genre of adventure games. ...

Development

The game was originally intended to resemble Maniac Mansion more closely, with the player allowed to choose from among six characters (who would have included a male poet named Chester, a female hippie named Moonglow, and Razor from the original game). This idea was dropped in preproduction to simplify the project. Chester's character design was recycled in the final game as Red Edison's twin sons.^{[citation needed]} Maniac Mansion is a graphical adventure game originally released in 1987 by Lucasfilm Games (now known as LucasArts). ...

Sequels

There have been a few fan groups in Germany who have started developing fan-games, but as of 2006, none of them are complete. As of this time, LucasArts seems to be very unreceptive to the idea of making any more adventure games or allowing others to commercially develop their old licenses.

References

shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 120th day of the year (121st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is now the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 212th day of the year (213th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Adventure Gamers is a computer game website created in 1998 dedicated to the genre of adventure games. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is now the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 212th day of the year (213th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... IGN is a multimedia news and reviews website that focuses heavily on video games. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is now the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 212th day of the year (213th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 11 is the 70th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (71st in leap years). ... Adventure Gamers is a computer game website created in 1998 dedicated to the genre of adventure games. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is now the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 212th day of the year (213th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• LucasArts adventure games
• ScummVM

Before concentrating almost exclusively on Star Wars titles, LucasArts was known for their point-and-click adventure games, nearly all of which received high scoring reviews at the time of their release. ... ScummVM is a multi-platform stack-based virtual machine which was originally made to allow one to play LucasArts adventure games that use the SCUMM system on platforms other than those for which they were originally released. ...

External links

• Maniac Zombies
• Day After the Day of the Tentacle (a webcomic)
• Day After the Day of the Tentacle (Spanish translation)
• MobyGames' entry for Day of the Tentacle
• D/L, Reviews, Previews of DOTT
• Netjak Review of Day of The Tentacle
• Day of the Tentacle 2 - a German sequel game fan project