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Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story

@scummdoc.bsky.social
310 followers 90 following 83 posts

Was a new documentary project from CREATORVC, but now reimagined as a book telling the complete history of the SCUMM engine and all LucasArts/Humongous SCUMM games. Join the waitlist at scummbook.com (Posts by writer @mossrc.bsky.social)

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Reposted by Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story
Richard Moss @mossrc.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
In case you missed it; my new documentary project is now going to be a book instead.
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Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story @scummdoc.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
New addition to my collection. I haven't played this one before, so am looking forward to firing it up when I get a chance.
Cover art showing the characters Sam (an anthropomorphic dog) and Max (a "hyper kinetic rabbity thing") looking towards us. There is a giant demonic creature floating behind them and some helicopters above. The text reads "Telltale Games presents Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse".Back cover, including screenshots, concept sketches, marketing copy, system requirements, and an "on the disc" boxout that notes the disc contains all five episodes, developer commentary, a video history of the series, trailers, bloopers, concept art, and more.
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Jack Nicholls @jackwnicholls.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Glad this gets to live on in book form and will be looking out for the project when it's done!
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Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story @scummdoc.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Let's make it official: The SCUMM documentary is on pause (indefinitely), but I'm working on a book version of our concept. It'll be based on dozens of new interviews with the people behind the LucasArts and Humongous adventures you loved, plus in-depth research. New site: scummbook.com
SCUMM Book Announcement

A message from writer/director Richard Moss:

It was a point of pride in the SCUMM adventures--both by LucasArts and Humongous Entertainment--that there were no dead ends and your character could never die, and this adventure won't be any different. The Passport to Adventure documentary has entered an indefinite hiatus, but the SCUMM story will still be told.

I'm now working on a book based on our concept.I'll be taking over the @scummdoc social media feeds from here on out, and I've created a new website/mailing list at scummbook.com--where you can follow my progress and help shape my vision for the book.

Thank you from all of us at CREATORVC for your interest and support of this project: we hope to pick back up on a SCUMM documentary at some point in the future, but for now the best path forward is through this book--which I'll be publishing independently of CREATORVC.I hope you'll join me in celebrating these wonderful games, and the people who made them, as I work through this new adventure at scummbook.com.

I'll have more to share about my plans soon, but for now I'll note only that I'm excited about the potential for a book about SCUMM's history and I'm determined to put the changed circumstances to good use by attempting to interview as close to *everyone* who worked on the games as is possible.

- Richard Moss, author: Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story
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Mark Boszko @swizzlevixen.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
scummbook.com Exciting! A book about the LucasArts SCUMM based games, forthcoming from @scummdoc.bsky.social and @mossrc.bsky.social
scummbook.com
Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story
A book about LucasArts and Humongous Entertainment adventure games, by Richard Moss
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Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story @scummdoc.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
You guys are quick! Thanks for spreading the news. I'll pop by the forums sometime this weekend to update the thread.
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Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story @scummdoc.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
The new site also has RSS, ActivityPub, and Atmosphere (Bluesky) publishing support, and I don't have target quotas anymore, so you don't have to sign up for emails if you'd prefer an alternative method to follow along.
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Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story @scummdoc.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
I built a new website for the book project: scummbook.com Official announcement about the documentary going on hiatus will come next week, now that the paperwork's been signed. For GDPR reasons, I need a new mailing list (the new site), but we'll send a final update out on the SCUMMdoc list.
scummbook.com
Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story
A book about LucasArts and Humongous Entertainment adventure games, by Richard Moss
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YakWaxLips @yakwaxlips.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
I’m working on my first large scale video. An in depth look at the Full Throttle sequels that never happened. It’d be great if you could come and subscribe on YouTube and any rts appreciated. Www.youtube.com/yakwaxlips
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Richard Moss @mossrc.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
If I were to write a book about the history, art, and design of the LucasArts and Humongous adventure games, and their underlying SCUMM engine, based on dozens of interviews, would you buy it? My SCUMM documentary is going on hiatus and I need to decide whether to do it as a book instead.
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TimOfLegend @timoflegend.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
I drew that sign as temp art, assuming a real artist would replace it. I think they left it in to punish me. Look, it’s not easy to draw a cursive F with a mouse in Enhanced Deluxe Paint II.
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Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story @scummdoc.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
My apologies about the lack of posts recently. Between travel, illness, other work, and uncertainty about the future of the project, I've not had much time or energy for updates. I'll be meeting with my executive producer next week to discuss what's next and if/how to proceed with the documentary.
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Boss Fight Books @bossfightbooks.com · 17/04/2026
Btw our AGE OF EMPIRES author has a doc in the works that might be worth your time: www.scummdoc.com @scummdoc.bsky.social
scummdoc.com
Home | Passport To Adventure: The SCUMM Story
From three-headed monkeys to rubber chickens with pulleys, the Passport to Adventure documentary will explore how SCUMM revolutionized adventure gaming and spawned some of the greatest point-and-click...
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Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story @scummdoc.bsky.social · 05/04/2026
Meanwhile, somewhere deep in the...uh, past? I thought maybe I could connect it to SCUMM with some Monkey Island wordplay, but the gist of it is that my latest book is up for preorder. It tells the story of the creation of the original Age of Empires, and I think it's a great yarn.
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Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story @scummdoc.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
When I contacted Ron Gilbert about the documentary, he told me "you need to talk to Brad Taylor". And talk to him I will. He goes by @lardratboy.bsky.social on here, and you'll hear lots of tech stories and insights from him if the doc goes ahead. Sign up at scummdoc.com to help get it greenlit.
Confirmed cast: Brad Taylor. 

Brad joined LucasArts in 1990 to help with SCUMM system development, then carried on that vital work through eight years as lead system programmer for Humongous Entertainment. His contributions include the uSWEAT/uSMELL, SPLAT, and CYST animation tools, the 3DO and Windows engine ports, and lots of performance optimizations.
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Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story @scummdoc.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
If we don't get there soon, they'll kill the doc. (And I'll have to move on to my plan B, as I'm going to tell some version of this story, one way or another.) So if you want to see/support a glossy commercial documentary about LucasArts/Humongous adventure games, sign up at scummdoc.com now.
scummdoc.com
Home | Passport To Adventure: The SCUMM Story
From three-headed monkeys to rubber chickens with pulleys, the Passport to Adventure documentary will explore how SCUMM revolutionized adventure gaming and spawned some of the greatest point-and-click...
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Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story @scummdoc.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
It costs a lot to make these documentaries — like a couple hundred grand minimum — and this is a niche concept in a difficult biz/marketing climate with a studio that's only had modest success with its past gaming docs. So we need loads of people to show interest if we're to get it over the line.
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Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story @scummdoc.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
Real talk: We're coming up on three months in "validation" and have yet to reach a point where the powers that be at CREATORVC can be confident this thing is commercially viable (which is not to say that there's not a viable audience, only that we're not sure we've found it).
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Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story @scummdoc.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
I'm so very pleased to say that Sam & Max creator Steve Purcell and his wife Collette Michaud, the former LucasArts art department manager, have agreed to be interviewed for the documentary, should it go ahead. (And if you want to help make sure it goes ahead, please sign up at scummdoc.com.)
Confirmed Cast: Steve Purcell. Steve created zany crimefighting duo Sam & Max, who made numerous cameos in background art both before and after they got their own game. He also painted the cover art for several SCUMM adventures. HIs SCUMM-related credits also include character art/animation on Loom.Confirmed Cast: Collette Michaud. Collette served as head of the LucasArts art department through the first half of the 90s. She was also lead animator on Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, co-designer on Sam & Max Hit the Road, and one of a few animators on Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge. She met her husband, Sam & Max creator Steve Purcell, through their mutual work as artists at LucasArts.
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Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story @scummdoc.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
Update: We have three new confirmed cast members (Steve Purcell, Collette Michaud, Brad Taylor) but we need to see way more interest in the project (ideally in the form of mailing list signups) if the documentary is to actually get made. Details: www.scummdoc.com/p/passport-t...
scummdoc.com
Passport to Adventure Update #2
New cast names, press, and a request!
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Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story @scummdoc.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
Far too many games journos are enthusiasts who enter the profession without training and then have to work without the safety net of a good editor. All the good editors I had in my years of freelancing would rip my work to shreds if I wasn't critical/skeptical of every claim a source makes.
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happy-ferret.bsky.social @happy-ferret.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
@scummdoc.bsky.social My HD renderer for SCUMM (now known as StoryBun. A name I chose as a homage to the cancelled StoryDroid engine originally planned for The Dig) gained SVG support & a PBR pipeline with GLB support for static objects and cursors. Coming up next: 3D actors and animated 3D objects
A dynamically lit 3D cursor with user defined RGB lighting (spot- and point lights can be set up on a per-room basis, using the HD pack's hd_manifest.json)A GPU accelerated vector art cursor displaying my project's logo/mascot. Currently, I'm having to disable anti-aliasing due to a bug in the renderer.The 3D renderer supports detailed .glb models with PBR textures and an option for custom vertex and fragment shaders. Animated textures are likewise supported.
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Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story @scummdoc.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
This in-development C64 conversion of The Secret of Monkey Island looks incredible. pixeldust.se/monkey-islan...
pixeldust.se
Pixeldust AB - Monkey Island Project
Joachim Ljunggren/Pixeldust is a Designer, Title Sequence and Motion Graphics Producer based in Gothenburg, Sweden. Over the past 15 years Joachim has designed, directed and produced title sequences a...
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Sandpenguin - Broken Relic @sandpenguin.bsky.social · 12/03/2026
How the art gets done in Broken Relic #pixelart #pixelartprocess #art #game #gamedev #gamedeveloper
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happy-ferret.bsky.social @happy-ferret.bsky.social · 10/03/2026
@scummdoc.bsky.social Working on an HD renderer (think Remonkeyed Engine, as seen in DOTT Remastered and Full Throttle Remastered) for SCUMM games So far fonts (still working on font rendering. Still lacks kerning), backgrounds and objects can be replaced More on my Patreon/YouTube
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Sean Jordan | Sharing Great Games You Probably Never Played! @greatestgames.substack.com · 06/03/2026
I know the internet trains us to want everything on demand and for free. But it's important to remember - if you love something someone makes, support them by: Amplifying their efforts Being appreciative with kind words Compensating them for their work It makes a huge difference!
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Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story @scummdoc.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
Here's a short clip from my interview about the project with @cressup.bsky.social, briefly going into how delightful the Humongous Entertainment games are and why I'm really looking forward to interviewing Ron Gilbert and Tami Borowick and others about them.
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Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story @scummdoc.bsky.social · 05/03/2026
Rosewater and Lamplight City are still sitting unplayed in my library, but I loved A Golden Wake — it's a fantastic point-and-click adventure that combines old-school sensibilities with smart design and an intriguing plot inspired by real history.
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Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story @scummdoc.bsky.social · 02/03/2026
I hope my daughters try swearing in longhand when they're older. It seems like an underrated skill.
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Todd Oxtra @toddoxtra.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
I was thrilled to interview Videogame historian and documentarian @mossrc.bsky.social on @thefandomfoundry.bsky.social MakerCast. Check out his latest project, Passport to Adventure so it can become your next favorite documentary. scummdoc.com
scummdoc.com
Home | Passport To Adventure: The SCUMM Story
From three-headed monkeys to rubber chickens with pulleys, the Passport to Adventure documentary will explore how SCUMM revolutionized adventure gaming and spawned some of the greatest point-and-click...
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Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story @scummdoc.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
I started another Freddi Fish adventure with my four year old a few days ago, and had to leave her to play by herself for some of the time. She found the "ghost" frightening and was frustrated she couldn't always go where she wanted, but was once again drawn in by the world and characters.
Freddi angrily confronts the ghost who has been scaring all the other kids. Freddi and Luther embarking on a new adventure through the haunted schoolhouse. This photo shows the inventory bubbles at the bottom of the screen. We hadn't picked anything up yet, but it notably has pre-set positions in the UI for each item you can collect.
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The Legend of Monkey Island @legendofmi.com · 25/02/2026
Nice easter egg on DuckDuckGo.com. If you search for “Guybrush Threepwood”, the logo transforms into Guybrush. Spotted by Technical_Pass7714 on Reddit.
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Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story @scummdoc.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
My colleagues at CREATORVC (the studio behind this project) just released the final trailer for new documentary The Thing Expanded, featuring Kurt Russell, John Carpenter, Keith David, and more. www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDIa...
youtube.com
The Thing Expanded Trailer feat. Kurt Russell & John Carpenter (2026)
YouTube video by CREATORVC LIVE
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Sean Jordan | Sharing Great Games You Probably Never Played! @greatestgames.substack.com · 24/02/2026
I'm always happy to see this box, even if it's just in my timeline. What a game! It's unquestionably one of the best adventure games ever made, and also one of the most influential!
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Brandon Santiago @4brandonjs4.bsky.social · 20/02/2026
Our game and the games that inspired it. #erma #indiegames
Erma The GamePajama SamPutt PuttFreddi Fish
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Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story @scummdoc.bsky.social · 22/02/2026
This. Loom is criminally underrated and underappreciated, and I want this documentary to change that (or at least help).
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Jack Nicholls @jackwnicholls.bsky.social · 21/02/2026
The people behind the FPS documentary I covered a while back are looking into making a documentary on Lucasarts SCUMM adventure games! It's early. They're assessing interest before going ahead but already got people like Ron Gilbert on board. www.scummdoc.com
scummdoc.com
Home | Passport To Adventure: The SCUMM Story
From three-headed monkeys to rubber chickens with pulleys, the Passport to Adventure documentary will explore how SCUMM revolutionized adventure gaming and spawned some of the greatest point-and-click...
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Retro Tech Dreams @retrotechdreams.bsky.social · 21/02/2026
The Curse of Monkey Island (1997)
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Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story @scummdoc.bsky.social · 22/02/2026
Which event/sport have you enjoyed the most? I seem to have a different favourite every go round. (This time it's the speed skating; last time it was curling.)
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Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story @scummdoc.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
EGM showcases the SEGA CD port of The Secret of Monkey Island without once mentioning its long load times, four-digit passwords, or awkward gamepad-controlled cursor. (It was a good port, though, all things considered.)
An advertorial-looking page about The Secret of Monkey Island for SEGA CD, featuring a half-dozen screenshots with captions plus a longer text block and an illustration of Guybrush with a sword. The main copy reads:
YO HO HO AND A BARREL OF MONKEYS
Shiver me timbers, laddie. Youngsters like you need to be careful if you wish to survive Monkey Island.
Fates worse than keel hauling await those not up to the challenge. Voodoo curses, ghosts, and witch doctors are but a few of the many obstacles you'll encounter.
Landlubbers listen closely, and i will tell ye a tale of treasure. Long ago a vicious of pirate named LeChuck found a secret entryway into an underworld. Filled with lava: it was. He met an awful fate, but he left behind more booty than you can imagine. Guarded by his ghost, no one has ever been able to steal his treasure. Will you be the first?
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Novastar_art @novastarart.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
If I've learned anything from "Putt Putt goes to the Zoo" and "Sam and Max" its that if you see an object strange and out of place, pick it up. It'll be useful for a puzzle later
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Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story @scummdoc.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
If you want something like that, but for LucasArts point-and-clicks, head to scummdoc.com and sign up. We're planning something a little different (and better!) with Passport to Adventure, and have learnt a lot since FPS, but that Duke3D video gives a good indication of what we're capable of.
scummdoc.com
Home | Passport To Adventure: The SCUMM Story
From three-headed monkeys to rubber chickens with pulleys, the Passport to Adventure documentary will explore how SCUMM revolutionized adventure gaming and spawned some of the greatest point-and-click...
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Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story @scummdoc.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
You may have seen the Duke Nukem 3D mini-documentary going around recently (www.youtube.com/watch?v=70mZ...) but not realised that was made by us. It's from our first gaming doc, FPS: First Person Shooter. (Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story will be our third, if it gets to production.)
youtube.com
Duke Nukem 3D 30th Anniversary Tribute | The Voice, Creators, and Legends Behind the King
YouTube video by Apogee Entertainment
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Ron’s Computer Videos 🧍‍♂️🖥️📼 @ronscompvids.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
Quite possibly my favorite LucasArts game. Please enjoy this compilation of all versions of the demo for Maniac Mansion. Hercules/CGA/EGA/Tandy/VGA video, plus PC speaker and Tandy audio: youtu.be/4BzwotTCES8
youtu.be
Maniac Mansion - 1988 - Hercules/CGA/EGA/Tandy/VGA Video
YouTube video by Ron's Computer Videos
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Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story @scummdoc.bsky.social · 16/02/2026
That would be a lot more newsworthy than this latest variation on "famous game designer loves games".
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Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story @scummdoc.bsky.social · 16/02/2026
He also loves the original King's Quest, and Phantasmagoria (I got him talking about that in TerrorBytes), and Age of Empires II is one of his all-time favourite games. He's got pretty broad tastes, like most great designers.
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Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story @scummdoc.bsky.social · 15/02/2026
Moonbase Commander, the most "wait...what?" of all the SCUMM engine games. It's a strategy game from right before Humongous got gutted by Atari. By all accounts a very good game that doubled as an introduction to the genre for kids. But it was overlooked by media and sold poorly.
The front cover of the "best of Atari" edition of Moonbase Commander. Tagline is "explore, strategize, conquer." The artwork shows some explosions and futuristic military buildings and a rocket being fired, with Earth looming in the background. Back cover of the game. Says it's appropriate for ages 9+. Blurb reads:

Take charge of your own lunar territory.
Plan strategies to find and exploit valuable energy pools, and wreak havor on your enemies.
Easy-to-learn turn-based gameplay, intense graphics and a specialised terrain editor make MoonBase Commander™ the space conquest game you'll want to play again and again.
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Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story @scummdoc.bsky.social · 14/02/2026
Look away if you love hamsters, stay if you like depraved comedy. And please don't try this at home.
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This Week in Retro @thisweekinretro.bsky.social · 14/02/2026
The last 8-bit episode: not a misprint! We look at the innovative SCUMM adventure game engine, getting the video doc treatment shortly. We also report on hope for retro users of PowerPC Macs and ancient accounting packages, and sift through the 30 year legacy of Duke Nukem 3D! youtu.be/9HjHy5m15eQ
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Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story @scummdoc.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
Thank you to @retrohandhelds.bsky.social for the fantastic little article about Passport to Adventure and my efforts to give LucasFilm's point-and-click era what they call "the big, glossy history lesson it deserves." retrohandhelds.gg/scumm-docume...
retrohandhelds.gg
SCUMM Documentary In The Works From Richard Moss - Retro Handhelds
Passport To Adventure is a new SCUMM documentary in pre-production, with LucasArts legends on board and fan sign-ups needed to push it into crowdfunding.
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