Steam
Valve

Re-animating classic games with ScummVM

GAMER

Article from Issue 53/2005

Author(s): CHRISTIAN BAUN

The SCUMM engine is the basis of almost all the classic

adventure games by Lukasfilm Games/LukasArts.

Now fans can launch these game on Linux thanks to

ScummVM.

The SCUMM (“Script Creation Utility

for Maniac Mansion”) adventure

engine was developed by

Ron Gilbert for Maniac Mansion, a game

released by Lukasfilm Games in 1987.

Lukasfilm Games, which was later

renamed LukasArts, made continual

improvements to the engine and used it

for a whole series of classic adventure

games.

History

Adventure games based on the SCUMM

engine introduced a sensational new feature

at the time. Players no longer

homeneeded

to type keyboard commands to

control the characters in the game, but

could simply point to objects to enable

hidden verbs. This genre is known as

“Point & Click Adventure.”

Buy Linux Magazine

SINGLE ISSUES

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Print Subscriptions

Digital Subscriptions

Related content

FOSSPicks

This issue's copy was almost late after Graham rediscovered just how immersive and addictive the 1997 game, Blade Runner, can be when recreated on the latest release of ScummVM. Plus, Graham explores Blender 2.8, Amass, Cookbook, Mangl, Cawbird, Chiaki, and more!

more »
Virtualization Intro

You’ll find a virtualization solution for every Linux environment – from the desktop to the enterprise server. In this month's cover story, we investigate some promising virtualization tools for Linux users.

more »
Kodi 18.0 and LibreELEC 9.0

Thanks to Kodi 18.0, LibreELEC 9.0 now supports the DRM encryption used by many streaming services. However, integrating Netflix, Amazon, and other streaming services does involve some manual work.

more »
FOSSPicks

Graham had an interesting moral dilemma this month: whether to include an open source Wordle clone or not. Read on to see his decision.

more »

comments powered by Disqus

Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters

Digital Autonomy

• The Answer Was Already on the Shelf
• Changing the Chip Industry: How Public Investment Has Grown Open Silicon
• United Nations Open Source Portal Goes Live
• EU Open Source Strategy Plays Key Role in Tech Sovereignty Package
• France Says “Au Revoir” to Microsoft

Support Our Work

Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.

Learn More

News

Linux Mint Shares a Possible Kernel Cleanup Solution

Administration , Kernel , Linux Mint

For those on Linux Mint who like to keep multiple kernels around but don't want them to take up too much space, you might be getting a new automated tool.
CachyOS Gets an Update

Arch Linux , CachyOS , KDE

CachyOS August 2026 release is now available with the latest version of KDE, some new features, and plenty of improvements.
The Linux Kernel Dev Staging Area Now Rejects AI-Generated Patches

Artificial Inte... , Kernel , Security

Unless a kernel patch is a valid security fix, it will be rejected if it was created using AI.
Linux Surpasses Double-Digit Market Share

Desktop , Linux , Operating Systems

According to two sources, the Linux operating system has hit a major milestone in market share that naysayers thought would never happen.
AI Helped Develop a Linux Exploit

Artificial Inte... , Security , vulnerability

A use-after-free race exploit was discovered and exploited on CentOS Stream 9.
Yet Another Linux Kernel Vulnerability Discovered

Kernel , vulnerability

Affecting millions of systems, a kernel flaw discovered by Qualys could allow users to gain root privileges.
Ubuntu 26.10 to Include Ubuntu Certified Hardware Check

Ubuntu

If you've ever wondered if your laptop or PC is officially certified to run Ubuntu, that curiosity will soon be met.
Substantial Update to IPFire Now Available

The lastest version of IPFire features a fundamental change to how the system handles DNS.
Gnome Working on Test Center App to Make Testing Easier

Gnome , Linux

It's now possible to test experimental features on the Gnome desktop without worrying that you'll break things.
New Vulnerability Discovered in Linux Kernel

Artificial Inte... , Kernel , vulnerability

Hiding out for nearly 15 years, the Ghostlock vulnerability allows a standard logged-in user to gain root privileges.