Questions for Dominic Armato!

[OutlawJim]

Another person here who worried straight away if you were going to be on board or not. I'm so glad you're back! My question is whether or not there was ever any question if you were coming back or not?

[S3BR4]

No questions, but a hardy ahoy matey from me

[alldogship]

I've watched the video for the remake of the Secret of Monkey Island™ and heard there that you worked very well because you knew the game. I was puzzled because the first Monkey Island® game with VO (with you) was the third game of the series (as far as I know).

Did you become a fan of Monkey Island® before, after or during The Curse of Monkey Island™ (the third game of the series)?

[Jawajoey]

This announcement, and having you still be involved, brings untold ecstasy to me and my pants. You were great as the duck!

[Duate]

Hey Dominic! Glad to see you back for this new series. It's all very exciting!

My qustions:

Do you hear the line "I can't use the skeleton arm with that" in your nightmares? I do.

And what was the hardest line to get right when recording the past MI games? My guess would be the monologue journal entry at the beginning of Curse, but it's probably something more random

[Nojh]

Originally Posted by alldogship

I've watched the video for the remake of the Secret of Monkey Island™ and heard there that you worked very well because you knew the game. I was puzzled because the first Monkey Island® game with VO (with you) was the third game of the series (as far as I know).

Did you become a fan of Monkey Island® before, after or during The Curse of Monkey Island™ (the third game of the series)?

A good question actually. I'm sure there are plenty of people here on the forums who feel "threatened" by the Lucas Arts calling you the Ultimate Monkey Island Fan Boy.

[RShini]

Sorry to load on new questions - but in the voicing - what's the funniest/worst blooper did you or a fellow VA commit?

[Jake]

I enjoy how buried Dom is going to be when he comes back to this thread.

[Duate]

use the multi-quote dom!

[Teppic]

Originally Posted by Jake

I enjoy how buried Dom is going to be when he comes back to this thread.

I wonder if this question thing was something he'd come up with. Otherwise he knows whom to blame!

[Peril]

Heh. Glad to see (hear? read?) that you are voicing everyone's favorite pirate wannabe turned full on pirate again.

[Zephyer]

Hey Dominic, good to see your seeking out the old grog again.

My question:

I've been reading your Skillet Doux for some time and I was wondering... If you were to name a meal after Monkey Island or anything from Monkey Island as sort of a tribute cooking thing, what would it be and what would you call it? Perhaps something that would go well with goodsoups drink recipes

[Noceur]

I can't wait to hear you tell me all the things I can't use with That(tm). ;D

[Steve2000]

Anyone else notice that when you read Dom's posts, they sound like Guybrush in your head?

[GuyMontague]

Originally Posted by Steve2000

Anyone else notice that when you read Dom's posts, they sound like Guybrush in your head?

Now I do.

[Dmnkly]

*deep breath*

Hokay, here goes!

Originally Posted by Bagge

I'm was very happy to learn that you will be doing Guybrush's voice again, Dominic! What's the best (out of context) line you've had to do for TMI so far?

Oh, gosh... this is tough mostly because it's been a couple of months since the last session, I've only done one pass through the script and our second kid arrived in the interim so my brain is completely useless at the moment. But I can say that I enjoyed the writing an awful lot. There were a lot of lines that I could have fun with.

Originally Posted by Laserschwert

What exactly started your "return to Monkey Island"? Was it the special edition of the first game, or the new Telltale series? Which call came first?

SMI:SE, by a nose. Darragh over at LucasArts actually located me through Facebook, I was in SF just a few weeks later, and it was during that week that I found out about Telltale's new material. After a very, very long layoff, it was a sudden abundance of monkeys.

Originally Posted by Laserschwert

Were the two projects linked in any way? (I guess this question goes to Telltale as well)

There are others who could say so definitively, but I don't believe so. I believe LucasArts and Telltale simultaneously and independently decided it was time to revisit Monkey Island. That kind of synchronicity can't be wrong!

Originally Posted by Laserschwert

How long did it take you to get back into "Guybrush-mode"?

Two lines? Seriously, Guybrush is second nature. Some characters are tricky. Guybrush I slip right into. I'm... uh... a little closer to him than I should be, probably.

Originally Posted by Laserschwert

Are you voicing any other character in either the MI1-SE or the "Tales of Monkey Island"-series? Judging by your old demo-tape it wouldn't surprise me if you did.

Continuing in my grand tradition of also voicing fowl, I had a few parrot lines this time. But no major characters.

Originally Posted by LuigiHann

What's your username mean? "Demon Kelly?" Ominous! I like that your custom title is "Dominic Armato," though. That keeps things unambiguous

See, now this is one of the few places where I can explain what it means without everybody looking at me like I should be committed. In SMI, Dmnkly is one of the dialogue options for the awestruck Guybrush during his first meeting with Elaine at the mansion. The folks at the old #monkey-island IRC channel deserve at least partial credit for that one. It's close to my name. I think somebody started calling me that, it stuck and I adopted it.

Originally Posted by morrigan

How do you feel about the return of MI in era post-a certain movie that rhymes with Schmirates of the Schmarribean? Did this have any impact on how you played Guybrush this time around? Other than that, how have you approached acting as Guybrush - same old mighty pirate we all love or any new twists?

Y'know, I watched the first Schmirates of the Schmaribbean and I couldn't enjoy it simply because I kept muttering to myself that an animated Monkey Island movie would be so much better (not to knock Johnny Depp -- dude rocks). But no, it didn't have any effect on how I approach Guybrush. As far as I'm concerned, PotC wishes it could be MI and Guybrush shouldn't change a damn thing :-)

Originally Posted by Phlogiston 4 Lyfe

Did you accept this job to earn money for developing an overwhelmingly expensive, but tastier version of Simulac for the kid?

While I wish I could say I did so for such altruistic reasons (that stuff is foul), the truth is that I accepted it because the opportunity to work on Monkey Island is one of the greatest things to happen to me and I'm lucky to be a part of it.

Originally Posted by Shale

How was (is?) it to go straight from voicing Guybrush in the first game to the fifth(!!!!)? Disorienting?

Not so much. Guybrush is Guybrush, and he isn't (or hasn't been) subject to any significant multiple game character arcs or anything like that. I tried to keep him a touch younger for SMI, and maybe a touch more mature for TMI, but we're talking about very, very subtle stuff. He's kind of ageless.

Originally Posted by Capt_Jack_Doicy

Which elaine do you prefer, the one in Curse or in Escape?

Hard to say since there was so little of Elaine in CMI and she was so prominent in EMI. Which is really my way of dodging the question. Did I just say that out loud?

Originally Posted by FauxVyse

How did you cope with the Monkey Island drought all these years?

Booze.

Originally Posted by stannum

Who is the funniest person that you've worked with so far?

I've actually spent very, very little time with the other cast members... none at all, in the case of TMI. For interactive like this, everybody generally records independently. In terms of his work, Tom Kane just kills me. And he's freaky talented. I'm not worthy.

Originally Posted by Ertai

Question for Dom: Which is your favorite Guybrush quote?

Criminy, I have no idea. There are plenty that are sillier, funnier and more interesting, but there's something about that classic "I want to be a pirate" that captures the essence of Guybrush.

Originally Posted by neversummer

Question for Dom: Do you have a large MI / Lucasarts big box game collection?

I do! I have copies of CMI and EMI still in the shrink-wrap, as well as my discs for most of the old adventure games.

Originally Posted by OnCallDoc

Dominic, which of the Monkey Island games is your favorite? Since the new one isn't out yet, which of the last four is your favorite?

This is one of those questions that I can't be even remotely objective about, but I'd have to say CMI, mostly because it's the first one I worked on and it'll always be special for that reason.

Originally Posted by BlackMageJ

It's great to have you back, Dom. They couldn't have done it without you. Well, they could, but we'd have hunted down and killed your replacement. You wouldn't want that on your conscience now, would you?

I can think of worse things to have on my conscience. Oh, crap, that was a rhetorical question, wasn't it?

Originally Posted by hyperslug

Anyway i would also really like to hear which Monkey Island game you prefer and also how it was to go back to the original classic and work on that.

I answered the former just above, and as to the latter, it was a little odd. A ton of fun, to be sure, but in some ways a little tricky. The dialogue for the original was written to be read in small chunks on the screen, not heard. So it was challenging at times to keep certain lines natural and conversational. But it was also a total blast -- resurrecting history. Albeit, history for a wacky subset of game nerds (among whom I count myself!).

Originally Posted by Seether

When you were originally cast as Guybrush for Curse oh so many years ago... Did you ever expect the series to have such a devoted (perhaps even rabid) fanbase?

Noooooo, can't say that I did. But I suppose I should have. I could just as easily have been on the other side.

Originally Posted by Seether

I look foward to being able to talk about Monkey Island and not receive blank stares or what? huh? What secret of what?

I'm REALLY hoping MI catches on big this time around. I feel like the timing is right. We all know how fantastic it is, and I think the potential now exists for a lot of other people to discover that as well. This isn't 1990 when it was a small number of computer gamers who played it. Everybody plays games now, and Monkey Island has universal appeal. Fingers crossed!

Originally Posted by Exataxes

My question for you is. What is your favorite Monkey Island scene or gag. If I had to pick, I probably have to go with all of the Guybrush and Murry scenes. Those 2 are just awesome together.

Guybrush and Murray is certainly in the running. I also have a soft spot for the lil' Guybrush and lil' LeChuck exchange from EMI. And in redoing SMI, well... let's just say that you should keep looking at every random object in the hellish caverns that you can until it gets really, really funny.

Originally Posted by maximmortal

Dom, are you as hot as Guybrush is?

Once upon a time, maybe. But now I'm married with two kids and am appropriately fat and happy.
Even hotter.

Originally Posted by Adamgamer

Its good to see you back Dom! What was your initial reaction when you learned you would be voicing good old Guybrush again?

Giddiness. Just couldn't stop bouncing off the walls. I'd long given up hope.

Originally Posted by CalBearRJ

Correct me if I'm wrong, but "dmnkly" is one of the nonsense lines that you can make guybrush say when he's first talking to Elaine in The Secret of Monkey Island.

Could've let you answer the question above... good call!

Originally Posted by EwenW

My question: what IS the Secret of Monkey Island?

Cured pork. Or maybe that's wishful thinking.

Originally Posted by Lena_P

Will you be coming to PAX?

I'd love to go to PAX.

Originally Posted by Lena_P

Did you grow the beard to help you feel more piratey, or are you just all pirate, all the time?

"Piratey" is not a destination, it's a journey. I aim for constant self-improvement in that arena.

Originally Posted by Diduz

Your surname is Armato.
Is your real name Domenico?

No, just Dominic. Unless you count Italian class in college!

Originally Posted by Notkcots

How long did it take you to record all the lines? When did you first catch wind of it?

Episode one (the only one I've recorded so far) took somewhere in the neighborhood of ten hours, give or take. But we flew. Like I say, Guybrush is kind of second nature at this point.

Originally Posted by OutlawJim

My question is whether or not there was ever any question if you were coming back or not?

You'd have to ask the guys at Telltale :-)

Originally Posted by alldogship

I've watched the video for the remake of the Secret of Monkey Island™ and heard there that you worked very well because you knew the game. I was puzzled because the first Monkey Island® game with VO (with you) was the third game of the series (as far as I know). Did you become a fan of Monkey Island® before, after or during The Curse of Monkey Island™ (the third game of the series)?

I had (extensively) played and was a big fan of the series well before I had the opportunity to audition for CMI, and I was told after the fact that my knowledge of and love for the game were a strong point in my favor when they were making the final casting decision.

Originally Posted by Duate

Do you hear the line "I can't use the skeleton arm with that" in your nightmares? I do.

No, but I guess I will now. (curses)

Originally Posted by Duate

And what was the hardest line to get right when recording the past MI games? My guess would be the monologue journal entry at the beginning of Curse, but it's probably something more random

I can't think of anything specific, but it's always those short little throwaway lines that trip you up. The less you have to work with, the harder it is to get it right.

Originally Posted by RShini

Sorry to load on new questions - but in the voicing - what's the funniest/worst blooper did you or a fellow VA commit?

If I possessed the brainpower at the moment, I'd make up some hilarious story about some crazy blooper / double ententre that had the guys in the booth rolling on the floor. But the truth is that I can't think of any!

Originally Posted by Teppic

I wonder if this question thing was something he'd come up with. Otherwise he knows whom to blame!

Oh, this is all Jake's fault. But I'll get him back. Live in fear, Jake!

I'm going to be traveling a lot over the next week, but I'll check back in when I can. Keep 'em coming. And thanks for the kind words, folks. It really means a lot.

(P.S. If anybody can or has an in with somebody who can accelerate time to get us to July 7th a little quicker, drop me a line, K? I'm impatient.)

[snoopyjy]

I have to say thanks for contributing Dominic and I am sure that after Sam and Max I will love the Monkey Island series just as much!

[Joe Newberry]

Dominic, your awesomeness grows ever greater. That has to be the most thoughtful, thorough response I've ever seen out of an actor. I got the impression you were generally interested in answering everyone, rather than acting like your little adventure game job was beneath you and pure torture to discuss. This continues my longstanding belief that voice actors are the best kind. Thanks for giving us the time of day.

[LuigiHann]

See, now this is one of the few places where I can explain what it means without everybody looking at me like I should be committed. In SMI, Dmnkly is one of the dialogue options for the awestruck Guybrush during his first meeting with Elaine at the mansion. The folks at the old #monkey-island IRC channel deserve at least partial credit for that one. It's close to my name. I think somebody started calling me that, it stuck and I adopted it.

Must have been exciting to record that line for the remake, eh?

[one year later]

Just wanted to throw another hells yes out there because hells yes. I think I hesitated a whole 10 seconds after seeing the link to preorder the whole game, god damn I feel like I'm 10 years old again.

I'm not the only one who has a ripped mp3 of the pirate song from CMI on their ipod, right?