Mutiny on Monkey Island was the original working title for The Secret of Monkey Island. Although there were numerous changes from the original plan and idea, many aspects of the draft survived into later games.
You can read the design documents here: File:1990 Mutiny on Monkey Island.compressed.pdf File:1990 Mutiny on Monkey Island - Game Flow.compressed.pdf
Plot[]
The setting was the Caribbean Mêlée Island in the year 1590, but the goal of the game was the legendary treasure of Monkey Island. This has more in common with the story of Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge in which the hero seeks the mysterious Big Whoop which was thought to be the greatest treasure there could ever be.
The island was ruled by Governor Fat - an obvious precursor to L. Phatt - who lived the pirate life vicariously through his subjects. Fat wanted to increase his power and wealth, but seemed to be losing more than he gained. Rumour spread that he had found the map of Monkey Island and he had set a challenge to any pirate brave enough to seek the treasure for him.
Governor Fat would provide supplies and a ship, and in return he would receive one third of the treasure, the rest to be split among the crew. A pirate who did not return Fat's share would have violated the pirate code, and other pirates would be honour-bound to kill them.
Many ships went out on Fat's quest, but over the course of three years they all vanished.
It was said that the pirates were most likely lost due to two reasons. There was a fog around Monkey Island that was impossible to safely navigate due to reefs and rocks hidden within it. On the island itself were a tribe of Cannibals who may or may not be undead.
In place of wannabe pirate Guybrush Threepwood, the protagonist was has-been Captain Smear West, an infamous treasure hunter whose own pride disgraced him. He bears more resemblance to the Threepwood of 'LeChuck's Revenge' in this sense. To West, finding the legendary treasure is his last chance to regain his reputation. Governor Fat reluctantly agrees and sends West off with minimal funding, hoping that the mission will be the death of him.
However, the quest and the treasure of Monkey Island were a ruse. Governor Fat's map is a fake, and his offer to pirates is merely a way for him to gain power and influence over them. He had no need for more wealth, and if he did, the treasure was not something that could be brought to him.
On Monkey Island was a deep cave in the ground, and within that cave a crack that led to the entrance to Hell. The crevice glowed with red energy, and this energy could bring the dead to life. This was the fate of the pirates who had gone in search of the treasure had faced. The brave men were reborn as undead and bloodthirsty monsters who would become Fat's personal army.
The Cannibals of the island had made it their duty to guard the cave so that nobody would discover the terrible power inside, and when Smear and his ragtag crew arrive, they learn that they must stop the 'crew from hell'.
Similarities to the Monkey Island games[]
- The game involves a quest to reach Monkey Island from Mêlée Island just as in SOMI.
- The first character that the player meets is the Lookout at the top of the cliff who explains the premise.
- During the design phase of the game, Smear West's character was changed from a has-been to an inexperienced pirate wanting to prove himself.
- The pirate crew consists of three members.
- The impenetrable mist and somewhat friendly cannibals of Monkey Island are still in SOMI.
- A hellish cave filled with undead pirates under Monkey Island is found towards the end of SOMI.
- The plan to lure pirates to their deaths on Monkey Island and build an undead army becomes LeChuck's plan instead of Fat's. Though he has a crew in SOMI, this is best seen in COMI.
- The layout of Monkey Island itself is almost identical.
- The hero reaches Monkey Island from his ship by firing himself from a cannon.
- The puzzle remains in which the hero needs to retrieve an oar at the bottom of a cliff so he can use the rowboat around the island.
- Cannibals use an unusual key to access a giant stone monkey head.
- The hero is captured by the cannibals in their village when he tries to steal their key. He escapes the prison hut through a trapdoor. Each time he is caught, the natives barricade the door in more extreme ways.
- The treasure map contains clues that if followed correctly will lead through a maze to the giant monkey head. This was adapted for the The Legendary Lost Treasure of Mêlée Island in SOMI and for various puzzles in TOMI.
- A voodoo priestess makes an appearance. She and the cannibals help West to create a weapon from a root, much like the end of SOMI.
- The Cannibals provide West with a Head of the Navigator who wears an eyeball necklace that renders him invisible to the dead as they do in SOMI. The hero must use the necklace himself to sneak aboard the ghost ship.
- The quest for a highly prized but mysterious treasure is the plot for MI2.
- The past-his-prime hero who has become a boring bragger is how Guybrush Threepwood appears at the opening of MI2.
- Governor Fat (or Phatt) is instead the ruler of Phatt Island in MI2. He is still obsessed with power and wealth, and has bounties placed on his enemies.
- On the journey to Monkey Island, West's crew must restock their supplies by attacking other ships, stealing their goods, and selling them on nearby island. Later on in the game are other opportunities for ship to ship battles. The ship combat and sword fighting concept was adapted into COMI.
Major Differences to the Monkey Island games[]
- West has to find three crew members to join him. He is able to select from a group of five potential characters, but conflicts mean that he must leave two behind.
- The main villain is the island's governor, not an undead captain.
- There is no love interest.
- West does not have to face three trials to prove his worth before going on his quest.
- Insult Sword Fighting does not seem to make an appearance.