Pac-Man's enemies: Ghosts, Monsters, Ghost-Monsters?

[Retro Rogue]

The Midway flyer uses Ghost-Monsters.

 

Iwatani referred to them at one point as "ghost shaped monsters".

Edited April 24, 2011 by wgungfu

[AtariLeaf]

I'm used to calling them Ghost-Monsters because of the cartoon.

 

I just thought of a related question. What do you call the things that turn the enemies blue, Power Pellets, Power Pills, or Energizers?

 

Power Pellets.

 

BTW, for everyone, I chose my answer on the ghost/monster issue because that intermission I posted from the bottom of page 1 is from the game itself - everything else like the cartoons is from a story and universe created apart from the game itself - see my thread on the invented story of Centipede where a story is invented because it was ported to home consoles and little kids need something to associate with what they're playing on screen.

 

Since pacman became a cultural phenomenon, all kinds of stories and characters were created that stand completely apart from the game itself. I vaguely remember the cartoon but really didn't watch it because to me, pacman was a game, it didn't translate well into "stories" IMO. Maybe this is why movies based on video games don't do very well - see Wing Commander, Mortal Kombat, & Mario Bros. for details

[AtariLeaf]

The Midway flyer uses Ghost-Monsters.

 

Iwatani referred to them at one point as "ghost shaped monsters".

 

It makes me wonder if they would have preferred doing something a little different with the enemies but found the ghost shape easier to program and animate and just said "Lets call em ghost monsters"? Just a wild guess.

[onmode-ky]

I just thought of a related question. What do you call the things that turn the enemies blue, Power Pellets, Power Pills, or Energizers?

 

I've been trying to find the interview Toru Iwatani did with Namco during the 30th anniversary stuff last year, but I can't find it in English anymore. It's still there on the Japanese side of the PacMan.com site, though, and on page 2, Iwatani uses the term I was looking for, "power cookie" (English phrase transliterated into katakana, again).

 

However, of note, throughout this interview, Iwatani refers to the enemy characters as "ghosts" (once again, the English word in katakana). The word "monster" does not appear anywhere in the interview. Maybe he's changed what he calls them over the years.

 

Going back to the Japanese Wikipedia page, the term "power cookie" appears as well, but only in parentheses as an alternate for "power esa"; the latter word, pronounced like "essa," is the kanji 餌 written phonetically, and the word is a noun meaning "feed" or "bait," according to an online Japanese dictionary.

 

What to make of this? It looks like the game's original creator does not agree with the game's general audience on the terminology (assuming that the terms as used in the Wikipedia article were not written by one rogue editor whom no one bothered to correct).

 

onmode-ky

 

P.S. I have never known what the power items were supposed to be called in English. I think I have used all 3 of the terms BrianC listed, without preference.

[Retro Rogue]

However, of note, throughout this interview, Iwatani refers to the enemy characters as "ghosts" (once again, the English word in katakana). The word "monster" does not appear anywhere in the interview. Maybe he's changed what he calls them over the years.

 

Yes, he's changed it then. The interview I posted before is from 1986. He refers to them consistently as "ghost shaped monsters" or just "monsters" in there.

 

Going back to the Japanese Wikipedia page, the term "power cookie" appears as well, but only in parentheses as an alternate for "power esa"; the latter word, pronounced like "essa," is the kanji 餌 written phonetically, and the word is a noun meaning "feed" or "bait," according to an online Japanese dictionary.

 

In '86 he described them as energizers with the idea that they are the "spirit (kokoro), or the energy forces of Pac Man".

 

 

 

Edited April 24, 2011 by wgungfu

[Tr3vor]

I still say that the pacman intermission is the definitive answer - monsters wearing sheets to look like ghosts

 

 

huh. I always thought that was its guts, not a leg, but now that I see it..., maybe its a physical ghost with guts.

[+atari2600land]

If they are ghosts, who are they ghosts *of*?

[Tr3vor]

If they are ghosts, who are they ghosts *of*?

 

 

his ex girlfriends. apperantly, they're pissed that he and ms. pacman are getting together. idk

Edited April 25, 2011 by Tr3vor

[+darryl1970]

I still say that the pacman intermission is the definitive answer - monsters wearing sheets to look like ghosts

 

 

Most Definitely. I think it is sad that people refuse to correct themselves just because they experienced Atari's WIDELY CRITICIZED mess first! The arcade is the ORIGINAL art, and that art should be respected. We are here to preserve and appreciate history, and it has been altered. I have found some old arcade flyers that state "Ghost Monsters", which I can accept; but all of the arcade machines CLEARLY stated "Monsters" in the instructions, found on the monitor bezel.

Edited July 12, 2011 by darryl1970

[Rex Dart]

Most Definitely. I think it is sad that people refuse to correct themselves just because they experienced Atari's WIDELY CRITICIZED mess first! The arcade is the ORIGINAL art, and that art should be respected. We are here to preserve and appreciate history, and it has been altered. I have found some old arcade flyers that state "Ghost Monsters", which I can accept; but all of the arcade machines CLEARLY stated "Monsters" in the instructions, found on the monitor bezel.

 

If you're that concerned about preserving Pac-history, why not post a shot of the original cabinet?

[+darryl1970]

Most Definitely. I think it is sad that people refuse to correct themselves just because they experienced Atari's WIDELY CRITICIZED mess first! The arcade is the ORIGINAL art, and that art should be respected. We are here to preserve and appreciate history, and it has been altered. I have found some old arcade flyers that state "Ghost Monsters", which I can accept; but all of the arcade machines CLEARLY stated "Monsters" in the instructions, found on the monitor bezel.

 

If you're that concerned about preserving Pac-history, why not post a shot of the original cabinet?

LOL. Because that has already been done... People can Google that if they care to. I was just posting the shot FROM THE ARCADE bezel so the information would be in one place.

[retrorussell]

Good thread. I used to ponder over this as well.

 

I go with monsters. Simply because ghosts should pass through Pac-Man, you'd think.. not kill him by touch. Though I can understand those that say "ghosts" because it looks like they have sheets on. But the intermission does indeed seem to show the enemies to have feet so I'll go with monsters.. monsters which have no arms, possibly, indicating the monster crawling slug-like in the later intermissions.

 

Oh, and "ghost-monsters" should only be used IMO if a ghost and a monster had a kid and so the offspring is of mixed parentage, making it a "ghost-monster".

Edited July 13, 2011 by retrorussell

[Bloodreign]

I've always called them ghosts, but I do remember the intermission with the leg sticking out, now I'm not so sure. But since I've known them as ghosts for all these years, ghosts they shall stay to me.

[Cynicaster]

I'm guessing that the people in this thread have already put 100x more thought into the Pac-nomenclature than the original game designer ever did when he was designing the game.

 

Personally, I've been calling them ghosts for almost 30 years. I guess I didn't realize that the Atari 2600 version may be the reason for that. You can only convey so much with such simple graphics--to me "ghosts" always seemed fitting because they look like the archetypal sheet-over-the-head ghost costume (a la the Peanuts gang in The Great Pumpkin ).

 

Other than that, it's pointless to try to do a forensic analysis of the cutscenes, etc. to arrive at your answer, because the inherent assumption would have to be that the game actually makes some kind of sense. If you want to try to use evidence to put a name to the enemy species, then what about the rest? How does Pac-Man lay on his side and move around a maze? What are those dots made of, and why does Pac-Man feel the need to repeatedly eat them? Who puts the cherries in the maze, and why that spot? How does Pac-Man eat entire enemies except for the eyes? How do the eyes fly around by themselves? You get the idea..

[+Random Terrain]

I believe what I see in cartoons:

 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLpr-8LxIJQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLpr-8LxIJQ&rel=0&fmt=35&showinfo=0

[Bryan]

huh. I always thought that was its guts, not a leg, but now that I see it..., maybe its a physical ghost with guts.

 

Interesting. I never knew there were different takes on this. I always interpreted the intermissions as:

 

2. Blinky catches his sheet/disguise on a stick and exposes a leg.

3. Blinky's repaired sheet comes off entirely and he drags it behind him, running naked.

 

So, if the actual monster creature is a stumpy little fleshy guy who is not much more than eyes and legs, I wonder what it is he actually does to Pac Man upon touching him.

Edited July 13, 2011 by Bryan

[+atari2600land]

Did someone say Pac-Man cartoon?

 

 

[+Random Terrain]

Did someone say Pac-Man cartoon?

Yes they did:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvYJPES9Ykw&rel=0&fmt=35

 

 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=npU7Bhl8FJU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npU7Bhl8FJU&rel=0&fmt=35

[Vic George 2K3]

Fry Guys, like the creatures from McDonald's commercials.

[+darryl1970]

I'm guessing that the people in this thread have already put 100x more thought into the Pac-nomenclature than the original game designer ever did when he was designing the game.

 

Personally, I've been calling them ghosts for almost 30 years. I guess I didn't realize that the Atari 2600 version may be the reason for that. You can only convey so much with such simple graphics--to me "ghosts" always seemed fitting because they look like the archetypal sheet-over-the-head ghost costume (a la the Peanuts gang in The Great Pumpkin ).

 

Other than that, it's pointless to try to do a forensic analysis of the cutscenes, etc. to arrive at your answer, because the inherent assumption would have to be that the game actually makes some kind of sense. If you want to try to use evidence to put a name to the enemy species, then what about the rest? How does Pac-Man lay on his side and move around a maze? What are those dots made of, and why does Pac-Man feel the need to repeatedly eat them? Who puts the cherries in the maze, and why that spot? How does Pac-Man eat entire enemies except for the eyes? How do the eyes fly around by themselves? You get the idea..

 

Because, if Pac-Man ate the eyes, they would die. If they died, they would become Ghosts. LOL. Seriously, I just went by the instructions on the arcade cabinet, which stated they were monsters.

 

See... I was traumatized by the 2600 Pac-Man version. I remember Mom and Dad pre-ordered it a JC Penny's, and I got the game on release day. I got home, but I had to eat my supper before I could play. Mom was making big, handmade hamburg patties -- not the cool tasty ones like McDonald's. She used swiss cheese instead of American. (I actually think that Mom's thick, swiss hamburgers sound good now, but then was different... lol) They let me put the cartridge in and get to see it. I put the cartridge in, and it came on the large, wood grain console TV screen. I didn't recognize it. I noticed the large, blocky, flickery "Ghosts". I HAD to press reset.. I just wanted to, at least, hear that friendly tune! No luck! In fact, I heard what sounded like a "gong." I later realized that Pac-Man had eaten HALF of a "Video Wafer." WHAT???

 

I made the most of it, and tried to enjoy it. I tried playing it with Pac-Man Fever playing in the background. I tried everything. It was fun in it's own way, but I was very bitter. I was just pissed that the people at Atari COULDN'T READ any better than they could develop a Pac-Man clone, because I KNEW the arcade machine had "Monsters" written on it.

 

As much as it sounded like I just B*tChed, those were GREAT Memories..

[Cynicaster]

In fact, I heard what sounded like a "gong." I later realized that Pac-Man had eaten HALF of a "Video Wafer." WHAT???

 

 

Hahaha, video wafer? Is that what Atari called that brown and yellow square that pops up in the center of the screen? That's hilarious.

[Nukey Shay]

No, that is what they called the dots scattered about the maze...since the 2600's depiction were wider than they were tall - a compromise from using playfield pixels.

 

The center object was the "vitamin" - the 2600's replacement for the arcades' bonus object (or "fruit"). It looks that way because the program is using the 2 leftover sprites to build it...the player's missile stacked on top of the ball sprite.

[+darryl1970]

No, that is what they called the dots scattered about the maze...since the 2600's depiction were wider than they were tall - a compromise from using playfield pixels.

 

The center object was the "vitamin" - the 2600's replacement for the arcades' bonus object (or "fruit"). It looks that way because the program is using the 2 leftover sprites to build it...the player's missile stacked on top of the ball sprite.

 

Isn't that funny! They really botched that game up. Funny thing is that I thought the real arcade monsters were smart... I didn't realize that they were following patterns and x,y coordinates. I thought they could SEE, since their eyes really moved the direction they were traveling. Another naive reason for disliking the 2600 version, since their eyes spun in circles. I figured they were dumb... lol

 

I have seen ONE maze game on the 2600 to contain square dots. I found two when I "Googled" 2600 games with dots...lol. I got an interesting result...A thread on here!

 

Why Do 2600 games use lines instead of dots.

 

I found this pretty interesting, but I have some questions about the answers given on the site. I don't want to get off subject in here, but thought I would share.

Edited July 15, 2011 by darryl1970

[Nukey Shay]

I was never a fan of the method...since the rows of dots are misaligned and flickery (it just makes it look more sloppy overall). From a programming standpoint, this also costs resources which could be spent on more important things.

[desiv]

It's OBVIOUS they are both... They start out as Monsters..

Then:

Because, if Pac-Man ate the eyes, they would die. If they died, they would become Ghosts. LOL. Seriously, I just went by the instructions on the arcade cabinet, which stated they were monsters.

 

Yep, they DIE and become ghosts (or ghost-monsters as they are ghosts of Monsters at that stage).

 

Then, the make it back to the center, where they are brought back to life as Monsters again....

 

 

desiv