Following the success of the debut episode of Tales Of Monkey Island, Telltale Games is currently prepping the second chapter, The Siege Of Spinner Cay, for release. We caught up with designer Joe Pinney to find out more about the pirate adventure.

The point-and-click genre has been dormant in recent years. How did Tales Of Monkey Island originally come about?
"Telltale’s been in contact with various teams at LucasArts over the years, and all agreed that the time’s now ripe for the return of Guybrush and crew."

How were LucasArts and Ron Gilbert involved in the game's development? What kind of contribution did they make?
"Ron and Telltale’s design director Dave Grossman have kept in close contact over the years. Ron came to the Telltale office early on for some concentrated game dev sessions and he’s given good feedback in a variety of areas as the games developed - storylines, character development, etc."

What was the biggest challenge you faced in bringing such a nostalgic franchise to the current generation?
"Being true to the classics while moving the story forward. It sure helps to have the folks who worked on the original games here working on the new ones."

Do you feel it was a risk developing the game in 3-D given the mixed fortunes of other point-and-click games in this format?
"A necessary risk I think. We're constantly evolving and improving our 3-D presentation controls, and we tune and refine by doing."

Are you pleased with the way the first episode has been received by fans and critics?
"Yes! It's been great to see old and new fans dig in and enjoy the return of Monkey Island."

Which aspect of the game are you most pleased with?
"I love the opening sequence in Chapter 1. It's so dynamic."

What are the chances of us seeing more episodic Monkey Island titles in the future?
"The future is a very long time. Right now, we’re focusing on excellence for the games we’re currently working on."

To what extent do you think the point-and-click genre has made a comeback? Can it ever reach the heights of the 1990s?
"I think it's already enjoying a strong comeback, albeit in a world much more awash in entertainment options than ever before. I can see it surpassing the '90s glory days, though perhaps not as prominently, due to this crowded field.

The Siege Of Spinner Cay is released on August 20.