Developers, what are some of the craziest things you seen or heard about?

[Tars Tarkus]

Many thanks for the link.
It would be an easy thing to ridicule him for a variety of reasons. It would be equally facile to label him some misunderstood genius I think. Having a sheaf of his drawings at hand to occasionally challenge staff with a "How could we make this work?" thought exercise might be a nice tonic against jaded gaming pre-conceptions though.

 

[Carl B]

ShootMyMonkey, were you drunk when you wrote this? I know how you can get! (great storytelling by the way)

But seriously, I knew your previous office environment was dysfunctional, but this takes my understanding to a whole new level!

PS - I would definitely pursue that comic strip idea of yours

 

[Jon Brittan]

Many thanks for the link.
It would be an easy thing to ridicule him for a variety of reasons. It would be equally facile to label him some misunderstood genius I think. Having a sheaf of his drawings at hand to occasionally challenge staff with a "How could we make this work?" thought exercise might be a nice tonic against jaded gaming pre-conceptions though.

I would agree with that entirely, some of the best games to have been released in the past really could have looked quite stupid when down on paper, but work brilliantly well as a concept. There's always going to be some "unrescuable" material, but it's good to challenge yourself with turning something unlikely into something feasible (I'm an IT Manager and my bosses have my department doing that on a daily basis ).

 

[ShootMyMonkey]

ShootMyMonkey, were you drunk when you wrote this? I know how you can get!

It takes a lot to really get me drunk, though. And even those times that I've gotten completely hammered (read : college), I'm still lucid enough to remember something that happened 11 years prior.

But seriously, I knew your previous office environment was dysfunctional, but this takes my understanding to a whole new level!

Haha... glad it's clear now... And I guess at this point, it would actually be the previous before the previous office environment. My previous workplace also had its share of dysfunctions, but for entirely different reasons, few of which are really humorous in nature.

 

[fearsomepirate]

Did this creature's company ever actually publish a game?

 

[Nesh]

Minter's forum got a thread about Dennis Greenidge:
http://www.yakyak.org/viewtopic.php?t=25530

WAIT A SECOND!!


What you are trying to say....is that they actually USE his drawings as an inspiration for videogames?

 

[zsouthboy]

I would LOVE to see someone do a compilation and publish a book!


Keep 'em coming! I love knowing that *I* am NOT working with the craziest people in the world!

 

[Nesh]

I would LOVE to see someone do a compilation and publish a book!


Keep 'em coming! I love knowing that *I* am NOT working with the craziest people in the world!

I am crazy, I draw better and I AM NOT WORKING IN THE GAMING INDUSTRY!!! ITS SO UNFAIR!!!

 

[patsu]

I am crazy, I draw better and I AM NOT WORKING IN THE GAMING INDUSTRY!!! ITS SO UNFAIR!!!

Ah you see.... my friend... are you entertaining ? Just kidding.

 

[patsu]

are you making reference to DnL ? ( pourrieu rocks , NP3 sucks)

Nope !

For some reason, the image of a Dodo bird pops up after forming an initial impression of Mr. It. I might also add that I feel like robbing him and take all his money away.

... no need for a game developer adventure game anymore.

 

[ShootMyMonkey]

Did this creature's company ever actually publish a game?

Certainly not. I was there from day one to the day it went under. Well technically, the company sort of existed for about 2 weeks prior to my starting (there was one coder and 1 modeller before me, and before that it was just the creature), but it was in the creature's home then, rather than in an office.

Having a sheaf of his drawings at hand to occasionally challenge staff with a "How could we make this work?" thought exercise might be a nice tonic against jaded gaming pre-conceptions though.

Okay, then... I'll feed you the creature's level design. I still remember it, so I did a quickie photoshop version (obviously far less sloppy than the original). But it does have all the content of the original --

Any questions about the details, I've got them all, since I still remember the complete conversation when it explained what all that is supposed to mean.

For some reason, the image of a Dodo bird pops up after forming an initial impression of Mr. It. I might also add that I feel like robbing him and take all his money away

Speaking of which, the creature at one point, apparently trying to impress us with its wealth, kept talking about its unwillingness to carry bills smaller than $100. Telling a story about how it couldn't buy anything that morning when it went to McDonald's because it "didn't know that McDonald's doesn't take $100 bills"... and how "that's just silly that just because lowlives like you guys don't carry them, doesn't mean we should penalize real people like me who actually matter." After repeated stories of fast food joints not taking $100 bills, we all just said... "that's great... you know, why don't you go down to the Sonic next door and complain about it?" Which is exactly what it did, and yes, it started screaming out to the crowd, through a bullhorn, that fast food places should take $100s because "all I ever carry are $100 bills!"

 

[Carl B]

(I'm going to make millions!)

 

[patsu]

Okay, then... I'll feed you the creature's level design. I still remember it, so I did a quickie photoshop version (obviously far less sloppy than the original). But it does have all the content of the original --

Any questions about the details, I've got them all, since I still remember the complete conversation when it explained what all that is supposed to mean.

Great ! E3 is just a week away. With any luck, we might even have something to show.

Question: Why is that ship larger than the planet and the Sun ? I mean... is that intentional ?

 

[digitalwanderer]

Certainly not. I was there from day one to the day it went under. Well technically, the company sort of existed for about 2 weeks prior to my starting (there was one coder and 1 modeller before me, and before that it was just the creature), but it was in the creature's home then, rather than in an office.


Okay, then... I'll feed you the creature's level design. I still remember it, so I did a quickie photoshop version (obviously far less sloppy than the original). But it does have all the content of the original --

Any questions about the details, I've got them all, since I still remember the complete conversation when it explained what all that is supposed to mean.


Speaking of which, the creature at one point, apparently trying to impress us with its wealth, kept talking about its unwillingness to carry bills smaller than $100. Telling a story about how it couldn't buy anything that morning when it went to McDonald's because it "didn't know that McDonald's doesn't take $100 bills"... and how "that's just silly that just because lowlives like you guys don't carry them, doesn't mean we should penalize real people like me who actually matter." After repeated stories of fast food joints not taking $100 bills, we all just said... "that's great... you know, why don't you go down to the Sonic next door and complain about it?" Which is exactly what it did, and yes, it started screaming out to the crowd, through a bullhorn, that fast food places should take $100s because "all I ever carry are $100 bills!"

Damn it, I sooo want to rep you again for all these great stories but I gotta spread some more around first.

Thank you so much for sharing though, this stuff is just freaking gold!!!

 

[ShootMyMonkey]

Question: Why is that ship larger than the planet and the Sun ? I mean... is that intentional ?

I have no clue... that's just how it drew it on the original. And I still remember that clearly because like you, I found it noteworthy. I do remember the creature saying something about the sun being a white dwarf star, but I think it overdid the "dwarf" aspect.

Oh, and the lines on the planet? Those are supposed to signify that the planet has an atmosphere.

 

[Carl B]

Oh, and the lines on the planet? Those are supposed to signify that the planet has an atmosphere.

Yes, yes... it's all so clear now!

 

[Tars Tarkus]

Apologies for the confusion, I was referring to Mr. Greenidge's work in my previous post. Didn't mean to thread-jack from your fantastic stories ShootMyMonkey

 

[Nesh]

Certainly not. I was there from day one to the day it went under. Well technically, the company sort of existed for about 2 weeks prior to my starting (there was one coder and 1 modeller before me, and before that it was just the creature), but it was in the creature's home then, rather than in an office.


Okay, then... I'll feed you the creature's level design. I still remember it, so I did a quickie photoshop version (obviously far less sloppy than the original). But it does have all the content of the original --

Any questions about the details, I've got them all, since I still remember the complete conversation when it explained what all that is supposed to mean.


Speaking of which, the creature at one point, apparently trying to impress us with its wealth, kept talking about its unwillingness to carry bills smaller than $100. Telling a story about how it couldn't buy anything that morning when it went to McDonald's because it "didn't know that McDonald's doesn't take $100 bills"... and how "that's just silly that just because lowlives like you guys don't carry them, doesn't mean we should penalize real people like me who actually matter." After repeated stories of fast food joints not taking $100 bills, we all just said... "that's great... you know, why don't you go down to the Sonic next door and complain about it?" Which is exactly what it did, and yes, it started screaming out to the crowd, through a bullhorn, that fast food places should take $100s because "all I ever carry are $100 bills!"

Your stories sound so crazy with this..."creature" that I sometimes get the impression that you are just messing with us

Ah you see.... my friend... are you entertaining ? Just kidding.

*Shakes fist* I LL SHOW YOU ENTERTAINMENT

 

[Npl]

Your stories sound so crazy with this..."creature" that I sometimes get the impression that you are just messing with us

My first thoughts exactly. But then he appears to be rational thinking, theres no way he could make up so much nonsense.

Man, I would love to know how the creatures battle with the law ended. I could imagine him sitting in Court and telling the judge to shut up, because he is a millionaire an therefore right.

 

[patsu]

I have no clue... that's just how it drew it on the original. And I still remember that clearly because like you, I found it noteworthy. I do remember the creature saying something about the sun being a white dwarf star, but I think it overdid the "dwarf" aspect.

Oh, and the lines on the planet? Those are supposed to signify that the planet has an atmosphere.

Ok, all my friends keep telling me stupidity is contagious (referring to me as a root cause naturally). May be it is true. To thank you for this very wonderful thread, I shall submit an entry to Mr. It's game design puzzle. That way, you'd have closure in life, especially in this terrible experience that must have left you emotionally scarred. Amen.

You can take it to the same Microsoft guy and tell him another construction company wants to do a game with 'em.

Oh before we begin, Mr. It is correct. A White Dwarf can be very small (before they collapse to become a black hole). The planet cannot be too close for obvious reason. So there, he may actually be a real Civil Engineer from SUNY afterall but I have digressed.

Over here, you see Mr. It's ship wandering around in space and "humping" stars. Don't ask me why the ship's humping, and how. Just think of it as mining or somethin OK ? (See the device sticking out from it ? You drew it, I just moved that thing around). I even left the Suns' receiving arms intact.

So in turn the stars will produce assorted planets (depending on what stars it is. Red Giant, White Dwarfs, regular blondes, ...). The planets will moves erratically in space and will destroy the ship if they cross path. The Ship also needs to derive strategies in approaching different stars, just like your Saturday night outings. Some Suns may have weapons or guards on them (like Hitler riding on a flying Harley or on a dinosaur with "Improbable" canons on both sides).

The Ship has no weapon but can may interact with the Suns to drive the hordes of planets away momentarily in case it gets heavy.

How do you play it ? Well... kinda like Crystal Quest, complete with all its quirky sound.

Or better yet, while the ship is doing its Monkey business in your solar system, your job is to shoot its err... stick off with an inter-galatic photon sniper-rifle (with count down of course). Hence, the name of the game: ShootMyMonkey.

Q.E.D.

Do I get banned for this ? It's the pre-E3 syndrome.