The Universe is Toast; why foster this hope?

This is where you can post your Commander Keen related stories, artwork, or other stuff that is related to Commander Keen but otherwise doesn't belong in another forum.
KeenEmpire
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Post by KeenEmpire »

Against stupidity, the Gods themselves contend in vain


sorry i may just be seeing stupid patterns. hope i don't go skitzo.
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Commander Spleen
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Post by Commander Spleen »

KeenEmpire wrote:hope i don't go skitzo.
Somehow I envisioned you singing this in a deliriously cheerful tone. Like, "Heeeeere's Johnny!"
Shadow Master
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Post by Shadow Master »

KeenRush wrote:Alright. :o I thought it was more Keen specific. 8)
Well, John Darian (the first ROTT boss) says "You're toast" too.

...

It's more likely to be a Keen reference since Tom Hall participated in that project too. :dead But what the hell, I just noticed one of the droids in Duke Nukem II looks remarkably similar to Sparky (Keen 5). And the guy in the right panel of Windows NT/2000/XP "Pinball" game wears jeans and a pink shirt as well...

Who created that game (Windows NT's pinball), anyway?
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KeenRush
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Post by KeenRush »

Wow, I never noticed that one! So it is. It could be some reference in that pinball game. Pink shirt and blue jeans, that's the fashion of the space it seems. 8)
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MortimerInBlack
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Post by MortimerInBlack »

Microsoft (R) 3D Pinball for Windows - Space Cadet
Version 5.1 (Build 2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.070227-2254 : Service Pack 2)
Copyright (C) 1981-2001 Microsoft Corporation
3D Pinball Table created for Microsoft by Maxis.
Copyright (c) 1995 Maxis.

that's what it says in the help -> about section.

interesting, so it's copyright began in 1981; perhaps it was tom hall who was inspired by pin ball! The truth comes out!!!

And who/what company is this Maxis? sounds sneakily suspiciously like an alias for....MORTIMER! we must get to the bottom of this, using the most advanced intelligence service we have--google (and wikipedia).
The Viking II lander actually did land on a 'rock' on Mars.
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Genius314
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Post by Genius314 »

interesting, so it's copyright began in 1981; perhaps it was tom hall who was inspired by pin ball! The truth comes out!!!

And who/what company is this Maxis? sounds sneakily suspiciously like an alias for....MORTIMER! we must get to the bottom of this, using the most advanced intelligence service we have--google (and wikipedia).
Ha ha. Actually, in case you (or anyone else) didn't read this somewhere else, Tom was inspired by himself as a child. The red converse and football helmet came from a photo. The purple shirt was just because it was the only color left over in the palette. (I think that's on the one 3dRealms page, but I don't feel like looking it up.)

Isn't Maxis the guys who made SimCity?

EDIT: And 1981... How could MS have created pinball way back then? Was Windows even around in 1981? And I doubt that it could have been "3D."
Unless they mean that MS is from 1981...
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KeenRush
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Post by KeenRush »

At least it's not that pinball, it definitely wasn't made in 1981. :)
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Commander Spleen
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Post by Commander Spleen »

And who/what company is this Maxis? sounds sneakily suspiciously like an alias for....MORTIMER!
Unfortunately an alias for EA now. But close enough.

As for the 1981 thing, they stamp that on everything. Or used to, at least. I believe that would be the year they started releasing software.
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Lava89
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Post by Lava89 »

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MortimerInBlack
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Post by MortimerInBlack »

Yea, I remember reading about how the purple was the only color leftover, and I know Tom made it all up himself. But the red converse and helmet came from a photo? That i did not hear, tho i did read Tom say he used to wear red converse high-top shoes and blue jeans.

I have not been able to figure out the 1981 thing. Maxis is indeed the maker of Sims, and it seems like microsoft pinball came out in 1995. If Microsoft does indeed just stamp it on everything, then well i guess that explains it, if u can even call it an explanation.

BTW, on wikipedia, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_Tilt%21_Pinball), there is a pic of space cadet pinball with a different background picture.

in the end, I guess this was another of Mortimer's decoys, like the mangling machine and omegamatic. :crazy
The Viking II lander actually did land on a 'rock' on Mars.
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/masterCa ... =1975-083C
Genius314
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Post by Genius314 »

But the red converse and helmet came from a photo?
:o ...Okay, I got that part wrong. I thought he said that he remembered seeing himself in a photo or something like that.

This is what he actually said:
Keen was basically me as a kid. Not that I had an IQ of 314, but I was sorta one of the smart 'n' geeky kids, and kinda ostracized because of that. So I drew a lot, wrote stories and stuff, and sort of escaped into science fiction, into my own little worlds. Keen is sort of who I wanted to be as a kid: brave, not scared. Confident, not awkward. And he wears what I wore and had as a kid: red Converse hi-tops, jeans, Packers helmet...except his shirt was purple, 'cause that was the color left over in EGA. The Packers helmet was a Christmas present from my folks. In Keen, it was his brother's Christmas helmet, 'cause my older brother was much older (11 years), so I looked up to him, emulated him. Of course, now grown up, I realize what a goon he was... (Kidding, Bob! No, I'm not. Yes, I am. Not.)
Nothing about a photo. :o
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Lava89
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Post by Lava89 »

To MortimerInBlack: I am guessing Maxis made the game and Microsoft published it (i.e. Commander Keen being developed by iD and published by Apogee), like Maxis was doing for a long time for Electronic Arts before they bought Maxis and eventually grafted them into the main EA company. And Microsoft puts the 1981-whatever on everything of theirs.
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Ceres
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Post by Ceres »

If Tom Hall likes Keen games and if he wishes to be able to continue the series, why shouldn't we have some hope? :) Let's hope that he'll earn enough bucks and won't forget about his old HIT.
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Post by MRC Marky »

My honest opinion is, that CK as a concept has no large-scale marketing potential for the copyright holders, and this is a major factor in why another Keen game will not see the daylight. That's why, I think they should get lenient on the rights and allow third parties use the concept as freeware.
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Post by Shadow Master »

MortimerInBlack wrote:Microsoft (R) 3D Pinball for Windows - Space Cadet
Version 5.1 (Build 2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.070227-2254 : Service Pack 2)
Copyright (C) 1981-2001 Microsoft Corporation
3D Pinball Table created for Microsoft by Maxis.
Copyright (c) 1995 Maxis.

that's what it says in the help -> about section.
The first copyright is that of the Windows Operating System, not of the application. However, since Microsoft considers this program an integral part of the Operating System, they put the system copyright timespan in the about dialog. The correct Copyright of the game here is probably something around 1995 (due to Windows NT 4.0 and the Plus! pack where it was originally included) by Microsoft (distribution) and Maxis (authoring).
MortimerInBlack wrote:And who/what company is this Maxis? sounds sneakily suspiciously like an alias for....MORTIMER! we must get to the bottom of this, using the most advanced intelligence service we have--google (and wikipedia).
*sighs*
Why you didn't search for it yourself from the beginning? :bloody
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