Where in the world is...? Or, Oldies, check in here!

Andail · Thu 12/03/2015 10:36:48

Since we've had some threads asking about long time members lately, I thought we could make this thread about trying to get oldies to return to the community, if only to say hi in this thread, and maybe write some lines about their current situation.

Anyone can write in here to add the names of long gone members!

I can think of too many to count, but here's a few just to get the ball rolling: Where in the world is Unilin? Rodekill? LasNaranjas? Ghormak? Helm? Goldmund? Mr Colossal? Pesty? etc.

(I do have many of these on Facebook, but let's pretend they're just gone without a trace and I have no idea what they're up to...)

AGA · Thu 12/03/2015 10:53:22

For reference.

Darth Mandarb · Thu 12/03/2015 12:53:00

DragonRose, DGMacphee, Slypher and TheYak (YakSpit)

Synthetique · Thu 12/03/2015 13:33:35

Quote from: AGA on Thu 12/03/2015 10:53:22
For reference.

I feel old now.

Monsieur OUXX · Thu 12/03/2015 14:12:19

I don't know how old is Ashen but he's the one who answered all my beginner's questions back in the days.

Eric · Thu 12/03/2015 17:22:08

Mr. Colossal just saw the release of the book version (by Amulet) of his popular webcomic Rutabaga.

ManicMatt · Sun 15/03/2015 08:37:55

They're all in my basement handcuffed to radiators. If the AGS forums can't have them, nor can the world.

Retro Wolf · Sun 15/03/2015 11:01:43

I was testing a RON game for some kid named DarkWater a couple of years ago, no idea what happened to that guy.

Dualnames · Sun 15/03/2015 11:51:40

There are people that just pursue other things. Las Naranjas logged in last an hour before i created my account. Let's just say nobody has seen me and LN online at the same time. Helm I believe left, then came back, then left again, he's drawing a lot, I have him on FB.

BarbWire · Sun 15/03/2015 12:54:15

Hi Fellow AGSers

I'm afraid I can't shed any light onto why certain Oldies, as they have been labelled (Or should this be Disciples of Chris Jones) have gone AWOL, but I do have a
theory as to why this may be. I have noticed that there seems to be a distinct lack of interest, shown by the AGS community, in playing games which the makers have
put a lot of time and effort into producing. Why is it that a game can show a couple of thousand viewings but have only been downloaded a handful of times? Also, very
few comments are made regarding content of these games and not many ratings given.
There are a few exceptions such as the brilliant Heroine's Quest. Also, Mudlarks is doing well, lately, but I wonder if this is because other sites have picked up on
these and this is helping their cause. It must be very disheartening for those members who work hard to bring cost free entertainment to others, only to have their offerings
virtually ignored. Perhaps this is why the Disciples have become disillusioned and, no doubt, decided to take their talents elsewhere. There are some real gems to be enjoyed
so come on get downloading, commenting and rating NOW!

Retro Wolf · Sun 15/03/2015 13:24:32

BarbWire, I think it depends where you upload your game.
I uploaded SpaceTwine to GameJolt two years ago. 568 plays.
Newgrounds 6 months ago, almost 8000 plays.

Also AGS database statistics can be misleading, because players don't have to go through it. Reality check has 300 downloads on the database, I know for a fact that the file has been downloaded 500 times. That's not even taking into account the sites that stole my games, and of course the RON website.

Maybe I just look at it a different way, I don't make games for other people, but for my own enjoyment. If I get just a few people telling me they liked it, then I'm happy.

But I do agree we should make more effort (myself included) to play more AGS projects.

BarbWire · Sun 15/03/2015 14:50:45

Hi Retro Wolf

I read your comments with interest. I was not aware that games can be uploaded to
Gamejolt, or that download figures can be misleading. Thanks for the info.

Best wishes
BarbWire

ManicMatt · Sun 15/03/2015 16:06:41

I'll be honest, my new game does feel ignored, but I was putting that down to the smaller active users there seems to be on here these days. I was also thinking "Maybe it doesn't appeal to people" but it wouldn't stop me from making any more games in the future, or it wouldn't be that reason if I didn't. I also have my previous game looming over with me 5000 odd downloads and only 128 downloads for my new one, but hey that was many years ago it was uploaded! I did make this game as a personal achievement to improve upon my previous game, but I also want as many people as possible to play it, but I am not sure on where is best to promote it. (It's free by the way)

LimpingFish · Sun 15/03/2015 22:02:53

Quote from: BarbWire on Sun 15/03/2015 12:54:15
...but I do have a theory as to why this may be. I have noticed that there seems to be a distinct lack of interest, shown by the AGS community, in playing games which the makers have put a lot of time and effort into producing.

I very much doubt this is the reason.

Stupot · Mon 16/03/2015 02:55:06

I felt that many of the 'oldies' who were well-established members by the time I got here all seemed to become less active or just disappear around about the same time that all the religious and moral "debates" were at their peak. Maybe that is what drove them away. Or maybe it was the opposite, and the fact that they left meant that the boards were less active so people got bored and started arguing about God instead. I could be way off but it seemed to be linked from where I was sitting.

Retro Wolf · Mon 16/03/2015 06:39:24

People just grow up! Have kids, get real jobs. Priorities change.
Hobbies can evolve or change. I certainly don't check into the stop motion animation communities like I used to, I just don't do it anymore.

Andail · Mon 16/03/2015 10:59:02

I do think this development is a bit sad, because while the community has seen a decline in the daily, casual activity, we create games like never before.

So while we now have the resources, skills and time to make great games, many of which are lucrative (well, I guess some are) commercial ventures, we spend less time being a community.

Dualnames · Mon 16/03/2015 13:34:19

People move on, forums in general are into a decline, and this one is no exception.

BarbWire · Mon 16/03/2015 14:53:57

Hi ManicMatt

Always one to practice what I preach I have just downloaded LIMBO THE ADVENTURE GAME. I will give it a go, comment and rate it.

Best Wishes
BarbWire

Darth Mandarb · Mon 16/03/2015 14:55:48

I just always assumed it was my smell that drove 'em all away.

[delete} · Mon 16/03/2015 16:31:23

Sometimes I even miss those forum downtimes, that feeling of losing s.th.

BarbWire · Mon 16/03/2015 16:44:18

Hi Darth Mandarb
Well, that certainly lightened the mood and made me laugh.
Let's hope AGSers reading and commenting on these posts will renew interest in a great package.
I'm sure there's life in the old dog yet. And I'm not talking about you!

Best Wishes
BarbWire

AGA · Mon 16/03/2015 16:59:59

Most of us were teenagers and students in the early days. Now we're adults, and have more important things to do with our time.

Quintaros · Mon 16/03/2015 18:59:16

Quote from: Andail on Mon 16/03/2015 10:59:02
...while the community has seen a decline in the daily, casual activity, we create games like never before.

That's been my observation as well since coming back. People are doing instead of talking about doing and that's great. But I do miss the volume of activity on the forums where I could visit the forums a few times throughout the day and expect to see lots of new posts and interesting threads each time.

ManicMatt · Mon 16/03/2015 20:04:10

Aw, thanks BarbWire!

LimpingFish · Mon 16/03/2015 23:57:24

Quote from: Quintaros on Mon 16/03/2015 18:59:16
But I do miss the volume of activity on the forums where I could visit the forums a few times throughout the day and expect to see lots of new posts and interesting threads each time.

People had a lot of opinions regarding the more incendiary thread topics, and weren't afraid to post them. Religion, politics, The Forgotten Element, trolls, etc. Aside from some Icey-related business, we don't see so much of that any more.

Synthetique · Tue 17/03/2015 16:15:53

Quote from: Darth Mandarb on Mon 16/03/2015 14:55:48
I just always assumed it was my smell that drove 'em all away.

Your smell led me back.

Mouth for war · Tue 17/03/2015 18:45:31

AGA...How DARE you say a thing like that...more important things to do...hmmfff ;-)

BarbWire · Wed 18/03/2015 15:39:36

Hi All
Just one more thing then I'll leave you in peace ( cue Sigh of relief from the powers that be)
I wonder how many members have actually defected to Multi Media Fusion and Android.
If they have they should return to AGS tout suite ( should that be tout de suite) because we miss them.

Atelier · Thu 19/03/2015 11:28:21

Quote from: AmÃ©lie on Mon 16/03/2015 16:31:23
Sometimes I even miss those forum downtimes, that feeling of losing s.th.

Yeah, please can we program some artificial downtime to happen for a few hours every couple of weeks?

[delete} · Thu 19/03/2015 20:08:52

I miss Subspark, who was the sprite artist of Indiana Jones and the Fountain of Youth.

Peder 🚀 · Sat 28/03/2015 14:15:10

Quote from: Atelier on Thu 19/03/2015 11:28:21
Yeah, please can we program some artificial downtime to happen for a few hours every couple of weeks?

ok..

Nikolas · Wed 01/04/2015 20:04:21

I can't believe that I still have the bigblue forum page as my homepage, yet I've stopped posting.

Nobody asked for me, but I'm still here... just not doing many games anymore (music I mean).

How about Kinoko or Vince XII? Or Don the Barbarian...?

ManicMatt · Wed 01/04/2015 20:42:37

Hey Nik! Is that to remind you of where you came from to where you are now? (Er sort of)

Even your avatar has gone!

Babar · Wed 01/04/2015 20:46:42

Quote from: Nikolas on Wed 01/04/2015 20:04:21
I can't believe that I still have the bigblue forum page as my homepage, yet I've stopped posting.

Nobody asked for me, but I'm still here... just not doing many games anymore (music I mean).

bigbluecup? What is that?

Also, I guess I just didn't know you were gone. I see you often enough on facebook, flourishing in your music, so I figure you're just as active. Kinoko showed up relatively recently trying to find a copy of her old game files, I think, I'm sure Vince still posts around (or maybe I just didn't realise he doesn't because he's on my facebook too :O), and I thought Don/Barbarian was still around as well?

Eric · Wed 01/04/2015 21:23:12

Vince is working on a nice-looking new comic. I follow him on Twitter....

Nikolas · Thu 02/04/2015 08:30:48

Yeah, I'm doing fine...

Dealing with plenty of classical music because of Editions Musica Ferrum!

I have close contact with Vince obviously (since we love each other dearly

) and his comics is very very nice!

Kinoko is also doing well (since I also have her on facebook).

But Andail said that we shouldn't count people we keep in contact from the outside, so...

No, I've not seen Don in ages and I'd love to check him out sometime. he was awesome!

MonkeySpank · Sun 05/04/2015 21:09:19

Hey guys!

#24 chiming in

hope some people still remember me!

I play adventure games every once in a while but I rarely visit these forums as I don't have time to make games. I have loads of ideas for games but life just takes too much time. Hopefully when I achieve financial independence I'll be able to make a game or two

I'm currently pursuing a PhD in computer science and make websites on the side!

Sorry for the shameless plug but these are two of my websites that I am most proud of:

http://musicdiscipline.com
http://www.bigbasstabs.com

Ghost · Sun 05/04/2015 23:49:53

I sometimes miss Rubacant and wonder what he's doing now.

Domino · Sat 18/04/2015 15:40:31

I used to visit these forums all the time. But once I got on Facebook, I kind of went missing. I still check in once in awhile.

Andail · Sat 18/04/2015 15:55:23

Quote from: MonkeySpank on Sun 05/04/2015 21:09:19
Hey guys!

#24 chiming in hope some people still remember me!

I play adventure games every once in a while but I rarely visit these forums as I don't have time to make games. I have loads of ideas for games but life just takes too much time. Hopefully when I achieve financial independence I'll be able to make a game or two

I'm currently pursuing a PhD in computer science and make websites on the side!

Sorry for the shameless plug but these are two of my websites that I am most proud of:

http://musicdiscipline.com
http://www.bigbasstabs.com

Long time no see, MonkeySpank!

ManicMatt · Mon 20/04/2015 23:08:28

Helm told me my music sucked and told me why. I then made better music. Good ol' honest Helm.

Hey Domino, you're um, damn, maybe i'm just super tired right now, you're.. Kenneth right? I'm pretty sure you're on my facebook guestlist.

Blackthorne · Wed 22/04/2015 19:57:03

What about Yufster???

Bt

Domino · Sat 25/04/2015 15:49:14

Quote from: ManicMatt on Mon 20/04/2015 23:08:28
Hey Domino, you're um, damn, maybe i'm just super tired right now, you're.. Kenneth right? I'm pretty sure you're on my facebook guestlist.

ManicMatt, that is not me, but we were friends on Xbox Live for a while.

ManicMatt · Sat 25/04/2015 21:18:43

Ah I see, my 360 has been in it's box for years! PS3 has been dominating it!

SinSin · Mon 27/04/2015 22:52:02

I'm not an original AGSer butI have been around for ten years now.
I do stray now and then but I always come home

.

Jus sayin

rodekill · Mon 04/05/2015 19:09:55

Holy crap... how long was I asleep in that broom closet? Why didn't anyone wake me up!?!?

Andail · Tue 05/05/2015 12:59:15

Hey Rodekill!
Hehe, that must be some sort of record

AGA · Tue 05/05/2015 15:50:58

Hello Rode Van Winkle.

rodekill · Wed 06/05/2015 14:34:26

Hey there, nice to see that some familiar faces, er... names, are still hanging around here.

Just to maybe followup on this, I don't actually remember why I stopped working on AGS stuff.

No wait. I actually just did right now, kind of. Long story short, I was living on my own, still working on my remake of Rode Kill 1, but working for a scumlord who started bouncing my paycheques. Yadda yadda yadda my computer decided to join in my fun of being broke and... broke. So I guess not having a PC for a while just caused me to drift away from it.

The good news is I eventually found a better job, got a new computer, and started learning more about game design and development. Skip ahead a few more years and now I'm working on this.

I've been working in the industry for just over eight years now and shipped a bunch of mediocre-to-crap games for a different developer before coming to work at Eidos, so I'm pretty excited to finally be working on something really cool.

My free time is spent alternately between trying to keep my son from jumping off the furniture and killing himself (oh yeah, I made one of those also) and still plugging away on my own games, mostly with Unity and more recently Unreal.

I still lurk around here one in a while. It's been really cool seeing what some of the old AGS crew have been up to, like Eric and his book (It's great! Order it!) and of course Dave and Wadget Eye.

Hopefully one day I'll manage to find the time to actually finishing something on my own. I'd love to revisit Rode, Rusty and all those characters.

AGA · Wed 06/05/2015 15:19:08

Holy shit, you're working at Ubisoft Montreal? Will you marry me?

rodekill · Wed 06/05/2015 15:36:07

Eidos Montreal actually, but you're not the first person to make that assumption.

If it's any consolation, I have friends that work at Ubi. I can point you their way if you're still looking to get married.

AGA · Wed 06/05/2015 18:56:32

Er, I meant that. I confused my love of the new Deus Ex games (and enjoyment of Thief) with my love of the Assassin's Creed games. Easy mistake to make!

rodekill · Wed 25/01/2017 05:53:53

Hey AGA, I work at Ubisoft now so we can finally get married.

CaptainD · Wed 25/01/2017 09:10:05

I can see this thread being featured in a "Still a better love story than Twilight" meme one day...

Dualnames · Wed 25/01/2017 12:06:37

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

Babar · Wed 25/01/2017 18:36:34

That must've been a great job interview!
"Why do you want this job?"
"My love won't marry me unless I work at Ubisoft".

Nikolas · Fri 27/01/2017 08:36:36

Quote from: Babar on Wed 25/01/2017 18:36:34
That must've been a great job interview!
"Why do you want this job?"
"My love won't marry me unless I work at Ubisoft".

Makes total sense really!

Buckethead · Fri 27/01/2017 09:22:19

QuoteWherever did that odd fellow Buckethead go off to? I really miss that peculiar gentleman.

Spoiler

Said no one ever

[close]

I just want to say hi and post on the forums again. I haven't been active for more than a couple years, but lately I have been playing more adventure games again. Plus I have been itching to work on something myself. I'm studying to become a software engineer so things should go more smoothly this time. Or I might get overly ambitious and not finish anything ever.

Good to be back.

Mandle · Fri 27/01/2017 14:06:13

Quote from: Buckethead on Fri 27/01/2017 09:22:19
Good to be back.

Welcome back!

Ionias · Mon 30/01/2017 20:45:59

Nobody asked about me, but maybe that's because I'm always lurking. I'd like to know what happened to Chrille...

AGA · Tue 31/01/2017 06:06:21

Quote from: rodekill on Wed 25/01/2017 05:53:53
Hey AGA, I work at Ubisoft now so we can finally get married.

Hooray! I'll be on the next plane. I actually kept an eye out for your name in the credits of either DX:MD or the first DLC, and it was pretty cool to see someone I 'knew' credited on such a huge AAA title.

Quote from: Ionias on Mon 30/01/2017 20:45:59
Nobody asked about me, but maybe that's because I'm always lurking. I'd like to know what happened to Chrille...

Chrille is still alive. He was at Mittens this year. Didn't really work out why no AGS anymore though.

Retro Wolf · Tue 31/01/2017 17:50:12

Where in the world is that lovely German Ghost?!

Buckethead · Tue 31/01/2017 21:35:35

Quote from: Retro Wolf on Tue 31/01/2017 17:50:12
Where in the world is that lovely German Ghost?!

I wonder about that as well. I used to have nice chats with him.

rodekill · Wed 01/02/2017 21:27:38

Quote from: AGA on Tue 31/01/2017 06:06:21
Hooray! I'll be on the next plane. I actually kept an eye out for your name in the credits of either DX:MD or the first DLC, and it was pretty cool to see someone I 'knew' credited on such a huge AAA title.

I worked on Watchdogs 2 for Ubi, and now I'm on a top secret super hush hush project. AAA is cool for its own reasons but obviously also comes with its own challenges. There's definitely something to be said for working on small teams or on your own project though. One day I'm going to get around to bringing Rode Kill back to life.

I love that these forums are still here for me to pop into once in a while, and that there's still familiar faces around. I doubt that there are many communities like this left on the internet anymore, which is a real shame.

Chicky · Thu 02/02/2017 14:46:49

Hey, it would awesome to see Rodekill make a comeback, the second game (I think? The 320 one set on a spaceship...) really inspired me back in the early days. I also loved your website, felt like a lot of effort had gone into developing the Rodekill universe, which was pretty rare for an indie thing back then.

So yeah, revival, remake, reboot, whatever they call it. Do it! Go! Whooooosh.

CaptainD · Thu 02/02/2017 16:08:02

What happened to our strange Portuguese onion seller miguel?

Gribbler · Thu 02/02/2017 16:34:54

Quote from: rodekillI worked on Watchdogs 2 for Ubi, and now I'm on a top secret super hush hush project

Assassin's Creed in Egypt?

Stupot · Thu 02/02/2017 23:26:05

I was wondering recently about Kinoko. All her comics and beautiful artwork seemed to stop suddenly a couple of years ago. I follow her on Twitter but now she only posts about these urban planning and transport seminars. I messaged her a few months ago but no reply. Is anyone still in touch? Is she still drawing?

rodekill · Fri 03/02/2017 17:11:55

Quote from: Gribbler on Thu 02/02/2017 16:34:54
Assassin's Creed in Egypt?

Adeel · Sat 04/02/2017 10:24:39

Quote from: CaptainD on Thu 02/02/2017 16:08:02
What happened to our strange Portuguese onion seller miguel?

Yeah, I miss him too. I also wonder whether his testicles are still intact or not; Portugal is a harsh country...