Willy Beamish - Spider's Parole Officer

Snake · Wed 04/02/2009 18:05:28

I played Willy Beamish last night for the first time in a year or so, for probably the one millionth time, and there's always something about that "Slice of Life" scene that always makes me go, "Eh?":

When you examine the table where Spider is sitting (for those of you that may have not played, Spider is the guy who is back-to with the grey vest and jeans) the description says, "Spider and his parole officer are enjoying the fine cuisine offered here at Slice of Life".

Now, I still may have not got the joke after all these years, but that is no parole officer.

I was wondering if any of you have any insight on this conundrum? It has been one of those things I think about every single time I get to this scene. I mean, to me, it looks as if they are holding hands. Also, when Spider gets up to turn Willy into creamed corn, she smiles and just watches.

Could it just be pure laziness not to switch the woman character into a "parole officer type character" or change the text to "girlfriend"?

Or could it be that Spider is just a super-slick womans man at 13/14?

Domino · Wed 04/02/2009 18:20:21

I like how the magnifying glass is trying to look up that ladies dress. Plus that guy she is with is a creep, I mean c'mon look at her face, she wants nothing to do with that guy.

Oh and about Spider, he must be a ladies man because he is holding hands with that woman. Or she could be trying to grab a gun out of his hands...

Snake · Wed 04/02/2009 18:26:43

QuoteI like how the magnifying glass is trying to look up that ladies dress. Plus that guy she is with is a creep, I mean c'mon look at her face, she wants nothing to do with that guy.

Heh, I knew someone would comment on the magnifying glass, totally unintentional

And yeah, I always thought that guy was a creep too.

Eggie · Wed 04/02/2009 22:09:10

What's wrong with the idea of a sexy lady parole officer?

Dualnames · Thu 05/02/2009 14:13:53

Quote from: Eggie on Wed 04/02/2009 22:09:10
What's wrong with the idea of a sexy lady parole officer?

Nothing wrong with that, but Spider is a 13.

Ubel · Thu 05/02/2009 15:50:11

Quote from: Dualnames on Thu 05/02/2009 14:13:53
Quote from: Eggie on Wed 04/02/2009 22:09:10
What's wrong with the idea of a sexy lady parole officer?

Nothing wrong with that, but Spider is a 13.

Therefore not being old enough to even be on parole. This game is confusing.

Eggie · Thu 05/02/2009 16:12:02

Well, I'm guessing it's just a throwaway joke added after the graphics were completed, intended to have the effect "oh he is with his girlfriend OH WAIT SHE ISN'T HIS GIRLFRIEND SHE IS IS HIS PAROLE OFFICER OR THE JUVENILE DELINQUENT EQUIVILENT AND HE HAS SEDUCED HER OH HILARITY!!"
Honestly, with all the other leaps of logic that game expects you to make; this one isn't so big.

Snake · Thu 05/02/2009 19:12:54

Haha. Well, I would suspect Spider to be at least a couple years older than Willy (12), maybe he's even, dare I say, 15, only staying back a couple years in a row.

Heh, I don't know, it's too confusing for me to sit here and try to patch up holes for other games - I have a hard enough time with mine

My final conclusion I think will have to be is that, well, there just isn't enough characterization for him.
And if it is indeed a throwaway joke as Eggie has thrown out there, then maybe his girlfriend should have been in the game prior to this scene in order to understand said joke. You know, maybe she is "glued" to his side all the time, therefore getting the nickname, unbenounced to her of course, from younger kids at school.

Eggie, I love your avatar, btw, it makes me belly jiggle every time I see it.

Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens · Thu 05/02/2009 19:56:59

Spider could easily be 17. Many schools in the US combine grammar and highschool so it's very possible that Willy is in grade school and Spider is a high school bully that likes to pick on the little kids.

Peder 🚀 · Fri 06/02/2009 07:44:10

Quote from: ProgZmax on Thu 05/02/2009 19:56:59
Spider could easily be 17. Many schools in the US combine grammar and highschool so it's very possible that Willy is in grade school and Spider is a high school bully that likes to pick on the little kids.

Thats the first thing that hit me when I looked at them, they dont look 13....

Snake · Fri 06/02/2009 14:36:20

Yeah, you're right. It could easily be a school like that. And indeed, especially in his upclose pics, he looks (and sounds) more like a highschooler.

Renegade Implementor · Fri 06/02/2009 16:45:12

Spider's age really isn't the problem. It's the fact that in this scene they (Spider & parole officer) look like they're on a date or a couple. That's a conflict of interest and would get her reprimanded/suspended at best or, at worst, fired from her job. Granted, I don't know much about the policies governing parole officer, but I'd wager most don't take their cases to a pizzeria and hold hands.

zabnat · Fri 06/02/2009 19:15:19

Quote from: Renegade Implementor on Fri 06/02/2009 16:45:12
Granted, I don't know much about the policies governing parole officer, but I'd wager most don't take their cases to a pizzeria and hold hands.

Obviously all your parole officers just happened to be boring.

Haddas · Fri 06/02/2009 22:48:37

My parole officer is this big guy in his mid-40's. He can be a dick if I show up late, but he's usually cool.

Ryan Timothy B · Fri 06/02/2009 23:57:23

Well, she looks like a very grumpy girl. Perhaps it's a joke towards her being bitchy and him being a trouble maker. He can't get into any trouble when she is around because she keeps him in line.

I've also never played this game. The backgrounds look alright, but the characters certainly look weird.

Eggie · Sat 07/02/2009 00:11:31

It works when you see them animated. Mean-spirited game, though. Punishes you for everything.

Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens · Sat 07/02/2009 06:19:16

QuoteThat's a conflict of interest and would get her reprimanded/suspended at best or, at worst, fired from her job. Granted, I don't know much about the policies governing parole officer, but I'd wager most don't take their cases to a pizzeria and hold hands.

This is a strange comment in light of the fact that this is a light-hearted adventure game and you're identifying a character by a string of pop-up text. As I recall, Willy doesn't even have a comment about it. I think it was just there to show how useless it would be to try and get Spider into trouble for being a dick, which makes you resort to a prank in the bathroom to get rid of him.