Messages

Yay! A new interview!

So when can we expect the finished game?

Been away for a while. I wish I'd had time to play more of the nominated games this year, but big congrats to all the winners!

And I'm saying all you guys, are wrong!!

There's two games I've laughed my arse with. One is Damsel, and one is the Barn Runner series!

Both of which have been mentioned, ya wally 

But the Barn Runner games need all the free press they can get! I'm not like some developers from Down Under. I can't put out a new game every twelve hours!

Also, if you ever played Doom, then I'd recommend Harry's 21st Birthday.

Hey, a new interview! See what happens when I go away on vacation for a couple of weeks? I miss all the good stuff.

Nice interview, Dualnames. I'd say something witty and/or clever, but I'm too jet lagged to think straight just now. Who's next in line? SSH? Ryan Timothy? Mash Potato (owner of the most awesome bee avatar on the internets)?

And Ben, are you telling me there are towns that don't have the intertubes? What the hell do they do for fun? How can they get their daily fix of new Ben304 games?

Anyhoo, good interview. Hope everyone had a nice Christmas. I'm off to bed now.

- Ponch

Anyone up for some eggnog!? P0onch! Show us your teats!!1

Now hold on there, buddy. Bessie isn't that kind of cow.

And Ryan, fantastic work on Wonkyth's avatar. Mysterious and festive.

[LOVE]

Personally, I LOVE this time of year. Blinking lights, a plastic tree next to the sofa, an ipod filled with festive music, and (as has been pointed out), everyone's avatars get in the spirit.

What's not to love?

Merry Christmas, everyone!

- Ponch
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p.s. Calin, get a Santa hat on that avatar ASAP. All the cool kids are doing it!

I draw all of my characters and backgrounds on small yellow legal pads. The only things that I create solely in a paint program are the sprites I use for the top-down arcade games like The Ejection Rejection and Cyclone Alley.

The choice to draw your backgrounds with a pencil or a mouse is a personal one. I just like the look of hand drawn animation. (Plus, it gives me something to do on my lunch break).

I'm still using 2.72. I've played around with 3.x a little, but until the latest arc of the Barn Runner story is done, I'm sticking with 2.72 -- mostly to avoid the headaches of updating my existing arcade(s) code and that sort of thing.

I always thought Kelsey Grammer was trying to sound British in his accent, or at least like people did back in movies from the 40s and 50s.  I forget what that accent is called.

It's called the Mid-Atlantic accent. It was the officially posh American accent of old Hollywood films.

Also, what do I have to do to get on the sexy list?

- Ponch

I always figured that one of CJ's favorite games had to Larry Vales. It's the only game that has its own smiley after all.

Anyhoo, good interview. But Dualnames should have used the picture of Chris with a mustache at the top of the interview. That way we could all be wowed by his machismo while we read.

If not, I'm selling these fine leather jackets. 

Made from..... cows?   :o

Hey, let's not kid ourselves. The best things in life comes from cows! Beef, milk, leather, greenhouse gases.

When I hired Bessie to be my avatar, I told her in no uncertain terms that the day she stops dancing is the day I get new leather upholstery for my Ford. Until then, she gets full dental and all the grass she can eat (while dancing).

Ponch

p.s. What about interviewing SSH? He's almost as much of a big wheel around here as CJ. If Chris won't face the daunting spotlight, maybe Andrew will?

Ben: I'm sorry if one of my groupies (I prefer to think of them as the "ponchettes") stole your official AGS superstar jacket, but I'm sure you'll get another one soon (based on your ability to actually release games, unlike my much less amazing ability to just talk about games I might release one day).

Mods: If no one feeds my ego, how on earth will I ever develop a proper disdain of the little people? I can't make it into the "where are they now?" bin under my own steam, you know!

- Ponch

p.s. Seriously, who's the next interview subject? Perhaps SSH can make it the focus of the next blog poll?

Well, I asked CJ but he refused. So I'll see who;s next.

CJ declined to be interviewed? I'm shocked. I realize that the thought of joining such an elite organization is a heady thought sure to make the knees of even the most stalwart man go all wobbly, but I hope that CJ will soon come to his senses and step up to the plate.

It's an interview for the AGS blog, man! It's the highest honor your country can bestow upon you. Plus after your interview, you get a snazzy blue satin jacket with your name on it. (Okay, I had to have mine custom made at the local sporting goods store, but I still wear it with pride, dammit.)

Face up to your fears, CJ. Be a man, step into the spotlight, and get yourself a neat blue jacket. Plus you get to have your photo up on the wall of the clubhouse next to Ben and Nikolas. It's awesome!

- Ponch

I won't even hazard a guess as to who killed Trudy. I'm just happy that the show is calling it a day before it goes a season too long (like Lost or Heroes). Also, the 70s Brady Bunch flashback may be the best episode of the show ever. I'm glad they saved that for the final season.

I must say, I am admired by the amount of effort put into near-ending animated cutscene, especially assuming that it does not add much to story itself.
I liked electronic puzzles most of the game (but seriously, they are perhaps nearly only REAL puzzles anyway ).

Glad you liked the cutscene. It was a lot of work, but it was fun to do. There's an even larger movie (of a much different sort) at the end of chapter three. Hopefully, there will more of that sort of thing in future games.

Regarding the puzzles, to be fair, the Barn Runner games have never been known for their puzzles (or their adherence to traditional "adventure game" design), being more of a CinemaWare style interactive movie / arcade game most of the time. But the still-in-the-works chapter three is much larger than the usual Barn Runner game and has more of the old-school adventure game feel to it (hopefully). It's been a lot of fun doing something along the lines of the old Sierra or LucasArts games and I hope it's received well by Barn Runner fans when it comes out.

Also,

Spoiler

Prick isn't exactly a common American name either. I just like the name Ivanka.

[close]

Next game comes out as soon as I can manage it. Which, at this rate, could be another few months. Sorry. I'm overworked. What can I say?

- Ponch

Ben had a birthday? See, this is why I need to check the forums everyday. Happy birthday Ben.

I look forward to the next one

If only I could find the time to finish the next one! There's not much left to do, but I have zero free time lately.

But thanks for playing the games. I'm glad you liked them. Hopefully, the next game (when it comes out) will live up to your expectations.

- Ponch

Since Erin Gray and Linda Carter have already been claimed, I'll have to go with the first time a woman on the TV really made me sit up and take notice.

It was the early 80s. My dad and Uncle and were hanging out in the family room. We had a top-loading VCR and renting VHS tapes was the hip new thing to do. Pop put the Pam Grier movie Coffy in and pressed play.



My life was never the same.

Ah, memories...

- Ponch

Ponch, ya big stud! 

Happy birthday! 

Thanks, Ben. I wish I felt more studly and less old-ly.

Now you kids stay off my lawn while I go buy an onion to tie to me belt.