A chat with Aaron Conners (Saturday, Jun 26th 2004)
Chat Log
12:33:15 [AaronC] OK. I have no idea why I can suddenly get in. Maybe it was my newest password: f**kit
12:33:15 [Ruri] ^^;
12:33:16 [Ripley] Aaron....are you really there?
12:33:24 [Demonlawye] hehe
12:33:24 [ChrisNFB] untie him.. he might talk then
12:33:28 [Demonlawye] Welcome Aaron
12:33:32 [ChrisNFB] yay!
12:33:35 [ChrisNFB] Hi aaron
12:33:36 [AaronC] Yup, I'm here.
12:33:39 [Ruri] hello Aaron
12:33:41 [Jack_A] Or some Geritol??
12:33:41 [earljw] hello Aaron
12:33:45 [grendeljen] WHOO HOO
12:33:54 [Ripley] Hi there, Aaron!
12:33:57 [Blankman] Demon: No, Hanks does not have any ownership in Dreamworks... That's Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katz and David Geffen Hanks and Spielberg cooperated on Private Ryan and Band Of Brothers though
12:34:00 [ChrisNFB] it had to be the duct tape..
12:34:03 [Demonlawye] Good to see you
12:34:03 [JimTOG] Lots of Geritol
12:34:06 [Blankman] YAY!
12:34:07 [AaronC] Hey, Jen! Thanks and hello!
12:34:31 [JimTOG] Welcome AC hip-hip-hooray!
12:34:42 [Jack_A] He's alive I tell you!
12:34:59 [grendeljen] glad you wriggled your way in
12:35:08 [Ruben] Hello, at last!
12:35:21 [AaronC] Glad to be here. Shall we get started Jim?
12:35:24 [Blankman] Demon: Indeed...they're close friends, but the war epics(moreso Band Of Brothers) is the things where they've co-operated Spielberg enjoys casting Hanks in his films, no question about that
12:35:32 [JimTOG] Should we ask AC a question before he leaves?
12:35:43 [JimTOG] Yes, that would be great!
12:35:46 [ChrisNFB] good idea..
12:35:53 [Demonlawye] Jim, just sent one to Cub
12:36:04 [Ruri] so we should re-pm Cubase?
12:36:12 [JimTOG] OK, Chris and Blankman were the first ones here. Either of you have a question?
12:36:24 [Blankman] Yes.
12:36:26 [AaronC] Hey, Cubase.
12:36:31 [Blankman] PM it to Cubase?
12:36:51 [Demonlawye] I think Cub's gone walkies
12:36:52 [ChrisNFB] k
12:37:04 [JimTOG] AC-DL wants to know "what's been happening lately?"
12:37:04 [Ruben] What is PM?
12:37:11 [grendeljen] schweet
12:37:13 [AaronC] Is my text red yet?
12:37:18 [JimTOG] personal message
12:37:20 [Ruri] Yes ^^
12:37:22 [JimTOG] yes
12:37:23 [ChrisNFB] im color blind, cant telll...
12:37:24 [Ripley] Yeah, what's PM?
12:37:26 [AaronC] Close enough.
12:37:59 [AaronC] OK, Blankman...
12:38:01 [Ripley] Oh. How do you PM?
12:38:02 [Cubase] From Demonlawye Firstly, what's happening lately
12:38:15 [Ruri] In MyRoom1 it tells you
12:38:24 [AaronC] ...Right now, CJ and I are in a bit of a holding pattern...
12:38:54 [JimTOG] Like getting you into this chat room successfully?
12:38:58 [AaronC] ...We still have guys working on art and dev, but we're not sure about the immediate future...
12:39:24 [AaronC] ...HOWEVER, we are fully committed to bringing Tex back in some form or another.
12:39:39 [Cubase] Question from earljw: Aaron, Have you ever written or considered writing anything in the Tex Murphy universe that was not centered around Tex?
12:39:58 [AaronC] Good question...
12:41:04 [AaronC] ...I've thought about it, but it would only work if the center of Tex's universe (namely Tex) is moving forward. For now, I'm just focused on revealing more of our friend's many untold adventures!
12:41:20 [Ruben] Sorry, i did somethig wrong
12:41:36 [Cubase] ruben it's fine.... next question coming up......
12:41:49 [earljw] thanks Aaron
12:42:27 [Cubase] Question from Blankman: Of course!... Can you start by telling everyone what's going on with the Tex adventure we're all looking forward to....
12:42:36 [AaronC] That reminds me...
12:43:45 [AaronC] ...CJ and I have considered doing the "Adventures of Xavier Jones" should the right to the Tex Murphy intellectual property get too expensive. It would be fun to use Tex's universe with a different character and have Mr. Murphy pop up occasionally!
12:44:18 [JimTOG] How cool
12:44:25 [Demonlawye] Is that Tex's first name then??
12:44:26 [Frank] lol way to bypass copyrights
12:44:35 [Ruben] Great
12:44:36 [Blankman] awesome!
12:44:50 [ChrisNFB]
12:44:57 [AaronC] Xavier Jones was Tex's former partner at the Dobbs Detective Agency.
12:45:20 [earljw] wow that would be cool.. i was thinking more like stories from WW3 or something
12:45:22 [ChrisNFB] good trivia q
12:45:29 [Cubase] Question from ChrisNFB: Not related to new game, but a question that I have been wondering about... Before the release of "Overseer" (about 4-6 monnths) I saw an ad for the new tex murphy game called "the Poisoned Pawn" I was just wondering what happened to that title?
12:45:31 [Blankman] nice way to tie it in with the others then
12:45:51 [AaronC] Ah...the Poisoned Pawn fiasco...
12:45:59 [ChrisNFB] yay im not crazy!
12:46:28 [Frank] only sometimes
12:46:31 [AaronC] ...I've been lucky enough to get to name the last three Tex Murphy games, and it's something I always put a lot of thought and effort into...
12:46:34 [ChrisNFB]
12:46:57 [AaronC] ...For what became Overseer, I wanted to use a chess term, since chess was the recurring motif...
12:47:00 [Ripley] My PM wasn't so PM Oops.
12:47:52 [Frank] if it comforts you Rip, I didn't see it
12:48:04 [AaronC] ...When I came across the term "poisoned pawn", I was very excited, because it seemed to capture Tex's essence: the bait in a trap that must be sacrificed in order to win a greater victory...
12:48:13 [grendeljen] Ripley> i didn't see anything on the chat screen, its fine
12:48:36 [AaronC] ...Well, that was our title and we made up graphics with it and started the ad campaign...
12:48:50 [Ripley] Oh. Thanks Frank and Jen.
12:49:41 [AaronC] ...then, this woman in our marketing department - who functions remarkably well considering her two-digit IQ and small town hickness - thought the title was "Poisoned Pond"...
12:49:59 [Frank] hahaha
12:50:02 [ChrisNFB] lol
12:50:10 [Jack_A] LOL
12:50:11 [Blankman] omg....lol
12:50:11 [Ruben] Oh well...
12:50:18 [AaronC] ...I'm like, "What? You think we're making some type of eco-terror game?"
12:50:33 [Ripley] hehehehehe
12:50:36 [Blankman] lmao
12:50:38 [AaronC] ...but this stupid woman convinces everyone that the name is "too confusing"...
12:51:27 [AaronC] ...so CJ decides he wants to call the game "Overlord", which I think is not great, but whatever...
12:51:27 [Frank] marketing....tsss
12:51:41 [AaronC] ...turns out there are tons of potential legal problems with that name...
12:52:15 [ChrisNFB] Frank> i work in marketing
12:52:22 [AaronC] ...so CJ goes with a name that kind of sounds like Overlord, except (for me) it's a dumb title with clear overtones of slavery, etc....
12:52:40 [AaronC] ...however, marketing LOVES the new title...
12:53:10 [AaronC] ...so I fought the good fight as long as I could and then had to give up. And there's the story of Poisoned Pawn. The End.
12:53:28 [ChrisNFB] Thanks...
12:53:32 [Cubase] Question from JimTOG: Did the term Overseer apply directly to Gideon as the one who overseers the Overlord operation?
12:53:46 [earljw] well we'll just have to start calling it The Poisoned Pawn!
12:54:17 [AaronC] Well, there were a couple uses of the term...
12:54:43 [grendeljen] AC, at least you're not bitter about it
12:55:08 [AaronC] the first was the implant, which was referred to specifically as the Overseer implant - it enslaved its host and allowed others to "oversee" the activities and movements of the host...
12:55:30 [AaronC] ...I think Gideon was the Overseer in a much more philosophical sense.
12:56:04 [AaronC] Jen, I got over hating the woman for it weeks ago... ;-)
12:56:33 [Cubase] Great... here's another
12:56:51 [Cubase] Question from Ripley (Yes, you PM good Rip!) Will the next one begin where Overseer left off?
12:57:32 [AaronC] We HAVE to pick up from the end of Overseer. In my mind, that was where the story of Tex's future would really BEGIN...
12:58:21 [AaronC] ...I always considered Pandora to be the foundation for the Tex mythos and that the Trilogy would tell the "real" story. <end>
12:59:04 [Cubase] Thanks Aaron, the <end> is the best thing since sliced bread for me at the moment! lol
12:59:12 [AaronC] *AHEM* I have a question for the group...
12:59:23 [Cubase] Go ahead
12:59:29 [Frank] oooh *listens*
12:59:49 [Ruri] is this a test? =o
13:00:08 [Ripley] All ears
13:00:11 [Ruben] I´m not prepared!
13:00:15 [AaronC] What level of experience would you need to be satisfied with a new Tex product...
13:00:21 [AaronC] ...in other words...
13:01:08 [AaronC] How much would you enjoy a text adventure...or a new novel...or an interactive "audio-only" game (i.e. TMRT)? Please respond.
13:01:14 [Demonlawye] Aaron, I personally would take anything that came our way. The Radio Theatre episodes were utterly fantastic.
13:01:26 [Ripley] Yesyesyesyesyes
13:01:30 [earljw] i think we're all salivating right now... anything would be wonderful!
13:01:31 [grendeljen] novel
13:01:35 [Blankman] Personally, I'd like the same type of option as you have in Pandora....meaning, you have an "Entertainer(ment?)" level and one for the hard-core gamer. Something that would also provide you with a desire to play the game through at least twice.
13:02:02 [grendeljen] i think he's thinking cheaper
13:02:02 [earljw] i'd rank them as audio-only game first, then novel, then text adventure
13:02:03 [ChrisNFB] hmmm.... novel would be great, but I would love n e thing with tex
13:02:13 [Blankman] And it's never wrong to demand a little bit of commitment from the player in my eyes
13:02:24 [Aerto] I think a new novel would be the best medium, besides a full on game, but a good text adventure is right up there
13:02:41 [Ruben] I too would like anythig becouse story and characters are the important elemments for me. Though I´d prefer: Game- Radio Theater- Novel in that order
13:02:46 [ChrisNFB] I would say. in order, novel, adventure, audio...
13:02:48 [Ruri] Yes I really enjoyed the radio episodes they were great. It would be lovely to see it brought onto screen but it doesn't mean that the episodes or anything else aren't still very enjoyable
13:03:05 [Blankman] Demon: Really? Wouldn't it just be like designing the game, and leaving out some puzzles for the easy part?
13:03:15 [Frank] now hold on a second...did you say interractive audio? that sounds fantastic!
13:03:27 [AaronC] I know we'd all like to do a full-scale game with great graphics, multiple paths & endings, etc., but (as I'm sure most of you have noticed) there aren't many games like that coming out anymore...
13:03:45 [Blankman] true
13:03:50 [ChrisNFB] hmm, thats right he did, that is a good idea.
13:03:53 [JimTOG] Anything Tex would make me very happy. If I had to choose the order it would be: game, book, TMRT
13:03:57 [AaronC] ...What I'm thinking about is creating a new type of game that I could produce mostly on my own...
13:04:12 [Ripley] Novel--Yes! Adventure-- definately! Audio--?Okay Anything would make us happy
13:04:23 [Ruri] Well I know of some games that are basically just voiced storybooks with 2D graphics so I see an audio game as something intriguing
13:04:24 [AaronC] ...it would have puzzles, lots of interactivity, etc....
13:04:36 [Blankman] Seems like the gamers world have been going all Hollywood'esque on us, and just throw out all these games that actually make you more stupid...anyone can run around shooting at stuff....no brain required there.
13:04:40 [AaronC] ...and, of course, use those great voices...
13:04:59 [AaronC] ...but it would be cheap and easy to produce as a purely online game...
13:05:08 [Blankman] sounds great Aaron
13:05:26 [ChrisNFB] that does sound good... interesting..
13:05:26 [Ruben] Sounds fantastic
13:05:27 [JimTOG] Go for it, AC
13:05:40 [AaronC] ...I'm just curious whether or not this would be acceptable to you loyal fans, and/or have appeal to new players. <end>
13:05:40 [ChrisNFB] and you oculd do a better job than I did
13:05:46 [Ripley] Yep...give it a go
13:05:52 [Ruri] Would the characters appear perhaps as still images? It does sound great
13:05:59 [Cubase] We understand the restrictions on a full blown game, with the extinction of FMV and all.... which leads me to another question....
13:06:12 [Demonlawye] The Law and Order games didn't do too well, but I think that had more to do with bugs in the game than the content or style.
13:06:12 [grendeljen] there are not words enough to tell you how aweso'e you are.
13:06:15 [JimTOG] Sounds good to me!
13:06:29 [Cubase] Question from ChrisNFB: For a new tex adventure (now speaking if a game semmes most plausable after all....), which way are leaning graphicly, FMV or CG?
13:07:00 [Blankman] Seems like the overall feeling is that us Texers really just want more Tex to sink our teeth into And of course, if we can't get a full-on game with all the treats to begin with, then at least there might be a basis for a bigger following, and a revival of the character... Means to an end if you
13:07:00 [Cubase] of course... now hypothetically speaking....
13:07:01 [Blankman] ask me
13:07:12 [AaronC] FMV or CG...that is the question...
13:07:27 [ChrisNFB] yea...
13:07:53 [AaronC] Whether 'tis nobler to film actors or sling them around (I'll stop now)...
13:08:08 [grendeljen] JimTOG> yep haven't had the tine to look at it yet, out of town
13:08:16 [AaronC] ...Actually, CJ and I believe that FMV is vital and should be used if at all possible...
13:08:38 [Ripley] Yea!!!
13:08:49 [grendeljen] JimTOG> thank you again. how are things with you?JimTOG
13:09:00 [AaronC] ...IF we get enough funding to do a full-on game, I believe we would do our best to utilize FMV for conversations, but then use CGs for in the environments. <end>
13:09:04 [Blankman] Agreed! Chris Jones in all his glory can't be substituted 100% with cg
13:09:22 [AaronC] Absolutely!
13:09:26 [Ruri] Great! ^^
13:09:27 [ChrisNFB] that would be great Thanks
13:09:33 [Blankman] I mean, if you look at the CSI games, they've been pretty simple in gameplay, but still gather a big following.
13:09:34 [Cubase] Question from Blankman: Will the Tex Murphy Radio Theater be taken into consideration with this new game?
13:09:35 [Ruben] Great!
13:09:59 [AaronC] Yes.
13:10:04 [Frank] having problems Blair?
13:10:33 [AaronC] All the dream sequence stuff especially is very important to the backstory. <end>
13:10:40 [Blankman] COOOOOL!
13:10:50 [Ruben] Ummm, intriguing..
13:11:18 [Cubase] question from demonlawye: If the next Tex installment isn't Chance etc, does it have a working title?
13:11:22 [Frank] lol those nights we spent on MSN trying to figure out the dream sequences
13:11:42 [AaronC] It depends...
13:11:57 [grendeljen] JimTOG> i a' going to nnassage school full ti'e now, having this broken key is driving 'e crazy. So i a' focusing on school, now and collecting une'ployent.
13:11:57 [AaronC] ...Here's one possible scenario...
13:12:42 [AaronC] ...We could create TWO different products - one, a full-scale game featuring Tex in one of his many as yet unpublicized adventures...
13:13:26 [AaronC] ...while I would carry on the story of the trilogy with a series of smaller, more customized online games. How's that? <end>
13:13:42 [Blankman] sounds great!
13:13:47 [ChrisNFB] that would be awsome....
13:13:55 [Demonlawye] The more Tex the better!
13:14:17 [Ruben] Two for the prize of one
13:14:20 [JimTOG] TOG says: Go for it!
13:14:34 [Cubase] question from Ruri who has dinner stading by yummmm : What is your favourite place in Tex Murphy's world and why?
13:14:36 [JimTOG] Good one, Ruben.
13:15:01 [AaronC] My favorite place is definitely the Brew & Stew...
13:15:23 [JimTOG] :#
13:15:28 [AaronC] ...though I'm sure Chelsee's apartment could be a fun spot as well ;-) ,end>
13:15:35 [Frank] lol
13:15:41 [JimTOG] LOL
13:15:46 [Cubase] hehehe
13:15:53 [Ripley] LOL
13:15:55 [JimTOG] There's a Louie's Diner here in Detroit
13:16:10 [AaronC] No kidding!
13:16:26 [Cubase] question from JimTOG What, if anything, did you do for Cortina Entertainment?
13:16:26 [Demonlawye] What's the food like?
13:16:33 [AaronC] I love greasy spoons and the men who run them.
13:16:35 [earljw] you'll have to get a pic, Jim
13:16:35 [Frank] is there a friendly mutant at the bar?
13:16:41 [JimTOG] Yup! Best ham sandwiches in town. Averages one pound of ham per
13:17:08 [Ruben] A pic would be nice
13:17:09 [Cubase] Home of nice Cholesterol Sandwiches.... mmmmmm
13:17:09 [JimTOG] Where this place is located? Oh, yeah! Lots of wierd people hangin around
13:17:35 [Cubase] question from JimTOG What, if anything, did you do for Cortina Entertainment?
13:17:38 [AaronC] Ah...the Cortina fiasco...
13:17:47 [JimTOG] One ham sandwich and a bowl of ham and split pea soup can feed at least two people
13:17:53 [Frank] another one?
13:18:14 [AaronC] After UKM, I had lots of job offers from new gaming companies...
13:18:39 [AaronC] ...but I didn't want to leave Access, who couldn't match the salaries I was being offered...
13:18:52 [AaronC] ...for that reason, they gave me permission to do some freelance work...
13:19:30 [AaronC] ...I was wooed by Cortina Entertainment, who flew me down to LA to meet their team and discuss a project which they had gotten the rights to Humphrey Bogart for...
13:19:57 [AaronC] Of course, having a virtual Bogie was a huge draw for me...
13:20:44 [AaronC] ...So, we drew up contracts and I started to work on the story and design, but then a few months later, their financing fell through and the project never happened. <end>
13:21:13 [ChrisNFB] That sucks
13:21:15 [Frank] so many cool sounding games that never saw the day....
13:21:23 [Demonlawye] I gotta go, but Aaron, thank you for the chat and for keeping us informed. Cub and Jim, thanks for sorting this chat out
13:21:33 [ChrisNFB] l8er DL
13:21:42 [Frank] see ye around Dave
13:21:44 [AaronC] So long, Demonlawyer!
13:21:54 [Demonlawye] Adieu
13:22:05 [JimTOG] Great to have you here, DL. Take care!
13:22:11 [Cubase] Question from Cubase: Drifting away from Tex if I may for the moment.... Aaron, in the Pandora novel, it says that you admit to loosing a good weekend every year reading the Lord of the Rings from start to finish. With the recent success of the films, what is your opinion on the.....
13:22:30 [Cubase] ...transferral from text to screen for LOTR? …and do you still find time to read the story, or do you now have the films to keep you content?
13:23:25 [AaronC] I haven't read the books for a couple years now. I LOVED the movies and thought PJ did a brilliant job pulling off what I always thought would be an impossible feat...
13:24:57 [AaronC] ...Personally, I liked FOTR the best. My only complaint was in the portrayal of Farmir , who was one of my favorite characters in the book. Other than that, everything was as good or better as I could have imagined. <end>
13:24:57 [JimTOG] I'm reading the books for the third time in the last year
13:25:59 [Ruben] I´m planing a new read
13:26:04 [Frank] preparing us some more trivia questions Jim?
13:28:49 [AaronC] More questions, Cubase?
13:28:53 [Cubase] Question from earljw How much planning do you do when you're writing? Do you plan everything up front, or fill in major plot chunks as you go? Do you find the outcomes sometimes surprise you at all?
13:29:41 [Frank] I think Blair's having problems....he's created a help room....
13:29:50 [JimTOG] Yup! More LOTR trivia coming soon to a message board near you
13:30:00 [AaronC] In every brain test I've done, I come out equally left- and right-brained...
13:30:42 [AaronC] ...so when I write, I have to start with an outline for structure, and then I put my creative hat...
13:31:06 [AaronC] ...I like to think of it as creating a coloring book, and then getting out my crayons. <end>
13:31:24 [Frank] nice analogy
13:31:29 [Cubase] I always ate my crayons....
13:31:39 [Frank] lol
13:31:40 [ChrisNFB] lol
13:31:58 [Ruben] How does it fit in the analogy
13:32:16 [Cubase] Question from Cubase (Still chewing): When writing the novels and producing the games, did you have any idea that they were going to create such a lasting impression on the users… seeing that some 6 years later, the community/fan base for Tex Murphy is still going strong?
13:32:21 [AaronC] I need to know where the story is going and how it's going to end, though there are paths along the way that sometimes go in unexpected directions.
13:32:39 [Ripley] And creating a lovely piece of art work!
13:32:58 [AaronC] Cubase, I had no idea we'd have any kind of lasting impact...
13:33:19 [Frank] has it really been 6 years already? damn....
13:33:30 [AaronC] ...back in the day, we were just happy to be doing something we loved - it was just a bonus that other people liked it...
13:33:39 [JimTOG] Since TMO, yes; 15 years since MS
13:34:31 [Ripley] Wow....15 years since MS? Linear time is just tooooo fast.
13:34:35 [AaronC] ...We really appreciate the fact you've all kept up your support over the years. <end>
13:34:39 [earljw] i'm one of those fans since 1989... bought Mean Streets on the 64 and haven't looked back. 9 years of Tex games, and now 6 years without, and I'm still patiently waiting!
13:34:58 [Frank] lol Jim I don't think I was around for MS...was still a kiddo playing on his sega master system but I had no idea it has been 6 years since I started hanging around...
13:35:07 [AaronC] Honestly, that's why I want to do the online games...
13:35:44 [AaronC] ..nowadays, it takes too damn long and too damn many people to get anything done. If I can control the development myself, I KNOW it'll get done and get done right.
13:36:25 [Ripley] You can do it Aaron
13:36:27 [Cubase] Question from JimTOG: On a personal note, when we invite you to a chat, do you feel as though you'll be tossed to the wolves? LOL
13:36:32 [Ruri] *comes back from dinner* thanks for answering my question earlier =)
13:36:38 [AaronC] Unfortunately, I'll have to charge all of you about $12,000 per game to make it profitable. ;-)
13:36:48 [Blankman] lol
13:37:01 [Frank] *starts saving*
13:37:12 [JimTOG] Okay, 12 thou sounds good to me
13:37:14 [Ruri] Well yes of course were all rich and just hiding our stash =)
13:37:16 [Ripley] I'll just pull out my wallet LOL
13:37:27 [Cubase] * Cubase salivating rapidly lol
13:37:35 [grendeljen] do you take pay'ents?
13:37:36 [earljw] i think there are people here who'd actually pay it!
13:37:37 [AaronC] Wolves? No. It's pretty cool. It reminds me a bit of how my dog Murphy wakes me up by jumping on me and licking my face. ;-)
13:37:49 [Blankman] lmao
13:37:56 [Ripley] great idea jen
13:38:08 [Blankman] how bout a I.O.U.?
13:38:27 [Frank] I'm not sure I like this analogy...
13:38:30 [JimTOG] Your dog is named Murphy? Now I don't feel so bad calling my guinea pig Tex
13:38:36 [Cubase] Question from Ruri: Back to the games more specifically now: When covering places or concepts that exist in reality (e.g. Roswell) is it mainly through research or imagination that you form the idea of how it could be within Tex Murphy's world?
13:38:48 [AaronC] As Zack would say: "We offer financing - one payment of $12,000."
13:38:59 [Blankman] lol
13:39:05 [AaronC] OK, Ruri:
13:39:39 [AaronC] ...I haven't always been totally thorough researching actual places...
13:40:22 [AaronC] ...one reason is that it's in the future, so many things could and would probably change...
13:40:23 [JimTOG] :-)
13:40:27 [Frank] researching roswell would be kind of hard now, wouldn't it?
13:40:28 [Ripley] But Roswell did come alive.
13:40:32 [earljw] hehe....that wacky Zack
13:40:48 [JimTOG] :?
13:41:49 [AaronC] ...for past places and events, however, I am a stickler for accuracte portrayal, so I research the shit out of it. All the Roswell stuff was accurate and documented (though probably by insane hillbillies). <end>
13:42:21 [Cubase] Personally though, the Roswell part of Pandora really left a lasting impression on my fears of the dark.... have you even gotten the chance to play back your own creations... and do you get the same feeling?
13:42:42 [Ruri] Cool, thanks. Roswell In pandora was extremely creepy when I first played it so I think you did a great job =)
13:43:12 [Ruri] I think I was only like 10 years old at the time so it had my heart racing =)
13:43:20 [earljw] i never play the Roswell part alone or in the dark
13:43:24 [AaronC] We try to be as objective as possible, but it's very difficult to feel fear with your own creation. It's easy to see how it would creep people out, however, and we're very happy about that!
13:43:28 [Ruri] hehe
13:43:39 [Frank] guh...gotta go darnit...pressing matters....someone please, please please save a transcript! please? thanks a bunch Aaron for filling us in, and also to our good Jim and Cub for making it happen
13:43:41 [Ruri] Thats true
13:43:46 [Sowden1] hey ho everyone
13:43:55 [AaronC] My pleasure, Frank.
13:44:04 [Ruri] Yeah I'm saving everything thats said and I'm sure others are too
13:44:13 [Ruben] Bye
13:44:16 [Cubase] Farewell Frank.... welcome Sowden
13:44:21 [Ruri] bye
13:44:28 [Ruri] hello sowden
13:44:28 [Sowden1] Have I missed anything?
13:44:37 [Sowden1] so long Ruri
13:44:49 [Ruri] I was saying bye to Frank ^^;
13:45:07 [JimTOG] Welcome Snowden! Having fun here
13:45:11 [AaronC] Got a question for me, Sowden?
13:45:12 [Sowden1] my bad
13:45:24 [Sowden1] oh, let me think
13:45:24 [JimTOG] Take care Frank - good to have you
13:45:37 [Cubase] Question from JimTOG What's that crazy Doug Vandergrifter doing nowadays?
13:45:43 [Sowden1] I just remembered that it was going to be for thismorning and I didn't prepare
13:45:45 [grendeljen] please be so kind as to edit out the not so private 'essages ;(
13:45:58 [Sowden1] *hangs his head in shame*
13:46:13 [AaronC] Doug? What a piece of work that guy is...
13:46:13 [JimTOG] Take care Ruri, great to have you
13:46:31 [Ruri] I was saying bye to Frank.. lol ^^;
13:46:40 [Ruri] Im not going ^^;;
13:46:41 [JimTOG] Oh, sorry Ruri. Glad you could stay. Sheesh!
13:46:57 [Ruri] =)
13:47:02 [Ripley] get the geritol Jim LOL
13:47:12 [Sowden1] Question: How are things progressing with Microsofts involvment with you, Chris Jones, and the rest of the cast about the awareness of Tex Murphy?
13:47:19 [AaronC] Doug is still slaving away in the MS art department trenches, hoping he'll be struck by lightning so it'll all end quickly and as painlessly as possible.
13:47:45 [Ruri] ouch
13:47:52 [Sowden1] lol
13:48:10 [ChrisNFB] lol
13:48:15 [Sowden1] opps, ok then
13:48:16 [Ruri] Working in game art is hard eh? Or MS are just tough? ^^;
13:48:29 [earljw] excuse the ignorance - Doug is Rook?
13:48:48 [AaronC] Yes, Doug is Rook, Beek, Sal, etc.
13:49:15 [Cubase] question from Sowden1How are things progressing with Microsofts involvment with you, Chris Jones, and the rest of the cast about the awareness of Tex Murphy?
13:49:15 [AaronC] Did I mention that Doug and Chris and I are in a band together?
13:49:33 [JimTOG] Ah, lightening, 21 jiggawatts, my fav
13:49:35 [Sowden1] !?
13:49:38 [ChrisNFB] A band!!!
13:49:49 [earljw] interesting!
13:49:51 [JimTOG] Okay, I'll bite. What's it called?
13:49:52 [Ruri] I saw that on the forum, and you said you were going to do a cameo appearance someday? =)
13:50:01 [Ruri] It would be cool to see the band in-game heh
13:50:13 [Cubase] The Singing Detectives!!!???
13:50:20 [ChrisNFB] Id love to hear it.
13:50:21 [Sowden1] yeah, that would be awsome
13:50:43 [Cubase] Got a demo tape to send us Aaron?
13:51:03 [ChrisNFB] Or a web site?
13:51:08 [Ruri] Yeah that would be interesting to hear =)
13:51:11 [AaronC] Sowden, things are in flux right now. CJ and I will know a lot more in the next few weeks as to our mutual futures. I wish I could say more, but it'll have to suffice for now. I promise to let everyone know what's up when I can.
13:51:12 [Sowden1] yeah, we could transfer it to mp3
13:51:57 [AaronC] As for our band, CJ, Doug and Randall (who plays Louie) had a band years ago called the Consultants of Swing...
13:51:57 [Ripley] Who plays what instrument?
13:52:13 [AaronC] ...I played guitar with them a few times...
13:52:15 [Cubase] LOL!
13:52:22 [JimTOG] Blair, are you ready to speak up?
13:52:29 [ChrisNFB] CJ playes bass? (he the talest)
13:52:40 [ChrisNFB] usually works that way
13:53:04 [AaronC] ...Then, a couple years ago, CJ went to Disneyland, where he saw a Beatles tribute band that got the crowd all excited, so he decided that we should do the same...
13:53:53 [AaronC] ...Now, we do covers of the Beatles and Beach Boys, and we're going to start doing other classic rock, such as the Kinks, Hollies, Who, etc....
13:54:21 [grendeljen] who the singer?
13:54:34 [ChrisNFB] lol, like Brad Delph of Boston,
13:54:35 [Ripley] When will you appear in Las Vegas?
13:54:40 [ChrisNFB] he a cool guy
13:55:17 [AaronC] ...CJ is an awesome keyboardist, Doug plays bass, I play guitar and some keyboards, Jon Clark plays horns, and we have another guitarits and a drummer (who you don't know). We don't have a proper name, though I like to call us The Beatless. <end>
13:55:36 [ChrisNFB] lol
13:55:46 [AaronC] We all sing, though Chris mostly does backup.
13:56:12 [Cubase] Thats really awesome... if you need an extra keyboardist, and you happen to tour in Oz, give us a call!
13:56:18 [Cubase] Question from JimTOG: I remember seeing a reference to an older game, perhaps pre-Access, that you were working on. I'm sorry I can't think of the name, but, what DID you do before Tex?
13:56:30 [Sowden1] msg/ Cubase I alwaysed wanted to know witch Tex Murphy game he enjoyed working on the most, any game from Mean Streets to Overseer to TMRT
13:58:00 [JimTOG] Sowden, try /msg Cubase (question)
13:58:11 [AaronC] I wasn't in the biz before Tex, so I'm not sure what you're referring to. I always had an interest in making games, though. One of the resons I got a chance to work with Chris is because I wrote interactive murder mysteries all through college, which I would host. I still hope to put the mysteri
13:58:12 [Sowden1] *opps*
13:58:44 [AaronC] ...mysteries into an online game. <end>
13:59:11 [Ruri] Oh what did you study at college? Multimedia?
13:59:14 [Cubase] Question from Ruben:: Last time you had intention to do a demo to show some producers, did you do it?
13:59:26 [AaronC] Sowden, I'll go ahead and answer your question...
13:59:35 [Sowden1] ok then
14:00:11 [AaronC] I had a blast doing UKM, but it was first experience, so I didn't really know what I was doing, and didn't really appreciate how cool the experience was...
14:00:37 [AaronC] ...Pandora was really the pinnacle and I loved every minute...
14:01:05 [Ripley] It shows in your work Aaron
14:01:25 [earljw] Pandora is definitely the best of all
14:01:57 [AaronC] ...Overseer was different because the original story idea wasn't mine (though it was at least as much work to redo it), plus we had some creative differences between me, CJ and Adrian Carr as to the tone of the game, which caused a bit of tension...
14:02:00 [Ripley] That's why we all love the stories and games
14:02:48 [AaronC] ...though I think Overseer turned out to be a great game, especially considering it was done in 9 months using an old storyline! <end>
14:03:26 [AaronC] Ruri, I went to college and got a degree in English Literature. <end>
14:03:34 [Cubase] Question from Ruben (from a while back sorry): Last time you had intention to do a demo to show some producers, did you do it?
14:03:38 [Ruri] Ah I see, thanks =)
14:03:41 [JimTOG] Overseer IS a great game, due mostly to the storyline and incredible acting.
14:03:48 [Sowden1] that was my fault
14:04:08 [Sowden1] I agree with Jim, the acting is excelent in Overseer
14:04:09 [JimTOG] You're doing great, Sowden.
14:04:12 [ChrisNFB] I think overseer is where the acting was the most refined, and it made for a great experience,
14:04:16 [Cubase] True Jim... and never a lack of good Femme Fatales
14:04:26 [AaronC] Ruben, we're still working on the game demo and experimenting with a variety of game engines to see which one will work best with our design. <end>
14:04:46 [Cubase] <b>question from Cubase,/b>: With more modern technologies in games nowadays, what sorts of games have really gained your attention and blown you away? Do you obtain inspiration from such advancements for your own projects or are things just moving too fast?
14:04:51 [Ruben] Nice
14:05:31 [grendeljen] laptop battery dying... thanks to Aaron, Cub, TOG. I better go. ;(
14:05:50 [Cubase] Thanks Jen... take care
14:05:54 [Sowden1] bye jen
14:05:54 [Ruri] aww, seeya Jen
14:05:54 [AaronC] To be honest, I hate most new games. I was at E3 and it was severely disappointing...
14:05:57 [ChrisNFB] l8er Jen
14:06:02 [JimTOG] Bye, kiddo! Gonna miss ya!
14:06:04 [Ripley] Bye Jen. Have a great day
14:06:05 [AaronC] Bye, Jen!
14:06:42 [grendeljen] ttfn
14:07:10 [AaronC] ...I think game creators have focused on utilizing technology and graphics to the exlusion of story and character...
14:07:16 [Cubase] ...so Aaron, nothing really tickles your fancy nowadays?
14:07:56 [Ruri] Not a Role-Play Game fan? They usually have a lot of story, although I agree theres a lot of pushing on graphics too
14:08:05 [AaronC] ...lately though, it seems like the technology curve has flattened out and users are not getting their fixes anymore...
14:09:37 [AaronC] ...I think the web is where we'll start to see the level of creativity that I associate with the mid 1990s - back when you had to be creative because PCs weren't powerful enough to do the realistic stuff they're capable of today...
14:10:03 [AaronC] ...As for newer games, I liked Voodoo Vince...
14:11:14 [AaronC] ...but there've been very few games that have caught my eye - and I'm not much of an RPG guy, though I do like the Ensemble "Age" games. <end>
14:11:30 [Cubase] Question from ChrisNFB: Speaking of new games and someone mentioned RPG's, Have you played "Conquer Online", and if u did, what do you think of it?
14:11:31 [Blankman] I really have to be heading off now... I just want to thank Aaron for taking the time to do this with us. You rock Aaron! Bye for now.
14:11:42 [ChrisNFB] l8er Blank
14:11:51 [AaronC] So long, Blankman!
14:11:59 [Ruri] bye blankman
14:11:59 [Cubase] Ciao mate
14:12:05 [Sowden1] so long
14:12:29 [ChrisNFB] hey Jim, whats up w/ B?
14:12:35 [JimTOG] See ya Blankman! Great to have ya!
14:12:50 [AaronC] I haven't played Conquer Online. As I've said before, it seems ironic, but I really don't like to play computer games - I just like creating them! <end>
14:13:08 [ChrisNFB] lol
14:13:18 [Ruri] Heh
14:13:55 [Sowden1] lol
14:13:55 [Cubase] from Cubase Well, seeing as I think this might be up your alley, may I reccoment the Lord of the Rings: Return of the King game... recently played it and loved it... lots of FMV from the film
14:14:34 [JimTOG] Blair is experiencing technical difficulties
14:14:41 [Cubase] Question from Ruri What do you feel is the most unique or strong aspect to the Tex Murphy world or games?]
14:15:15 [JimTOG] :s
14:15:21 [JimTOG] :q
14:15:34 [JimTOG] Sorry, still trying to get faces
14:17:20 [Cubase] are we still rolling?
14:17:31 [JimTOG] :l
14:17:36 [JimTOG] :k
14:17:42 [JimTOG] :u
14:17:50 [Ruri] Phew I thought the chat ahd crashed heh
14:17:51 [ChrisNFB] hmm, Tech diff?
14:17:59 [JimTOG] I am, what about everyone else?
14:18:13 [Ruri] I guess I asked a stumper eh
14:18:13 [ChrisNFB] I'm still here...
14:18:14 [Ripley] still here
14:18:17 [Cubase] lets try another question.....
14:18:21 [ChrisNFB] Maybe aaron is having trouble?
14:18:24 [JimTOG] Yeah, poor Blair. When he tries to enter, his screen goes white.
14:18:35 [Sowden1] I'm here too
14:18:44 [Cubase] Question from Cubase: When producing the Tex Murphy radio theatre, of course the experience and methods would be quite different to writing a book or producing a game. Would you care to elaborate on this experience?... which reminds me... Frank is wondering if you need voice actors?
14:19:19 [Ripley] Wow Jim, how'd you do that one?
14:19:23 [JimTOG] :{
14:19:47 [JimTOG] I'm not sure!! colon then left lower bracket
14:19:48 [Cubase] Are you still with us Aaron?
14:19:52 [Ripley] :}
14:19:59 [AaronC] Sorry about the delay - I'm at work and had a short emergency!
14:20:03 [Ripley] Now you have me going at it Jim
14:20:09 [ChrisNFB] oh..
14:20:17 [Ruri] It's no problem!
14:20:18 [JimTOG] lower case bracket. Can't you read my mind, Ripper? lol
14:20:27 [Cubase] not a problem.... here we go...
14:20:28 [Ruri] Thanks for taking time out from work for us
14:20:32 [Sowden1] *wipes the sweat from his brow*
14:20:36 [AaronC] I'll answer Ruri's question...
14:20:39 [Ripley] Jim, you really make me LOL
14:20:52 [JimTOG] Work? Do people still have jobs?
14:20:58 [Ripley] ;]
14:21:02 [Ripley] oops
14:21:45 [ChrisNFB] :]
14:21:49 [Ripley] >[
14:21:50 [JimTOG] :|
14:21:52 [ChrisNFB]
14:22:02 [JimTOG] COLON!!! Sheesh!
14:22:15 [JimTOG] Not arrow!!
14:22:21 [AaronC] ...I think it's interesting that our games aren't always at the very top of people's lists, but Tex is a CHARACTER that people always mention as one of their favorites. I think the major strength of our games is the characters, dialogue, and relationships. <end>
14:22:39 [AaronC] Now for Cubase's last question...
14:22:46 [Ripley] ;[
14:22:53 [Cubase] thanks Aaron...
14:23:06 [JimTOG] Ditto from TOG. It's that very feature that keeps me playing the games over and over
14:23:46 [Ruri] Thanks for the asnwer =)
14:23:56 [AaronC] ...I really liked writing the TMRT scripts - it WAS very different, but I enjoy trying new forms of writing. In fact, I liked it so much, that's why I've been working on this design for an audio-only game...
14:24:32 [AaronC] ...I'm as curious as anyone to see how an "interactive"TMRT would be...
14:25:28 [AaronC] ...As for needing voice actors, I don't think I need any, but I think it would be cool to have a prize be a cameo appearance in the audio game! <end>
14:26:06 [JimTOG] YES! That would be a great treat for any Tex fan
14:26:25 [Cubase] from me again I have to ask this one, and I feel a bit embarrassed asking (don’t throw your tomatoes at me please!); did you get a chance to experience the ‘Lombard St’ radio theatre in full? If so, what were your impressions? …even with its bad character impressions and all =oP.
14:26:26 [ChrisNFB] Sweet
14:26:40 [AaronC] Well, I need to get going in a few minutes. Let's have one more question after this and call it a day, OK?
14:27:04 [Cubase] not a problem Aaron
14:27:32 [Ruri] Yeah, we've had you trapped here for ages =)
14:27:49 [AaronC] Cubase, CJ and I listened to the first couple episodes and found them incredibly clever and entertaining...
14:27:59 [Ripley] You're leaving? After I have the faces down pat?
14:28:31 [AaronC] ...I have to admit that I didn't keep up with it, but I admire the effort - It's obvious that everyone really enjoyed them. <end>
14:28:33 [JimTOG] Nice, Ripper
14:28:35 [ChrisNFB] lol rip
14:28:56 [JimTOG] I thoroughly enjoyed Lombard Street. Excellent fan work
14:29:09 [Ruben] GReat job
14:29:10 [Cubase] thanks Aaron!
14:29:12 [Cubase] LAST QUESTION from Jim Of all my fav characters in Overseer, including your great portrayal of...of...what's his name, I liked Delores Lightbody the best. What was it like working with Micala Nelligan? or Michael York for that matter?
14:29:46 [JimTOG] j/k AC Greg Call was perfect
14:30:07 [ChrisNFB] lol, we know the Geritol just kicked in Jim, dont kid yourself
14:30:29 [AaronC] Micala was absolutely hysterical. I knew the dialogue between Tex and Delores would be funny, but Micala took it to a whole new level...
14:30:49 [Ripley] Geritol with a touch of Bourbon
14:30:54 [JimTOG] Yeah, she did. Great job
14:31:09 [JimTOG] Lots of Jack Daniels, Rip
14:31:19 [Ripley] LOL
14:31:24 [AaronC] ...Michael York was, as you might imagine, an incredible class act - hearing him deliver the lines I wrote was a huge thrill and honor...
14:31:42 [JimTOG] If I keep my mind clouded, you can't read it. Sort of like Yoda and the future
14:32:03 [JimTOG] Loved his performance!!
14:32:13 [Ripley] Hmmmm.
14:32:17 [ChrisNFB] He was great
14:32:26 [Ruben] One of the bests
14:32:27 [Ripley] Always liked Michael York
14:32:38 [Cubase] Can never get into his protrayal of Basil Expodition in Austin Powers after seeing such a gracefull performance in Overseer
14:32:42 [JimTOG] You thought he was going for an Oscar.
14:33:29 [Ripley] My favorite was Logan's Run with Michael York
14:33:35 [JimTOG] Love that Geritol, Chris
14:33:41 [AaronC] ...I've never been particularly smitten with actors, but I have to say that the great ones, like Michael, Kevin McCarthy, Barry Corbin, etc. took characters that existed only in text and really brought them to life. I can't imagine any of the characters differently than how they were in the games
14:34:31 [Cubase] That's great, saying that, If I saw Barry in the street I would stay clear just on instinct....
14:34:37 [JimTOG] Was that a direct credit to their own ability coupled with the direction of Adrian Carr?
14:34:59 [JimTOG] Good point, Cub
14:35:15 [AaronC] Adrian did a great job, but the really experienced actors didn't need that much direction.
14:35:36 [Ripley] Gotta get to work ;( Thanks a 1,000,000 to Aaron, Cub and Jim! Bye everyone.
14:35:42 [Cubase] Okay we'll we'd better let you go Aaron......
14:35:50 [AaronC] OK, folks. I've got to hit the road. If anyone has unanswered questions, post them on the UTM site and I'll try to answer them eventually.
14:35:51 [ChrisNFB] l8er
14:35:53 [Ruri] bye ripley
14:35:58 [Cubase] thanks for Joining us today, it has been a absolute pleasure for all of us!
14:36:04 [JimTOG] See ya Ripper! Really good to have you here! Course, you knew that.
14:36:05 [ChrisNFB] cool, Thanks AC
14:36:08 [Sowden1] bye Ripley
14:36:16 [Ruri] Thanks Aaron! Best of luck with your progress with Tex Murphy's future and your own =)
14:36:26 [Cubase] Don't stay away too long ya hear?
14:36:27 [Sowden1] dito
14:36:35 [Ruben] Thansks Aaron, we hope to hear news soon
14:36:48 [AaronC] Thanks, everybody! See you next time!
14:36:50 [Sowden1] Yeah, thanks for giving us your time
14:37:08 [JimTOG] Thanks a mill, AC. You really deserve a hearty pat on the back. The best to you and your family.
14:37:11 [Cubase] and sorry for the difficulties earlier
14:37:17 [ChrisNFB] l8er
14:37:23 [ChrisNFB] thanks for coming
14:37:43 [JimTOG] :*
14:37:52 [JimTOG] :^
14:37:54 [Ruri] Dont worry about it Cubase it went very well in the end =)
14:38:10 [ChrisNFB] Who is saving the Chat log?
14:38:12 [JimTOG] Hey! That was different!
14:38:19 [JimTOG] Show off
14:38:33 [Ruben] Well, it ends just in time to watch the EuroCup, thanks Cub and Jim to arrange the Chat, bye!!
14:38:44 [Ruri] seeya
14:38:54 [ChrisNFB] cool
14:39:05 [ChrisNFB] i gtg, thanks Cube, later ll
14:39:06 [JimTOG] Take care Ruben. Will be getting back to you soon on our story.
14:39:16 [Cubase] Ciao Chris, ttyl
14:39:41 [Cubase] Before veryone goes, lets hear Three cheers for Jim for setting this up with Aaron...
14:39:45 [JimTOG] I too have to leave. Thanks to Cub and all who participated. See you on the boards!
14:39:47 [Cubase] hip-hip....
14:39:51 [JimTOG] :'
14:40:00 [Ruri] Hooray
14:40:00 [JimTOG] Had to try one more
14:40:01 [Sowden1] hip hip
14:40:14 [Cubase] hooray
14:40:18 [Cubase] hip hip
14:40:30 [JimTOG] hooray
14:40:42 [JimTOG] Bye Chris. Good to have ya here
14:40:46 [Ruri] cheering for yourself =)
14:40:49 [Cubase] way to salute yourself Jim! lol!
14:41:22 [Cubase] that's that, well done eveybody... I am pooped!!!
14:41:26 [JimTOG] Take care, Cub. You too, Ruri. Bye every 1
14:41:34 [Ruri] Seeya ^^
14:41:47 [Cubase] okay, chat log saved!
14:41:51 [Cubase] it's 5 am here!
14:41:55 [Sowden1] me too, I'm out of here guys
14:42:01 [Ruri] ouch
14:42:05 [Ruri] bye
14:42:12 [Ruri] me too =) So seeya!
14:42:13 [Cubase] ciao dude, good fun talkin to ya
14:42:31 [Sowden1] its been good to see you all
14:42:32 [Sowden1] later
14:46:07 [Cubase] okay fellas well done..... see you all at UTM! cheers!
14:49:15 [earljw] shoot.... got pulled away at work! missed the last bit
14:49:32 [Cubase] now worries, it's all here on record
14:49:59 [earljw] thanks Cub
14:50:07 [earljw] where's the transcript going to be?
14:50:10 [Cubase] I myself have to get some sleep and close this shop down....
14:50:31 [earljw] 4:20 PM here! you must be tired
14:50:51 [Cubase] 5 am here
14:51:34 [Cubase] Okay dude, I am going to have to boot us both out so I can save the log properly..... catcha
14:51:42 [earljw] ouch
14:51:45 [earljw] later
End of Chat