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GDC or Bust!

by Ron Gilbert
Mar 11, 2016

I once tweeted "GDC" and someone asked "what's GDC?" No matter what your job is, it's easy to start using lingo and acronyms that seem obvious, when they are far from that to others.

GDC stands for Game Developers Conference. It happens in San Francisco each year around this time and 25,000 developers get together and pontificate about stuff they think they understand. They rarely do, but it's still very useful and entertaining.

Over the 30 years GDC's been going on, I think I've missed only a handful of them. Back in 1991 Monkey Island won "Best Game Play". That was back when the entire conference could fit in one room and have dinner together. How times change.

We're going to be doing hands-on demos of Thimbleweed Park to the press and I'm going to be stuck in a hotel suite for 5 days, 8 hours a day showing the game with David, Gary, Jenn and Mark coming in for tag-team relief. It's going to be grueling.

We've all spent the last few weeks polishing and getting the code and art ready. It will be a hands-on demo, meaning the press will get to play the game, but one of us will always be there so it doesn't need to be a "hardened" demo. If we were showing to the public, we'd have to make sure you could never do anything bad or go anywhere you weren't supposed to. There is still a lot of polish and loose ends left to be done.

It's always amazing how much time you spend getting a "demo" build ready. It's horribly distracting to, you know, getting the actual game done. I always forget about this when scheduling. If you find yourself in a similar position, never ever underestimate the amount of time and work this take.

In April, we'll be showing the game to the public at PAX East, so if you're going to that please stop by and say hi. That build will need to be a "hardened" and will take even more time, but it's all important, almost as important as making the game, especially for indies. "Built it and they will come" is naive at best.

There will be no podcast today. I still have last weeks podcast to edit, but that will have to wait until after GDC.

As an apology/bribe, please accept this new, never seen before art from Mark.

Bogdan Barbu - Mar 11, 2016 at 17:24
IMO, the way you're scaling the characters down looks inconsistent with the rest of the game. Characters seem to be using smaller pixels as they get further into the distance but the mountains and the grass near the "camera" have equally-sized pixels.
Ron Gilbert ✓ - Mar 11, 2016 at 17:34
As I've said a million times before, There will be a "pixel purist" mode where everything is at the same resolution. Just like back in the 80s and 90s, it will look like crap, but you're welcome to play the game that way. My guess is you'll play it for 5 minutes, then turn it off. The game is so much much better with smooth scrolling and scaling. You don't have to agree with me, and that is why I put the mode in. I'm tired of saying this over and over every time a screen shot is posted.  Please pay attention.
Bogdan Barbu - Mar 11, 2016 at 17:40
I know it's my responsability to read all the comments and perhaps I even give that impression but I actually read very few of them.

Anyway, I agree that the other kind of scaling down is unappealing as well. I'm not sure what a good cost-effective solution would be.
Bogdan Barbu - Mar 11, 2016 at 17:48
I know this isn't ideal but maybe just blur them a little bit. They come off as being too sharp. When I tried this in an image editor, it seemed to slightly improve the situation but I have no idea what it would look like "in action" (I didn't experiment with animation or transitioning from close-and-sharp to away-and-blurry). Just a random thought, I don't really know.
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 11, 2016 at 17:51
I'm sure that The Team will take in consideration almost every request from their fans.
Bogdan Barbu - Mar 11, 2016 at 20:29
It's fine. I have personally talked to Gary and he will redraw all the characters at all distance levels so that they don't have to rely on scaling anymore. Thank you, Gary!
Ema - Mar 12, 2016 at 06:33
My left eyebrow is so up that my face resembles a Picasso canvas...
Bogdan Barbu - Mar 12, 2016 at 08:37
Looks fade anyway.
longuist - Mar 12, 2016 at 18:13
Ema, i laughed so hard because of this comment that i spilled my coffee all over the computer. The keyboard drainage system actually works, hooray.
Ema - Mar 13, 2016 at 15:40
Some 10-15 years ago I used to live in an attic. One day I left the window over my PC open. When I poured rainy water out of my keyboard, it still worked perfectly. I think keyboard are liquid-proof, studied for the average computer user, who -according to Matt Groening- is quite overweight and considers keyboards as a placemat. Oh, and uses a toilet as a chair.
longuist - Mar 13, 2016 at 17:54
Unfortunately it wasnt the keyboard, but the laptop. A friend of mine killed his laptop with a cup of tea, there was no drainage system. Keyboards are no problem, i even cleaned one in the dishwasher (with electronic parts out of course)
Got taken away, have i mentioned how glorious the background artwork looks?
Dominik - Mar 11, 2016 at 18:14
hmm... That is an interesting idea. how about this:

sclae the Sprite to the "correct" Pixel size using anti-aliasing. That would make them look pixelated but would prevent them from being unrecognizable (thanks to AA). this is Not the Same as "Pixel Perfect Mode", because the movement (x/y placement) would still be smooth.

of course, Sinne this is just a still Image, i have no ideal if the current " sharpness" is really a Problem when the game is in motion...

I hope GDC won't be too stressful! good luck!!
David Fox ✓ - Mar 11, 2016 at 22:02
Isn't everyone here old enough that our degraded eyesight naturally blurs all the pixels?
Ema - Mar 12, 2016 at 06:37
I personally blur and mess all my pixels every time I take off my glasses, since I was 10. But, believe me, back then I used to check those lenses were clean and right on my nose every time I used to play Zak, just to make sure not to lose a single pixel.
David Fox ✓ - Mar 12, 2016 at 13:56
Pretty hard to lose those pixels... So large you could cut yourself on them.
Ema - Mar 12, 2016 at 15:17
Actually, I simply could not imagine that one day pixels would have been so tiny you couldn't see them.
Computers were the symbol of future and technology. And there was no computer without pixels.
When I used a Commodore 64 I had just one or two original games, because they were expensive. We used to buy cheaper games: "the magazines".
Back then in Italy we had some magazines you could legally buy at news kiosks.... But they were actually pirated games! The magazine came with a tape with old pirated games. Small games of just a few kb.... look at this pdf:
http://specialprogramsipe.altervista.org/sfoglia_rivista.php?collana=special_program&id=1#page/8

So, you can understand that, as soon as I bought a PC and I put my hands on Zak, I found that EGA graphic AMAZING... :-)
David Fox ✓ - Mar 12, 2016 at 15:47
Hah, and if you didn't want to use the tape, you could type them in by hand! A meta game, seeing if you could actually get the program working.
Ema - Mar 12, 2016 at 16:39
Actually, some cheaper magazines had just printed programs.... no tapes. :-D

I remember one afternoon spent copying strange codes from paper on the screen. I was so tired when I finished, and I expected something marvellous.... but it turned out it was just a monochrome sprite of a mouse, which, because of some compiling error, had his body on the right side of the screen and his legs on the left side....
I was 8 years old. I decided computer programming would have not be my future. And I started buying tapes....
David Fox ✓ - Mar 12, 2016 at 17:01
More like data entry wouldn't be your future... programming is a lot more fun.Back in the late 1970s when my wife and I ran a non-profit public computer center, one of the ways we had to get our programs was to hand-enter BASIC listings from computer magazines and books. Rare that it worked the first time. Or second... Or...
Ema - Mar 12, 2016 at 17:31
I know that we are far off topic, but.... but which kind of programs did people use in a public computer center?
I'm very curious about that. And... was it so common for people in the 70es to think "ok, I need a computer to perform this task. Let's look for a public computer center"? If I think about my grandparents in the 70's (and even in the 80es) I think they didn't have the slightest idea of what a computer could have done for them, so they simply didn't feel the need for a computer.
Ema - Mar 12, 2016 at 18:00
Looking for an answer to my last question, I found this:
http://www.digibarn.com/collections/newsletters/peoples-computer/peoples-1978-nov-dec/marin-computer-center.html
I hope you don't mind if I share it.... so that the younger of us who want to try the thrill of copying by hand a program from a magazine, can copy and original David Fox program! :-)

PS: don't worry if it doesn't work at the first try... ;-)
David Fox ✓ - Mar 12, 2016 at 18:13
Good find on that People's Computers article. That was written in Pilot, a really simple language for kids. We taught that one as well as BASIC and later, Pascal. Most people came in to play games on our computers... we charged $1.50/hour, and had birthday parties and school field trips. We did teach programming classes for adults, but they were very beginning. Most people did not have computers then, and most had never even seen one up close (maybe 2 in 30 kids on a field trip had ever touched one). That changed 5 years later when we went on to do other things (like work for Lucasfilm).

Some people came in and did word processing... others practiced programming after taking a class. A few did database entry to track their own, but 95% was probably game playing. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marin_Computer_Center
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 12, 2016 at 11:35
Ah! You have a point, here! But only for distant things! :-D
David Fox ✓ - Mar 12, 2016 at 13:54
Well, they *ARE* distant in the above image! :-)
Christopher - Mar 11, 2016 at 19:44
Beer will provide the desired pixel-scaling, anti-aliasing, soft focus filter.
Kroesi - Mar 12, 2016 at 02:43
GROG! GROG! GROG!
tomimt - Mar 12, 2016 at 03:47
The blurring would look horrible in game and in motion. There's some older AGS games, where the characters are blurred aginst the pixelart backgrounds and the blurring makes the characters stand out way too much, as it directly affects the aesthetics.. It might look nicer on a still screen, but in motion it makes the charcater pixels look dirty.
Gffp - Mar 11, 2016 at 23:36
Thank you for having explained this. I missed your words about this setting, too. Mark is such a talented artist. His 'paintings'looks realistic, but they have a certain type of impressionism. They are believable, and they create precise atmospheres. It's not just a comic art done with pixels, like the one you can see in Sam & Max or Monkey Island 2. It's something unique, belonging only to computer art. I also like monkey 2 art very much, but there's something different.
DZ-Jay - Mar 12, 2016 at 07:58
Dear Mr. Gilbert,

With all due respect, and notwithstanding the tone of your response, it is not a matter of being a "pixel purist," it is a matter of mixing visual styles in a way that seems distracting -- at least in the screenshot provided.  As I was looking at the beautiful scene you posted, I too noticed the disparate resolution modes.  I wasn't looking for it, but it smacked me in the face and made itself seen.

If that is the way you like it and you don't care what others think, then fine, I guess we'll have to suck it up; but you are presenting this blog as a forum of discussion on the development progress of the game, so you should expect some differing opinions, criticisms, or challenges to your product; especially considering that this is a work in which many have much emotional investment.

   -dZ.
Bogdan Barbu - Mar 12, 2016 at 08:45
I think he only used that tone because he said it came up several times before. I didn't know. At any rate, it's the first time this artifact was noticeable enough to bother me.
Nor Treblig - Mar 12, 2016 at 08:53
Take a closer look at his comment: There *will* be an old school mode ("pixel purist mode"). He just doesn't like it himself and prefers the way of scaling you can see on the screenshot. He also thinks that most people will agree with him once they have tried it.

Originally I thought this pixel purist is a must, but who knows. When the game is done I will try both modes and decide what I like best.

And he did say this numerous times on this blog before, take a look at those blog posts with screenshots or videos with scaling going on.

@Ron: You should mention these modes in the FAQ since we cannot expect everyone reading the comments (contrary to the FAQ).
longuist - Mar 12, 2016 at 11:47
I wanted to say that too.
As a pixel purist, i will probably switch to normal after 5 minutes too. I'm more interested in how the different backgrounds will be scaled at different resolutions.
But...
thats seems not so important anymore.
Look at that lovely screenshot. mhh, tasty
Bogdan Barbu - Mar 16, 2016 at 09:15
I'm not a "pixel purist." I just find it distracting when art has an inconsistent style. In principle, I think the proper(TM) solutions to this problem are:

1. Use equally-sized pixels for all depths. However, for big pixels that means ugly characters in the distance, while small pixels would go against the retro feel of the game.
2. Use smaller and smaller pixels for everything as you go further and further into the distance, much like you would see in older 3D games.
3. Have artists try to draw sprites for several depths and use scaling for everything in between. They might be be able to come up with something appealing but it's crazy expensive to do.

Anything else I can think of is ad-hoc, like the blurring thing I mentioned above.

And no, I'm not suggesting that they should change all the art or anything. I keep having to write dumb disclaimers for people like Ema and longuist who like to pick up fights about non-issues.
longuist - Mar 16, 2016 at 09:51
So you do. Looking forward to your next dumb disclaimer which hopefully helps me to understand what you really want to say.
As this discussion has long left from technical aspects to personal opinions please do refrain from assuming what others might say to your answers and stay polite. Thank you!
Ema - Mar 12, 2016 at 10:29
There's nothing wrong in the tone of the resposnse.
It's a grumpy tone, not an unpolite or trivial one.
I'm grumpy too in real life and it is incredible that, nowadays, people gets far more upset by grumpy tones than by bad manners or bad words.
DZ-Jay - Mar 16, 2016 at 07:09
I guess I forgot that Mr. Gilbert is, indeed, the Grumpy Gamer, my apologies. ;)

     -dZ.
Ema - Mar 18, 2016 at 14:06
:-)
Zarbulonian - Mar 12, 2016 at 19:57
I've been thinking about this again... and I think I nailed why I was upset about the pixels things.

It's about maintaining the suspension of disbelief regarding the "Imagine this is 1987" meta-plot that was announced with this  KickStarter image[0] (for values of 1987 that may well span up to 1992).

Subtle things like shaders, full scene zoom, or smoother animations and scrolling (provided sprites end on a full pixel) can easily be ignored while scaled and rotated pixels are much more "in your face". The pixels of parallax planes can probably straddle without people noticing while those of the characters would immediately kill the illusion [1].

The pixel purist mode was probably added in part based on my feedback, but it is obviously a second thought, and I expect it to look like crap, as you said several times, because no effort is poured in trying to make it look good (designing sprites that scale well like Guybrush's, or avoiding sprite scaling and rotations, ...).

That's ultimately a minor thing, though. I've now reached acceptance, and I'm pretty sure I'll enjoy the game tremendously, probably in high res mode. I can't wait to play the game :-)

You may want to make it even more upfront about it, so that people can take the time to go through the various stages of grief before the game is released.

Who killed 1987? No idea, but I promise I won't try to frame you anymore.

----

[0] https://ksr-ugc.imgix.net/assets/003/036/534/840dd713cdeafc074bfb9f23c04728b8_original.jpg?v=1418317618&w=680&fit=max&auto=format&q=92&s=1383425b9da61d8c9e1c28c78dcf06f7

[1] A game that does that remarkably is *Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP*. Most of the graphics are 16bit era low res, but high resolution elements are mixed in (those are often plot critical). The HUD is hi-res. Effects are high res. The sprites are animated in low resolution, but when they move from on the screen, they do it smoothly in high resolution. They always end aligned on the grid.
Big Red Button - Mar 14, 2016 at 18:03
I agree in terms of movements in the game. It's a matter of taste which mode you prefer, when you play the game. But, in my opinion, such a screenshot would look more harmonic and consistent, if you made it by using the "pixel purist" mode. It would probably relieve you from any criticism regarding the pixel sizes, whenever you post a screenshot here in this blog.
Arto - Mar 11, 2016 at 17:29
That's the factory, right? I can see how the character will be switched.
And I agree with Bogdan; characters look too sharp. Nice scene though.
Dr. N. Harold Cham - Mar 11, 2016 at 17:39
That's right, the character's pixels are smaller when they're scaled down (unlike in the 90's when screen resolution was the limiting factor), and also the verbs use bigger "pixels" than the scene or the inventory icons, which looked a bit clunky to me at first. We also have the smooth, accelerated parallax scrolling of backgrounds. I have also seen fantastic colored lightnig effects. But don't worry! Sit back and enjoy the show and let the people who came up with the genre in the first place do what they do best and let's see how point-and-click adventures can be done in 2016. I'm looking forward to the finished game. Thanks for making this happen!
Mattias Cedervall - Mar 11, 2016 at 17:42
We (the cool kids) know what GDC, E3 and Gamex is.
Sundance - Mar 11, 2016 at 17:54
Yeah, we know. And now i drink some GDC, chew Gamex and smoke a one or two E3. But finally i will watch Gamescom on TV, i love these sitcoms.
Mattias Cedervall - Mar 12, 2016 at 11:28
:-) I like your comment.
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 11, 2016 at 17:43
I wish you guys to get the "2017 Best Game Play - Thimbleweed Park". I feel you (we?) are on the correct track!
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 11, 2016 at 17:49
I was looking at GDC site, but I can't find you in the Exhibitors list nor in the Event list.
Could you tell me if your presence at GDC is listed as a particular event, or something?
Thank you
Ron Gilbert ✓ - Mar 11, 2016 at 17:50
We're not exhibiting. The demos are not public.
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 11, 2016 at 17:53
Ah, for press only, in that meaning. OK, got it.
finc - Mar 11, 2016 at 18:04
But will you be pixilated?
Joseph Nelson - Mar 11, 2016 at 17:56
"Walk to factory"? I want to "Talk to factory". :)
Dan Sorensen - Mar 11, 2016 at 17:57
What a beautiful image. I love the podcast, but I am more than happy looking at this new art. Mark is quite a painter.

Sounds like you have plenty on your plate to sell the game. I hope it goes really, really well and you get a new "Best Game Play" award. :-)

I agree with you Ron, having played the revised Monkey Island Games, it was cool to toggle back to original art, but after 5 minutes, was fun to toggle back to what was suggested. You guys have a good eye.
David Fox ✓ - Mar 11, 2016 at 18:05
I think it will be kind of like watching a movie in 3D... very cool at the start, and then you just stop noticing it and get caught up in the story (unless they throw a spear at you). The resolution and other effects we're adding will just enhance the overall experience, but you can turn them off (as well as the voice, music, etc.).
Jammet - Mar 12, 2016 at 18:07
On my little battle strategy board, I've detailed that I'm probably going to be playing this, on my first run through - as bare bones as I can: no enchanced anything :). Then, when I go again, I will turn on all these nice juicy features.

Meaning, the first time, I'll literally going play this 1991 style!  Then, fast forward to 1994 - have voice work! Any maybe the better effects, if I can't save that for later, 'cause this'll feel like I'm playing a game from the DOTT era ;).
Brian S - Mar 11, 2016 at 18:37
Nice artwork, and one of the few peeks at characters standing at a distance!  Thank you for posting, and best of luck at GDC.  I'm sure you'll come back with lots of interesting feedback from the press, and we'll be seeing some interesting articles come out at a result.  Will the press be allowed to take screenshots/video clips for use in articles?
Big Red Button - Mar 11, 2016 at 18:43
Mark's art is capable of impressing me again and again!

I'm looking forward to the media response, too.
Alessander - Mar 11, 2016 at 18:59
IMHO, the pixels look too flat, maybe Mark could use voxels next time. Just kidding, the art is great, have a good GDC!
Carlo Valenti - Mar 11, 2016 at 19:06
We wish you all the best for GDC!
I wish I could bring you all one Coke a day, next week.
Would you please post a "postcard" from the GDC, one day Jenn, the next David, and so on? Just a picture, or a greeting line "we miss you". Because we miss you too.
In exchange, we promise to cheer you up!
Steffen - Mar 11, 2016 at 19:15
Nice picture, even if I think the factory looks a bit skew downward! Thanks for teasing...   ;-)  
And have a nice time in San Francisco!

@Ron - regarding pixels and scaling: maybe you can show the pixel mode in compare to the scale mode? And because i am curious I would like to see how blurring would look like. Is that possible?? (Would help you to avoid a second million)
Nor Treblig - Mar 11, 2016 at 19:53
I've seen this screenshot on Twitter first which seems to be a downscaled version: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CdTOoJtUEAAZSck.png:large
Or is it actually the purist mode?
Zombocast - Mar 11, 2016 at 20:20
So much for "never before seen" Well its new to most of us, lol.
Brian S - Mar 11, 2016 at 20:45
Actually, I believe the blog post went up before the twitter post (It actually looks like Bogdan's first post here was at the same second as the twitter post from Ron, so I'm interpreting that as this post having come first).  More interesting is that the shots are different, relating to the pixelization of the characters.  So I'm thinking Ron is performing a social experiment. :)
Nor Treblig - Mar 12, 2016 at 03:27
I just meant that *I* have seen it on Twitter before. And I've seen it there with pixelated characters that's why I mentioned it (which actually look fine).
But it's just a downscaled version of the original image we see in this post
Steffen - Mar 12, 2016 at 04:54
"But it's just a downscaled version of the original image we see in this post"
Exactly!
Ema - Mar 12, 2016 at 11:22
Uhm.... intreresting.
The background is downscaled too.
But the result on the two characters isn't bad!
I agree that having the characters in higher resolution makes them unnaturally sharp. If the result in purist mode is similar to this one, I don't think it's crap. I could use it.
Christopher - Mar 11, 2016 at 19:32
“Artwork from Mark”? So that will be “Markwork” then, no?

Also, I miss games getting separate scores for graphics, sound and gameplay. Not sure how well games these days would score for the latter.
Christian - Mar 11, 2016 at 19:35
Wow, this looks fantastic! (And I did not notice any problem with the scaling)

Good luck with GDC and this game is the one I'm most looking forward to.
vegetaman - Mar 11, 2016 at 19:39
It really is amazing how much time demos, prototypes, show software/equipment really takes. It can have a really big impact on development schedules because of early testing and polish and quick implementations you have to revisit later. Good to see common ground across different disciplines of development, honestly (even if it makes us all panic a bit!).
Christopher - Mar 11, 2016 at 19:46
That’s the second biggest pillow factory I’ve ever seen.
Paulup - Mar 12, 2016 at 10:34
Dang, I was going to say that!

I'll have to go with: "Ah, the pillow thief returns to the scene of the crime."
Patrik Spacek - Mar 11, 2016 at 20:50
Mark, Mark, Mark...!!!
thimbleweedparkbaby - Mar 11, 2016 at 22:23
I've been seeing the screenshots and let me just say it looks like a amazing work of art!
Farooq - Mar 11, 2016 at 22:24
I just played thimbleweed park today, only to realize it was just a dream. "Sigh" all the very best to you guys.
Martin Wendt - Mar 12, 2016 at 00:51
great! Some time ago I found this at a local store. I hope you get royalties for that one “as well“.
http://martinwendt.de/monkeyrum.jpg
If ever any pixel appears to be too sharp in the future,  I may consider this aid :)
Ron Gilbert ✓ - Mar 12, 2016 at 00:56
I don't get royalties on Monkey Island. Other than my salary at Lucasfilm, I never made a dime from any of my games. No one did.
Martin Wendt - Mar 12, 2016 at 02:20
Yes, you mentioned that. Hence the ““. Sad thing... If you ever get the rights, I volunteer for a C64 port after all :-)
Jammet - Mar 12, 2016 at 18:12
A C64 port? Yes Please! I'm not even kidding!
Userious - Mar 12, 2016 at 04:13
This time, you will (I think?). There's a first for everything.
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 12, 2016 at 11:38
Yes, they will make money, but I am sure that is not their primary goal.
Mattias Cedervall - Mar 12, 2016 at 17:28
Ron, you should sue someone for something!
Nicolas Rivas - Mar 12, 2016 at 02:20
Very atmospheric! Greae lighting. And nice item icons! It would be funny if at some point one of the characters say to the other "you really DO look great from afar", easing the pixel-tension of purists.
Jammet - Mar 12, 2016 at 18:14
"And who the hell are you?"
"What- you don't recognise me?!"
"Oh-- that's you! Sorry, you looked so pixellated, I had to step back first."

;)
Carsten Jensen - Mar 12, 2016 at 02:29
Enjoy GDC, I hope you'll have fun.

@Mark - Awesome pic!
Kroesi - Mar 12, 2016 at 02:40
All i've seen of the game looks so beautifull and impressive!!! Keep up that good work!I just can't wait to play it...
Though the day i will have played it to the end will be a very sad one... Could you please build in a bug, that doesn't allow the player to play it to the end?
frisby - Mar 12, 2016 at 02:45
Are the character switching icons going to be on top of the art like that?
Nor Treblig - Mar 12, 2016 at 03:57
You can always kill all the other playable characters to enjoy the pixels in the upper right corner. But then you have to tackle the endboss on your own with just one character! :-)

"Use Reyes with Microwave"
Mattias Cedervall - Mar 12, 2016 at 19:26
I hope not! Otherwise it's going to be in the way of some art. :-(
frisby - Mar 15, 2016 at 15:49
Yeah, it's always a drag when games do this, ends up with UI elements on all the screenshots :P
Mattias Cedervall - Mar 15, 2016 at 18:32
I would have placed the face icon between the arrows. The only downside with that is that people might think the arrows should be used to scroll playable characters when it's actually for scrolling the inventory. It's also possible that it might be too tight so that people might accidently click on the face icon when they only wish to scroll the inventory. Day of the tentacle made room for two(!) face icons while have room for six things in the inventory...
Nor Treblig - Mar 15, 2016 at 22:35
DOTT style won't work in case there are more than 3 persons available at the same time (are they? I don't know).

I also don't think it would look good between the arrows, it would be to cramped and also doesn't make much sense (like you said)

One other possibility would be to put it into the inventory (but then you would have to scroll to switch persons under certain circumstances), or to add it as verb (but then one existing verb needs to be removed).

Btw. it seems like this icon in the corner will be very translucent by default (unless you move the mouse over it I guess). See these screenshots for instance:
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/images/16/mar/thimbleweedpark6.jpg
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/images/16/mar/thimbleweedpark2.jpg

(it shouldn't be hidden completely because then people won't find it or will forget about it)
Mattias Cedervall - Mar 16, 2016 at 06:52
I didn't know about the translucent, but I should've assumed that Ron had thought of that. I guess that a face icon could always be in the inventory stuck at the same place even if the player scroll the inventory, but that wouldn't be great either. You have three playable characters in Day of the tentacle. I appreciate your comment, Nor Treblig. :-)
Nor Treblig - Mar 16, 2016 at 07:28
Those new screenshots were the first time I saw it too (maybe he added this translucency just recently).
How many years of game development experience does Ron have? We should really trust him more :-)

Also commenting on unfinished games is always tricky. I'm sure Ron is often rolling his eyes reading some of our comments here :-)

Yes DOTT has up to 3, but I have no idea how it will be in Thimbleweed Park (how many characters are available at the same time). It's probably more.
Mattias Cedervall - Mar 16, 2016 at 10:38
I basically trust Ron 100 %, but I'm the worrying kind so it's nothing personal against Ron. <3

I agree that it can be tricky.

I think it will be five playable characters in Thimbleweed Park.
Ron Gilbert ✓ - Mar 16, 2016 at 11:37
The icon in the corner is translucent unless you mouse over it. There are 5 playable characters in the game and you can switch between any of them and you have the freedom to move them throughout the world. They are not cordoned off from each other like in DoTT, something that always disappointed me.
Nor Treblig - Mar 16, 2016 at 12:57
Thanks for the information.

It would have been much easier to design a game without having multiple characters in the same world, interacting with the world and with same NPCs and also with each other, so thanks for putting all the effort into this game!
Mattias Cedervall - Mar 16, 2016 at 16:08
I guess that disappointed me as well in DoTT (I'm not sure because it's been so long since I played it). Thank you for your reply, Ron!
longuist - Mar 16, 2016 at 16:42
But how could that have been done differently? Each character is stuck in a different time. What i remember exhausting was exchanging items because you had to move each character to the chron-o-john(?)
Nor Treblig - Mar 16, 2016 at 18:17
@Mattias Cedervall: If you are disappointed by DOTT than your expectations are unreasonable high and nothing will ever please you... :-o

@longuist: Oohh I have something for you: You just have to use an object with the image of the character and they will automatically transfer the item! The first time you even get a cutscene seeing them standing at the Chron-o-John.
Mattias Cedervall - Mar 16, 2016 at 19:04
Nor Treblig, I said I wasn't sure and that was just one part of the game. I liked the game overall.
Nor Treblig - Mar 16, 2016 at 19:23
I wasn't too serious.
longuist - Mar 16, 2016 at 19:49
@Nor Treblig
Ah yes, i remember, thx. On first playthrough i didnt know this shortcut, so this must have been such a dramatic experience that my subconscious mind made me forget that i learned about it in the meantime :)
MarcusG - Mar 12, 2016 at 03:30
Dat scrub! I should probably be worried about the fact that I'm in love with pixelated undergrowth.
Farooq - Mar 12, 2016 at 08:12
I wonder if the citizens there use pillows now at all.
Simon Simon - Mar 12, 2016 at 11:04
Wow Mark, this looks fantastic. I am so glad so see a room that uses a different perspective and POV than the usual frontal view. I am impressed.
Sushi - Mar 12, 2016 at 14:45
Give red herring to Bogdan
Ema - Mar 12, 2016 at 15:05
Very nice. :-D
LOL - Mar 13, 2016 at 04:03
Oh, snap!
Mattias Cedervall - Mar 12, 2016 at 17:24
Some people think that GDC is short for Gilbert's delicious cookies, although talented, he's not the superhero Girl Scout that we all know - and love - from the bible.
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 13, 2016 at 06:43
I thought it was for Gilbert Danish Cookies. Delicious, anyway!
Mattias Cedervall - Mar 13, 2016 at 08:04
How nice. :-)
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 12, 2016 at 18:43
Ema: earlier you talked about magazines with pirated games in a tape sold at kiosks. I remember well! And the little magazine full of basic lines of code to write on c64, that you mentioned before, I think it was.... this:
http://www.museo-computer.it/SalaLettura/PaperSoft/img/papersoft01.png
Am I right?
Ema - Mar 13, 2016 at 05:11
You got it right.
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 13, 2016 at 06:47
Can I ask you where italian city are you from?
Ema - Mar 13, 2016 at 08:22
I'm from Milan.
Carlo Valenti - Mar 13, 2016 at 09:40
Me, I am from Genoa
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 13, 2016 at 18:16
Me from Brescia. We are not too far each other. Maybe we could meet once in a lifetime...
P.S.: for non-italian users: Brescia correct pronunciation is like "pressure" but with an initial B: "Bressure"
Guga - Mar 22, 2016 at 04:08
As made famous by the Queen-Bowie song "Under Brescia"
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 22, 2016 at 06:35
Exactly! It definitely comes from that event!  July 8th,  1997. Unforgettable.
mr. T - Mar 13, 2016 at 08:52
Bribe accepted, muahahaa! Looks fantastic... But next week it's gonna be TWO of 'em nice pictures or I'll send Bugsy 'Two times' after you!  

You kids behave at GDC! Remember to send a postcard :)
gatesbillou - Mar 13, 2016 at 12:53
Merci pour ce jeu "old school" , j'ai hâte d'y jouer.
Thanks for this "old school" game , I am eager to play this game.
Vicky - Mar 13, 2016 at 17:18
I just cannot wait to play this game. I'm a 33 years old gaming girl, and my favorite games were always yours. I grew up playing maniac mansion, zak mckraken, indiana jones and monkey island and they contributed a lot to my learning english, beeing born a french canadian. I was just complaining to my hubby that they don't make games the way they used to, and now I stumble upon this article while surfing the web. You, Sir, are the best game developper out there. Thanks for giving us games that made us search (sometimes for a few days, there was no internet for walkthroughs back then, we had to commonly put our heads together with other gamers to figure it out!) entertaining, witty and humorous. Your games have touched me and continue to do.

I do hope Disney calls you about Monkey Island. May I suggest a sequel trilogy, maybe featuring Guybrush and Elaine's son? I can imagine something like Geldwig Threepwood, (name has to start with a G right?) and he could want to be a pirate like his dad, but in a time where piracy is becoming less common... Anyways, just throwing ideas your way, plus I have no idea how copyrights and that leagl stuff works. You probably have your hands tied on many points regarding monkey island. I propose a national Disney boycott until they call you to make a deal about MK!

Well anyways I probably would have wrote you and sent you drawings as a kid as well if I had had your adress, so consider this my belated thank you note on putting so much work in giving the world awesome games. ( I remember those floppy disks... Installing windows or any big program on a computer would take hours lol) You truly are a pioneer. Live long and prosper and program on ;)
Nor Treblig - Mar 13, 2016 at 18:31
I know this was a typing error but now I wonder how Mortal Kombat by Ron Gilbert could look like...
David Fox ✓ - Mar 14, 2016 at 02:01
It would have to be called Immortal Combat since no one would die...
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 14, 2016 at 04:03
Eheh, even if one character fell off a cliff, he wouldn't die!
Farooq - Mar 14, 2016 at 13:41
Finish Him!.. em err.... I mean the puzzle.
Nor Treblig - Mar 14, 2016 at 20:24
Oh and in case someone doesn't know: In Escape from Monkey Island there was actually Monkey Kombat. Of course you couldn't die either but it wasn't so original as insult sword fighting.

Eek eek oop!
longuist - Mar 14, 2016 at 03:14
I would like to see the punch/guts dependency charts.
Nor Treblig - Mar 14, 2016 at 20:25
Hehe :-)
Stefano - Mar 13, 2016 at 18:33
Any chance people living in SF can offer you a drink during the GDC? I know you will be busy promoting the game, so most likely the answer is no, but since I grew up playing your games and I consider you one of my game creator heroes, I guess it's worth asking.
Zombocast - Mar 13, 2016 at 23:44
10% off pre-ordering Day of the Tentacle, until March 22.
https://www.gog.com/game/day_of_the_tentacle_remastered
longuist - Mar 14, 2016 at 03:08
Although i do like the thought that original artists should benefit from ongoing success, ...
considering the effort put into this "remaster" the price should be 90% off.
As maniac mansion is still playable inside the game, i wonder if Gary and Ron get a small slice from the cake.
Big Red Button - Mar 14, 2016 at 04:57
As Gary and Ron don't own the IP, only Disney cashes in on it, besides Double-Fine. It's hard to believe how dominant Disney has become over the decades.
Toothless Gibbon - Mar 14, 2016 at 12:25
Are you suggesting that very little effort has gone into this? recreating every single frame of animation from scratch goes far beyond the term "remaster". Were you expecting a full remake or do you not know what term remaster means?
Big Red Button - Mar 14, 2016 at 18:48
I assume that he was thinking about the game design, which has been copied true to original. Maybe Double-Fine have recreated everything, but they didn't need to reinvent any puzzle. Moreover, they didn't need to consider improvements on the puzzles during the playtest. A sequel to DOTT would be way more extensive, as this blog has teached us.
longuist - Mar 14, 2016 at 19:40
Yes, this is what in had in mind, even when i specifically criticized the visual style.
longuist - Mar 14, 2016 at 19:12
Ok, maybe i'm not right about this. First of all i haven't seen the animation yet. Just talking about the background art. It looks like a scummvm filter with some manual tweaking. Maybe a super complicated process is behind this, but to my untrained eye the outcome is the same. It looks like the special edition of mi1, whereas i would have expected the quality of the mi2 SE.
Nevertheless what i wanted to say is that 15 bucks for an old IP with some improvements looks too much for me, even it is a remaster with remake work under the hood.
p.s. also i did not want to downspeak the work of the artists involved
p.p.s. all this ranting may be the outcome of my ignorant self, who does not seem to understand the need to "remaster" old classic games..
Nor Treblig - Mar 14, 2016 at 20:13
I thought the same thing when I saw background screenshots for the first time. But it's a good thing. It's more or less the same game with its comic-style graphics, just in higher resolution.
There is no real need to create a new art style like it happened with Special Editions of MI 1&2 (which some people didn't like / hated because they imagined their Pixel-Guybrush in another way).

Also you may not be their target audience. I think it's great that you can buy this game again + it will run on all kind of modern platforms so a lot of (young) people can enjoy it who never have played this game before.
I for myself bought it just because of the commentary track.
longuist - Mar 15, 2016 at 08:05
Maybe you're right about it, albeit looking very very very sterile, it could be lot worse. You said it, never managed to like the special edition guybrush. And you guessed right again, I'm definitely not target audience. A very young friend of mine only played the special editions of monkey island, and i'm pretty sure he wouldn't have played it when his juvenile eyes had glanced huge blocky non square pixels from the CRT age. And it had to run on a tablet and to be in an app store. Guess he does not know what ScummVM is either. So a re-release is a good thing.
Nor Treblig - Mar 15, 2016 at 15:55
One thing they made great with those Special Editions is the possibility to switch back to classic mode. So even those youngsters can try it and maybe enjoy it... or switch back.
Big Red Button - Mar 15, 2016 at 18:10
Moreover, the original DOTT has been abandonware since a long time.
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 14, 2016 at 04:07
I wonder if it includes the Maniac Mansion remas... ehm... Deluxe:
http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/site/games/game/401/
Nor Treblig - Mar 14, 2016 at 15:59
It actually includes Maniac Mansion v2 which has quite enhanced graphics compared to the version included in the original version of DOTT! (Note: you also need at least an Enhanced Graphics Adapter to play it)
Tuna Heads inc. - Mar 14, 2016 at 07:14
Please post more updates. I'm dying  on a boring family vacation and you tell me I have to wait five more days for a new podcast???!! :(
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 14, 2016 at 07:29
If you like, I can make a podcast imitating the voices of Ron, Gary, David... with my perfect spoken english with a very slight italian accent...
:-)
Tuna Heads inc. - Mar 14, 2016 at 08:21
Hahahaha :D That would be great ;D
longuist - Mar 14, 2016 at 10:14
Yes, please do that!! That would be great.
You can start (if you like) with: "Its a me, Ron!"
And dont forget what you did last week and gonna do next week.
Nor Treblig - Mar 14, 2016 at 15:59
Nice :D
Tuna Heads inc. - Mar 14, 2016 at 11:46
And don't forget to imitate rons puppy's noise and garys jokes :D
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 14, 2016 at 12:11
Geez, guys, you're tempting me...
...please grant me one day.
I am sure I will make laugh everybody for my Terrible™ english pronunciation... but it's just for fun, so I beg your pardon in advance :-)
longuist - Mar 15, 2016 at 16:44
How is it coming along? :)
Big Red Button - Mar 14, 2016 at 10:33
Back in the 90s I always regretted that I wasn't able to take Monkey Island or any other good adventure game with me whenever we went on vacation. I had to settle for my Game Boy, which already seemed totally outmoded to me back then. Today I actually have a laptop, but on the other hand I now use to be the driver, which prevents me from playing games. It's sort of ironic! Maybe I should travel more often by air, provided that the flights take long enough.
Nor Treblig - Mar 14, 2016 at 16:00
I remember playing some nice adventure game related games on the Game Boy like Zelda and Mystic Quest.
Ajira - Mar 14, 2016 at 10:46
OMG, pixels of different size for the characters and the background. My eyes are bleeding... :(
Diduz - Mar 14, 2016 at 11:34
Check the first comment. ;-)
Ajira - Mar 14, 2016 at 13:06
I read it afterwards. But this coming from one of the legends of the old times only makes it more hurting.

The purist mode should be the normal mode, and the non-purist "fancy scaling mismatching pixels fest" mode the option, at least that's my opinion.
Ajira - Mar 14, 2016 at 14:46
I didn't want to sound rude. Maybe I did not choose my words carefully. It's only that this issue bugs me a lot, sorry.
Andreas - Mar 14, 2016 at 11:35
Everyone who complains about pixel sizes should try playing Broken Age in pixelated retro mode.
Carlo Valenti - Mar 14, 2016 at 16:59
Honey, I shrunk the pix.
Oregondanne - Mar 14, 2016 at 18:46
Looks stunning to me! People keep wining about pixel sizes and what not, but this looks a hundred times better than I ever could imagine when I decided to back this project. Kudos to you guys! Can't wait to play the game when it comes out.
Paulup - Mar 14, 2016 at 20:39
So will the "pixel purist" mode have scaling that looks like Monkey Island 1 or does it look different to that?

If it's the same as MI1 then I think I'm in the pixel purist camp, as I always liked the way Guybrush went into the distance as a nice bundle of pixels... it kinda mimics regular sight, how things get less distinct and more abstract as they get further away.
Grafekovic - Mar 15, 2016 at 05:49
Same here. Big pixels, no voiceover, perfect!
I really like, that I have the choice to play the game as old school as I want to.
Gv - Mar 15, 2016 at 10:17
Is it too much if I suggest PC-Speaker music too? Listen to Monkey Island I & II PC-Speaker music and it is a completely different world of awesomeness.
Grafekovic - Mar 15, 2016 at 10:54
Have you ever listened to PC-Speaker? Sounds awful.... But a good SID chip emulation of the music would add some more awesomenessness!
Gv - Mar 15, 2016 at 17:45
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KY35VB0b_Y
This is marvelous! I never listened to SID chip. I never had a Commodore. All my friends had it, but I only had an Atari 2600 then until I could buy the PC. :(
Grafekovic - Mar 15, 2016 at 18:06
I agree that there are a lot shades of awfulness and this is among the best awful there is, but nonetheless it's still awful.
lassski - Mar 24, 2016 at 10:54
SID chip has to be one of the best integrated computer hardware ever. It's actually a digitally controlled analog synthesizer with 3 DCOs  (digital binary pulse converted to analog signal and from there on converted analogically to different waveshapes), analog filters, analog LFO and so on. The designer of the SID chip started his own company Ensoniq, a company that made beautiful synthesizers. For me SID is not a "vintage" peculiarity like many old computer hardware. I have actually modded my C64 so that there's considerably less noise and I have two SID chips now. It sounds like a good punchy analog synthesizer and is very versatile. C64 game music sounds of course "old" because audio programmer/composer had to do whole song with 3 oscillators and because some of the C64 manners that have stuck with SID music (fast arpeggios and so on).
Ben Henson - Mar 14, 2016 at 22:22
Ron I have seen some footage of you in real life and I think the resolution of your appearance is too high. I prefer the 'old school' look of your avatar.

Please create a pixilated version of yourself to use for public appearances.
Brian S - Mar 14, 2016 at 22:35
The first article I've seen since GDC started:  http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/iPhone/Thimbleweed+Park/news.asp?c=69389
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 15, 2016 at 03:39
Great! And it's related to iPhone version already!
Brian S - Mar 15, 2016 at 13:14
But this one from USGamer linked to by David on Twitter this morning is even better:  https://twitter.com/DavidBFox/status/709771358188609536
Brian S - Mar 15, 2016 at 15:16
Oh wow, they just keep getting better.  Careful, this one from Game6x has some spoiler-ish stuff in it.  Not enough to concern me, but if you are sensitive to spoilers, this one might concern you. It's really good though:  http://game6x.com/why-adventure-games-dont-have-to-suck-ron-gilbert-talks-thimbleweed-park/
Brian S - Mar 15, 2016 at 19:23
I've been informed the original of this article, written by Adam Smith at Rock Paper Shotgun, is here!  Use this link instead: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/03/15/thimbleweed-park-preview/
Brian S - Mar 16, 2016 at 20:54
Since I'm clearly on a role now with reporting articles coming out of the GDC hands-on-demos:

The xbox GDC article talks alot about the controller mechanic (and how awesome it is):

http://news.xbox.com/2016/03/16/controlling-the-past-hands-on-with-thimbleweed-park/
David Fox ✓ - Mar 16, 2016 at 21:43
Thanks Brian! Definitely helps us stay on top of these.
Brian S - Mar 17, 2016 at 16:09
Holy cow!  A live GDC demo on twitch.  David Fox pointed it out on twitter.  See Ron starting at 34:00, actual live demo starting at 46:00.

https://www.twitch.tv/kindafunnygames/v/54975566
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 17, 2016 at 16:25
Big Shot, Brian!! Thank you very much!
This interview is so cool!!
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 17, 2016 at 16:33
At certain point, there is a black screen with a yellow text: "Hours of riveting and hilarious gameplay later..."
AHAHAHAHAHAH!!!
Big Red Button - Mar 18, 2016 at 07:50
Interesting stuff!
Though the video is a bit jerky, or is it only my computer?
Big Red Button - Mar 18, 2016 at 11:57
Well, it's my computer. So, don't worry!
lassski - Mar 24, 2016 at 11:33
Oh man this looks so cool! Thank you!
Brian S - Mar 17, 2016 at 21:54
Another GDC article published this morning, by the Verge.  Good interview quotes from Ron about gameplay and graphics choices.

http://www.theverge.com/2016/3/17/11252220/thimbleweed-park-ron-gilbert-interview
Brian S - Mar 18, 2016 at 11:43
I enjoyed the Italian article on multiplayer.it (thanks to Google Translate).  I appreciated how they made an effort to avoid spoilers about Ransome's origin story, unlike some of the other articles:  " ... (ma non vi roviniamo la sorpresa)".
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 18, 2016 at 12:13
Yes, "(but we won't ruin the surprise)".
That article is interesting, in particular the video where the guy (Vincenzo Lettera) met Ron Gilbert at GDC (lucky him!), played the demo. In the video, he talks about strengths and weaknesses of the game.
Brian S - Mar 18, 2016 at 13:29
Oh! I missed the video.  Thanks.  If only Google Translate worked with Videos as well...
Germanadventurefan - Mar 15, 2016 at 16:07
Am I getting this right? We can expect a downloadable demo after PAX east in April? I would love this!!!!!
Mario - Mar 17, 2016 at 09:03
dreamer.
Germanadventurefan - Mar 17, 2016 at 15:19
Why? If they are developing a demo for the press, why not give the demo to the gamers???
Big Red Button - Mar 17, 2016 at 15:58
They had announced some months ago that there will be no demo for us.
Well, for my part, I can actually wait for the final game. In my opinion, this blog is demonstrative enough.
Brian S - Mar 17, 2016 at 16:05
Ron explained - it's a very limited demo, which the press is allowed to explore hands on with guidance, since it's not really ready for everyone (lots of unfinished stuff).  They have invited people who read the blog to sign up to be testers, though, for on location testing in specific locations.
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 15, 2016 at 18:57
* PODCAST ALERT *
On popular request one day ago, here is a new Thimbleweed Park Podcast!
As promised, I made a podcast until a new one will be published on this site.
Meanwhile... enjoy this fake one!
http://www.cinemapioxi.it/zak/Thimbleweed_Park_Podcast_43bis.html

(Disclaimer: it's just for fun! Nobody get hurt and please, don't be offended...)
Brian S - Mar 15, 2016 at 19:08
Oh my lord.  Wow.  This is absolutely incredible.
longuist - Mar 15, 2016 at 20:06
Haha. Delivered as promised. Thank you 1000 times. Good (italian) job, including fake website. Even with proper ending. Just wow. Feel free to jump in whenever you like (:
Mattias Cedervall - Mar 15, 2016 at 20:14
Awesome! :D A bonus in the end as well. :-)
Nor Treblig - Mar 15, 2016 at 22:19
Hm, sounds legit.

That was awesome! :D
FloWo1974 - Mar 16, 2016 at 04:33
Oh my! This is beyond words!

I love your accent!
Tuna Heads inc. - Mar 16, 2016 at 05:48
Thank you, man! That was really enjoyable! :D
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 16, 2016 at 06:02
Hello everybody,
Thank you for your comments, really... I am happy for having made you happy with some cut'n'paste from various podcasts, and a few sentences imitating Ron's speech inflection. Probably I went a little overboard...
Except for Carlo Valenti and Ema, has anyone figured out what I said beyond the end of the podcast? :-)
Bon Antza - Mar 16, 2016 at 06:11
I can't understand how you imitated Ron's speech so well. And your accent only added to the fun! You made my day. :)
FloWo1974 - Mar 16, 2016 at 06:29
"Going a little overboard" is the essence of a parody, IMHO.

You should deserve a line or two in the game ;)

and sorr,y no, I didn't get the "bonus" at the end; my italian isn't what it used to be...

Greetings from Austria
Stefan - Mar 20, 2016 at 20:50
My best attempt: Oh...! Anche questa è fatta. Speriamo che Ron Gilbert, David Fox, Gary Winnick non si arrabino. Oh, ma stava registrando!

Grande Zak :-)
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 21, 2016 at 08:32
100% accurate! Congratulations!
Tuna Heads inc. - Mar 16, 2016 at 06:26
I listend to it for the -i guess third time and im still laughing my ass off. "now- robert, you are the lead tester on thimbleweed park, but we only wanna know one thing: how is the weather right now?" hahahah
Carlo Valenti - Mar 16, 2016 at 15:19
We all owe you one beer. Each one :D
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 16, 2016 at 15:35
Thank you. Peroni red for me.
Mattias Cedervall - Mar 16, 2016 at 16:04
:-( No, beer is the devil's bath water! I will give him an alcohol-free milkshake.
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 16, 2016 at 17:24
Accepted!
But together with a cup of tea and the Danish Cookies shaped butter! :-D
Mattias Cedervall - Mar 16, 2016 at 19:01
Good! :-) I can probably import some cookies from our Danish neighbors
Ema - Mar 16, 2016 at 18:30
You are totally crazy, my friend. You made me smile at the end of a very bad day.
Grafekovic - Mar 16, 2016 at 19:41
This, sir, is so brilliant and awesome! I still holding my stomach because of the laughter! I really love it and hope, that you can do your impersonation of Ron more often! Chapeau!
Paulup - Mar 16, 2016 at 21:05
Hahahaha, oh man, the podcast with Italian Ron was epic!
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 18, 2016 at 06:25
Wow, over 100 plays in 2 days... really unexpected for a simple podcast born by joke.
IF no user disagree
AND
IF every Team Member quoted in that podcast (Ron, Gary, David, Mark, Octavi, Jenn, Robert) agree,
AND
IF there are enough supporters who ask for it
THEN
I can plan to do another "fake" podcast, for example with a summary of the interview among Ron Gilbert and the guys at GDC / The Verge.
What do you think?
Nor Treblig - Mar 18, 2016 at 09:08
Ron seerga!
Tuna Heads inc. - Mar 18, 2016 at 09:42
DO IT.
Nor Treblig - Mar 18, 2016 at 16:00
JUST. DO IT.
Mario F - Mar 18, 2016 at 20:08
you forgot END IF
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 19, 2016 at 01:55
It's pascal-like :-)
Malc - Mar 20, 2016 at 02:49
I never get any love.
Gffp - Mar 18, 2016 at 17:05
Sei un misto tra Ron Gilbert e il doppiatore italiano di Guybrush in The curse of Monkey Island. You're a mix between Ron Gilbert and the Guybrush's italian voice in The curse of Monkey Island. Very nice! All we want to know is: what's the weather like? I'm going to buy a weather station. Ahahahah
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 18, 2016 at 18:21
Giuseppe Calvetti, he's the italian Dominic Armato in The curse of Monkey Island.
Which city are you from?
Gffp - Mar 18, 2016 at 18:34
Naples!
Ron Gilbert ✓ - Mar 21, 2016 at 15:39
Brilliant! You're now in charge of all the podcasts. This will save me hours of work each week.
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 22, 2016 at 06:26
You are tempting me, now... :-)
No no, I prefer to leave everything to those who are able to make them: you!
Thanks!
Gabarts - Mar 17, 2016 at 06:08
Nice job Zak! I show you my cabinet...

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/HAxP9tqKT7Q/hqdefault.jpg

I'm from italy too, Florence...
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 17, 2016 at 06:15
You did it by yourself??
I have to put my hands on it!
OK, we are four, now: Genoa, Milan, Florence, Brescia.
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 17, 2016 at 06:10
Thanks again for your appreciation on my fake podcast!
If you really liked it so much, maybe I can make others.
But the last thing I want is to upset any of the Team Members.
So, I would be sure not to have angered someone with this podcast, before making a new one...
longuist - Mar 17, 2016 at 11:55
Worst what could happen is that your body will be found in a river, bloated and pixelated from decay of a death come too soon.
Steffen - Mar 17, 2016 at 15:38
*LOL*
Ema - Mar 18, 2016 at 17:23
Or you could be cursed so that you cannot take away your Zak McCracken Cosplay Disguise™. You'll have to keep in your hands that loaf and that bowl forever...
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 18, 2016 at 18:23
You know, two novembers ago I was at Lucca Comics and games, in cosplay as Phoenix Wright, but I'm thinking to cospaly as Zak McKracken or the green Tentacle, this november...
Carlo Valenti - Mar 19, 2016 at 09:18
WELCOME BACK, GUYS!
David Fox ✓ - Mar 19, 2016 at 15:28
Thanks! I only sat in on about 8 of the press interviews, but I could see there was a lot of excitement. Fun reading about their responses to the game. I'm enjoying the *great weather* today. Then back to work tomorrow.
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 19, 2016 at 18:35
You know, we all want to know only one thing... *what's the weather like?*
(it has been the major topic during this week, while you were busy at GDC!)
Carlo Valenti - Mar 19, 2016 at 18:03
Enjoy the great weather, yes!
Which was the major thing you learnt about Thimbleweed Park at GDC, in your opinion?
Ron Gilbert ✓ - Mar 19, 2016 at 18:05
I'll do a blog post on Monday talking all about it.
Carlo Valenti - Mar 19, 2016 at 18:37
Why, thank you!  :)
It has been an exciting week, also to us.
To me, this blog is mainly fun. To you, this game is work, also.
I appreciate very much the efforts, the ideas, the lasting, the sharings, the will to do things right. I try to learn from everything you, the others,  and the followers also are writing.
Thus, I wish to thank you all again.
(no joke intended, at least this time)
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 19, 2016 at 18:45
I agree with you!
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 19, 2016 at 18:39
Oh, good! I will refrain from doing another fake podcast, before it!
Grafekovic - Mar 22, 2016 at 10:39
What Monday again?
Mario - Mar 21, 2016 at 12:10
Zak Phoenix is trolling and spamming around. stop it.
Zak Phoenix McKracken - Mar 21, 2016 at 13:06
OBJECTION!
If that's true, then show me your evidence!
Nor Treblig - Mar 21, 2016 at 21:44
Stop spamming and get to work! If you haven't heard it already: you are in charge now of editing all podcasts!
I'm expecting the pre-GDC podcast done today! Avanti!
:-)
Big Red Button - Mar 21, 2016 at 15:17
I wouldn't agree. Neither is he spamming nor is he trolling. I even think that this blog ought to be capable of sustaining off-topic posts, even if the development team is not directly interested in them, because off-topic discussions help the team to keep us all at it in the long term.

That said, I would totally understand the team, if they are going to abstain from involving us in the development of their succeeding game, because this blog might be quite time-consuming for them, albeit it helps them to find out what the audience likes.
Mattias Cedervall - Mar 21, 2016 at 15:27
I disagree!
Ema - Mar 22, 2016 at 14:13
GIVE red herring to Mario
sushi.in.fishbowl@gmail.com - Mar 26, 2016 at 02:38
Hey! That's my joke!
;)
Andrew - Mar 21, 2016 at 17:29
Just amazed at your continuing brilliance in these developments. No suggestions, no criticisms. Just awe and great anticipation to lay my fingers on the mouse button when this game releases.
Zombocast - Mar 21, 2016 at 23:07
Was looking up old Sega Games... thought of you guys.

Boogerman - A Pick and Flick Adventure
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzEoZ7K3X7s

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