Author Archives: William

Here we go again… and again… and probably again…

We still haven’t made it all the way through the darn game, despite our attempts to stay focused on the quest.

Monday, March 25th at 12:00pm PST.

Join me once again (if you haven’t already given up on us) as Steve, Daniel and I, conclude our visit to “The Information Superhighway®” and try our best to find out, “Where in Corpsman Santiago is Roger Wilco?”

Space Quest 6 developers play Space Quest 6 with Daniel Albu – PART 3
https://www.youtube.com

25 years since Chainsaw Monday

It’s hard to believe, 25 years ago Sierra Online closed its doors in Oakhurst California. It was an end to nearly a decade of my life spent with friends that helped shape the man I am today. During this time, we were the biggest PC gaming company in the world, all right here in our little mountain town of Oakhurst.

Cheers to all the survivors of Chainsaw Monday, February 22, 1999!

Chainsaw Monday
https://www.youtube.com

The stream continues…

Well, we didn’t make it very far… What is most embarrassing about the whole thing is, the first part of the game was programmed mostly by me. I couldn’t remember how to do anything and boy did Steve and Daniel sure let me have it. How in the heck did anyone figure out the Datacorder puzzle? I’m still trying to comprehend the logic.

We’ll be at it again on Friday, February 23nd at 12:00pm, but this time Steve will be at the controls. We are going to do as many of these dang videos as needed to conquer our last obus together.

Space Quest 6 developers play Space Quest 6 with Daniel Albu – PART 2
https://www.youtube.com

Stream with me!

The year is 2024, but the vibes are straight outta 1995 as my old Sierra pal Steve and I settle in for a live stream unlike any other. Both grizzled veterans of the gaming industry, our hair a touch grayer, our eyes a twinkle brighter, and our hearts brimming with nostalgia for the days of floppy disks and pixelated wonder. On February 16, at 12:00 pm PST, we’ll be revisiting our brainchild, the legendary Space Quest 6: Roger Wilco in the Spinal Frontier.

This isn’t just a playthrough; it’s a time warp. A chance to relive the golden age of point-and-click adventures, when every pixel held the promise of a chuckle, a gasp, or a face palm moment. Sure, the graphics might look a bit blocky by today’s standards, and the puzzles might require a hint of old-school logic, but “Space Quest 6” remains a testament to the enduring power of humor, heart, and a whole lot of digital duct tape. And for a a short moment, we’re not just the two old guys you see before you; we’ll be magically thrust back to our time in the old Sierra On-Line tin shed, starry-eyed and dreaming of pixelated galaxies, all thanks to the magic of a game we poured our hearts and souls into all those years ago.

Mark you calendars and join Steve Conrad, Daniel Albu, and your’s truly as we make our way through this great adventure game from the 90’s.

Space Quest 6 developers play Space Quest 6 with Daniel Albu!
https://www.youtube.com

Diesel Dreams and Cybertruck Memes

Forget sleek angles, futuristic promises and range anxiety – I’m here to celebrate the rumble of a good ol’ Ford diesel. My channel isn’t about chasing the latest trends; it’s about the grit, the power, and the undeniable charm of a truck that works as hard as you do.

Yeah, I might not have a Cybertruck in my driveway, but that doesn’t mean my adventures are any less epic. From hauling stuff and towing other stuff, my trusty Ford and I tackle it all. This channel is my way of sharing those adventures, the lessons I’ve learned along the way, and maybe even a few laughs.

So, if you’re tired of the electric hype and crave the smell of diesel in the morning, hop on board!

My Non-Cyber Life
https://www.youtube.com/@MyNon-CyberLife

That time I was famous… well, maybe not

This is happening…3.5 hours, I hope I don’t look like a blabbering idiot!

I talked with Daniel the day before my birthday last month. He had me rambling on and on about my glory days with Sierra Online. Daniel was just a kid growing up in Israel when I was working for the biggest PC gaming company in the world… right here in the little town of Oakhurst.

I’ll be hanging around in the chat during the premiere so if you have some time on Sunday, pop in for a bit and say hi.

A Conversation with Sierra Developer William R. Shockley (Space Quest 6 / Gabriel Knight 2)
https://www.youtube.com

The Guardians have left the building

It’s no secret that “Guardians of the Galaxy” is my favorite story line in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and a good part of that love is the music that helps tell the story.

The Microsoft Zune was introduced at the end of Vol. 2 as a replacement to the old Walkman that was destroyed earlier in the film. I immediately fell in love with the now discontinued portable media player. So much so that I created a site (ZuneUpdate.com) that helps Zune owners revitalize their old players as the official update support as been shut down since 2012.

I was so happy to see that the Zune was back in Vol. 3, and they even released nine cassette tapes, each spotlighting a different character from the film and sporting the Zune livery on the packaging. I’ve been trying to be better about purchasing such things as I have literally run out of room in both my office at home, and at work.

I picked up two of my favorite characters, Rocket and Star-Lord and I’m fighting the urge to complete the set. Each cassette actually contains the movie soundtrack, but are different in their packaging and color of the cassette. When they are all combined they form a nice picture which would look great on a shelf. ??

Anyway, here’s a bunch of pics of the 4K Bluray Steebook of the film, and the two cassettes I have purchased. I also took a few shots of the cassettes with one of my Zunes, just like one of the Zunes in the movie.

Fight the urge bro… Fight the urge!

Space Ace X RepliCade

Another favorite added to the collection! This was another log awaited treat that I’ve been waiting for for almost a year.

This Space Ace x RepliCade is a miniaturized 1/6th scale arcade accurate replica of the Cinematronics factory dedicated Space Ace arcade cabinet presented by New Wave Toys and features a fully playable Space Ace LaserDisc arcade game running on the Daphne emulator, a fully functional digital scoreboard with skill level indicator, HDTV connectivity with screen mirroring, and a replica LDV1000 Mini LaserDisc player prop.

Space Ace and Dragon’s Lair are in my top five favorite arcade games of all time. In my younger years, I would never have believed that I would one day own miniaturized version of these games. They both play exactly as the full size games I played in the past, with working coin door buttons and all features that made these games so much fun.

I spent more money than I care to admit, spending 50 cents per play that usually only lasted a few minutes. These replicas are incredible detailed, and will most definitely appeal to any retro gamer.

I can see a few more of these in my future as New Wave Toys releases new favorites that I can’t live without!

Saying goodbye to our little Grizzly Bear

Our beloved Grizzly Bear was diagnosed with lymphoma just after the holidays. His prognosis was just four to six weeks, and we had to prepare ourselves for the worst.

Grizzly has always been a strong boy, very lean and muscular and walked around with a pleasant gait that reminded everyone that he was here to both love and protect us. Grizzly’s sole purpose it seemed was to have everyone home safe and then to protect his family from anyone who drove up our driveway or knocked on our door… and even on occasion he would leap into action if someone on TV happen to knock or ring a doorbell.

But despite this tough boy persona, Grizzly was such a sweet soul to those he loved. He was never really at ease until the entire family was home. Waiting patiently by the window, gazing out to the driveway watching for a familiar vehicle. He would then wait anxiously by the front door and rush out to greet whoever had arrived home.

Grizzly was always ready to play and he had a lot of toys to choose from. From his first toy “Patches” which we still have, some of his favs include “Mr. Bill” which we had to replace often, “Bear Bear” which is still hanging in there, many bags of “Furitos” and the like, and most recently “Ducky”, which he had just received last Christmas.

When we first found out about Grizzly’s condition, we didn’t know what to expect. We knew that Grizzly was a strong boy and he would fight this to the end… and that is just what he did. Grizzly Bear far out lived his initial prognosis by an additional five weeks. He stayed strong as his body changed to a shadow of what he once was, but his devotion never faded. All the way up till the end he was up and ready to protect us when the need arose.

Grizzly Bear left us on March 25th 2023.

Of course, the pain is still fresh and will be for some time. Now it’s just the little things that get me going. Silly instances that the mind had glossed over until they aren’t there, then the heart fills in the blanks. As anyone who has experienced the lost of a beloved family pet, you know what I’m talking about. Daily routines that you’ve done for years that have now disappeared. Each one is a reminder of what we have lost.

Goodbye my baby boy. You have been loved and will forever live in our hearts.

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