[PRIME] PAX 2009 KEYNOTE SPEAKER REVEALED

Jules@Party934.com · June 2009

From Flash Fire Communications to me

For Immediate Release

PAX 2009 KEYNOTE SPEAKER REVEALED

Look Behind You, a Three-Headed Monkey!

SEATTLE - June 29, 2009 - PAX 2009 organizers humbly announced today that industry legend Ron Gilbert will grace the stage as keynote speaker at the sixth annual gaming festival to be held Sept. 4-6 at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center.

Legendary storyteller, game designer, programmer and producer Ron Gilbert has created countless classic video games, including the seminal LucasArts works Maniac Mansion and first two installments in the Monkey Island adventure series. His more than 20-year career in the games industry encompasses co-founding three game studios, creating the famous SCUMM scripting language and being inducted into the Computer Game Hall of Fame. He is currently creative director at independent development studio Hothead Games in Vancouver, Canada.

"This is an unbelievable moment for us," commented Penny Arcade's Robert Khoo. "I wasted an entire family vacation one year trying to figure out how to win that stupid spitting competition." Gilbert joins an illustrious group of past PAX keynote speakers, including noted geek icon Wil Wheaton and innovative game designer Ken Levine.

In addition to the highly anticipated keynote address, numerous panels and game demonstrations, Omegathon and The PAX 10 independent games showcase, PAX 2009 will offer attendees an unparalleled musical experience with performances from Freezepop, Jonathan Coulton, MC Frontalot, Paul and Storm, Anamanaguchi and Metroid Metal.

dyaballikl · July 2009

Am I the only one less than uber excited about this one? He worked on the Penny Arcade Adventures, but beyond that, there doesn't seem to be too much there. Maybe I'm missing something.

BigRed · July 2009

dyaballikl wrote: »

Am I the only one less than uber excited about this one? He worked on the Penny Arcade Adventures, but beyond that, there doesn't seem to be too much there. Maybe I'm missing something.

What the fuck... youve never played the hugely popular monkey island games? or the lucas arts adventure games?
OR Total annihilation?

If not... you're fired.

neuroslice · July 2009

Yes!

The Monkey Island games were the best point and click adventures EVAR!

And Cavedog / Total Annihilation may have been the best strategy game I've ever played.
I mean, c'mon, you could put your air units in formation!

And Telltale's coming out with the episodic Redux of Monkey Island.

I can't wait.

dyaballikl · July 2009

BigRed wrote: »

dyaballikl wrote: »

Am I the only one less than uber excited about this one? He worked on the Penny Arcade Adventures, but beyond that, there doesn't seem to be too much there. Maybe I'm missing something.

What the fuck... youve never played the hugely popular monkey island games? or the lucas arts adventure games?
OR Total annihilation?

If not... you're fired.

fraid not. i've heard of the monkey island games, but didn't know they were that popular.

you'll have my resignation in the morning.

Moe Fwacky · July 2009

I used to play the crap out of Total Annihilation and Total Annihilation: Kingdoms. Protip: in Kingdoms, the trebuchet had ridiculous range. Like, half the map range.

ukiyo e · July 2009

dyaballikl wrote: »

Am I the only one less than uber excited about this one? He worked on the Penny Arcade Adventures, but beyond that, there doesn't seem to be too much there. Maybe I'm missing something.

Time for you to do some research.

Wormdundee · July 2009

dyaballikl wrote: »

Am I the only one less than uber excited about this one? He worked on the Penny Arcade Adventures, but beyond that, there doesn't seem to be too much there. Maybe I'm missing something.

HAHAHAAH, are you serious?

Maniac Mansion, Zak McKracken, Monkey Island games, and Total Annihilation my man! These are all PC classics!

parabola · July 2009

Plus, he actually is a good speaker (so I hear) ...

I'm looking forward to this more than I was Levine... and Levine was pretty good. So this should be awesome.

Azazel · July 2009

Maniac Mansion was where it was at!

MetaverseNomad · July 2009

damnit now I have to find and play a whole bunch of games that I somehow missed during my stint as a child.

ACC3SS · July 2009

yesYesYES!

KaitouAyashi · July 2009

MetaverseNomad wrote: »

damnit now I have to find and play a whole bunch of games that I somehow missed during my stint as a child.

Seriously.

mrsnackroad · July 2009

Odd note on this point, Ron Gilbert was an unannounced participant in last year's "Writing for Video Games" Q & A panel.

He had a lot of interesting things to say about how involved he was in the programming and designing for Monkey Island, and it was cool to see someone who... well, "grew up" with storytelling in video games - the other panelists was a fantasy author who writes for Guild Wars and a representative from Harmonix (why?) as well as another distinguished guest who's name and affiliation escape me.

This is gonna be a good keynote, though.

Qs23 · July 2009

MetaverseNomad wrote: »

damnit now I have to find and play a whole bunch of games that I somehow missed during my stint as a child.

Well, with the new announcement, you don't have to wait long. Secret of Monkey Island is hitting Steam and XBLA next week.

SovietMudkipz · July 2009

BigRed wrote: »

dyaballikl wrote: »

Am I the only one less than uber excited about this one? He worked on the Penny Arcade Adventures, but beyond that, there doesn't seem to be too much there. Maybe I'm missing something.

What the fuck... youve never played the hugely popular monkey island games? or the lucas arts adventure games?
OR Total annihilation?

If not... you're fired.

I missed the SCUMM boat by about two generations of gaming. I can't say I can really relate to this one either.

I guess SCUMM was a big thing but that was forever and a year go. Wouldn't someone more recognizable or someone more involved with recent titles be a better candidate?

EDIT: oh wait, the Monkey Island remake. But that's not out yet and no one knows how it will turn out.

dyaballikl · July 2009

SovietMudkipz wrote: »

BigRed wrote: »

dyaballikl wrote: »

Am I the only one less than uber excited about this one? He worked on the Penny Arcade Adventures, but beyond that, there doesn't seem to be too much there. Maybe I'm missing something.

What the fuck... youve never played the hugely popular monkey island games? or the lucas arts adventure games?
OR Total annihilation?

If not... you're fired.

I missed the SCUMM boat by about two generations of gaming. I can't say I can really relate to this one either.

I guess SCUMM was a big thing but that was forever and a year go. Wouldn't someone more recognizable or someone more involved with recent titles be a better candidate?

EDIT: oh wait, the Monkey Island remake. But that's not out yet and no one knows how it will turn out.

i feel slightly less alone in the world

Wormdundee · July 2009

Eh, he IS working on the Penny Arcade Adventures games, that was probably something of a factor in him being the keynote. It gives the PA guys easy access to a well-known gaming figure (for everyone who's in their twenties and above anyway).

MetaverseNomad · July 2009

Ok, so I started playing Secret of Monkey Island last night. I can not BELIEVE I had never heard of it before!!! I would have looooooooved playing that when it came out, and I think at one point I even searched far and wide for new point-and-click games and somehow missed it. how?!?!?

ukiyo e · July 2009

SovietMudkipz wrote: »

I guess SCUMM was a big thing but that was forever and a year go. Wouldn't someone more recognizable or someone more involved with recent titles be a better candidate?

They did that last year with Ken Levine. Good games, like good books, don't age. If his presence at PAX motivates a younger generation to seek out some of the classics that he created then I think that will benefit the gaming community as a whole.

Haikufrenzy · July 2009

As someone who owns all four Monkey Island games (Yes I know Ron was only involved with the first two but I'm making a point here.), and Maniac Mansion in their original disc forms. Also as someone who plans on buying the remake of the first game next week. I am curious to see if I'm the only one who will be on his hands and knees doing my best Wayne and Garth impression when he walks on stage.

WE'RE NOT WORTHY! WE'RE NOT WORTHY! WE'RE NOT WORTHY!

parabola · July 2009

Grumpy Gamer is also highly entertaining.

SovietMudkipz · July 2009

ukiyo e wrote: »

SovietMudkipz wrote: »

I guess SCUMM was a big thing but that was forever and a year go. Wouldn't someone more recognizable or someone more involved with recent titles be a better candidate?

They did that last year with Ken Levine. Good games, like good books, don't age. If his presence at PAX motivates a younger generation to seek out some of the classics that he created then I think that will benefit the gaming community as a whole.

The reason people come to a keynote at all is because they recognize/admire the speaker. You would have to have appreciated Monkey Island beforehand in order to have an incentive to attend the keynote, not the other way around. People's schedules are packed and those who have prior experience with PAX will know full well not to risk dissatisfaction with something that MIGHT be interesting.

dyaballikl · July 2009

SovietMudkipz wrote: »

ukiyo e wrote: »

SovietMudkipz wrote: »

I guess SCUMM was a big thing but that was forever and a year go. Wouldn't someone more recognizable or someone more involved with recent titles be a better candidate?

They did that last year with Ken Levine. Good games, like good books, don't age. If his presence at PAX motivates a younger generation to seek out some of the classics that he created then I think that will benefit the gaming community as a whole.

The reason people come to a keynote at all is because they recognize/admire the speaker. You would have to have appreciated Monkey Island beforehand in order to have an incentive to attend the keynote, not the other way around. People's schedules are packed and those who have prior experience with PAX will know full well not to risk dissatisfaction with something that MIGHT be interesting.

I somewhat disagree. The keynote is the first event of PAX, and pretty much the only other thing going on, iirc, is the expo hall, which is open most of the weekend. Regardless of my initial interest in the speaker, I'll still always go to the keynote, because it tends to be interesting regardless.

BigRed · July 2009

dyaballikl wrote: »

SovietMudkipz wrote: »

ukiyo e wrote: »

SovietMudkipz wrote: »

I guess SCUMM was a big thing but that was forever and a year go. Wouldn't someone more recognizable or someone more involved with recent titles be a better candidate?

They did that last year with Ken Levine. Good games, like good books, don't age. If his presence at PAX motivates a younger generation to seek out some of the classics that he created then I think that will benefit the gaming community as a whole.

The reason people come to a keynote at all is because they recognize/admire the speaker. You would have to have appreciated Monkey Island beforehand in order to have an incentive to attend the keynote, not the other way around. People's schedules are packed and those who have prior experience with PAX will know full well not to risk dissatisfaction with something that MIGHT be interesting.

I somewhat disagree. The keynote is the first event of PAX, and pretty much the only other thing going on, iirc, is the expo hall, which is open most of the weekend. Regardless of my initial interest in the speaker, I'll still always go to the keynote, because it tends to be interesting regardless.

Not if you are on shift you wont :P

dyaballikl · July 2009

BigRed wrote: »

dyaballikl wrote: »

SovietMudkipz wrote: »

ukiyo e wrote: »

SovietMudkipz wrote: »

I guess SCUMM was a big thing but that was forever and a year go. Wouldn't someone more recognizable or someone more involved with recent titles be a better candidate?

They did that last year with Ken Levine. Good games, like good books, don't age. If his presence at PAX motivates a younger generation to seek out some of the classics that he created then I think that will benefit the gaming community as a whole.

The reason people come to a keynote at all is because they recognize/admire the speaker. You would have to have appreciated Monkey Island beforehand in order to have an incentive to attend the keynote, not the other way around. People's schedules are packed and those who have prior experience with PAX will know full well not to risk dissatisfaction with something that MIGHT be interesting.

I somewhat disagree. The keynote is the first event of PAX, and pretty much the only other thing going on, iirc, is the expo hall, which is open most of the weekend. Regardless of my initial interest in the speaker, I'll still always go to the keynote, because it tends to be interesting regardless.

Not if you are on shift you wont :P

yes, sir.

Liger · July 2009

I went to the 07 Keynote without really knowing who Wil Wheaton was. I'd seen 2 or 3 TNG episodes in a jr high school science class. I went because it was my first PAX and I wanted the full experience. You don't need to know who the Keynote is to enjoy it. I looked up Wheaton's books (and more TNG) after I saw him speak at PAX.

Mudkipz, by your logic I wouldn't want to demo any games because they might not be interesting. I might not want to go to PAX if I've never been, because it might be lame and I could have other, safer (socially more comfortable) plans on Labor Day weekend.

But this year I'll probably be on shift...

Dreamwriter · July 2009

The keynote speech is always super packed, if you don't find the speaker interesting enough to attend, more room for the rest of us

Me, the only one of his games I've really played was Maniac Mansion, and I never finished that. But I know how big the Monkey Island series was, and think it'd be great to listen to a guy from the early days of the industry speak. Especially since I've already worked with and even shared an office with the Monkey Island background artist.

Penny Arcade

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