WE WORKED AT SIERRA! - The Rise, Fall & SCANDAL of Sierra On-Line

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  • čas přidán 18. 05. 2017
  • Metal Jesus and Drunken Master Paul met while working at Sierra On-line in the mid 1990s in Bellevue, Wa during the height of the game publishers popularity. In this video, hear stories about how they met, colorful characters they worked with, crazy parties they hosted, games they loved and hated, the rise and fall of Sierra as a company and much more!
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Komentáře • 4,1K

  • @MetalJesusRocks
    @MetalJesusRocks  Před 7 lety +1929

    Thank goodness I recorded and kept all that Sierra party footage!! My god, we were so YOUNG! :)

    • @edmundblackadder2741
      @edmundblackadder2741 Před 7 lety +63

      MetalJesusRocks Besides your beard you don't look any different! Age has certainly be kind to you!

    • @oledevo
      @oledevo Před 7 lety +10

      Did you work there when they made Kings Quest 7? We used to huddle around the one pc at our school library in elementry school and try our best to figure it out. Fond memories.

    • @Mikeuh-56
      @Mikeuh-56 Před 7 lety +7

      I was 2 years old when you started at Sierra. not bashing your age just saying part of your audience might be younger than you think.
      czcams.com/video/qmNCFtAlYN0/video.html
      The old skool rarring never knew lol mp3.part1 mp3.part2 lmao flac for the win.

    • @interlace84
      @interlace84 Před 7 lety +19

      you, my friends, helped shape my childhood 😂 i'm 32yrs old now, first pc game I ever played was Leisure Suit Larry and it taught me basic English with all the other Quest games 😎 still have that Phantasmagoria box and the booklet with the cd's somewhere.. fond memories.

    • @retrogaminginsanity7585
      @retrogaminginsanity7585 Před 7 lety +5

      um no im 37 his core audience is around 33-45 all hsi freinds on youtube around that age all hjis freinds in retro gaming scene the same age all ppl that do panels at retro expos are around that age young folks have no idea about dos games or nes or atari and his channel is for this type ppl

  • @MrMario2011
    @MrMario2011 Před 7 lety +354

    The old VHS footage from the party was an awesome touch.

  • @Andromeda2161
    @Andromeda2161 Před 5 lety +299

    Y'all worked at Sierra? Then I just want to personally thank you for whatever contribution you provided towards my favourite games growing up.

    • @ekimo56
      @ekimo56 Před 5 lety +5

      Seconded, glad you added that Sierra intro at the beginning it hit me right in the nostalgia so I had to send this to my brother too.

    • @rcslyman8929
      @rcslyman8929 Před 5 lety +5

      Thirded. I grew up on the Quest series games and attribute them to my linguistic abilities.
      "You can't 'Thirded.'"
      say Thirded.
      "No one seems to be listening."
      say Thank you for everything you guys did to provide me so much entertainment in my youth, you all rock.
      "You're welcome."

    • @tylervalentine9926
      @tylervalentine9926 Před 5 lety +1

      Fourthed. Some of my greatest memories are playing Kings Quest with my sister, playing Earthsiege, and waiting for the new Inter Action magazine. Thank you guys so much :)

    • @snooks5607
      @snooks5607 Před 4 lety +2

      did you actually phone their support line? might've missed on the contribution otherwise. not that it isn't valuable work of course just saying if production guys had stopped at 5PM during crunch half of the games we have now wouldn't have been released. although maybe some should've been left unfinished and it was everyone's own sacrifice to make but it'd be interesting to hear interviews from them.

    • @thunderchaser2042
      @thunderchaser2042 Před 4 lety +3

      I absolutely loved the NASCAR games and Police Quest: SWAT.

  • @DanVasc
    @DanVasc Před 5 lety +106

    You guys were probably joking, but I'd happily support a kickstarter of you trying to buy back Sierra. And I'm sure a lot of people would too.

    • @dtheengineer2746
      @dtheengineer2746 Před 5 lety +4

      Dan Vasc I would for sure! I used to love Sierra game's

    • @godchi1dvonsteuben770
      @godchi1dvonsteuben770 Před 5 lety +3

      Yup...

    • @Weeabruh
      @Weeabruh Před 3 lety +3

      Oh wth, kinda cool randomly seeing a Dan Vasc comment in a metal Jesus video lmaoo

    • @goopah
      @goopah Před rokem

      Holy shit, Dan Vasc is a Sierra fan?!?
      Which were your favorites?

  • @diggiesmalls
    @diggiesmalls Před 7 lety +800

    This will be buried in the comments, but this is one of the most enjoyable episodes I've seen on any channel. If you're on the fence about making more like this, please let this be the comment that throws it over the edge.

    • @Stampistuta
      @Stampistuta Před 7 lety +19

      DiggieSmalls I think we all agree with was awesome!

    • @PinkasBrown44
      @PinkasBrown44 Před 7 lety

      Never mind the ´16´. It´s MB, not GB lol. Insane. From 16 to 64000.

    • @algernonwilde3149
      @algernonwilde3149 Před 7 lety +2

      I have the phone line connection sound affect start whenever I boot up my gaming rig.

    • @mpersson9595
      @mpersson9595 Před 5 lety

      Robin delseman äter laputa..

    • @rietzhu
      @rietzhu Před 5 lety +1

      Just sucks he never replies to his fans but he's a great CZcams'r!

  • @ugzz
    @ugzz Před 7 lety +535

    This is one of my fav videos so far. Watching you guys reminisce and chat about the old days and seeing clips of old videos really ended up being one of the most enjoyable vids i've seen in a while. Held my interest so well that when it was over I was actually bummed and could have easily watched another hours worth.

    • @Bryantn3
      @Bryantn3 Před 7 lety +11

      Totally agree, Weird thing is most CZcams content providers think that this stuff is boring to us, but these kind of reminiscing videos are the best. Makes me think of my dad's stories about his infamous (to us anyway) and misspent youth. Not to say they're as old as my dad, they're not, but it's good to know the storytelling gene hasn't died out yet.

    • @Spartan117TCF
      @Spartan117TCF Před 7 lety +14

      Agreed. I loved the early Sierra stuff and it was great to get an insider look and reflection on the company. More of these videos please

    • @kenbenkai8621
      @kenbenkai8621 Před 7 lety +8

      I totally agree! Create a livestream and just sit and talk and me and my beers will follow!

    • @CFoderick
      @CFoderick Před 7 lety +1

      Couldn't agree more and I sure hope they keep doing more of these videos. Their stories are pretty entertaining to listen to, and I could easily see myself conversing, and drinking, with them for hours on a topic like this. Aside from their primary topic they seem like cool guys and wouldn't mind learning more of what they have been up to since then. Cheers

    • @Bklyn93
      @Bklyn93 Před 7 lety +7

      I would love if they did a series of Sierra game reviews.

  • @victorkrueger8355
    @victorkrueger8355 Před 4 lety +74

    SIERRA DAYS PART 2 VIDEO NEXT PLEASE!! Love the stories guys👍

    • @daim87
      @daim87 Před 3 lety +8

      Do it guys

    • @joshp.a.7758
      @joshp.a.7758 Před měsícem

      110% Correct. C'mon fellas. Make it happen.

  • @NA-bk6gb
    @NA-bk6gb Před 3 lety +23

    I’ve watched this at least 3 or 4 times over the last year. Would love for you and DMP to do another sit down like this and reminisce about Sierra or just your shared experiences as friends and gamers

    • @toxinqwerty
      @toxinqwerty Před rokem

      Get a life!

    • @NA-bk6gb
      @NA-bk6gb Před rokem

      @@toxinqwerty I make more money while taking a $h*T than you make in a month. I got a life, enjoy yours.

    • @toxinqwerty
      @toxinqwerty Před rokem

      @@NA-bk6gb LOL, not bad.

  • @epochdei3624
    @epochdei3624 Před 7 lety +119

    If you send a company a letter today, with their logo slapped on it, you would get a cease and desist within 24 hours.

    • @MrChriss000
      @MrChriss000 Před 7 lety

      i'm a bit lonely actually.

    • @thejunkeraser5151
      @thejunkeraser5151 Před 7 lety

      And you just completely exposed why you are NOT a hiring manager lmfao. I would let you go in a second as the owner of my Company.

    • @TechnoMinarchist
      @TechnoMinarchist Před 7 lety +1

      That's not true at all.
      If you send in your resume these days via a letter *without* a logo slapped on it, you'd be instantly looked at.

    • @MrFIRESEAL117
      @MrFIRESEAL117 Před 7 lety +3

      TheJunkEraser who cares if he's not a hiring manager. I guess your position gives you some sense of false superiority.

  • @mchutube
    @mchutube Před 7 lety +255

    Cool stories for us 90s PC gaming generation.

  • @TheRemixBros
    @TheRemixBros Před 2 lety +22

    Loved Sierra games growing up, thanks for much for making this vid :D

  • @mibuenzora
    @mibuenzora Před 3 lety +37

    Would love more of these videos, Jason! It's always cool to learn of early days of the gaming industry from people who were actually in the trenches. Hope you can post more!

  • @nashismox3
    @nashismox3 Před 7 lety +52

    The girls at those partieas were gorgeus Metaljesusrocks! The whole nineties vibe was awesome too. A careless life, and more social "real" interaction than today.

  • @AnArchyRulzz
    @AnArchyRulzz Před 6 lety +388

    Would love more long form content like this.

  • @MAJubbas
    @MAJubbas Před 9 měsíci +4

    Watched this video a few times, rewatching it again now. Really want it to cross the million views. Definitely deserves it. Would love more Sierre story times, or just stories from your life in general.

  • @VanWinger
    @VanWinger Před 5 lety +43

    CZcams recommended this, it's not a disappointment.

  • @marklechman2225
    @marklechman2225 Před 7 lety +117

    So far, this is my favorite video MJ has done. Love to hear these old stories from the people who lived them. Dig up all of your old friends, bring them on, crack open some beers and just start talking. I'll be watching :)

  • @rawbe176
    @rawbe176 Před 7 lety +104

    I didn't expect to watch the full 54 minutes...but man this was so mesmerizing to hear all these stories.

    • @curtisjohnson6735
      @curtisjohnson6735 Před 7 lety +3

      I read your comment and thought "no way I'm going to watch that long"... and then of course proceeded to finish watching the entire 54min too. Interesting stories / reminded me of my own memories playing games and calling those early era tech support numbers.

    • @Irn-Drew
      @Irn-Drew Před 7 lety +3

      This was 54 mins?! I never even realised. Haha....

    • @algernonwilde3149
      @algernonwilde3149 Před 7 lety +3

      Once you start watching it, you can't stop.

    • @smbu
      @smbu Před 6 lety +1

      Haha, same here. Didn't think I'd watch the whole thing at first, but then wow, it's over already! Great to hear all of these stories.

  • @hijodechago
    @hijodechago Před 3 lety +16

    Drunken master put up one hell of a fight with baldness.

  • @AJR-zg2py
    @AJR-zg2py Před 4 lety +4

    I love it when a random detail is brought up in conversation and you can see the gears working in their heads to pin it down - like at 18:22 when Paul remembered the Micron Computer stuff. That nostalgic reaction is pure joy, like "omg i totally forgot that thank you for bringing up memories". LOVE this episode!

  • @Vkmies
    @Vkmies Před 7 lety +301

    You guys are good storytellers. This is a good format.

    • @MetalJesusRocks
      @MetalJesusRocks  Před 7 lety +93

      Thanks so much!

    • @Benson7290
      @Benson7290 Před 7 lety +18

      MetalJesusRocks i love this "off the cuff" format. This was a trip down memory lane even for me. I remember when video cards were rare and $39.95 bought a game.

  • @mmmcake44
    @mmmcake44 Před 7 lety +136

    Lol idk who y'all are, here I am, recognized the name Sierra. Clicked on it, say two guys on a couch talking, I'm like hey whatever I'll see what it's about. Next thing I know, I've watched the entire hour, and the whole thing was literally just two guys rambling about their past at a company; and I enjoyed every bit of it! Great video and I don't even know why, y'all are just very entertaining. Y'alls voices sound like you would do a very professional podcast, or be the voices on a high end radio show.

  • @crapphone7744
    @crapphone7744 Před 2 lety +2

    I happen to live in coarsegold and was in the computer business when Sierra was here in Oakhurst. When the owner sold the company and they moved out of town it was a huge blow here. Many of us still remember them being a welcome presence in our community and miss them still.

  • @soldier716
    @soldier716 Před 5 lety +18

    The Space Quest series is still one of my favorite games of all times. I've spent a good percentage of my life 4, 5, and 6 playing them over and over again

  • @patrickjmt
    @patrickjmt Před 7 lety +63

    Man, I remember playing some great Sierra games growing up. So many memories :)

    • @David-jc5jf
      @David-jc5jf Před 5 lety +4

      thanks for helping me with my math when I needed it Patrick!

    • @skybo053
      @skybo053 Před 5 lety +2

      You helped me so much in my Calc class last year!

    • @Barbabapan
      @Barbabapan Před 8 měsíci

      Same here. They taught me English skills and not to install Sierra games via illegal copies.

  • @fista1331
    @fista1331 Před 7 lety +117

    I absolutely loved this video. I can listen to you guys talk about Sierra and the old days all day long.

  • @ChrisKaliber
    @ChrisKaliber Před 5 lety +13

    Tribes is one of my favorite PC games of all time. I read a dollar bin diving article in IGN about some of the best dollar games you can find and luckily I found Tribes in a clearance bin at Babbages. I spent so much time playing that. I’ll never forget it.

    • @gizmoitus
      @gizmoitus Před 2 lety +1

      One of the best team multiplayer games ever.

  • @okedokie
    @okedokie Před 7 lety +14

    dude, I can't remember the last time I was interested in a video the whole way through that's almost an hour long. This was great, would love to hear more stories and such from the past.

  • @epicpotatofiend
    @epicpotatofiend Před 7 lety +22

    PLEASE continue this discussion in the future! You guys are among the very few to actually talk about their background in Sierra and Dynamix.

    • @lucasrem
      @lucasrem Před 7 lety

      Epic Potato,
      The Future? these guys are 1985! back then there was one guy who could program machine code, and a lot of people who could do nothing all day, play games and call that support, lol!
      The Future is multi platform titles, released on proven gaming engines, by multiple studios for one producer, Ubi, EA or other big producer. Rest all release low budget titles on steam or other low budget platforms.
      Are you willing to work for one of these studio's, then just react, they need skilled people that are willing to work 80 hours a week!!!!!!!!
      If you can do some custom development on Unreal, do a resume, make a reel. They will talk to you!!!!!!!

    • @epicpotatofiend
      @epicpotatofiend Před 7 lety

      lucas rem dude, what the hell did you think I'm talking about? this is IT archaeology, and this is a critical part of it that we need to extract from the sources before they (or their memories) are lost to time. all I want is for them to keep talking about this subject.
      And in case you didn't know, Unreal engine is slow under the hood. Looks pretty, but no Sanic speed. It's also a little bottlenecked in its environmental dynamism, largely also due to runtime speed. In the gaming world it's not all about using the latest and greatest engine. What about the emotive storytelling of Undertale, the sheer lunacy of Paradigm, the rats nest of performance that is the Minecraft engine? If you get too wrapped up in the wrong thing, you can forget what matters most.
      Like what happened to Sierra.

    • @lucasrem
      @lucasrem Před 7 lety

      Epic Potato
      Unreal is open, and well documented!!! and does support good stuff, open, that's why mentioned it as a good example. I'm not sure if I can name the Engine we work on now, it's all closed, not allowed to say anything about it. But it runs on iPad and consoles....If you have better solutions? I don't think so.....
      You asked for the Future, well do you get it now? but still you talk about yesterdays junk, why? Mind craft is especially not the future, I cant read all that shit, but not the Future. Think now! 2017 and beyond, not 1985 or any year my grandfather was still cool in.

    • @epicpotatofiend
      @epicpotatofiend Před 7 lety

      lucas rem Okay,
      UE3 and 4 are open to freely edit, but NOT to freely develop on, with UE4 using a subscription system now. Don't think I don't know these things.
      Yes, the code is well documented, but you can't get bleeding fast load speeds of resources.
      You're not letting me answer, there doesn't HAVE to be a "better engine", it all depends on your applications
      "Mind craft"? The "Future" has to always be capitalized. Really? Get off of your iPad.
      Why are you talking about this on a video of guys reminiscing about THEIR PAST WITH A DEAD COMPANY? You act like a damn bot. This is supposed to be history and nostalgia, not this dumb "oh, the Future is now, old man, get with the times, grandpa, look at me as jack off to my 90's edginess with the articulation of a worldwide weenie" show you're giving us.
      You don't know what you're talking about,
      you don't belong here,
      go back to where you came from,
      you confusing little man.

  • @antwill6939
    @antwill6939 Před 4 lety +3

    Thank you for this edition, MJR. It was totally nostalgic, a great time, and made me feel as if I was apart of it all Ken Williams letter to his employees had so much pain in it. I felt he wrote that letter, disheartened and with so much disappointment. His words denoted he cared about that company, his employees, and the product. I also appreciate Drunken Master Paul's presence. You know, we live in uncertain times, which is not a statement anew. This leads me to believe, perhaps, that is life... certainty. However, knowing that makes me want to just enjoy the ride even more. Meeting good people and creating positive memories along the way, a lot like what you and Drunken Master discussed. Of course, having to experience a layoff is an awful feeling, however, you still have to keep moving forward. At least, that is the lesson I am walking away with after tuning in to this exceptional retrospective. Anyway, thanks again and I would love to see another walk down memory lane. Peace

  • @DesertHomesteader
    @DesertHomesteader Před 5 lety +10

    You guys are truly rock stars! Great stories - thanks for sharing.

  • @lewiji
    @lewiji Před 7 lety +23

    Saw the length, didn't expect to watch the whole thing, it was over before I knew it! Really fascinating video

  • @ruleslawyer
    @ruleslawyer Před 7 lety +25

    Dynamix in the house! I actually lived next door to Jeff Trunnel back in the day. I remember meeting him and when he found out I was into video game he invited me over back to see Rise of the Dragon, which was in development at the time. Few years later I hit him up for a job in the QA dept when I was college and transiting into the art dept. Eventually ended up being one of the mocap guys (Hi Troy!) until the implosion where they moved the whole studio up to Bellevue.

    • @doubleas2380
      @doubleas2380 Před 6 lety +2

      Brian Wright Thank you for Willy Beamish!

  • @llpBR
    @llpBR Před 5 lety +10

    Everytime I think about Sierra, The Incredible Machine comes to my mind. I loved it so much...

  • @midnightpanthora
    @midnightpanthora Před 4 lety +8

    That was so interesting about your time at Sierra. Sounds like a great company to work for in the mid 90s.

  • @dysphunktion
    @dysphunktion Před 6 lety +77

    Best hour I've spent on CZcams in a very long time! Thanks guys!

  • @thetusseys
    @thetusseys Před 6 lety +50

    Guys I really enjoyed this trip back through memory lane. I worked for IBM during that time and loved Sierra. Listening to you guys reminded me of my IBM days.

  • @DrippyCC
    @DrippyCC Před 6 lety +4

    Thank you for sharing your memories. I keep finding “hidden gems” in your Metal Jesus library.

  • @deadvex
    @deadvex Před 6 lety

    subbed based on this video.. my darkest days were my childhood but sierra games were the light in that darkness that kept me sane.. i also could listen to yalls stories for hours.. thanks for the content

  • @fuzzyargy
    @fuzzyargy Před 7 lety +33

    Guys, this is the best video yet... omg im signing up to patreon because of this. Long time viewer, i feel like i have connected you with so many other channels or vice versa. Yes Metal Jesus you Rock! Thankyou guys so much.

  • @BumpyHorizon
    @BumpyHorizon Před 6 lety +158

    That glorious skullet though

  • @sn44k30
    @sn44k30 Před 5 lety +1

    This was the best video i've seen in quite a while. the memories and all that cool stuff, it's just awesome. Thanks for this, seriously.

  • @corafoon879
    @corafoon879 Před 2 lety

    This video has so much passion behind it, really enjoyed your stories and recaps. This needs to come back at some point. This needs to become a series!!

  • @Dogetor
    @Dogetor Před 7 lety +149

    Finally! We've been waiting for this video for so long!!!! 🤘🏻

    • @MetalJesusRocks
      @MetalJesusRocks  Před 7 lety +29

      Not sure why it took so long for us to make this video! But it's nice to finally have it out there.

    • @sIosha
      @sIosha Před 7 lety +7

      I would love a part 2 someday.

    • @jgkirbie
      @jgkirbie Před 7 lety +2

      Please continue this...it is interesting.

    • @Mitchell_Parent
      @Mitchell_Parent Před 7 lety +5

      sIosha when i saw the runtime i thought it was lengthy enough to be extensive, but you are right, seems like they have a lot more stories. Plus maybe they could mention how good Gabriel Knight was ;)

    • @robgazza
      @robgazza Před 7 lety +3

      no idea why but i read your comment in MJR's voice
      "Finally! We've been waiting for this video for SO!! LONG!!!!"

  • @WhollyOdd
    @WhollyOdd Před 7 lety +39

    I wish I knew you were doing this, I would have shown up to join the conversation!

    • @MetalJesusRocks
      @MetalJesusRocks  Před 7 lety +36

      +Howard Carson HOWARD!!! You were a great DJ at my parties!! \m/

    • @WhollyOdd
      @WhollyOdd Před 7 lety +26

      Just let me know when the next one is, and I will DJ again (and sing along with Tainted Love)

    • @p504504
      @p504504 Před 7 lety

      OMG This is so cool!

  • @Volder2010
    @Volder2010 Před 5 lety +1

    This was awesome! It made me feel like I was sitting there in your basement talking with you guys. I have a lot of good memories playing Sierra games and I never knew that it was that kind of company! Thanks!

  • @nicholasperrin1097
    @nicholasperrin1097 Před 5 lety +3

    Had no clue who you were prior to this video just now popping up in my suggested feed. Great video guys! Paul looks like the long lost brother of one of my college buddies, lol, right down to the way he was losing his hair. Acts a lot like his as well. You guys had a blast and made a ton of memories! Glad you caught a good portion of it on video!

  • @AdventureGameGeek
    @AdventureGameGeek Před 7 lety +14

    "Hi is that Sierra tech support? I can't get past the yeti in King's Quest V, I think my game is broken...!" *throws custard pie in face* Cheers guys, really fascinating retrospective!

  • @u2bist
    @u2bist Před 7 lety +25

    Hey Paul, I worked with you at Won.net for a while when you ran the moderators and created a life-size mech that shot ping pong balls. I was only there a short time, creating a tournament system when the Cendant debacle went down and I got fired. It was a blast watching you guys reminisce (even though most of it was before my time) and I hope you do more of these. Cheers!

  • @kingdavid644
    @kingdavid644 Před 2 lety

    This is so awesome! I’ve watched this multiple times because I loved these times back in the day. Please do more of these videos

  • @KappaCow
    @KappaCow Před 3 lety

    Awesome video, can't usually sit through hour long videos but this one was great. I love hearing about peoples old stories and upbringings. One day we're gonna look back at our lives right now and think of them as the good old days, so cherish them while you can.

  • @jamestaylor8577
    @jamestaylor8577 Před 7 lety +43

    You guys should totally do another one of these with some other Sierra employees!! I was a kid at the time and loved PC games.

  • @SteveGT0
    @SteveGT0 Před 7 lety +54

    This is a great chat and not a chat show host in sight...

  • @mjfieldsjr
    @mjfieldsjr Před 5 lety

    Thank You for the info, very much enjoyed it. I was a child growing up with Sierra, being my #1 gaming company.The imagination and possibilities the company provided was amazing, to a young child. Being able to experience the their world, of games, and day dreaming of the content on the store shelves. It is epic to see the other side with your shared behind the scenes experiences. TY!

  • @joh382
    @joh382 Před 6 lety

    This video is so amazing! I can't believe you have all that relevant footage as well! Paul's look back in the day is AMAZING AHAH

  • @gumbis1
    @gumbis1 Před 7 lety +21

    that ace face paint was sick dude

    • @MetalJesusRocks
      @MetalJesusRocks  Před 7 lety +14

      Thanks! My wife Rebecca painted that on me. It's pretty close to the original Spaceman!

    • @Hellwyck
      @Hellwyck Před 7 lety +2

      and his brother, I.P. Frehly.

  • @lordjolly2267
    @lordjolly2267 Před 7 lety +99

    0:20 DMP's hair was pure metal.....

    • @rainman11985
      @rainman11985 Před 7 lety +27

      Skullet!

    • @Miumiu0404
      @Miumiu0404 Před 7 lety +1

      It's like a metal dad hair.

    • @marmcd2003
      @marmcd2003 Před 7 lety +5

      Looks like Peter Gabriel during the Genesis years, ROCK AND ROLL!

    • @Dyatomik
      @Dyatomik Před 7 lety +1

      Nah dude, best Ronnie James Dio impression I have ever seen. Freaky good.

    • @NB-qy4yb
      @NB-qy4yb Před 7 lety +12

      His hair has to be one of the best skullets I have ever seen!

  • @nerdtek
    @nerdtek Před 5 lety +2

    This was awesome!! Having worked in tech support myself, I was super jealous of your experience. I did support for a major ISP and it was hell!!! It was very corporationy as well. I am glad I found your channel!!! Sierra was one of my faves!!

  • @johnwelander9783
    @johnwelander9783 Před 4 lety

    Such a great video. Brilliant bit of history with all the personal stories makes for engaging video. Many thanks for another superb episode.

  • @whizwart1
    @whizwart1 Před 7 lety +7

    Ken Williams rarely talks about Sierra anymore, but I remember reading an interview he did where he put a lot of the blame for Sierra getting caught up in Cendent on himself. He had been looking for a way to go to "the next level, but I was a programmer, not a businessman" and didn't dig deep enough into Cendent's background. It's too bad when folks who are real artists get swindled.
    Side note: Ken and Roberta are now big into yachting around the world. Ken even wrote a book about it.

  • @JohnRiggs
    @JohnRiggs Před 7 lety +26

    I dig Drunken Master Paul's old 'Riff Raff' look. Should bring that back in fashion.

  • @tomdouglas6666
    @tomdouglas6666 Před 5 lety

    Thank you so much for this amazing video! I played all of these great games. It was an amazing trip down memory lane. You guys rock!

  • @Thunderpuddle
    @Thunderpuddle Před 4 lety +1

    Such a great, heartfelt and interesting video. Love it. Played some of these games you guys worked on my Amiga.

  • @amberdgreen
    @amberdgreen Před 7 lety +14

    Thanks for the wayback machine, guys. I remember the fire alarm day. I loved staying after to play games, but I don't remember putting in a lot of time after work ;) The worst time is when they switched our hours from 8-5 to 10-7. I hated those months. Oh, and I remember doing that Phantas scene with Paul :)

    • @Bklyn93
      @Bklyn93 Před 7 lety

      You, MJR and Dave are some of the luckiest people on the planet. When I was a kid, I dreamed of working at Sierra. I watched all the cool behind the scenes footage that came with the various collections, and as a young child in the mid 1990s, Sierra seemed like an interactive form of Disneyworld. Ken Williams was like, the Walt Disney of MY childhood if that makes any sense - mustache and all. You had all these cool, long haired, metal people making these awesome games. I'm sure some days sucked, but it really seems, from this video, like working at Sierra was an experience more than it was a job. Like, Sierra was the Woodstock of video games.
      Anyway, I would also like to say thank you, MJR and Dave for your contributions to my childhood. And thank you to all Sierra alumni who might read my message - all of you rock.

  • @charlieocho2367
    @charlieocho2367 Před 7 lety +41

    Just started the video and already gave a thumbs up just for seeing you guys back together.

  • @pachucodreams
    @pachucodreams Před 5 lety

    This was great stuff, man. Definitely love learning and hearing about this kind of content. This off-the-cuff video is well done, you guys have a natural flow and charisma. If you guys ever had a podcast discussing this type of content and subject, I'd be all over that.

  • @RaterisimoCBA
    @RaterisimoCBA Před 5 lety

    Great long relaxed talk you guys ! This is great content, hearing the stories from the actual people that worked in these epic well known game companies such as Sierra ! Keep these coming from time to time, I certainly appreciate the longer in-depth videos, super interesting. Cheers ! 32 y old guy from Córdoba, Argentina !

  • @TheGamersGrotto
    @TheGamersGrotto Před 6 lety +67

    Sierra was one of the best gaming companies in the world in my opinion.. always pushing the boundaries of creative gaming and innovation.. Just as much as you are one of the best channels on CZcams.. Thank you for sharing your memories!! Rock on!! :)

    • @TigerBearCatBrandon
      @TigerBearCatBrandon Před 6 lety +5

      Jeremy Dziewurski Adventure games, which Sierra excelled at are still a lucrative genre, especially on mobile, and still on PC. This is a heartbreaking story of how a creative company can lose it's soul after going corporate.

    • @MrFIRESEAL117
      @MrFIRESEAL117 Před 5 lety +1

      At the expense of Free Labor from their employees mind you.

    • @godchi1dvonsteuben770
      @godchi1dvonsteuben770 Před 5 lety

      Yup (best game companies ever, that is)

    • @godchi1dvonsteuben770
      @godchi1dvonsteuben770 Před 5 lety

      @@MrFIRESEAL117 uh, MJ just said they got all the games free and frequently got free gaming hardware, all the time... That's not free labor... Besides, alot of the employees were just starting their careerand didn't mind working without a reliable paycheck...

    • @nathanael6058
      @nathanael6058 Před 5 lety

      My #1 from childhood beside Nintendo!

  • @futurama140
    @futurama140 Před 7 lety +24

    I could (and would) absolutely listen to your reminiscences for as long as you would tell them. My very first solo video game as a child was willie beamish, and so I have been a fan as long as I have been a gamer. TIM, kings Quest, Laura bow, Dr cranium, all the Sierra games I played were wonderful, and your tales of the past are a joy to listen to.

  • @slodogg
    @slodogg Před 4 lety +13

    This video has been in my watch later playlist for awhile, finally getting to it today. I am currently unemployed (laid off) from a software / design job and have been applying like crazy. I too always brand the logo on my resume! I also match the typeface and colors from the brand as well and include a custom cover letter each time specific to the job. It’s obviously easier these days although not sure how common it is is practice. Unfortunately I feel like no one takes notice as I haven’t been getting the response I’m after. Avoiding insanity I do switch up my tactics to discern which actions have more or less success. Looking to land something exciting in the near future! Great video, bummed I didn’t watch it sooner but seems to be coming to me at the right time in life so I’ll take that as a positive sign. Cheers! 👍🏼🙏🏼✌🏼

    • @urzathehappy72
      @urzathehappy72 Před 4 lety +2

      I hope you find work

    • @slodogg
      @slodogg Před 4 lety +1

      Roger [kirbydudelol] Waters thanks 👍🏼 plugging away at it, although the job market hasn’t been so hot for a few months now 😂

    • @georgesenda1952
      @georgesenda1952 Před 2 lety

      @@slodogg Back years ago they would be impressed by that when computer people were like family.
      Today the suit types probably think you're a geek or a fan and probably toss your resume in the physical garbage can or delete it unread.
      I would take off the logos and show them samples of your work

  • @jalexromero
    @jalexromero Před 5 lety

    Very cool stories. I played many Sierra games growing up and enjoyed them all. A pity what happened to the company! But great initiative to document these stories, i would have never guessed how things were started then. Thanks for sharing these memories!

  • @whitewolf9502
    @whitewolf9502 Před 7 lety +3

    I didn't hear or know about Sierra until about 2006...which really bums me out. I played Arcanum until my fingers numbed and I played some more. Still can't get enough of that game. Great video, guys! Glad you got this all out there!

  • @tenmilesky7331
    @tenmilesky7331 Před 7 lety +3

    I really appreciate it, guys. 👍
    those were truly the days if yore and hearing stories 'from the inside' was something special indeed.
    now for part 2! ..how bout it?

  • @jagergerg9771
    @jagergerg9771 Před 5 lety +2

    This takes me back down memory lane, I remember bolting home from high school to play Kings Quest great content guys

  • @jimfcarroll
    @jimfcarroll Před 5 lety

    Just ... fantastic. A glimpse behind the scenes of some of my favorite memories from young adulthood. Simply wonderful. Thank you

  • @danielw2321
    @danielw2321 Před 7 lety +9

    Can't wait for Part 2 of this 6-Part Series!

  • @RetroGamePlayers
    @RetroGamePlayers Před 7 lety +5

    That Windows 95 disc issue was hilarious! ! Wow, I hope he upgraded before sending it back lol

  • @Sisilafamilletavu
    @Sisilafamilletavu Před 2 lety

    Thanks a lot for what you did guys. Your works ruled my childhood. Long live to you :)

  • @stuckinsj
    @stuckinsj Před 4 lety

    I've just now found this video and it's fascinating and fun to hear. It has so many parallels to other stories from my own life and friends working in the crazy computer fields in the late nineties that you guys sound like you worked at the same companies I did. I hope you guys do more like these!

  • @syd_luna
    @syd_luna Před 7 lety +16

    I grew up with Sierra when I was a kid. The games I remembered playing was Kings Quest IV, V, VI, V, and Mask of Eternity, as well as Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers, and Gabriel Knight 3, and of course, Half-Life, which Sierra published.
    Also, you just earned a new subscriber to your channel, MJR. :D

  • @TrashwareArt
    @TrashwareArt Před 6 lety +5

    This is one of my favorite videos on youtube. I grew up with kings quest and sierra in general - so awesome to see a few of the faces behind it. Wish I could grab a few beers and hear the rest of the conversation!

  • @MetalGreggNY75
    @MetalGreggNY75 Před 5 lety +1

    Hey MJ! I want to say this was my favorite video post you did. I love hearing stories like this. I too am a huge Hard Rock/Metal fan. I got my BS degree in Music Production & Music Business and my AS in Radio-TV Production. I remember the days of PCs and gaming back then. I have friends who are IT techs and hanging with them in college and heard similar stories. I love the story w/ DMP talking about the game disc that had Win 95 on it. Or My game was working yesterday and now it’s not...opens CD drive and has become a PB&J sandwich saver.

  • @hanschristiantankred4927
    @hanschristiantankred4927 Před 6 lety +2

    Been avoiding this video for a long time because of the length. What a mistake that turned out to be, this is pure gold!

  • @christopherwilliams9418
    @christopherwilliams9418 Před 7 lety +19

    Would love to hear more Sierra stories in the future!

  • @MoejiiOsmanTV
    @MoejiiOsmanTV Před 6 lety +17

    In 1995 I was in 6th grade and my pops brought home a Packard bell one day.. I loved that thing like it was life. It had either only 4 megs or 8 I can't remember... Was a pentium with windows 95. I was one of the few kids in my whole neighborhood that had a computer so everybody crammed into my house all time

  • @VRLunatic
    @VRLunatic Před 3 lety

    I keep coming back to watch this! Somehow this is still my favorite video on your channel.

  • @musiciohann
    @musiciohann Před 6 lety

    Loved this video! The old footage is awesome. Also the stories and the more personal experiences!!

  • @VGScreens
    @VGScreens Před 7 lety +6

    Favourite video in a while guys, definitely do more of this and more insights to the industry. Cheers lads

  • @mirnuchis26
    @mirnuchis26 Před 7 lety +60

    when is part 2 have the wife sit in too

  • @ryukenosuke
    @ryukenosuke Před 5 lety

    It's so neat to have found this video. It really humanizes the memory of a 90's legendary game company. As an aspiring indie game developer, I appreciate you sharing these stories. ( :

  • @Textra1
    @Textra1 Před 5 lety +1

    Great episode. I had many Sierra games back in the day. 5 1/4 inch floppy for PC and later 3 1/2 inch for Amiga. I wish I still had them in my collection.

  • @ashtonarrows1974
    @ashtonarrows1974 Před 7 lety +3

    Thank you for this video. The Realm mention almost brought a tear to my eye. Great memories.

  • @topictantrum287
    @topictantrum287 Před 7 lety +4

    I love hearing about your glory days! It's always fun hearing about someone's past and learning from it and taking advice. I guess that's why I love reading biographies! Cool episode!! Love the podcast format 😊😊

  • @andijakapagaruyung7873

    of all your videos this is the one i always come back to from time to time.. somethng about the sierra era games always seems magical to me.. thank you guys

  • @K1LL3RV1DS
    @K1LL3RV1DS Před 5 lety

    I absolutely loved listing to these reminiscent stories... I'm still fairly new to the channel, but looking back through your videos this is certainly a gem that I'd love to see more like!

  • @stereodark
    @stereodark Před 7 lety +9

    Awesome video. It reminded me of Dr. Radiaki, a Doom clone my parents got me for Christmas when I was like 8 years old, and it required 8MB of ram. I had a 486sx25 with 4MB and to make it run a friend of my father working in the IT of a bank show me once how to start Windows 3.1 in repair mode without loading all services. It was a long list of questions to answer and after a bit of trial and error we managed to run the game by freeing up memory occupied by OS processes otherwise . It was amazing, after waiting for the whole Christmas Day and the day after without being able to play with my gift, finally having the game run was more fun than the game itself. That's how I got into IT i think.

    • @William_Van_Landingham_III
      @William_Van_Landingham_III Před 7 lety +1

      Cool story, bro.
      For the record, that's the first time I've typed that phrase in a non-sarcastic way.

  • @ArcaneWorkshop
    @ArcaneWorkshop Před 7 lety +5

    THOROUGHLY enjoyed this video. I've always said, if I could do my life over, I'd do everything I could to work at Sierra in their glory days. Can't wait to see more of these!

  • @redsstan6863
    @redsstan6863 Před 2 lety +1

    This is my all time favorite MJR video. I wish you guys would do more Sierra retrospective videos!

  • @Lino
    @Lino Před 5 lety +3

    The best sign of good content is when you watch an hour of it, and it feels like 5 minutes. Great work. From my end I mixed with a couple of UK companies back in the day. The biggest one being Activision. I remember going to the launch of Little Computer People when money was no object.. Good times.

  • @killerrobotics3194
    @killerrobotics3194 Před 7 lety +50

    Awesome story! A real piece of Gaming history.

    • @edmundblackadder2741
      @edmundblackadder2741 Před 7 lety +21

      Killer Robotics Yeh not a lot of gaming based CZcams channels can claim such great accolades.