Hello Patrons! Welcome to this week's blog. Let's jump right into it.
In case you missed it, a new episode is now available on YouTube! In 1993, Tengen wanted their own Mario or Sonic. They created Awesome Possum. On the surface, it's nothing special. But behind the game is a story about climate change, possums, and a ridiculo...
2020-04-11 15:51:13 +0000 UTC View Post
Hello Patrons!
Here is the latest episode of The Gaming Historian, all about Awesome Possum!
Why on earth did I make a video about Awesome Possum??
It actually started with the court case. In 1996, Tengen / Atari Games / Time Warner were sued by an art teacher who claimed he had come up with the idea for Awesome Possum. My initial plan was to just talk about the game briefly and the court case. But after interviewing the creator, Richard Seaborne, the story became much...
2020-04-06 15:37:55 +0000 UTC View Post
It's time to vote for the next topic for the show! I've got 3 different options here, so vote for which one you would like to see the most.
Chex Quest
In 1996, Ralston Foods wanted to revive the failing Chex brand. Their solution? A Doom clone called "Chex Quest." A copy of the game was included with over 5 million boxes of cereal. It turned out to be a pretty good game! ...
2020-04-04 14:55:05 +0000 UTC View PostHello Patrons! Here are updates from this past week at Gaming Historian HQ.
I've started editing the Awesome Possum episode! I'd estimate the video will be about 15-20 minutes long. I should have a rough draft for you to view next week. Since the Super Mario 3 video, I've been using my new camera and learning all of it's little quirks. So editin...
2020-03-28 15:44:59 +0000 UTC View PostHello Patrons! Here are this weeks updates.
The script is done for Awesome Possum! Production will begin on Monday. Here is a sneak preview of my little filming shoot with some local possums. I visited the Lakeside Nature Center in Kansas City, MO, that is currently rehabilitating a 3-legged possum named Peggy. She was very sweet and great on camera!
2020-03-21 19:11:51 +0000 UTC
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Welcome Patrons! Obviously the big topic of the world is COVID-19, also known as the Coronavirus. I hope everyone is taking the necessary precautions so we can tackle this global problem together. We'll come out stronger on the other side! I've had to reschedule my possum film shoots because of it, but it's no biggie. I do have some cool Awesome Possum stuff to share with you though!
2020-03-14 16:24:49 +0000 UTC
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Hello Patrons! Here is what I've been up to this past week.
Awesome Possum Updates
This past week, I did a bunch of research on the Awesome Possum episode. I was finally able to get in touch with Richard Seaborne, the creator of the game. He is answering questions for me via e-mail. I also located the case files for the lawsuit, which are in Philadelph...
2020-03-08 01:22:35 +0000 UTC View PostHi Patrons!
I've been out of town for a few days, so I don't have much new to report. But here are a things.
After the Awesome Possum episode, I plan to go all-in on the Oregon Trail episode. I'm in contact with a local collector who has various Apple II computers plus original copies of the game, so I'm excited to use those in the video. That video might take a little longer, but I prefer focusing in on one video rather than juggling a few.
<... 2020-02-27 23:22:43 +0000 UTC View PostHello Patrons and welcome to this week's blog post! For the past week, I've been spending most of my time fulfilling Patreon rewards. I had way more people sign up than anticipated! Rest assured, physical rewards are on the way. If you live in the United States, check your mailboxes in the coming days. International might take a little longer.
So, what's new?
Happy Valentine's Day, Patrons!
To everyone who is new here, welcome! Yesterday, I released the "Facts I Got Wrong" video, which brought in some new supporters. Hope you enjoy your time here, and thank you for your contribution! Let's get into this weeks topics.
The next episode is about this game.
If you have ev...
2020-02-14 17:10:02 +0000 UTC View PostWelcome to a new episode! In this video, I go over 5 facts I got wrong in older episodes, and offer corrections. I also analyze WHY I got it wrong and offer some advice.
Early episodes are now being uploaded to an alternate channel to avoid any YouTube issues on the main channel.
A couple of show notes for you:
No Background Music
Lately I've been loving videos that have no music, specifically video essay / commentary stuff. I felt this video was...
2020-02-11 21:20:17 +0000 UTC View PostHello Patrons!
First of all, a huge thank you to everyone who has signed up for the new tiers. I'll be shipping out the first wave of merchandise soon to backers. I'm really excited about the relaunch and what the support means to the production of the show.
A few people were having issues connecting to Discord with the new tiers. I reached out to Patreon, who admitted it was a bug in their system and they were working on a fix. Yesterday, they e-mailed me and said it should be wo...
2020-02-06 17:25:18 +0000 UTC View PostYou should be able to select your new tiers now. I'm still cleaning up the small details (like the "About" section), but everything else should be working. Thanks for your patience through this transition!
2020-02-01 16:39:46 +0000 UTC View PostJust a friendly reminder that the Patreon relaunch is February 1st! Check out earlier posts for more information on the relaunch.
The month of January is usually pretty slow for YouTube, so I've been doing a lot of research. Right now, I'm at the National Archives, scanning and researching Universal vs. Nintendo court documents.
The original case files have been destroyed. However, I have the appeals, which contain some original documents. I'm scanning just about everything. My pl...
2020-01-22 23:57:44 +0000 UTC View PostHello Patrons!
In my previous post, I mentioned I was switching to charging upfront. This is because of two reasons.
1.) Whenever I posted on social media that an episode was available for Patrons to watch, a large influx of people would sign up, watch the episode early, then cancel their subscription, without paying. Charging upfront prevents this abuse.
2.) Charging upfront ensures people get the physical rewards as quickly as possible. As soon as someone signs up for a ti...
2020-01-08 23:26:56 +0000 UTC View PostHappy New Year Gamers!
What better way to start a new year than to relaunch the Patreon?
I started my Patreon back in 2015 as a way for people to support the show. I treated it more like a tip-jar than anything. But over the years, Patreon has evolved into more of a cool, membership-style site, where supporters get exclusive content, merch, and more.
With that in mind, I’ve decided to re-launch the Patreon with all new tiers. So let’s dive in!
2020-01-06 16:37:01 +0000 UTC
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Just a heads up, if you are trying to watch the episode on Patreon - I had to remove all the older versions in order to release the new version. YouTube has a weird thing about uploading multiple videos that are "too similar."
In the future, I'll probably be making a separate YT account just for this site. Apologies for any inconvenience.
2019-12-17 22:54:47 +0000 UTC View PostHere it is, The Story of Super Mario Bros. 3! Still have some tweaks to do, but it's pretty much done. Right now I'm working on the end credits, thumbnail, and audio mixing.
Appreciate any feedback! thank you!
2019-12-14 20:52:56 +0000 UTC View PostA trip to the United States during the development of Super Mario Bros. 3 may have been a source of inspiration...
2019-12-11 01:12:29 +0000 UTC View PostA little preview of the 45+ minute documentary. The tentative release date is Wednesday, December 18th. Enjoy!
2019-12-03 20:10:37 +0000 UTC View PostHello Patrons!
The relaunch is almost here and I'm super excited about it. I've got some really cool physical rewards as well as some BONUS content posted monthly. I'll have more details soon. Right now I'm just waiting on the physical rewards to arrive so I can take snazzy pictures of them!
Here is what I've got going on currently.
New Camera
I bought a new camera. It's a Sony FS5 II.
2019-10-31 17:48:43 +0000 UTC
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It's almost time for the Patreon re-launch. With it comes a fresh new logo and some fun physical rewards. This includes stickers!
I'm not ready to show the full redesign yet, but please vote on what sticker you like the most!
This was a fun video to make! 95% of the footage was shot outdoors near a small pond in Belton, Missouri. We had to contend with the wind, but overall it turned out well.
I'm trying no background music in this video. Let me know what you think!
2019-10-02 03:37:46 +0000 UTC View PostGot this one finished up today. This is the first episode from the new house! I also got to test out my new camera slider, which was fabulous. I can do all sorts of neat stuff with B-Roll now!
Hope you enjoy. On to the next!
2019-09-03 17:33:06 +0000 UTC View PostA funny story that Oregon Trail co-creator Bill Heinemann shared with me about some rotten potatoes. Thought you all might get a kick out of it!
2019-08-02 03:29:21 +0000 UTC View PostHello everyone, it has been awhile!
Yes, I am alive. For the past month, I have been in the process of moving. I wish moving was simply "take your stuff from this place to a new place" but there has been a ton of roadblocks, one of the biggest ones being getting internet.
I won't get into the details, but what you should know is that I'm FINALLY at a point where I can sit down and work on videos again. So here is what I've got coming up.
Patreon Remaster
... 2019-07-22 14:42:17 +0000 UTC View PostIn the coming weeks, this Patreon will be getting a makeover! I launched this campaign in 2015 and since then, quite a lot has changed. I'm hoping to update the Patreon with more tiers, more rewards (including physical rewards!), and give everything a facelift.
Just wanted to give you a heads up that changes are a-comin'. Stay tuned!
2019-06-24 19:48:57 +0000 UTC View PostA follow-up to the Hot Seat video. A new discovery in the world of oddball NES accessories! This should come out on Tuesday. Have a great rest of your week!
2019-06-13 23:08:49 +0000 UTC View Post
Little did I know that Power to the 10th Inc made THIS: The Hot Stik! It's just the joystick from the Hot Seat, sold as a stand-alone product.
In the Hot Seat video, I tested the device with Super Mario Bros, Mega Man 2, Top Gun, and Rad Racer.
What games should I test this device with? Gimme your suggestions and I'll randomly pick a few to use in the video, as long as I have the game. Thanks!
2019-06-10 16:45:41 +0000 UTC View PostStill needs a few more edits, but it's pretty much done. All footage was captured on original carts using my Super NT and Gamecube Game Boy Player w/ GBI. Music was provided by Jeremiah Sun, who did a full orchestral remaster of the Link's Awakening soundtrack.
I shot some of the b-roll outside in my backyard, which got my tripod dirty. No games were harmed though.
Any feedback is appreciated. Enjoy!
2019-05-23 19:44:36 +0000 UTC View Post