DoubleFineProd | RandomNES // Lost Pilot @DoubleFineProd | Uploaded September 2020 | Updated October 2024, 6 days ago.
Back in 2016, Paul's mom sent a few boxes of his old games to the office that we added to the Double Fine library. Most of these were original Nintendo games, and since Tim had admitted he had never played much Nintendo we thought it would be fun to do a video series with him trying them out, "GameCenter CX" style.
With production on Psychonauts 2 ramping up we couldn't get Tim to commit the time to a new series, so we shifted the concept to producer Michael Tucker being tasked to play these games as "research" for Tim.
We set out to develop a new show idea that combined our love for the punishment of GameCenter CX and MST3K with the insight of developer focused Let's Plays. Tucker would be presented with a mystery game that he (hopefully) had never played before and challenged to figure it out. He would then be joined by a special guest who he would have to explain the game to. After working together, they would finally be allowed to read the game manual and in the end, check the internet.
The twist would be to challenge the hosts to remain positive in their commentary, even when faced with a game that was impenetrable. Anyone can make fun of a game that is labeled "bad", but no one sets out to make a bad game on purpose.
We shot this pilot episode while Adam Conover was in town, a long time friend of Asif and lover of games. If we had continued with the series the intention was to have a different mystery guest or someone from the studio join Tucker each time. Sadly the commitments to Psychonauts 2, Amnesia Fortnight, and other Double Fine projects prevented us from taking the series further, and it felt like too much of a tease to release the episode on its own at the time.
Now on the 20th anniversary of the studio, we wanted to look back on what might have fallen through the cracks and give this project its chance to be seen.
Back in 2016, Paul's mom sent a few boxes of his old games to the office that we added to the Double Fine library. Most of these were original Nintendo games, and since Tim had admitted he had never played much Nintendo we thought it would be fun to do a video series with him trying them out, "GameCenter CX" style.
With production on Psychonauts 2 ramping up we couldn't get Tim to commit the time to a new series, so we shifted the concept to producer Michael Tucker being tasked to play these games as "research" for Tim.
We set out to develop a new show idea that combined our love for the punishment of GameCenter CX and MST3K with the insight of developer focused Let's Plays. Tucker would be presented with a mystery game that he (hopefully) had never played before and challenged to figure it out. He would then be joined by a special guest who he would have to explain the game to. After working together, they would finally be allowed to read the game manual and in the end, check the internet.
The twist would be to challenge the hosts to remain positive in their commentary, even when faced with a game that was impenetrable. Anyone can make fun of a game that is labeled "bad", but no one sets out to make a bad game on purpose.
We shot this pilot episode while Adam Conover was in town, a long time friend of Asif and lover of games. If we had continued with the series the intention was to have a different mystery guest or someone from the studio join Tucker each time. Sadly the commitments to Psychonauts 2, Amnesia Fortnight, and other Double Fine projects prevented us from taking the series further, and it felt like too much of a tease to release the episode on its own at the time.
Now on the 20th anniversary of the studio, we wanted to look back on what might have fallen through the cracks and give this project its chance to be seen.
