Re:Sam and Max Hit the Road
by washadjeffmad on Saturday June 22, 2019 @12:10PM
(#20250315)
The most trouble I ever got in growing up was after a phone bill from calling 1-900-740-JEDI (with permission) and didn't put the phone all the way back on the rocker.
It was supposed to time out after a minute or so of no interaction, but the bill showed the line was connected for over 60 at something like $0.75 a minute.
The worst part (to me) was that it didn't help me find Frog Rock. I found out a decade later when I ripped the disc to play in SCUMMVM that there was a defect with the CD that my 1x reader at the time probably couldn't handle.
As a young kid without the patience to grapple with adventure game puzzles (and no internet service), I had to resort quite a few times to calling the LucasArts 900 number for walkthrough tips. I've often wondered how much that boosted their games revenue!
My first professional programming job was located in the Presidio campus where LucasArts had been headquartered. It had just closed its doors shortly before I started there, but the old LucasArts store stayed open for a few extra months to clear out some inventory. I grabbed a logo hat which I've since misplaced.
Awhile back the Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco had a whole featured exhibit of Purcell's work, and as a fan of the old game I had to make the pilgrimage. If you're an old Sam & Max fan looking to scratch the nostalgia itch, the old comics are pretty great and the "Route 66 in decay" esthetic is possibly even better suited to our times than it was the late 80s and early 90s.