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+--- Thread: AMA About Sierra! (/showthread.php?tid=38)
RE: AMA About Sierra! - zobraks - 03-18-2026
Josh Mandel, thank you so much for all you've done for adventure gaming.
Above all THANK YOU for Callahan's Crosstime Saloon, the richest adventure game I have ever played.
RE: AMA About Sierra! - rtrooney - 03-18-2026
I'm embarrassed that I haven't written on this thread before. (Of course I only joined the forum around six months ago.) Since Josh has offered his recollections about his favorite experiences, I thought it fair to turn the tables and offer some of my favorite experiences. I was a member of TEG, The Electronic Gamers, forum on CompuServe. Freddy Pharkus had just been released and I found a store that had a copy left. I drove the twenty miles to purchase it. As I was playing it, I found myself at a complete standstill. Didn't know what to do, so I logged on, and asked for help. Guy answers my plea, and types in "Have your found the other side of the street yet?" That guy was Josh Mandel! Co-author Josh Mandel! Guy who's name was on the box, Josh Mandel. I was ecstatic. I'm being helped by the co-writer of the game I'm playing. It couldn't get any better. But of course it did. From that first meeting we became good friends. (Or at least I think we did. Josh's opinion might differ.)
Over the years we've discussed game ideas, talked about our favorite magic stores, reminisced about our time in Chicago. And much, much more.
It goes without saying that I think Josh is one of the true creative geniuses of the gaming world. To this day I'm amazed when I pick up a game, Foolish Mortals is the latest, and find Josh Mandel listed in the credits. All I can say is I'm proud to know him.
RE: AMA About Sierra! - Josh_Mandel - 03-18-2026
(03-18-2026, 06:39 AM)zobraks Wrote: Josh Mandel, thank you so much for all you've done for adventure gaming.
Above all THANK YOU for Callahan's Crosstime Saloon, the richest adventure game I have ever played.
You are more than welcome, zobraks. It was one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences I've ever had the pleasure to work on, and I'm TRULY beyond overjoyed that there are players out there,like you, who understand and appreciate what I was going for, and my unashamedly verbose handling. :-)
So whatever you do, don't read the Digital Antiquarian's take on it in his article on the Last Adventures of Legend. It will turn you off the game forever. ;-)
With gratitude,
Josh
(03-18-2026, 04:29 PM)rtrooney Wrote: I'm embarrassed that I haven't written on this thread before. (Of course I only joined the forum around six months ago.) Since Josh has offered his recollections about his favorite experiences, I thought it fair to turn the tables and offer some of my favorite experiences. I was a member of TEG, The Electronic Gamers, forum on CompuServe. Freddy Pharkus had just been released and I found a store that had a copy left. I drove the twenty miles to purchase it. As I was playing it, I found myself at a complete standstill. Didn't know what to do, so I logged on, and asked for help. Guy answers my plea, and types in "Have your found the other side of the street yet?" That guy was Josh Mandel! Co-author Josh Mandel! Guy who's name was on the box, Josh Mandel. I was ecstatic. I'm being helped by the co-writer of the game I'm playing. It couldn't get any better. But of course it did. From that first meeting we became good friends. (Or at least I think we did. Josh's opinion might differ.)
Over the years we've discussed game ideas, talked about our favorite magic stores, reminisced about our time in Chicago. And much, much more.
It goes without saying that I think Josh is one of the true creative geniuses of the gaming world. To this day I'm amazed when I pick up a game, Foolish Mortals is the latest, and find Josh Mandel listed in the credits. All I can say is I'm proud to know him.
Ah, Tim, I had forgotten that we met through Freddy Pharkas! And I'm not sure I *ever* knew that you drove twenty miles to get it when it came out...that's wild!
We are indeed good friends, at least I have always felt so. And it's a long friendship, too, since Freddy was '93...so we go back 33 years, which is damned impressive. I so miss our CompuServe days. The raw power of being a SysOp...it's heady stuff!
You say such nice things about me, Tim, and I feel undeserving. And deeply flattered.
I do want to point out that my involvement with Foolish Mortals was slight, I wrote a fair amount of text early on, but eventually I came to feel that my sense of humor didn't fit that well with the particular type of comedy David was looking for (for that particular game, not in general -- in real life, our senses of humor are quite close, but I couldn't keep myself from sneaking in unwanted puns in the Poison Garden). There were also unrelated plot issues that, long after I'd stopped working on the game, resulted in David making big changes -- all to the game's advantage, I feel. So...very little of what I wrote survives in the game -- in fact, I only know of one line for sure -- so truly, don't credit me at all for FOOLISH MORTALS, it all goes to David Younger, and his wife Sophie. And Francisco Gonzalez's incredible voice direction...and the music and the artwork. As I mentioned to Ron of Ron's Computer Videos a day or two ago, FOOLISH MORTALS comes off as the work of a highly experienced designer, not a first-timer! (Maybe it was David's years as an Amusement Park designer that helped inform his talent for putting people into fun, rollicking, surprising situations.)
I have told David though, that I would be proud to work with him on another project someday, should the opportunity present itself.
RE: AMA About Sierra! - Josh_Mandel - 03-18-2026
Tim,
Okay, I just had to write you a second reply, because this is too much of a coincidence to keep to myself.
Over the past few weeks, I've been looking through various cartons in my basement, looking for relics of my Sierra days. There's going to be a Sierra display at this fall's Portland Retro Gaming Expo, and I'll be sending some memorabilia to add to the display.
Just fifteen minutes ago, I was back in the basement, looking for a few more things. I found my Freddy hintbook (I have to read it through, I forget what I wrote), a bunch of t-shirts (two different Freddy designs and one of the two Dagger of Amon Ra designs). And two of the PR folders that were created for the sales staff to help them sell the game to wholesalers, etc.
One of those two folders was full of correspondence from CompuServe regarding Freddy.
Including the one below. Found about 10 minutes ago. Now if I can only get it to display!!
https://imgur.com/a/e7hM3v9
RE: AMA About Sierra! - rtrooney - 03-18-2026
That would be me! It was one of my early compuserve ID numbers. I believe I had two later ones as they changed software. Finally ending with rtrooney@compuserve.com before they went POOF!
RE: AMA About Sierra! - Jen - 03-19-2026
Portland, Oregon, or Portland, Maine? If the former, I might like to attend. I have lived here for more than half my life, and the only retro gaming expo that I’ve ever seen mentioned looked like it was all consoles.
RE: AMA About Sierra! - Josh_Mandel - 03-19-2026
(03-19-2026, 12:29 AM)Jen Wrote: Portland, Oregon, or Portland, Maine? If the former, I might like to attend. I have lived here for more than half my life, and the only retro gaming expo that I’ve ever seen mentioned looked like it was all consoles.
Portland, Oregon!!
It was my first time there last year, and for sure, I would say it was mostly consoles...but there were plenty of panels and rooms devoted to PC games. Maybe they've increased their percentage of PC/Mac-related gaming over the years?
Mark Seibert and his wife Debbie (whose voice you know from several Sierra games) were there, as was Ken Allen, Corey and Lori Cole, Al Lowe, Al Eufrasio, George Sanger, Neal Grandstaff, MetalJesus...and Robert Holmes and his daughter Raleigh were there electronically. Plus there were stars of the retro podcast industry, like Troels and Frederick!
This year, I know there's a big exhibit featuring Sierra and Lucasarts games. I suspect it's going to be huge.
Josh
RE: AMA About Sierra! - Jen - 03-19-2026
Well, then… color my interest piqued.
RE: AMA About Sierra! - inklingwood - 03-22-2026
(03-18-2026, 05:36 PM)Josh_Mandel Wrote: Very little of what I wrote survives in the game -- in fact, I only know of one line for sure -- so truly, don't credit me at all for FOOLISH MORTALS, it all goes to David Younger, and his wife Sophie. And Francisco Gonzalez's incredible voice direction...and the music and the artwork. As I mentioned to Ron of Ron's Computer Videos a day or two ago, FOOLISH MORTALS comes off as the work of a highly experienced designer, not a first-timer! (Maybe it was David's years as an Amusement Park designer that helped inform his talent for putting people into fun, rollicking, surprising situations.) I have told David though, that I would be proud to work with him on another project someday, should the opportunity present itself.
I don't want Josh to undersell himself here! There are a good handful of lines that still exist from his drafts (a lot of funny lines - I just had to edit down to the ones that didn't break the fourth wall!), but more importantly he helped me figure out the style I wanted to go with at a time when I didn't know, and didn't have the self-confidence to take on the writing duties fully myself. Essentially, Josh got the ball rolling, and then handed it to me to take in the direction I did.
And likewise, I would jump at the chance to work with Josh again. I'm so thankful to know him
RE: AMA About Sierra! - Josh_Mandel - 03-22-2026
(03-22-2026, 11:55 AM)inklingwood Wrote:(03-18-2026, 05:36 PM)Josh_Mandel Wrote: Very little of what I wrote survives in the game -- in fact, I only know of one line for sure -- so truly, don't credit me at all for FOOLISH MORTALS, it all goes to David Younger, and his wife Sophie. And Francisco Gonzalez's incredible voice direction...and the music and the artwork. As I mentioned to Ron of Ron's Computer Videos a day or two ago, FOOLISH MORTALS comes off as the work of a highly experienced designer, not a first-timer! (Maybe it was David's years as an Amusement Park designer that helped inform his talent for putting people into fun, rollicking, surprising situations.) I have told David though, that I would be proud to work with him on another project someday, should the opportunity present itself.
I don't want Josh to undersell himself here! There are a good handful of lines that still exist from his drafts (a lot of funny lines - I just had to edit down to the ones that didn't break the fourth wall!), but more importantly he helped me figure out the style I wanted to go with at a time when I didn't know, and didn't have the self-confidence to take on the writing duties fully myself. Essentially, Josh got the ball rolling, and then handed it to me to take in the direction I did.
Oh, get a room, us two!