WOW! New Old Computer Game Fun!

Probably my favourite computer game of all time is Commander Keen 4: Goodbye Galaxy -- you jump around a lot, collect things, and shoot anything that moves -- brilliant!  Although, the game is spoilt by the inclusion of an underwater level where Keen becomes so slow, he can't get out of anythings way, and you get eaten by a big, stupid looking fish, so I actually prefer to play episode 5 which is all set on a space station with not a fish in sight.

However, times move on and those old games won't play in Windows 7 (or even XP), until I discovered the delights of DOSBox, which magically brings all those old games back to life.  But still, once you've played them umpteen times, and used the cheat keys to discover all their secrets, the novelty can wear off.  But Keen is not dead!

While I've been busy playing Plants vs. Zombies instead, there appear to have developed an whole community of amateur programmers who've been taken those old episodes of Commander Keen and modified them to produce new episodes!  So now there's hours more nostalgic fun to be had -- just nip along to their official forum to download them: keenmodding.org

Joe Craig's 'Keep Fit for Writers' Video

This keep fit routine has been especially designed for writers (or those who, like me, pretend to be), by Joe Craig, author of the popular Jimmy Coates novels for teens that have been described as "the Bourne Identity for kids" (which seems a good enough reason to read them whatever your age).  So sit back, watch and learn:

......I'm worn out just watching.

Video discovered via Twitter, where I regularly stalk him and other interesting people.  You can stalk me on Twitter @IAmJohnSteele, and stalk Joe on Twitter @joecraiguk

John Barrowman on Goodnight, Burbank (spoof US news show)

I was excited this week when I noticed that the spoof US news show, "Goodnight, Burbank", had revamped their website and had reincarnated with a bunch of new videos. Unfortunately, my excitement was short-lived, when I clicked on one of them and was told that I couldn't watch it because I'm not in the US (as they're using Hula.com to broadcast them). So, not a "new and improved" website then, as there was no such restriction on their original site. But, on the plus side, they have made this clip featuring our very own John Barrowman available internationally, via Youtube:

Meanwhile, you can sign up for email updates from their website above, or follow them on Twitter @goodniteburbank (as you can various cast members, like @HaydenBlack)

Welcome....

Welcome to my cosy little corner of the Internet, where I'll be rambling on, posting random stuff I found on the Web (or read about somewhere), and just generally taking a break from the other websites that I maintain.

If there's not much here at the moment, you could go to My Writing Archive and read my various creative scribblings, old and new-ish, or follow me on Twitter: @IAmJohnSteele.

Meanwhile, thanks for visiting my cosy little corner of the Internet.