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[Palpable]

I've known this taxi driver in Las Vegas for a couple of years now. His name is Marvin D. "Energy" (energy was added by my co-worker & I. You'll see why soon). He's quite... unique to say the least.

Anyway, he's quite book smart. He used to be a computer programmer in the 80's and he was creating a video game which never came to fruition because of, "greedy investors", according to him.

A couple news stations did a bit on him & his game, Vaudeville, for the Commodore 64. Back in '85 he looks like Jamie Foxx in Amazing Spiderman 2 before he turned into Electro.

Action News bit

News Magazine Video Interview

The game never saw the light of day, despite what that 2nd interview seemed to have claimed.

Not only can he code Commodore 64 games, but he sings & songwrites. My favorite of all is easily "Energy", which reminds me a whole lot of Gale Boetticher from Breaking Bad & his music video.

Energy - Video recorded in '89.

I don't know why, but when I hear Energy, I imagine that song/video playing at his funeral with everyone surrounding his casket crying & remembering the good ol' days. /randomthought

The story behind "Energy" was that his college campus had a green screen set up outside & were looking for volunteers to use it. He went to his apartment and got his recording of his song Energy to make a music video.

More music videos can be found on his youtube page.

For those curious, he's currently 59 years old.

 

[Cade]

A couple news stations did a bit on him & his game, Vaudeville, for the Commodore 64. Back in '85 he looks like Jamie Foxx in Amazing Spiderman 2 before he turned into Electro.

haha I was like man he's not gonna really look like that when i watch the video

and then i was so pleasantly surprised

 

[BocoDragon]

Expected DeNiro.

 

[Palpable]

haha I was like man he's not gonna really look like that when i watch the video

and then i was so pleasantly surprised

Haha everyone I know that also knows him saw that movie and immediately made that connection once JF went on screen.

 

[DC R1D3R]

his game didn't make it but we got shit like alice and forbidden forest?

jeez!

 

[gundalf]

So what he thinks of todays Games? Specially mobile games that are in scope similar to C64 Games but make a ton of money.

 

[Palpable]

So what he thinks of todays Games? Specially mobile games that are in scope similar to C64 Games but make a ton of money.

That's something I'll ask him tomorrow. I know for sure he's said games like GTA and CoD aren't his type.

 

[benzy]

Did he have a hard time finding a job as a programmer or did he just want to drive cabs all of a sudden?

 

[Palpable]

Did he have a hard time finding a job as a programmer or did he just want to drive cabs all of a sudden?

My coworkers and I ask him all the time. He's been a cabbie for 7 years now. Before that he worked at the warehouse at Bellagio. I seriously don't understand why he doesn't get a job within his degree field. He strikes me as a get rich quick guy (finds methods to roulette, etc).

 

[forms]

his game didn't make it but we got shit like alice and forbidden forest?

jeez!

 

[Palpable]

 

[DC R1D3R]

it's him guys….it's him!

 

[Palpable]

it's him guys….it's him!

Seriously. I think the first video of him is way more resembling of his Electro/Foxx lookalike.

Forms, can you gif some bits from the first video?

 

[DC R1D3R]

My coworkers and I ask him all the time. He's been a cabbie for 7 years now. Before that he worked at the warehouse at Bellagio. I seriously don't understand why he doesn't get a job within his degree field. He strikes me as a get rich quick guy (finds methods to roulette, etc).

guy is a genius!

>3

 

[Palpable]

guy is a genius!

>3

If you talked to him, you'd realize there's something very off about him. At the same time, he's a genius when it comes to science & math. Weird, man.

 

[DC R1D3R]

If you talked to him, you'd realize there's something very off about him. At the same time, he's a genius when it comes to science & math. Weird, man.

bro…i can only imagine lol

quantum physics mane……...

 

[terrisus]

I hate to spoil the fun, but...

Plenty of people made C64 games back in the 1980s.
And, tons of people write music.

Given there are many cab drivers, it should come as no surprise there's an intersection of those three circles.

 

[PHOENIXZERO]

Yeah, it was funny talking about how he made the game all by himself in that first video when most games on that platform and the Atari era were done by one person, maybe two.

If you talked to him, you'd realize there's something very off about him. At the same time, he's a genius when it comes to science & math. Weird, man.

I got that just from the videos.

 

[DC R1D3R]

I hate to spoil the fun, but...

Plenty of people made C64 games back in the 1980s.
And, tons of people write music.

Given there are many cab drivers, it should come as no surprise there's an intersection of those three circles.

hey!

the guy's a genius and that's that.

Spoiler

U spoiler

 

[terrisus]

 

[Palpable]

bro…i can only imagine lol

quantum physics mane……...

Speaking of which... he says 'ambulance' as 'amberlamps'.

http://instagram.com/p/vGfxOgHH0I/

Haha nice, but how many of those people do you know?

And how many look like pre Electro Jamie Foxx!?

 

[DC R1D3R]

"and these are the breaks!"

 

[terrisus]

Haha nice, but how many of those people do you know?

I generally avoid talking to my cab drivers >.>
For all I know, they could be nuclear physicists >.>

And how many look like pre Electro Jamie Foxx!?

I have no idea who or what that is >.>

 

[DC R1D3R]

Speaking of which... he says 'ambulance' as 'amberlamps'.

http://instagram.com/p/vGfxOgHH0I/


Haha nice, but how many of those people do you know?

And how many look like pre Electro Jamie Foxx!?

haha

tell him i'm a fan

 

[Palpable]

I generally avoid talking to my cab drivers >.>
For all I know, they could be nuclear physicists >.>

I have no idea who or what that is >.>

I don't blame you. In fact, I don't ever ride in cabs.

You've never seen Amazing Spiderman 2?

haha

tell him i'm a fan

I definitely will.

 

[terrisus]

I don't blame you. In fact, I don't ever ride in cabs.

I do fairly often, but I just use it as a time to rest.
Talking interrupts rest :þ

You've never seen Amazing Spiderman 2?

I haven't seen any Spiderman movie.

 

[Palpable]

I do fairly often, but I just use it as a time to rest.
Talking interrupts rest :þ

I haven't seen any Spiderman movie.

That needs to change 😀

 

[nullset2]

This guy is now like the coolest guy ever.

 

[AlexMogil]

his game didn't make it but we got shit like alice and forbidden forest?

jeez!

Hey man.


I liked Forbidden Forest.

 

[Palpable]

This guy is now like the coolest guy ever.

 

[neoflcl]

Any way we'd ever be able to try out the game? It'd be cool if it were dumped, or heck, if we could still buy physical copies!

 

[Palpable]

Any way we'd ever be able to try out the game? It'd be cool if it were dumped, or heck, if we could still buy physical copies!

That's a good question. I'll find out if he has any copies.

 

[Zeus Molecules]

That's a good question. I'll find out if he has any copies.

This is a cool thread. Thanks for posting OP.

 

[Palpable]

This is a cool thread. Thanks for posting OP.

Pleasure.

Can anyone make gifs of him from the first video? His resemblance to Jamie Foxx pre-Electro from Amazing Spiderman 2 is nuts.

 

[Palpable]

Deadbeat Babies

That hat is epic.

 

[Leithkorias]

Any way we'd ever be able to try out the game? It'd be cool if it were dumped, or heck, if we could still buy physical copies!

I'd like to know too. Emulation possible?

Can anyone make gifs of him from the first video? His resemblance to Jamie Foxx pre-Electro from Amazing Spiderman 2 is nuts.

He really does look exactly like Foxx in that movie, even the awkwardness is the same.

 

[Palpable]

I'd like to know too. Emulation possible?

I asked. He said he no longer has copies of the game. I'm surprised. I'd have thought he'd keep the code safe somewhere considering how long he worked on it.

 

[TAJ]

Your scale is a little off there, bro. A couple hundred thousand people drive cabs in the US alone. Somehow I don't think C64 game development was nearly that big.

 

[terrisus]

Your scale is a little off there, bro. A couple hundred thousand people drive cabs in the US alone. Somehow I don't think C64 game development was nearly that big.

That was just a quick toss-together.
Feel free to edit as you see fit.

 

[neoflcl]

I asked. He said he no longer has copies of the game. I'm surprised. I'd have thought he'd keep the code safe somewhere considering how long he worked on it.

What a shame! That's what I had figured, too. Still a very interesting story, I'd have so many questions for him.

 

[Palpable]

What a shame! That's what I had figured, too. Still a very interesting story, I'd have so many questions for him.

Feel free to post those questions on his youtube page/vids. He checks. I told him about the interest some members here had and he got quite excited. He was also happy to see the views on his videos go up.