Question about the old Chex Quest website...

celebi23 · November 05, 2009, 04:16:00 AM

My question has a little backstory:

So, today, I was digging through some old computer stuff & I found my old Windows 95 CD that came with my family's old Window machine (we had a Windows machine before getting a Mac in 1996). I said, why not, & decided to install Windows 95 in VMware on my Mac (everything's working great except the sound, the Creative SBPCI128 driver keeps giving me a BSOD & a "Windows protection error" on reboot).

Anyhoo, with Windows 95 set up, I decided to install Chex Quest 1 & 2 & the screensaver, that was available to download on the old chex quest website. This got me thinking about the old chex quest website.

Here's my question: was there anything else to download from the old chex quest website, like desktop backgrounds, buddy icons, system icons, etc & might anyone still have copies of them? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

xbolt · November 05, 2009, 04:25:40 AM

I've heard tell of a CQ2 intro movie, but details are very sketchy on that. I don't know for sure if it actually exists or not.

celebi23 · November 05, 2009, 05:22:04 AM

I actually did PM Chukker & drooben about that awhile back & they said that Chex Quest 2 movie was just a rumor $:-\$ I could've sworn that the website had some sort of desktop wallpaper or icons to download. Maybe someone has better memory about it than I do

Atariangamer · November 05, 2009, 10:17:44 AM

Sadly I don't think any of that was salvaged...
...and I haven't ever seen the site (except for the scans)

Batmanifestdestiny · November 08, 2009, 02:43:31 PM

From what I remember, it had bios of a few of the characters, all of the flemoids, told the basic story, had chex quest 1 and 2, had the screen saver, and I guess if you wanted to you could turn the website background into the computer background.

celebi23 · November 09, 2009, 10:08:02 PM

I've got some pretty solid leads about the site

That's all that I can say, for now. Will probably know more in about a week or so

Will let you guys know when I find anything out

xbolt · November 09, 2009, 10:16:14 PM

Quote from: celebi23 on November 09, 2009, 10:08:02 PM
I've got some pretty solid leads about the site That's all that I can say, for now. Will probably know more in about a week or so Will let you guys know when I find anything out

what is this i dont even

celebi23 · November 09, 2009, 11:03:00 PM

I've been doing some researching (emailing some people, digging through the web, etc) to try & find any saved parts from the chexquest.com website. I just had my first break when someone responded that they have part of the site saved. Waiting to hear back from a few more people & then I'll post about my findings

Richie · November 10, 2009, 03:50:59 PM

Quote from: celebi23 on November 09, 2009, 11:03:00 PM
I've been doing some researching (emailing some people, digging through the web, etc) to try & find any saved parts from the chexquest.com website. I just had my first break when someone responded that they have part of the site saved. Waiting to hear back from a few more people & then I'll post about my findings

We have comprehensive scans of the website, downloadable over at the Chex Quest Gallery. Are you saying that somebody may have it in digital form?

http://gallery.xboltz.net/downloads/#Chex_Quest_Scans

celebi23 · November 10, 2009, 06:04:16 PM

Quote from: Richie on November 10, 2009, 03:50:59 PM
Quote from: celebi23 on November 09, 2009, 11:03:00 PM
I've been doing some researching (emailing some people, digging through the web, etc) to try & find any saved parts from the chexquest.com website. I just had my first break when someone responded that they have part of the site saved. Waiting to hear back from a few more people & then I'll post about my findings

We have comprehensive scans of the website, downloadable over at the Chex Quest Gallery. Are you saying that somebody may have it in digital form?

http://gallery.xboltz.net/downloads/#Chex_Quest_Scans

I know of those scans. Those are 26 pages (in black & white) and just the FAQ & the bio page. I'm not saying that they aren't great, they're an amazing resource for what they are, I'm just stating the facts.

Since things have moved forward, I can clue you guys in. A few days ago, I emailed someone about the old chex quest website, seeing if he had anything from the site (anything that could be downloaded). Turns out he didn't (due to having dial up at the time) but, he does have 35 printed pages from the site (and mostly in color) encompassing the following pages (from the old site):

Screens::
Download Chexquest 2
Character Biographies
Cheats
Chex Quest FAQ
Ending Animation
Parents info
Shockwave Installation Instructions

He just mailed them to me so that I can scan them. Once scanned, I'll use those to fill out http://dsr.rewound.net/chexweb/original/updated/frames.htm (already started. Found the original download badge images: IE, Netscape & Shockwave). I know that I need to ask damien first (before sharing my modifications), and I will. I'm a Web Design major at my college, and this sort of project would be right up my alley.

Now, when I emailed this guy, I also emailed some former Digital Café employees (Dean Hyers & Mike Koenigs). I also asked if they had any saved part from the website. Dean responded to me with this:

Quote from: Dean Hyers
What's gross is that the answer is a yes and a no. Somewhere is a storage locker with a pile of DAT backups that probably can't be opened except by a super techie, and it's 5 years of our company files with no directory. I have no idea how I'd ever retrieve a specific file. In fact, the case they're in is a lockbox and I've lost the key. I've been carrying that box of DAT tapes around for 11 years and can't quite ever chuck it.

Now someone else might have copies of the files as well. I'd wait and see what Mike says. And see what Dave Brus might know.

For the meantime, these scanned pages, that have been mailed to me, will be an amazing help in reconstructing the chex quest website. Hope that clears some things up

Atariangamer · November 10, 2009, 06:27:43 PM

WOW.

Celebi, your skills are up there with CAV. (and that guy could track down most ANYTHING)

Thats awesome! I can't wait to see those scans, or even the mockup page...

matthias720 · November 10, 2009, 06:36:06 PM

This is WIN!

celebi23 · November 10, 2009, 06:57:52 PM

Quote from: Atariangamer on November 10, 2009, 06:27:43 PM
WOW.

Celebi, your skills are up there with CAV. (and that guy could track down most ANYTHING)

Thats awesome! I can't wait to see those scans, or even the mockup page...

Quote from: matthias720 on November 10, 2009, 06:36:06 PM
This is WIN!

Thank you guys. I've had so much time recently due to being sick (not the Swine Flu

) with bronchitis. I had already finished most of my work for the week & figured why not & I sent the emails

As a little, tiny preview, here are the original download badges featured on the site (can't figure out if the IE & Netscape ones were animated or static images. Hopefully the new scans will answer that for me):

ChexCommander · November 10, 2009, 07:53:36 PM

Quote from: Atariangamer on November 10, 2009, 06:27:43 PM
WOW.

Celebi, your skills are up there with CAV. (and that guy could track down most ANYTHING)

Thats awesome! I can't wait to see those scans, or even the mockup page...

Agreed! Another internet sleuth in the making.

Atariangamer · November 10, 2009, 08:14:20 PM

Quote from: celebi23 on November 10, 2009, 06:57:52 PM

SHAZAM!

I can tell you, those are freakin legit. I remember that from OH so long ago...when the internet was a better guy.

aw man, I'm gettin me one of those. That just takes me back SO much...