Jeep Gladiator Pickup

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
Those 2 were just about the last video games I've ever played.

my son has several gaming platforms.
I liked the driving game on the ps1 or 2 or whatever from 15 years ago.
I tried to play a FPS game with him, but I just wasn't down with "press x to duck, y to shoot, z to jerk off, up arrow to go left, down arrow to run, etc, etc".
Simply couldn't develop ANY give a shit for the entire concept.

I guess it's like professional sports.
Adults, yelling about other (chronological) adults, playing a child's game.

"When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me."

"When I was a child, I played children's games. Then I grew the fuck up."

Oh, I'm terrible at the new stuff. DOOM is pretty simple, actually. It's something that anyone who uses a keyboard and mouse can figure out quickly, but it takes a long time to master. That's why it's still around all these years later; if it was too complicated, it never would have caught on in 1993.

Man, I wish I still had the copy I ordered directly from ID back then after downloading the shareware from a BBS. That stupid box would buy a full set of drive-shafts and gears to go with them nowadays.

I think in my case, I spent so much time in life doing rough stuff that I grew to appreciate geeky things even more over time. It seems I'm more interested in things like that now than I was as a kid.

I missed a lot, in the end, and while I didn't much care, I have enjoyed going back and discovering all the stuff that slipped by me.

Just about everything in my life has that disconnect. Half the building is cool, quiet, dark, and decorated with things you'd expect out of someone like me: Stuff I've picked up here and there, blades, art from around the world... It's traditional "Kennith" stuff.

If you look in the office, though... Man, I've got video games framed on the wall. The Land Rover is bad ass (in my opinion), but it's got an anime reference on the license plate. Half the time I'm facilitating stuff that's interesting, and the other half I'm selling retro electronics. :rofl:

It's strange, but I guess part of me is just so damned sick of what happens out there that I prefer fantasy entertainment to real-world accounts. The other part always liked it, it seems; just never had a chance to fully explore it all until later.

Life's funny that way. That said, there's nothing more amusing than seeing the expression on someone's face who's been around me a little while when they hear a Doctor Who quote come out of my mouth. You can almost see the gears turning in their head as they attempt to make those two pieces fit together.

Hell, I've been teaching swordsmanship to my lead programmer... In what world does that make sense? :smilelol:

I don't know what the hell I am, but at least there's only one of me. I think we can all appreciate that. Haha!

Cheers,

Kennith
 

robertf

Well-known member
Jan 22, 2006
4,781
356
-
Blah blah blah

Man, I wish I still had the copy I ordered directly from ID back then after downloading the shareware from a BBS. That stupid box would buy a full set of drive-shafts and gears to go with them nowadays.

blah blah blah

I dont need gears or driveshafts, but I could use a new tig welder. Who?s buying?
 

Blue

Well-known member
Mar 26, 2004
10,043
856
AZ
A couple days ago an old grad school buddy of mine emailed me a link to Doom II. Let me dig it up...

https://archive.org/details/Doom-2

I actually still have the Doom II CD-ROM that I bought back in grad school in '94 or '95. I had played & finished the original Doom in grad school but I can't remember how I got a hold of the original. Probably did a long-ass dial-up shareware download too.
 

jim-00-4.6

Well-known member
Sep 30, 2005
2,037
6
61
Genesee, CO USA
It's strange, but I guess part of me is just so damned sick of what happens out there that I prefer fantasy entertainment to real-world accounts.
Which also explains my choices in books & movies.
I don't watch tv.
When I'm not working, or pissing people off here, I read or watch a movie.
I've got the "not watch tv" to the same level as jazz music; after a couple minutes, I filter it out.
Crawl in bed at night, I read. My wife turns on the tv.
minutes later, I can't see it or hear it.

I don't know what the hell I am, but at least there's only one of me. I think we can all appreciate that. Haha!

Cheers,

Kennith
hahahhha!
I sure the rest of the world appreciates that there is only 1 of me, too.
 

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
A couple days ago an old grad school buddy of mine emailed me a link to Doom II. Let me dig it up...

https://archive.org/details/Doom-2

I actually still have the Doom II CD-ROM that I bought back in grad school in '94 or '95. I had played & finished the original Doom in grad school but I can't remember how I got a hold of the original. Probably did a long-ass dial-up shareware download too.

That's generally how it happened at the time. Later you could have picked up a shareware disk at a store for a few bucks, but by that time you were already buying the sequel.

For all the shit it catches as a "mindless game", the story is actually very interesting, and there's a fuck-ton of straight bleeding-edge physics going on. If you ever wanted to see the effects of time dilation play out like a game of chess, explore what's likely the true nature of exobiology, correlate the possession of faith with the mandate of advancement, or simply play a game as "action Jesus", there's only one place to go for it.

As stupid as it sounds, the lore backing up that hair-brained adventure is some of the most solid science fiction ever compiled, if you're into that; and also some of the most theologically and philosophically fertile soil you'll ever step in.

Cheers,

Kennith
 

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
Which also explains my choices in books & movies.
I don't watch tv.
When I'm not working, or pissing people off here, I read or watch a movie.
I've got the "not watch tv" to the same level as jazz music; after a couple minutes, I filter it out.
Crawl in bed at night, I read. My wife turns on the tv.
minutes later, I can't see it or hear it.


hahahhha!
I sure the rest of the world appreciates that there is only 1 of me, too.

Yeah, there are shows I watch, but it's almost exclusively off the wall kind of stuff. I have watched a bit of the new "Magnum, P.I." though.

Here you are:

Don Bluth's signature on a lithograph of his Castle Pan frame from Dragon's Lair. I got it as a reward for participating in the funding campaign for the movie on some crowd-funding place or another. Hopefully he'll be able to finish it so we can all see the story for once. :rofl:

Cheers,

Kennith
 

robertf

Well-known member
Jan 22, 2006
4,781
356
-
I like money. Seriously, who is buying this junk?

IMG_3538.JPG
 

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
I like money. Seriously, who is buying this junk?

IMG_3538.JPG

What the fuck... :rofl:

If this was posted anywhere else, I'd quietly offer the owner $50 in a PM. :cool:

Put that damned thing on Ebay, man. It won't bring the sealed or near mint money, but it'll bring some. I'm not sure how much, but it's certainly worth the ten minutes or so it'll take to list it.

I'd run it as a high buy it now for a while to generate interest and pick up stragglers, and then flip it to an auction once you have enough fish on the line.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Doom-Registered-V-1-1-on-3-5-Disks-in-Box-1993-id-Software/223227020959?hash=item33f95e069f:g:hE8AAOSwJTtb1ibx

If you've got those disks, you're probably in pretty good shape with a bit of restoration on that box. There are many ways to get it back looking like a nice rectangular prism. Storing it flat does help retain condition over time, but sometimes they just don't want to go full rectangle without a little aid. It's better than the alternative, though. Good move.

One can also buy the disks separate, stick them in the damned box along with the manual and addendum, and then ask for more.

Cheers,

Kennith
 

Blue

Well-known member
Mar 26, 2004
10,043
856
AZ
I can't wait to see the new Vibriators cruising around town with black gangsta rims, angry eyes headlight covers, shovels and highlifts permanently mounted, and mountain bikes staged in the bed.
 

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
I can't wait to see the new Vibriators cruising around town with black gangsta rims, angry eyes headlight covers, shovels and highlifts permanently mounted, and mountain bikes staged in the bed.

That's why a black one is completely off the table. I can see them already, with green LEDs inside the wheels and Salt Life decals.

Lights are fun, but they've reached critical mass, much like chrome engine dress-up kits. Doesn't matter how much money you spend under the hood, it'll look cheap; because everyone else did it with Autozone parts for years.

There's my concern with the Gladiator as a whole. It's not going to be the next best thing since sliced bread. It can't, because this is largely an "expo-chic" vehicle. Yes, it's got the goods, but that's not even why I'd buy one.

If it stops being cool... Well, the retro Thunderbird was hailed as a victory from a styling perspective upon release. It was a great car, as well, but the customers... Oh, the customers! It fell from grace almost immediately.

I fear the Gladiator might head toward becoming a "bro meme". That works out great for Jeep, but not so great in your driveway.

Cheers,

Kennith
 

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
You've laid Doom out on a Discovery front driver's quarter panel. Nice.

Next thing you know he'll pop up with a sealed copy of Earthbound in an Ashcroft box. :rofl:

Not beating my boxed, mail-order copy of Imagination Network, though. Haha!

=Jimmy]Jesus... let's get back to talking about Jeeps.

Here's The Fast Lane's attempt at comparing specs/dimensions of the Gladiator to other mid-size trucks:

https://www.tfltruck.com/2018/11/202...o-ford-ranger/

Man, I don't like those guys too much. They're all over the place, but I suppose they can read numbers as well as anyone else.

There should be no capability surprises with this vehicle. One look at the picture tells you everything you need to know. It'll go off road just fine, but doesn't really belong in the technical stuff. That's a good thing, actually.

The wheelbase doesn't surprise me, as I did have it pegged over 130", though my brain was producing a Wrangler track on an F-250 wheelbase error. You're going to feel every inch of that frame around town, and certainly in tight corners off-pavement.

Clearances are sufficient to keep you out of trouble, though, and this may well be the first non-twitchy vehicle Jeep has ever manufactured.

Of course, this is the company that has a current vehicle with a wheelbase nearing 120" that drives like it's two feet long and ten feet tall, so if anyone can make this train handle like a Riding Mower, it's Jeep.

Cheers,

Kennith
 

brian4d

Well-known member
Dec 3, 2007
6,499
67
High Point, NC
Get ready for a huge onslaught of overpriced Tacomas as all the bros dump them to be the cool kids with the new thing but refuse to acknowledge that they shouldn?t have paid over original sticker price for a 3 year old truck with 40k miles.

That's what I was saying. They will ditch their tacos for that jeep and go right back to the tacos in 1-2 years after they get sick of their dashboard lighting up like a Christmas tree every other month or wondering what that 'noise' was. There is a reason the Tacos hold their value.
 

brian4d

Well-known member
Dec 3, 2007
6,499
67
High Point, NC
What the fuck... :rofl:

If this was posted anywhere else, I'd quietly offer the owner $50 in a PM. :cool:

Put that damned thing on Ebay, man. It won't bring the sealed or near mint money, but it'll bring some. I'm not sure how much, but it's certainly worth the ten minutes or so it'll take to list it.

I'd run it as a high buy it now for a while to generate interest and pick up stragglers, and then flip it to an auction once you have enough fish on the line.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Doom-Registered-V-1-1-on-3-5-Disks-in-Box-1993-id-Software/223227020959?hash=item33f95e069f:g:hE8AAOSwJTtb1ibx

If you've got those disks, you're probably in pretty good shape with a bit of restoration on that box. There are many ways to get it back looking like a nice rectangular prism. Storing it flat does help retain condition over time, but sometimes they just don't want to go full rectangle without a little aid. It's better than the alternative, though. Good move.

One can also buy the disks separate, stick them in the damned box along with the manual and addendum, and then ask for more.

Cheers,

Kennith

I need to get into my attic. I'm sure I have those 3.5's.
 

fishEH

Well-known member
Jan 26, 2009
6,927
201
Lake Villa, IL
Its funny. Everybody on the Land Rover pages are pissed off. They're either pissed off that the new Defender sucks so much, or that the Gladiator is drawing so much attention! I wonder why??
Here's how Jeep builds anticipation....
 

bri

Well-known member
Apr 20, 2004
6,178
152
US
Don't use this often, but that thing is why people made up the word fugly.