Kilroy was here

dreamkatcha · 25 May 2019, 12:31

Have any of you come across this phrase graffitied/scrawled on walls in Amiga (or whatever) games? It's a kind of real world US meme that dates back to WW2.

I was sure it features in Renegade and that's why it also appears in The Strangers which is a tributey homage, but I can't find it now. Maybe it was only in a certain port of Renegade.

Anyway, this important issue needs to be addressed, and a list of all the relevant games compiled. Just because.

theq · 25 May 2019, 12:58

Lemmings has a level, or at least I though it had.
Was looking for it but can't seem to find it again. Sorry

Avanze · 27 May 2019, 06:21

Fort Apocalypse on the Atari 800

dreamkatcha · 25 June 2019, 20:56

theq, when you first said that I kicked myself for not remembering. I can't decide if you planted a fake memory in my head or what now.

Maybe I was latching onto the writing on the wall in the hell level. 'Heaven this way' or something like that.

Avanze, you don't mean "Plexar was here" do you? I found that at [ Show youtube player ] in the longplay, with an explanation from the author here.

I think the Kilroy thing must be less common than I first imagined.

jmmijo · 25 June 2019, 21:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by dreamkatcha

theq, when you first said that I kicked myself for not remembering. I can't decide if you planted a fake memory in my head or what now.

Maybe I was latching onto the writing on the wall in the hell level. 'Heaven this way' or something like that.

Avanze, you don't mean "Plexar was here" do you? I found that at [ Show youtube player ] in the longplay, with an explanation from the author here.

I think the Kilroy thing must be less common than I first imagined.

I only seem to recall it as an American WW2 thing but I'm sure it has appeared in some games over the decades.

Maybe in some of the Battlefield and/or COD games ?

dreamkatcha · 25 June 2019, 21:22

Yep, it's definitely in COD. There's a link to the evidence in the Wikipedia article on the subject. It says the meme can be "seen in numerous television series and films and in computer and video games" and then only refers (indirectly) to this one.

DamienD · 25 June 2019, 21:30

Seems the Aussies did it first

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foo_was_here

jmmijo · 25 June 2019, 23:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by DamienD

Seems the Aussies did it first

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foo_was_here

Nice, well it had to start someplace

dreamkatcha · 06 July 2019, 16:56

Haha! The plot thickens. So the Americans nicked the idea, renamed Foo and claimed him as their own. The gits!

...and then in the UK we did the same thing with Chad? Oh.

I see the Foo article on Wikipedia is little more than a stub, while the Kilroy one is pretty thorough.

CrazyPepsi · 06 July 2019, 19:49

Budbrain demo ? when he sits on the toilet ?

Foebane · 06 July 2019, 23:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrazyPepsi

Budbrain demo ? when he sits on the toilet ?

As you can see, not quite.

Catflap · 07 July 2019, 14:11

Killer Watt (top right of screen):

dreamkatcha · 19 July 2019, 23:10

Ah ha, good job everyone. LOL @ Budbrain! I think we can safely say Kilroy was there too... unless of course someone tried to stitch him up for graffiti crime.

DamienD · 20 July 2019, 13:35

Probably doesn't count but in The Settlers intro there is a character in the windowsill that looks like it's based on the "Kilroy was here" specification:

CrazyPepsi · 21 July 2019, 21:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Foebane

As you can see, not quite.

What does it say on the wall ?

Foebane · 22 July 2019, 23:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrazyPepsi

What does it say on the wall ?

Surely the words are not enough, the face with the nose poking over the wall is needed too?

CrazyPepsi · 27 July 2019, 03:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Foebane

Surely the words are not enough, the face with the nose poking over the wall is needed too?

Kil roy it says or maybe download the pic and watch

dreamkatcha · 27 July 2019, 09:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by DamienD

Probably doesn't count but in The Settlers intro there is a character in the windowsill that looks like it's based on the "Kilroy was here" specification:

Nice find. That does seem to be what they were going for. It reminds me of something similar I'm sure I've seen in the Beano or Dandy comics. Can't find it now though, just a few tutorials on how to draw a cartoon guy peering over a wall. Dog and cat versions too. There's also another revision featuring Fido Dido, the 7-Up mascot.

lilalurl · 09 September 2019, 18:38

Watching the Game Sack episode about the CD-i, I noticed at 20:00 that the Micro Machines version for this console features a "BH wuz ere" text with a Kilroy-esque picture:

[ Show youtube player ]

Maybe the Amiga version of the game has it too?

dreamkatcha · 12 October 2019, 20:50

Another gem! Don't think I've ever seen that in the Amiga version and I played it quite a bit as a kid so would likely remember.

Just looked up the credits for the Genesis version. Guess what? Brian Hartley did the graphics so that's the initials explained.

25 May 2019, 12:31	#1
dreamkatcha I've got a new byline Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 1,219	Kilroy was here Have any of you come across this phrase graffitied/scrawled on walls in Amiga (or whatever) games? It's a kind of real world US meme that dates back to WW2. I was sure it features in Renegade and that's why it also appears in The Strangers which is a tributey homage, but I can't find it now. Maybe it was only in a certain port of Renegade. Anyway, this important issue needs to be addressed, and a list of all the relevant games compiled. Just because.

25 May 2019, 12:58	#2
theq Registerdeaded abUser Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Beyond the Wall Age: 46 Posts: 114	Lemmings has a level, or at least I though it had. Was looking for it but can't seem to find it again. Sorry Last edited by theq; 25 May 2019 at 14:45. Reason: My brain seems to be playing tricks with me...

20 July 2019, 13:35	#14
DamienD Banned Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: London / Sydney Age: 47 Posts: 20,420	Probably doesn't count but in The Settlers intro there is a character in the windowsill that looks like it's based on the "Kilroy was here" specification: Last edited by DamienD; 10 September 2019 at 19:58.

27 May 2019, 06:21	#3
Avanze Amiga User Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Pennsylvania Age: 47 Posts: 562	Fort Apocalypse on the Atari 800

25 June 2019, 20:56	#4
dreamkatcha I've got a new byline Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 1,219	theq, when you first said that I kicked myself for not remembering. I can't decide if you planted a fake memory in my head or what now. Maybe I was latching onto the writing on the wall in the hell level. 'Heaven this way' or something like that. Avanze, you don't mean "Plexar was here" do you? I found that at [ Show youtube player ] in the longplay, with an explanation from the author here. I think the Kilroy thing must be less common than I first imagined.

25 June 2019, 21:22	#6
dreamkatcha I've got a new byline Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 1,219	Yep, it's definitely in COD. There's a link to the evidence in the Wikipedia article on the subject. It says the meme can be "seen in numerous television series and films and in computer and video games" and then only refers (indirectly) to this one.

25 June 2019, 21:30	#7
DamienD Banned Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: London / Sydney Age: 47 Posts: 20,420	Seems the Aussies did it first https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foo_was_here

06 July 2019, 16:56	#9
dreamkatcha I've got a new byline Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 1,219	Haha! The plot thickens. So the Americans nicked the idea, renamed Foo and claimed him as their own. The gits! ...and then in the UK we did the same thing with Chad? Oh. I see the Foo article on Wikipedia is little more than a stub, while the Kilroy one is pretty thorough.

06 July 2019, 19:49	#10
CrazyPepsi Registered User Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Sweden Posts: 66	Budbrain demo ? when he sits on the toilet ?

07 July 2019, 14:11	#12
Catflap Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Cambs Posts: 50	Killer Watt (top right of screen):

19 July 2019, 23:10	#13
dreamkatcha I've got a new byline Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 1,219	Ah ha, good job everyone. LOL @ Budbrain! I think we can safely say Kilroy was there too... unless of course someone tried to stitch him up for graffiti crime.

09 September 2019, 18:38	#19
lilalurl Global Moderator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: France Posts: 3,289	Watching the Game Sack episode about the CD-i, I noticed at 20:00 that the Micro Machines version for this console features a "BH wuz ere" text with a Kilroy-esque picture: [ Show youtube player ] Maybe the Amiga version of the game has it too?

12 October 2019, 20:50	#20
dreamkatcha I've got a new byline Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 1,219	Another gem! Don't think I've ever seen that in the Amiga version and I played it quite a bit as a kid so would likely remember. Just looked up the credits for the Genesis version. Guess what? Brian Hartley did the graphics so that's the initials explained.

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