Commander Keen - Standard Galactic Alphabet

[Thea]

Does anybody here know who created SGA(Standard Galactic Alphabet) or anything about how or for what purpose, and even when?

[RugerMK1]

No freakin' idea. None whatso ever.
(This assine post brought to you by: Assine Posts Inc., A Department of Annoying Things Inc.)

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HiLo
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[Guest]

No, but I could try to find out http://3drealms.3dportal.com/ubb/images/icons/smile.gif

[Joe Siegler]

It was created by Tom Hall for use in the Keen games. It's as simple as that. http://3drealms.3dportal.com/ubb/images/icons/smile.gif

When I put the Keen games 1-5 on CD (that's the only way we sell Keen anymore), I put a few files in the goodies directory which show you the SGA.

There are two places in all the Keen games where the translation shows up on the wall. It's in Keen 3's secret level, and Keen 6's secret level. The image here is a crop of a screenshot from the Keen 6 secret level appearance. (The one in Keen 1 doesn't all fit on the screen at once).

http://www.apogee1.com/images/keen/sga.jpg

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Joe Siegler
3D Realms Entertainment
http://www.3drealms.com
http://3drealms.3dportal.com/ubb/faq.html (For info on using this UBB)

[Guest]

The primitive terran alphabet ... is this right?? http://3drealms.3dportal.com/ubb/images/icons/smile.gif

[Guest]

Foolish humans. They realize not the power of the Galactic Alphabit. Fear for your puny lives!!!

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[Flaose]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>The primitive terran alphabet ... is this right?? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Correct! http://3drealms.3dportal.com/ubb/images/icons/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by Flaose (edited 03-13-99).]

[Thea]

If you're curious, I'm obsessed with SGA, that's why I posted the message.

Be afraid, be very afraid *lol*

[Guest]

Is there anywhere I could snatch that up as a TrueType font? That would be TOO cool! http://3drealms.3dportal.com/ubb/images/icons/smile.gif

(Btw, isn't it interesting that under the odd alphabet, the language is exactly the same, right down to the grammar and spelling, as good old English? Perhaps we're mistranslating, and assuming those words mean the same thing in Vorticon as they do in English? Perhaps they're not mocking our writing system, but giving us a secret message? For all we know, it could really mean "Tom Hall is God.")

[Guest]

Sure, you can download the truetype font from
http://www.users.fl.net.au/~simsy/keen/files/sga.zip

[MrEricSir]

So these aliens all use weird alphabet, but just so happen to speak English? That's what I never understood about the SGA.

[Joe Siegler]

The Keen font is also on our site, too.

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Joe Siegler
3D Realms Entertainment
http://www.3drealms.com
http://3drealms.3dportal.com/ubb/faq.html (For info on using this UBB)

[Joe Siegler]

Here is a SERIOUSLY big time bump of a message. But it's legit!

I just edited the SGA page on Wikipedia a bit, adding a couple of images, and tweaking some text regarding my usage of SGA in ROTT.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_Galactic_Alphabet

[Retodon8]

I recall a fan created that SGA font, but if it ever did say who it was, I can't seem to find who anymore.
There is an alternate font here (http://andy.durdin.net/keen/sga2.zip).
There is a rounded variant here (http://www.shikadi.net/pckf/SGARounded.ttf).
I made one myself, but it's not done yet.

Both were done by members of the PCKF (http://go.ezboard.com/bpubliccommanderkeenforum).

I just wish Tom Hall would've made numbers for the SGA, but perhaps somewhere in the future.

Actually the aliens speak Omnispeak, but in order to make the plot clear there's a bunch of stuff in English, even some signs.
Apparently English is at least somewhat popular out in space. :)
The fact that every letter has a corresponding one is just a coincidence... or maybe the fact that it is just a game.
See the Wikipedia article Joe linked to; Anachronox has a more advanced "alien" language also made by Tom Hall.
I never actually tried, but I'm sure it's a lot harder to follow because of that.
It's possible to learn to read SGA pretty quickly in a few days.

[RedSplat]

http://thijs.saalmink.nl/sga.gif

[The Doctor]

It does? I never found it looking like that.

(yes, I can read SGA, though pretty slow)

[Retodon8]

They always seemed more similar to Space Quest's sector codes (http://www.eristic.net/games/sierra/sq1.html) and Space Quest IV's time coordinates (http://www.sq7.org/omnipedia/index.php/List_of_known_time_codes) to me.

[oak man]

Awsome!!!

[A_Black_Falcon]

SGA fonts are fun... :)

[Retodon8]

Hey Joe, would you ask if Tom Hall would consider doing some SGA numbers?

I'd ask him myself, but my chances are probably better if you asked.
In the hidden filthy word thread I noticed he's still well-versed in the Keen universe. :)
I know SGA numbers (and punctuation) have been brought up before, but I don't recall anybody ever really asking if he's going to do it.
He'd probably make more of his Keen fans happy if he did that.
Thanks a bunch either way!

[mouth]

SGA numbers are written like roman numerals, so you basicly use the letters :)

[Retodon8]

The games' episodes numbers are sometimes shown as Roman numerals, and the name of the planet Vorticon VI obviously has them, but those are always English names, so it doesn't say anything about SGA.