Dear Alf

You ask for it, Alf sort of sends this thing that vaguely resembles a reply and almost never directly relates to an answer ... But that's why we love him. Take a gamble and send your questions to the old Alfster... you might get a reply! Just remember that the odds are always with the house, or in this case, the rehab! They say the only dumb question is the one that doesn't get asked. Well, I beg to differ. The dumb question is the one that gets asked OVER AND OVER AGAIN! So, before you write, check our list of Most Frequently Asked Questions Q: Dear Alf, i have been a big fan of Oddworld since i discovered Abe's Oddysee just before Abe's Exoddus came out. It was one of the many things that led to me becoming a graphic design student. I have gained much inspiration from Oddworld, and was deeply excited when I heard about this Oddworld art book. My question, after all that, is: will the Oddworld art book be available in the UK? Alf:  Wow! That is awesome. It is always cool to hear that we've played some odd part in a persons life, especially the creative part! Good luck with your design career! As for the book, it will be available for purchase from Ballistic Publishing. Visit their website at www.ballisticpublishing.com  you can sign up for email updates on the status of the book and ordering information. There may be other sponsored links at ordering time, but all points lead to Ballistic. Thanks for asking! Q: Hi alf It's Me again Eric(that dude with the Executive Glukkons Clan), I'm sorry to bother you again,but if hand of Odd is not on the Production Scedule how come i have 2 videos here where i see Hand of Odd gameplay(believe me I checked it) well I hope you have an answer sorry if I have botherd you. In case you want 2 check visit www.depthsofoddworld.com then click videos en page 1 "Tree Chop",and "Tree Grow" Alf:  Hey Eric, are you getting feisty with Alf? If so I will have to refer to myself in the third person, and you know Alf hates doing that! Hand of Odd is still not on the production schedule. I have been to The Depths Of Oddworld. I have seen the movies. I have the knowledge! Those movies are pre-Munch. There were several of those - visualizations of concepts for the game where we were looking at trees growing, testing wind (no, not that kind of wind, the fresh smelling one) and changes in seasons, daylight, etc.  Q: Dear Alf, I am confused. In AO There is a moon with the mudokon's hand on it. Why? And in MO after, munch saves the gabbits it shows a moon with his foot print on it. Is there some moon that every hero of oddworld gets with their mark on it after they save their people? Are the moons some kind of sign of merit, what is the mystery behind them? If I am true will Stranger get a moon with his claw or something on it? I'm sorry but that;s just some part of the games that has never really been explained. Your Fan, masterdkp Alf: Masterdkp, Yes, actually, all the heroes do get a moon. Will Stranger have one? I do not know that yet. Abe and Munch may have been the first and last in that tradition. We'll just have to play through the next game and see! I think of it as a kind of honor, such as having a bridge or park bench dedicated to you, only on a much grander, cosmic scale. Q:  Hey Alf its Justin.I think it would be awsome if you guys at oddworld would create a oddworld action figure set! please..please........PLEASE .. consider IT!!!! Alf:  Yes! Action figures are way cool! Well, not in the sense that you'll fit in with the cool kids at your school if you carry action figures around with you, but cool as in "I'm the lord of the geeks" kinda cool. And ours would be Odd, too, and that's something! I would love to have Oddworld action figures, especially a little Alf with tea sipping action! Sip! Sip! Q:   This is the first time i asked a question so i made it a good one, firstly, which hand is the paramania and scrabania tattoo on, left or right, which is which. Second, is abe gonna be in future games because i would just die if he wasnt in anymore games because he is the main reason i play. third, i want to make an abe costume for a surprise for some friends of mine, any tips on how to make it or could you tell me who could help me, okay thats all? Alf:  Scrabania on the left, Paramonia on the right. Stand up, sit down, fight fight fight! Yeah, sure, Abe will be back someday. I don't know when, but someday. Costume: I don't know, but one word of advice: keep comfort and safety in mind! No toxic paint fumes in the eyes or harsh chemical paints on the skin, ok buddy? Q: Now its cool to know that you have a rehab, but thats not what I'm here for. The new game looks thrilling, and the graphics are heart stopping. But why is abe not in this game, and will orginal oddworld creatures be featured in this new game? Alf:  Abe is on vacation, sipping non-alcoholic, low-carb, extra foam brew on the southern isles right now, and can't be bothered. There will be some creatures that you've come to know and love through the previous games… we are still on Mudos after all, but I wouldn’t say that they are the feature or main focus of the game. There's breed after breed of all new species for that! Q:   Hi. (dont know if this is the right place to send questions - couldnt find any other links though). I've been an Oddworld fan ever since the great work started, I've completed all the games at least twice, (when I completed Abes Exoddus for the first time i must have been about 10 years old, i got the bad ending and cried my heart out). I even have a really cool limited edition Munch's oddysee T-shirt. Anyway, I was curious as to why Oddworld has sold on Gameboy. I was looking on e-bay for any cool oddworld gear, and I saw Munchs oddysee for sale on the gameboy advance! So, how come this is when on the xbox box it says 'ONLY ON XBOX'? And my second question - when is the next game coming out? I've read about a few of the future releases, and I am really looking forward to them. Is it going to be Munch's Exoddus, Stranger of the Hand of Odd? My brain is bursting with anticipation, and I look forward to your reply (and also hope i didnt send this to the wrong place) Yours sincerely, Fish Alf:   Hi Fish, no, you sent it to the right place! That's really cool that you've been a fan for so long. What has taken you so long to write?!?!?! The GameBoy version of Munch is not the same game that is on Xbox. I guess that’s the best explanation I can give ya. As for the next game, I love the title, "Stranger of the Hand of Odd" that is great! Unfortunately it is something drastically more simple. I try to tell the marketing folks, complicated and illogical is the way to go, but they just dismiss my ideas. Foolish hooligans! Anyway, don’t worry, you’ll get to see Stranger soon. Q:   Hiya alf! I have a couple of questions (1 i was wondering what did you muds do with that blimp abe and his buddys hijacked from vykkers labs? you could start your own tour of mudos. and (2 in MO at the windmill area, there's a huge skelleton the scrabs have been pickin at, what critter was it? that is way too big to be an elum. - yours oddly deadhead Alf:   Dearest Deadhead, You are an enterprising young lad, are you not? The blimp has been totally tricked out with dancing teddy bears on the bow and tie-dyed sails. Munch and Abe took it on their vacation. Hm. Skeleton huh? Bigger than an elum… it could be a beached Sea Rex, or a decomposing Meetle. I';ll have to investigate further. In the meantime, call animal control and get it cleaned up! Q:   Dear Alf Why Is Abe Blue And his friends Are well You Know Not Your Bud Allbadkids Alf:  So. Bud. You think your clever, with the "well you know not" thing. Ok, you are. You kinda made me chuckle there a little bit. Not tea spewing hilarity, but made me grin. So I will tell you, Abe is Blue cuz he's the chosen Mudokon. He's no ordinary Mud. Sure he looks like it, all chumpy and clumsy like the rest of us, but no, he's special. Of course they used to tease him about it when he was little, but not anymore! Ha! Who’s laughin now, ya not-blue mudokons!!! Q:   Dear Alf(red/alfa/bert) my name is Andrew. I'm a big time fan of Oddworld, and am currently devising a website idea. But I have some questions for you. Alf:   Ok An(drew/droid/cillary), shoot. Q:   1.) A very common misconception is that Glukkons have no arms. This is not true. Glucks have long, strong arms, which they walk on (use as leggs and feet), because their real legs are shrivled little worthless...things. I read the official Oddworld Bio for Mollock, and it said, walks on his hands, like all working-class glukkons. What I want to know is: is there a higher class of Glukkons that does not walk on it's hands? Please explain, and feel free to go into exorbrint detail. Alf:   Yes, there is a higher class of Glukkon but they still walk with their arms. General Dripik is pretty high up there. Glukkons aren't wealthy but they have a little money. Q:   2.) As stated in Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee, all the meeches are currently extinct. does this mean that, had they still existed, Abe would have had to go through Meecharnia, into the bowels of the Meecharnian Temple, even into the Meeche's nest itself. And wouldn't they also have had a Vault in Necrum (don't worry, I won't mention Mudancho...Shoot!)? Just wondering. I personaly am a little relieved, if there was. I don't support extinction, but if all this stuff existed, and the meeches were still around, I'd have had to go through the aforementioned areas. As I still have terrible memories of the Scrab's and Paramite's respective temple, it is a relief that they are all gone...but don't get me wrong. Alf:   Yes. (Note the brief clarity of the answer, how it contrasts with the question.) Q:   3.) Can you tell me more about the Shrink? Alf:   Well he once was quite large, and then one day... Q:   4.) The mudokens in Necrum are supposed to be blind, so they can't see what their digging up. But I've noticed (On the demo anyway), that a large number of mudokens you need to save can see perfectly fine. Please explain. Alf:   Just cuz they can see doesn't mean they can leave on their own. Ergo the term "slave". Not all the Muds in Necrum are blind. Q:  5.) Why do the mudokens hold Scrabs and Paramites sacred, when on every encounter with them the aforementioned beasts try to kill them? Alf:   Mudokons are a native species, and therefore revere the power and beauty of the Scrabs and Paramites. They have an understanding of each species place and purpose on the foodchain. Q:   6.) I can't find Abe's Exoddus anywhere (goodness knows, I've looked...hard). Can you give me a hand here? Alf:   I get asked that question a lot. The game is darn near a classic, it is so old and hard to come by! Oddworld can't recommend or endorse retailers, but you should try doing a hearty online search, and you may want to drop by the fan forums, where others might be able to make recommendations. Go to the newly redesigned industrial fan forums at: http://www.oddworldforums.net/ Q:   Well, that is all for now. Keeping drinking tea (a REAL man's drink), and tell me where you bought your fez. It's cool. Oh, and what book are you reading (in your portrait) anyway? Alf:  I’m reading the Oddworld Licensing Guide so I can try and answer all your questions!!! Oh, and by the way, my mummy made me the fez when I was just a lad, so you won’t find one like it in all of Mudos! Past Dear Alf answers have been archived by month. Go to Archives