Talk:Mind Control Software

Ceridus Software

Mostly as a side note--and likely more info than anyone cares--there is an apparent conflict between the developer of Alien Logic, Ceridus, and Mind Control's claims to the title--as well as founding year. In the end, it appears to me that all claims are true--it just depends on what perspective who is talking from. Yes, Ceridus is the indicated developer of the game on the game itself. Yes, Leker did start Mind Control in 1994 if he says he did--even if records indicate otherwise--maybe even earlier as he might have hinted in the Resurrection interview. Yes, Leker and, by proxy, Mind Control, developed Alien Logic--even if Mind Control claims formation just before or after Alien Logic was released, in that same year.

To me, it looks like this: Leker (and company) started work on Alien Logic (self-funded or publisher-funded--who knows). At some point things progressed to the point that a company was need to pay people and such. Ceridus already existed (in the family, it appears) and thus it was used as a convenient front to get things rolling. Call it a host to incubating Mind Control if you like. It is likely the intent was there from the start for Leker to spin this project off into his own company if things went well. This is pure conjecture, of course, but it shows how all stories can be true.

Thus, it could even be fairly argued that Ceridus is the predecessor to Mind Control. Particularly, when you see both Leker and Stone in lead positions on both Alien Logic and Mind Control's next game, Silencer.

• https://www.mobygames.com/game/3960/alien-logic/credits/dos/
• https://www.mobygames.com/game/12727/silencer/credits/windows/

Now, how to say all that in an encyclopedic way with the few references found?.. Yeah, that's how I ended up with the awkward first paragraph under History that gives a few facts to the reader and then simply concludes it all as difficult--for the reader to form their own opinion about--if they care. juanitogan (talk) 20:45, 5 May 2023 (UTC)

For whatever it's worth, this is the kind of stuff where a secondary source is really nice. Ideally, we wouldn't be digging around and doing "original research" via contrasting conflicting takes from interviews, or referencing raw documents like certificates filed with the state on the status of the business, but some game journalist or website would have done that for us, and then we'd cite the secondary source. That said, this topic is so obscure that a heavy primary source reliance is probably the lesser of two evils here. (Maybe fodder for a blog post, though, that said hypothetical journalist can read in the future?! Who knows.)

For the disclaimer I put in, I think that's about as fair a representation as the situation as we're going to get - Alien Logic is an "associated" game but we have to mention the strong disclaimer it wasn't technically released by Mind Control. SnowFire (talk) 23:22, 5 May 2023 (UTC)