This page is about the Maxwell object; for the avatar data found using the "$" method, see here, and for his main page, see here.

@MaxwellDummy
in Scribblenauts Unmasked
Type	Gameplay, Gameonly, Level
Behavior	Neutral
Synonyms	None Known
Available in	Super Scribblenauts, Scribblenauts Unlimited, Scribblenauts Unmasked, Scribblenauts Showdown, Scribblenauts Mega Pack

A @MaxwellDummy or "Maxwell Dummy" is a version of Maxwell (or another playable character in Scribblenauts Showdown) that appears as an NPC instead of being used by the player. They are one of few objects in the series that cannot normally be spawned when using the notebook.

Encountering

Super Scribblenauts

The @MaxwellDummy first appears in Super Scribblenauts, where it can be seen in the secret time warp levels occasionally found when using a time machine. In the secret time warp featuring a second time machine, the Maxwell Dummy quickly leaves using the extra time machine. However, in the time warp recreation of A1-1, they stay around and can be interacted with like any other NPC.

Once the correct Time Warp is found, the Maxwell dummy is able to be brought outside of the Time Warp and into a normal level. This can be done by using a potion on the dummy make them either driveable or portable, and either riding or carrying them back through the time machine.

Scribblenauts Unlimited and Scribblenauts Unmasked

After not appearing in Scribblenauts Remix, the @MaxwellDummy returned again in Scribblenauts Unlimited, where it is now used as an object form of Maxwell that appears anytime the player is duplicated while playing as him.

This most famously occurs whenever the player is cloned. This can be done by interacting with a cloning machine or teleporter, being shot by a clone gun or @cloning science, or simply by giving Maxwell the adjective cloned. In addition to cloning, other methods that duplicate the the player, such as giving Maxwell the pregnant or mitotic adjectives, also spawn a Maxwell dummy.

In Scribblenauts Unlimited and Scribblenauts Unmasked, the object the player spawns when duplicated was based on the players avatar, requiring players to play as either Maxwell himself or one of Unlimited's mobile-exclusive avatars to spawn the @MaxwellDummy. (For more info, see the cloned page.)

These games also allow the @MaxwellDummy to be spawned using the "@" Method glitch in many of their versions.

Scribblenauts Showdown

Scribblenauts Showdown didn't alter the way the @MaxwellDummy is encountered, as the Dummy is still spawned by duplicating the player. However, the player no longer needs to be playing as Maxwell to spawn it, as it now appears regardless of what character the player uses.

This is due to a new behavior given to the @MaxwellDummy in Scribblenauts Showdown, where it automatically takes the appearance of the player that spawned it, such as taking the appearance of Lily instead when she is played as. This allows the one @MaxwellDummy object to serve as the "duplicate" object for every single playable character, which avoids needing a separate object for the 62 new characters (and custom scrubblenauts) that were added in Showdown.

Behavior

At first glance, the @MaxwellDummy appears to function as a standard NPC, having 100 HP and moving around as normal. However, they have several odd traits that make them distinct from both other NPCs and from the player. These traits are inconsistent across the series, having seen numerous fixes and tweaks between each game.

Super Scribblenauts

In Super Scribblenauts, the @MaxwellDummy appears to be made out of stone, making stone sound effects when dropped and being attacked, and also giving off stone particles when attacked. They bounce around in an odd manner when walking and their attack animation is incorrectly set to their idle animation, resulting in them seemingly just standing to deal damage. The Maxwell dummy is unable to wear clothes, and if forced to wear clothes anyway by using adjectives that give them, such as piratic, the dummy will wear all clothing items on their torso, regardless of what they are. They are unable to sit on things, and despite being alive, are not recognized as living by other NPCs. Strangely, they become hostile to the player if a cloned potion is used on them, though this does not seem to apply to other known potion types or the clone gun.

Scribblenauts Unlimited

In Scribblenauts Unlimited, the @MaxwellDummy no longer bounces while walking, but still have their incorrect attack animation. Additionally, several of their other animations are those of a generic NPC instead of the players. The dummy still cannot sit on objects, but now if they are allowed to using adjectives such as piloting, they sometimes stand on them instead, depending on the object. The Dummy still appears to be made of stone, as it makes stone sound effects when dropped, but no longer emits stone particles when attacked. They no longer become hostile from having cloned potions used on them.

Like the previous game, the Maxwell dummy still cannot wear clothing normally, and wears them on their torso if adjectives are used to force clothes onto them. Also like before, other NPCs do not recognize them as being alive.

All of these behaviors apply to both the original and Mega Pack versions of the Scribblenauts Unlimited.

Scribblenauts Unmasked

In Scribblenauts Unmasked, the @Maxwell Dummy has a maximum HP of 100 like all other games, even though the player's own HP was raised to 550. The Maxwell dummy can now be given clothing by default, and now equips it properly as well. The dummy can also now sit without needing an adjective, but like the previous game it often stands on them instead, depending on the object. The animations of the dummy have been tweaked to mostly be the same as the player, including now having a proper attack animation, though they also now bounce while walking again.

Unchanged from the previous game, the @Maxwelldummy continue to make stone sound effects when dropped, isn't recognized as living by other NPCs, and have no reaction to cloned potions.

All of these behaviors apply to both the original and Mega Pack versions of Scribblenauts Unmasked.

Scribblenauts Showdown

In Scribblenauts Showdown, the @MaxwellDummy now changes it's appearance to always resemble the player's character, and can appear when using any character, (Unlike previously where it generally only appeared when using Maxwell.) The dummy no longer makes stone sound effects when dropped, and is now uses a sitting animation regardless of what object is sat on. For some reason, the dummy can no longer wear head or face clothing, but can still be forced to wear them using adjectives such as weird, in which case they wear them normally. The dummy's walk has also been altered once again, so it no longer bounces.

Like the previous game, the @MaxwellDummy has identical animations to the player. They continue to not be recognized as living by other NPCs, and also continues to have no reaction to cloned potions.

Gallery

In Super Scribblenauts

In Scribblenauts Unlimited

In Scribblenauts Unmasked

In the mobile version of Scribblenauts Unlimited

In Scribblenauts Showdown

The @MaxwellDummy wearing a backpack, glasses, hat and tail. Note how all clothing items are worn on the torso.

Maxwell riding a driveable @MaxwellDummy, also sitting on the torso instead of the head like most other rideable humans.

the @MaxwellDummy "sitting" on a chair, lacking a proper sitting animation.

Trivia

• In Scribblenauts Unlimited and Scribblenauts Unmasked, the player must be playing as Maxwell to spawn an @MaxwellDummy when making duplicating themselves, as using another avatar spawns that avatar's respective object instead.
• The name "@MaxwellDummy" is hidden from the player, and typically can only be seen when using the "@" Method glitch.
• The "Dummy" in @MaxwellDummy refers to a dummy, or something used as a placeholder data in programming and development.
• Despite the fact that it's only intended role is to needs to replicate the player's stats, the @MaxwellDummy ironically has many odd behaviors not seen by the player or normal NPCs.
  • As these change based on each game, the @MaxwellDummy could even be argued to be one of the more complex objects in the series, despite it's minor role.
  • There is only one unique behavior which @MaxwellDummy has consistently exhibited in every game, which is that other NPCs do not recognize it as a living object despite it being alive.
• Every single game to date has altered weather or not the @MaxwellDummy bounces while walking, and has made it the opposite of the previous game. (The only exception is the Scribblenauts Mega Pack, which reflects the original release of Unlimited and Unmasked)
  • Due to this inconsistency, it's unclear if the @MaxwellDummy is actually intended to bounce or not.