Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Will You Have Fun With Me in London Next Week?

I'll be in London Sunday afternoon September 30 through Thursday morning October 4.

Just a few things on my schedule currently -- mainly, a keynote on collaborative mobile gaming for Mocollywood on Tuesday afternoon. Hopefully a few of the coolest folks in the world -- the London werewolvers -- are working on a game for Wednesday night as well. (Update: It looks like it's on! If you're interested and a savvy Werewolf/Mafia player, email me for time and location...)

As for the rest of my time, I'm not sure what to do with myself! Any ideas -- or more importantly, any willing co-participants? ^_^

I've never been to the Tate, strangely enough, so I might do that... or I might hop on a train somewhere out of town to do some cookie rolling (in Oxford, maybe?) since I cookie rolled hob nobs in London already (in May 2005). I'd certainly be interested in any suggestions or company for some out-of-town cookie rolling!

Ping me at my first name at the name of this blog dot com if you're in London next week and have ideas or time for fun! Yay!

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Fun Face 2 Face Time on 9/21 in San Francisco!

On Friday 9/21, I'm going to be a guest on the Heather Gold show, a very cool, very out-there hybrid talk-show baking-event performance thingy here in San Francisco.

I beseech you to come!

I am expecting it to be a pretty memorable occasion and am looking forward to the after-party as a good opportunity for face 2 face time with fun people (like yourself!) This is part of my new Must Socialize With People Other Than My Dog on Friday Night life plan.

The show is $15 and you get entertainment and baked goods, I think. It's free if you bring something that you baked or if you're a starving artist/student. (You can buy online or at the door; email Heather in advance claiming baked goods status or starving-ness!) Full deets below:

Next Show: Does Art Change Anything?
Our 2007-2008 Season Opener!
When: Friday, September 21, 20078:00–9:30
pm, afterparty 9:30 - 11:00 pm.
Where: Luscious Garage at 459 Clementina Street San Francisco, CA

Join Heather and otherworldly beatboxer + live looper Kid Beyond (Coachella), queer writer and activist Kirk Read (How I Learned to Snap, Sex Worker's Art Tour), and ubiquitous game designer Jane McGonigal (Institute for the Future) who makes games that take place in “real life” as they discuss whether or not art creates tangible social change. And if it does, how?

Sunday, September 09, 2007

Cruel 2 B Kind Is Now 100% DIY

It's the one-year anniversary of Cruel 2 B Kind. And to celebrate this milestone, Ian and I have updated the C2BK game website to be 100% do-it-yourself all the time.

For the first time, we're making our super secret database of weapons public. We've added a brand new, behind the scenes puppet mastering guide. And we've replaced our Host a Game application with instructions for how to go ahead and host it yourself.

This new do-it-yourself version features a much more ad hoc, lightweight technology infrastructure: you, your email, and your cell phone. Unlike previous versions, which were entirely automated through our mobile email-based Web app, you now will have to have a few people skills and not mind adding up player scores yourself. The downside of this is that you can't mindlessly run a game, or play it yourself if you're the host. The upside is you will learn l33t puppet mastering skills and can run a game any time, without syncing up with our system or worrying if your players know how to use mobile email.

The new website also features the amazing Cruel 2 B Kind feature from Current TV, which is ideal for showing new players how to kill with kindness.

Ian and I are so proud of this game. It's been played in more than 20 cities in 8 countries on 4 continents so far, and now that it's 100% do-it-yourself, we know it will spread farther, faster. So have at it, assassins! Menace with compliments, attack with helpful gestures, and slay with serenades!