GDC 2009 - Day 5.2 - My First Date with Dusty, Rich, Steve and Wendy

12:00pm - 1:00pm   The Dating Game

Attended on whim based solely on title.
Tip: Don't pack your GDC program guide.
Thought we'd design a dating game.
Instead relived teenage years. Strange, tingly feelings.

Dustin Clingman aka. Dusty
Our MC. "Cowboy Thinkologist". Approachable. Dash of Academia.

Richard Dansky
Sharp. Straightforward. Might let you join him for beers.

Steve Meretzky
Legend. Made interactive fiction before it was called IF. Legitimate geek.

Wendy Despain
Smart. Normal. Fearless. What's she doing here? :)

3 married men and 1 single female. Explosive mix.

People don't play games on their first date. Why not?
We're not talking a group date or a blind date, just a good old one-on-one date.
Panel is not the answer, it's about opening the conversation.

Richard

Dusty

That's a first date - if you're Spock.

Steve

Wendy

Richard

Wendy

Richard

Steve

Wendy

Audience

Steve

Wendy

Get the distinct impression that Wendy and Steve are very different people.
What Wendy would consider a proper first date is very different from Steve.
i.e. Steve would probably play games on a first date, much to Wendy's horror.

Richard

Steve

Wendy

Wendy's body language indicates she totally disagrees with everything Steve says.
Steve is to the left side of Wendy. She is angled away from him, and rarely looks his way.
This observation coming from oblivious 39 year old male programmer.

Audience

+1 to Opinion of Audience. Success probably due to small amount of time playing games.
Will Wendy reconsider Dave and Buster's?

Wendy

Me

Audience

Richard

Audience

Wendy

-1 to Opinion of Audience for basketball comment.

Greatest GDC 2009 Audience Interaction
Audience: I flirt with iFog.
Dusty: iFart?
Audience: iFog... Hah! I just realized you were being sarcastic!
Dusty: um... i'm not sure that i was.

Wendy

Dusty

Richard

Steve

Audience

Richard

Wendy

Audience

Wendy

Audience

Me

Audience

Audience
1st Female

No mention of further gun action in booth.
Blame Wendy for encouraging this kind of comment.

Audience

uh-oh

Audience

good save

Conclusion
Need to create game people can totally ignore (like a movie).
"Ninjabread Man" perhaps ultimate first date game.