The Sideline Interviewer

[Jason Petrasko]

Interviewer: So, I noted that no cooking was done at all today. Is it really constructive to work on a website now?
- I had a bit of a creative block today. Starting the wiki has let me look at all aspects of the game in a new way, and really get a feel for how I'm going to work in the secret weapon.

Interviewer: As a newcomer to the game chef tournament, how do you feel about it?
- So far it's been nothing but fun, and the other designers are all great. Really we have an awesome group of people under good authoritive leadership. What else could we ask for? Well I'm back to contemplating the game! *hustles off*

[LadyThief]

Interviewer - You seem to have lost some steam, your ladyship.
Maybe. I don't think I did. I think I just misjudged how much other stuff was going on this week.
Interviewer - How do you feel about likely having to sacrifice half of the playable character possibilities?
Conflicted. I want to have both, and I think that the Children of Reason could be very interesting. But almost all of my ideas are for the Children of Rhyme. I suppose it's because magic and fantasy is my thing. But I will finish the Children of Reason, if I have to write a damned expansion. And since I also intend to work up Mundanes, and various other groups, an expansion might be called for.
Interviewer - What are the odds that you might have to withdraw?
At the moment, better than average. If I don't have to I won't, but there is the possibility.

[Anomaly]

Interviewer - So, what's going on here? Other competitors are using our state-of-the-art kitchen set-up, and you've got an old-fashioned barbecue going. Isn't that a fire hazard?

(grinning) Mate, this is a state-of-the-art barbie. The only person likely to get burnt is me.

Interviewer - Well, I suppose it is a nice...barbie. But isn't it hard to gauge the cooking time?

Yes, it's not easy. But the dish I'm preparing is all about the taste, combining the ingredients with flavours old and new. Plus with simple food like this, you can bung it in the microwave without losing the zing factor.

Interviewer - ...Right. So anyway, how did you come to enter this contest?

Well, I've got to admit my decision to enter was rather sudden. It was very much a case that I thought of a very interesting dish, and a fellow Chef - that Plot Device bloke up the front there - agreed that the dish was interesting and suggested that I give this contest a go, so here I am. Now, if you'll excuse me, it's time to start turning the meat.

Interviewer - Certainly. Thanks for your time.

(grins again) No worries!

[adgboss]

Interviewer: I see you are using a more traditional recipe then some of the other Chefs here?

Yeah you know, Old school wasn't always better but I like to keep my ducks in order. Its a process and the best way to Ad Lib is to have a solid and ordered base.

Interviewer: Do you worry about showing too much of your recipe to the other Chefs?

Nope, I am happy to reveal it as I go, they are going to see it at the end anyway. I am not revealing everything though.

Interviewer: I see you threw down some Setting as dessert already? Does Setting matter?

System Matters. Setting is System in this case in many ways. So Setting Matters to. It's like the whole Worm is the Spice, Spice is the Worm thing.

Well back to work...the scarab's need to be ground up and salted.

[Eggo von Eggo]

Interviewer: Nice to see that you've got some mechanics up there.

Dude! Nice? NICE???? The preferred term is ma-

Interviewer: Make the angels weep. I know.

Good. So long as that's settled.

Interviewer: Don't you think that your dish is a little...involved...for what amounts to a narrativist design?

Maybe a touch. I'm finding ways to streamline the dish in ways that make the flavours even more exciting. That's right -- I have found ways to take stuff out of the melange! That alone guarantees me victory over these ninja-toting monkeys.

Interviewer: Ninja-toting monkeys?

Have you even sampled any other dishes? They're all full of samurais and ninjas and s**t.

Interviewer: I believe that you're mistaken.

Oh. Well, that's what happend last year. Snow from Korea? Gimme a break! So, what's the flavour of the month this time 'round?

Interviewer: Well, the flavours are eclectic and exciting. And I'm supposed to be asking the questions.

Yeah, whatever. So long as there's no wanky "Dance of the Seven Drunken Penguins" stuff, I'm happy.

Interviewer: Couldn't a case be made that your dish is a little, as you put it so gently, "wanky"?

Maybe. But dude, it's going to ma-

Interviewer: Make the angels weep. Right. Next?

[matthijs]

Interviewer: Why a board game?

It's NOT a board game! It's a game of narration, plot twists and tactics! It's unlike any other game ever written!

Interviewer: But it has a board?

No, it's a map! It's just a map divided into sections where you can place tokens tactically in order to win the game! It helps narration!

Interviewer: You're not afraid to lose focus?

What focus? I mean no, not at all! It started out as a... storytelling thingy with...

Interviewer: Characters, since it's a role-playing game?

Well, yeah, but just groups of characters. You know? Like... lots of characters?

Interviewer: In the same way that an army in Axis & Allies represents a lot of characters?

No, no! You misunderstand! It's actually about Charles the Bald and his personal problems and the issues he's facing! It's just that his issues are on a larger scale than those of most people. See?

Interviewer: Of course.

[BrennaLaRosa]

What's this? Chef La Rosa putting her feet up already?
Yup! Just have to send it in and get my tickets to Alcapulco.

You seem pretty confident!
I've done my best. That's all anyone can ask of themselves.

Break a leg, as they say.
Thanks!

[Doug Ruff]

Interviewer: I see that you've started to post pieces of your game. Does this mean that you've nearly finished?
I'm getting there... I still need to draft the complete rules, but I know what I want.

Interviewer: Do you think that you've included enough of the "historical period" ingredient in your dish?
Well... on the one hand, the Dinner Party would be easily movable to another period, so it's not embedded in the 1970's: this could be a mark against it. On the other, I'm planning to include a lot of 1970's factoids as conversation points for the characters to riff with. This should make sure that you can taste the history when you sit at the table.

Interviewer: One final question: why the hell do you want to write a game about a dinner party in the first place?
For me, this is a "proof of concept". There's been a fair bit of talk about "ordinary folks" games recently, and I wanted to put something together that was both about ordinary people and exciting to play. I hope that I've achieved that so far. But I must go now, or I won't finish!

[Paka]

Interviewer: How is your summer writing going?

I had a strong first day but it hasn't been quite as strong since.

Interviewer: Does this mean that you are falling way behind on your dish, Guilty Before God?

I honestly thought we only had until Friday, having misread the contest page. So, I'm a little relieved. But I have an all day swashbuckling-pirate Conspiracy of Shadows game to run on Saturday and a one-shot Burning Wheel session with all pre-made characters, made by me to run on Sunday.

I'm a little worried as to where this sucker's going to fit in.

Interviewer: Do you think you'll finish?

I can't see how the game will run in my head. I'm hoping that mental picture and some lucky cookin' will pull GBG through the ringer.

Interviewer: What do you think of the other dishes?

Dude, I'm just honored to be in the same kitchen area as such notables as Tony, Ben, Clint, Vince and Nikolai Volkoff!

These fellas are pillars of the community.

That said, the Dinner Party is my favorite game to look at right now. I'd buy that game.

Good luck, cookers, keep on cookin'!

[Tobias]

interviewer: So, you're done, and that only in 5 days - how does it feel?

Pretty good. Companion Fever came together over work, sports, train travel, and some lying in bed thought. Didn't have too many hours to actually write - which is good, can't muck up the thoughts with too much revision, that way.

interviewer: Anything else you're hoping for?

It'll be interesting to have the game reviewed by some of the luminaries of game design. And I'd like it if people that download it give me some feedback.

interviewer: Think you're up for a win?

I have no clue, but I'll take anything I get. I have the feeling that using the keywords more as mechanical elements would have been a more powerful incorporation than as setting elements (which most of them are), but the setting matches the pressures excerted by the mechanics, so it could be all good. Not having my writing reviewed by anyone, nor sparring with another brain to check the viability of my ideas is a bit strange, though.


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