UPDATE: I’ve closed the window for submissions now. Thanks to everyone who participated.
In the latest episode of A Life Well Wasted, I roamed last month’s Game Developers Conference asking random gamers and industry insiders a very simple question: Why do you play videogames?
If you found yourself wanting to tell the world your answer, here’s your chance.
1.) Record your own answer to the question (include an introduction with your name and hometown).
2.) Keep it under three minutes.
3.) Upload it to Houndbite.
4.) Post the link in the comments below.
I’ll edit the best responses into an A Life Well Wasted B-Side, which I’ll post here and upload to the ALWW iTunes feed.
Tips:
*Smart is good, but funny is better. Sad is better than funny. Creepy is better than sad (but only if it’s real, so disregard that one).
*I love a great story. If you can tell me why you play videogames in an anecdote about yourself, you win.
*Don’t assume that ALWW listeners know a lot about gaming. If you’re constantly dropping game names and insider knowledge, your response will be unusable.
*Audio quality isn’t a big deal here, but I will need to understand what you’re saying. If you’ve got a nice mic, by all means use it.
Comments
I wrote a rather lengthy answer to this question, inspired by the show, on http://www.gamingisdead.com but I doubt I could condense it/read it fast enough to fit in three minutes. Perhaps I’ll only say half of each word…
Posted by Mike May 6, 2009 at 12:51 PM
People play games because, life is boring. They are easy access to great space adventures, exciting car races and crashes. Thrilling gun fights, and knock your socks of stories. If one could access all of these things in real life on a daily basis while holding down a job and social life we would not need video games.
Posted by White Silhouette May 6, 2009 at 12:53 PM
My Submission: http://www.houndbite.com/?houndbite=10616
Posted by Daniel Rodriguez May 6, 2009 at 1:23 PM
Here’s my submission: http://www.houndbite.com/?houndbite=10617
Posted by Jens Dietrich May 6, 2009 at 2:10 PM
A submission: http://www.houndbite.com/?houndbite=10619
Posted by Justin Hall May 6, 2009 at 4:10 PM
My submission : http://www.houndbite.com/?houndbite=10622
Thanks for this chance, I love your podcast and really any time you’ve been on others I listen to. Not trying to suck up, just enjoy your perspective. Just lay off all the weed… jk but, but loved the guys making fun of you in the recent Out of the Game… had me cracking up at work today, which is bad since I clean windows… in very public places. Awkward!
Posted by Josh May 6, 2009 at 8:47 PM
http://www.houndbite.com/?houndbite=10623
I’m not much for submitting things to websites, especially if I have to record my own voice, but this podcast is really something else.
Posted by George May 6, 2009 at 9:37 PM
I’ve a written contribution here : http://norswap.posterous.com/why-i-game
I’m not voicing it since I have such a bad English pronunciation. Feel free to voice it for me
I’m not even sure, this is an appropriate use of the “voice” verb… But that has nothing to do with pronunciation.
Posted by Nicolas “Norswap” Laurent May 7, 2009 at 7:38 AM
http://www.houndbite.com/?houndbite=10636
Thanks for the podcasts sir.
Posted by Yoritomo May 7, 2009 at 8:43 AM
My submission.
Very short, very sad.
http://www.houndbite.com/?houndbite=10638
Posted by Sharky May 7, 2009 at 9:30 AM
http://houndbite.com/?houndbite=10641
Snuck this one in at the production room at work. This was fun to record, hope you give us all this opportunity again sometime soon. If you’d like to have the .wav file, let me know. Houndbite only allows for .mp3 files.
Also, Mike: I recorded your essay while I was at it. Let me know if you’d like me to send it to you. It’s about 2:30.
Posted by Miles May 7, 2009 at 9:50 AM
http://www.houndbite.com/?houndbite=10659
Posted by Spencer Greenwood May 7, 2009 at 11:51 AM
Yo yo yo bobito! I got a phat beat I need ya ta throw!
Sorry couldn’t resist…
Wow alot of these are pretty fun to listen to, even if they dont all make it in, this is pretty neat here is mine:
http://www.houndbite.com/?houndbite=10668
(2:49)
Posted by Cody T May 7, 2009 at 1:31 PM
http://www.houndbite.com/?houndbite=10669
And pardon my bird in the background. She’s a loud one.
Posted by Beau Rosser May 7, 2009 at 1:34 PM
http://www.houndbite.com/?houndbite=10670
Do I really sound this nasally?
*sigh*
Posted by Chris May 7, 2009 at 3:32 PM
http://www.houndbite.com/?houndbite=10686
Well, that was weird.
Posted by Jonas May 8, 2009 at 12:10 PM
http://www.houndbite.com/?houndbite=10687
Posted by Harold P. May 8, 2009 at 12:12 PM
I hope I’m not bumming everybody out.
http://www.houndbite.com/?houndbite=10693
Posted by Justin McElroy May 8, 2009 at 1:12 PM
http://www.houndbite.com/?houndbite=10694
Probably too many words spoken, but whatever.
Posted by Fernando May 8, 2009 at 2:51 PM
My reason.
http://www.houndbite.com/?houndbite=10695
Posted by Adrian Perez May 8, 2009 at 4:02 PM
http://www.houndbite.com/?houndbite=10696
Never submitted something like this before, but I LOVED the last episode of ALwW, and was inspired.
Posted by Rich Gallagher May 8, 2009 at 5:44 PM
Wow, I love the other posts already so much, just shows how huge the spectrum really is. I love Justin Hall’s submission! But all the others as well, can’t wait for the episode.
Here is mine: http://www.houndbite.com/?houndbite=10717
Posted by DerBonk May 9, 2009 at 7:34 AM
Excuse the nasally voice, I have a flu, boo.
ROUTINE!
Posted by tamoorh May 10, 2009 at 3:50 AM
Woops, didn’t actually post the link, again..i blame the flu…
http://www.houndbite.com/?houndbite=10731
Posted by tamoorh May 10, 2009 at 3:51 AM
I play games because my Fleshlight is broken +_+
http://www.houndbite.com/?houndbite=10736
Posted by LonelySpacePanda May 10, 2009 at 10:08 AM
Clearly I’ve been thinking about this far too much
http://www.houndbite.com/?houndbite=10743
Posted by Teph May 10, 2009 at 2:10 PM
Hi Robert,
This is probably unusable, not only because I demolished rule 2. I’m not into the whole brevity thing, I guess. But I have been a fan of this format for a long time and I think what you do with it is really cool. So thank you for inspiring me to make this.
http://www.houndbite.com/?houndbite=10761
Posted by Justin May 11, 2009 at 4:31 AM
Seriously, if you listen to these responses, imagine they are all talking about hard drugs, anytime someone says ‘play videogames’ replace it by do crack, or use hard drugs. It’s hilarious for most of them
Posted by Steven May 11, 2009 at 7:32 AM
That’s depressing, Steven.
Posted by Jonas May 11, 2009 at 11:15 AM
No it’s not ! It’s a good thing there is a better way of escapism than drugs
Posted by Steven May 11, 2009 at 11:59 PM
http://www.houndbite.com/?houndbite=10786
Boom.
Posted by Adventureface May 12, 2009 at 2:09 PM
http://www.houndbite.com/?houndbite=10787
In verse…
Posted by Zucchinis are for Salads May 12, 2009 at 4:20 PM
http://www.houndbite.com/?houndbite=10804
Probably a little too tangential, but have at it.
Posted by Tyson May 13, 2009 at 3:20 PM
The reason I play games? The first reason is nostalgia for the games I play when I was small, but the main reason is a love for the mechanics, sprite animation, chip music, and the realization that I could be involved in something that gave me that nostalgia in the first place.
Posted by s.davis May 13, 2009 at 3:31 PM
Hey Robert,
thanks for extended the deadline for this as Houndbite was not working at all yesterday evening.
Anyway here is my link:
http://www.houndbite.com/?houndbite=10805
Also, have you ever heard of the Radio Program, ‘The Ongoing History of New Music’? It’s actually a very popular program here in Canada and its style is very similar to what you’ve done with your program. If you haven’t heard the program, I am certain you can download episodes somewhere as it has been broadcasting for years. Anyway, great program you have here and cannot wait to listen to the next episode
Posted by Marko Djordjevic May 13, 2009 at 5:39 PM
http://www.houndbite.com/?houndbite=10806
Bleagh. It sounds pretty rehearsed. Oh well.
Posted by XaiaX May 13, 2009 at 6:22 PM
http://www.houndbite.com/?houndbite=10808
Totally sounds scripted, and most of it was (although I wrote it basically all down on the spot).
Posted by John May 13, 2009 at 10:09 PM
I know it sounds stupid, but I’ve come in to listen to this part about two months late. Hearing all these stories got some of my memories jogging, and I guess I’m feeling compelled to share a couple. I know the submission’s closed, but you wouldn’t hate me for sending in a sound bite anyways, would you?
Think of it like spam, only it’s not in a can.
Posted by Steven Valero “Naota_391″ July 24, 2009 at 11:38 AM
Speak Up and Be Judged!