Children in hospitals and domestic-violence shelters will get a helping hand from the world’s most boring video game, thanks to Desert Bus for Hope.
“A shining beacon in the gathering gloom,” is how Victoria comic book author and illustrator Ken Steacy described the international online charity gaming marathon that began broadcasting from Victoria last Saturday.
The money comes from donors around the world, who watch a webcast of people playing a monumentally boring video game and doing wacky antics.
I’ve been to my share of fundraisers in this town, but nothing compares with this global phenomenon launched in 2007 by LoadingReadyRun, the Internet comedy troupe founded by Graham Stark and Paul Saunders.
Local comedians, gamers and other tech types have raised more than $2.4 million to date for Seattle-based charity Child’s Play, including $643,000 in six days and 14 hours last year.
Dedicated to improving the lives of children in more than 70 hospitals, including Victoria General, and domestic-violence shelters, Child’s Play was launched in 2003.
Stark said its founders, infuriated by a news story that suggested gamers were “these basement-dwelling nerds who don’t contribute valuable things to society,” resolved to dispel the misconception.
“It’s this wonderful parallel,” said Stark, whose colleague James Turner suggested LRR use its Internet fame to benefit Child’s Play and tap the under-appreciated generosity of geeks worldwide.
“They were tired of having the media slag young people as being miscreants,” recalled Steacy, a huge supporter since 2009. “It’s like in the 1950s, when juvenile delinquency was laid at the doorstep of comic books.”
For seven days and counting, local “drivers” and teammates have been geeking out around the clock at the Summit, Alacrity Foundation’s high-tech incubator at 838 Fort St. Appearing in shifts, their action is streamed live while they play Desert Bus, an unreleased 1995 tongue-in-cheek video game created by magicians Penn & Teller. It’s considered one of the world’s worst and most boring video games.
The goal is to successfully drive a virtual coach for eight yawn-inducing hours from Tucson to Las Vegas at 72 km/h on a road without turns or scenery.
“The game is just being played because it’s a ridiculous novelty,” said Stark, recalling its origins as a reaction to U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno’s assertion that playing video games caused people to be violent.
While sleep-deprived gamers “suffer” through this odyssey, onscreen supporters sing, dance, fulfil challenges and auction off prizes to entertain fans who donate online and interact through a chat feed.
The more money a team raises, the longer it must play. By Thursday afternoon, nearly $425,000 had been raised.
“It’s hard not to be surprised,” said Stark, reflecting on the feel-good marathon’s “baffling” longevity. “We don’t even fully understand how it works.”
Steacy, who raised $39,000 last year while dressed up as his comic book character Astro Boy, outdid himself this year. He raised $41,000 during his 7-11:30 p.m. appearance on Tuesday night.
Now nicknamed Ken “Value Added” Steacy, the comic book artist who with his wife, graphic novelist Joan Steacy, teaches a visual storytelling course at Camosun College, traditionally shows up with material from his “archive of the awesome” to auction off, including collectibles and original artwork. He also volunteers to do commissions.
His contributions grew out of concern organizers were putting themselves “in financial peril” to mount the labour-intensive event.
“It’s a profound challenge for a lot of them,” said Steacy, who now insists 50 per cent of what he raises goes toward operations.
This year, Steacy was “beamed” onto the set dressed as Star Trek’s Captain Kirk, and joined by his costumed eldest son Alex, an LRR content creator, and new media guru Steven Dengler, CEO of XE.Com and Dracogen Inc.
“It was just great fun,” said Steacy, recalling how donors responded to their Star Trek-themed hijinks. “This puts a different spin on geek culture. Their hearts are as big as all outdoors.”
Another highlight of this week’s zaniness came on Wednesday afternoon when “driver” Tally Heilke’s team sang and danced to Celine Dion’s Power of Love to fulfil a request. “I’m so happy right now. I feel like our relationship has a good chance of lasting if you don’t try to serenade me again,” the Vancouver speech arts school administration staffer told her “co-stars” on camera.
“We sit in that chair for eight hours and our job is to drive the bus, keep it on the road and keep it entertaining, silly and weird,” Heilke, 30, explained later.
So what do Penn & Teller think of this offbeat event they unwittingly inspired, and which has attracted guests including Star Trek: The Next Generation’s LeVar Burton?
“They found out we were doing it and got hold of our parents’ phone numbers,” Stark recalled. “The first couple of years, Teller phoned every day, and they bought us lunch.”
To contribute, visit desertbus.org.