Desert bus for hope

**Iamthefallen** · 11-26-2007, 10:00 PM

How awesome is this?

Quote:

Desert Bus is the best known mini game in the package, and was a featured part of Electronic Gaming Monthly’s preview. The objective of the game is to drive a bus from Tucson, Arizona to Las Vegas, Nevada in real time at a maximum speed of 45mph, a feat that would take the player 8 hours of continuous play to complete, as the game cannot be paused.

The bus contains no passengers, and there is no scenery or other cars on the road. The bus veers to the right slightly; as a result, it is impossible to tape down a button to go do something else and have the game end properly. If the bus veers off the road it will stall and be towed back to Tucson, also in real time. If the player makes it to Las Vegas, they will score exactly one point. The player then gets the option to make the return trip to Tucson—for another point (a decision they must make in a few seconds or the game ends). Players may continue to make trips and score points as long as their endurance holds out. Some players who have completed the trip have also noted that, although the scenery never changes, a bug splats on the windscreen over halfway through the first trip, and on the return trip the light does fade, with differences at dusk, and later a pitch black road where the player is guided only with headlights.
How long the team has to play Desert Bus is determined by the donations we receive. In order to reflect the increasing challenge as the marathon goes on, the donations required to add another hour increase geometrically every hour. We started at $1.00 for the first hour and go up by 7% every hour. 10 hours of busing cost $13.82, 20 hours cost $41.00, etc.

The donation total in the sidebar will be updated every couple of hours. Remember that LoadingReadyRun is paying for the PayPal service charges, so the entire amount of your donation will appear in the sidebar and be sent to Child’s Play.

Website with live feeds.

Currently at $14,000 and 101 hours, with 72 completed, so 29 to go without new donations.

PhoenixxFire · 11-27-2007, 12:14 AM

Can someone please explain why this is so mesmerizing?

ScratchMonkey · 11-27-2007, 05:32 AM

Kids! Enjoy a career in the exciting world of bus driving! Call now to reserve your spot in the DeVries school of commercial bus driving!

(I don't see airliner pilots having a much more interesting job, though. Once you've made a run a couple times, how interesting can it be?)

Braidedheadman · 11-29-2007, 04:38 AM

I don't get it.

**CingularDuality** · 11-29-2007, 10:48 AM

It's pathetic, but it's making money just like that one pixel for a dollar website. Viral capitalism.

**Iamthefallen** · 11-29-2007, 12:32 PM

Except that it's for a charity?

**CingularDuality** · 11-29-2007, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iamthefallen

Except that it's for a charity?

Heh... I missed that part. But charity is very capitalistic! What is Child's Play?

**Iamthefallen** · 11-29-2007, 12:40 PM

Site

In short the good people of Penny Arcade set up a charity to donate games and books and stuff to sick kids in hospitals.

Edit:
Recent PA post about it.

**Augustus Gloop** · 11-29-2007, 04:30 PM

Having actually played Desert Bus, and having been part of a team that made the 14 hour journey from LA to Las Vegas or whatever, these guys are really taking one for the team. Imagine a 14 hour drive in an old, empty bus. The road is absolutely straight, but the bus pulls slightly to the left. Imagine a drive where nothing happens except that a bug splatters on your windshield at about hour 3.

**El_Gringo_Grande** · 11-30-2007, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Augustus Gloop

Having actually played Desert Bus, and having been part of a team that made the 14 hour journey from LA to Las Vegas or whatever, these guys are really taking one for the team. Imagine a 14 hour drive in an old, empty bus. The road is absolutely straight, but the bus pulls slightly to the left. Imagine a drive where nothing happens except that a bug splatters on your windshield at about hour 3.

I bet there was a fight over who got to drive during the bug splat. High fives all around!

**Augustus Gloop** · 11-30-2007, 04:14 PM

We didn't know when it would happen, just that it probably would. I think it happened while my gf was driving? She was a trooper, 3 hours by herself.

11-27-2007, 12:14 AM	#2 (permalink)
PhoenixxFire Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Moron Valley, Southern California Age: 22 Posts: 497	Re: Desert bus for hope Can someone please explain why this is so mesmerizing?

11-27-2007, 05:32 AM	#3 (permalink)
ScratchMonkey Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: San Pablo, California Posts: 4,240	Re: Desert bus for hope Kids! Enjoy a career in the exciting world of bus driving! Call now to reserve your spot in the DeVries school of commercial bus driving! (I don't see airliner pilots having a much more interesting job, though. Once you've made a run a couple times, how interesting can it be?)

11-29-2007, 04:38 AM	#4 (permalink)
Braidedheadman Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 933	Re: Desert bus for hope I don't get it. __________________

11-29-2007, 10:48 AM	#5 (permalink)
CingularDuality Join Date: May 2003 Location: Dallas/Ft. Worth area of Texas, USA Age: 33 Posts: 16,815	Re: Desert bus for hope It's pathetic, but it's making money just like that one pixel for a dollar website. Viral capitalism. __________________ Become a supporting member! -- Shop at the Tactical Market! Take the world's smallest political quiz! "I was touched by His Noodly Appendage." TacticalGamer TX LAN/BBQ Veteran:

11-29-2007, 12:32 PM	#6 (permalink)
Iamthefallen Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Columbia, SC Age: 29 Posts: 930	Re: Desert bus for hope Except that it's for a charity? __________________ \| Wearing the TG tags \| Reporting infractions \| How to get started with PoE \|

11-29-2007, 12:40 PM	#8 (permalink)
Iamthefallen Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Columbia, SC Age: 29 Posts: 930	Re: Desert bus for hope Site In short the good people of Penny Arcade set up a charity to donate games and books and stuff to sick kids in hospitals. Edit: Recent PA post about it. __________________ \| Wearing the TG tags \| Reporting infractions \| How to get started with PoE \|

11-29-2007, 04:30 PM	#9 (permalink)
Augustus Gloop Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Gone for the weekend folks! Age: 32 Posts: 2,589	Re: Desert bus for hope Having actually played Desert Bus, and having been part of a team that made the 14 hour journey from LA to Las Vegas or whatever, these guys are really taking one for the team. Imagine a 14 hour drive in an old, empty bus. The road is absolutely straight, but the bus pulls slightly to the left. Imagine a drive where nothing happens except that a bug splatters on your windshield at about hour 3. __________________

11-30-2007, 04:14 PM	#11 (permalink)
Augustus Gloop Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Gone for the weekend folks! Age: 32 Posts: 2,589	Re: Desert bus for hope We didn't know when it would happen, just that it probably would. I think it happened while my gf was driving? She was a trooper, 3 hours by herself. __________________

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