Read Online Constellation Games by Leonard Richardson - Free Book Online
Authors: Leonard Richardson
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we relaxed in the living room.
"I really hope that was the last cookout," I said. I was playing a game on the Brain Embryo.
"I don't know what cookout you were at," said Jenny. "The one we had here was fine. Bizarro Kate and Martin finally hooked up. They left together, anyway."
"That's a chilling thought," I said. "I can already see their kids running around in little polo shirts and catgirl ears."
"People had a good time," said Jenny.
"I wanted to show them the Brain Embryo," I said. "But I was busy with emergencies and you guys didn't want to put in a little effort to figure things out."
"It's a party," said Jenny. "Not a time for strenuous mental effort. Here, lemme try it now." I left the Brain Embryo console and went to the bathroom.
"I like the art," said Jenny when I came back. "It's like playing a Kandinsky."
"You're not moving your guy," I said. "You're just looking around and the background's scrolling."
"Let me figure it out, pendejo ," said Jenny. "Not everything has to work immediately. Any docs on this thing?"
"Uh, it's called Sayable Spice . Apparently it shatters the taboos of Dhihe Coastal Coalition society, though I don't know what those might be. It's got a skewed histogram—that was a good idea you had."
"Okay," said Jenny. "Let's do this one."
"What? We're doing it now."
"Let's port it. It looks nice, it's a good game that a few people didn't like because it was controversial. Sounds like a good choice."
"It was controversial to another species ninety million years ago," I said. "I'm still going through the list."
"The list has fifteen thousand games on it," said Jenny. "And then there's all the other systems you could be exploring. Curic said you could spend the rest of your life playing these games, and I would like to start getting paychecks before then. That means at some point making a decision and starting work. So let's do this."
"What if there's something wrong with Sayable Spice ?"
"Yeah, there probably is. You know how I complain about my web design clients?"
"How you give them exactly what they ask for, and then they change their minds. Which is what I want to avoid."
"That's part of the process," said Jenny. "You build something, and then you find out it sucks, and you use that information build something else. The only way to avoid this problem is to never get started and never get paid."
"Okay," I said, "the decision is made." Crispy Duck Games is porting Sayable Spice . (Offer subject to change.)
----
Chapter 8: They Came For Our Twinkies
Blog post, June 29
Woo hoo! Thank you, Charlene Siph! Constellation citizens are now being issued US tourist visas!
ABlum: i'm filling out paperwork for your visa
i need to know if you're a "person of good character"
----
Curic: I sure hope not.
----
ABlum: i'm going to put down "yes"
I have to fill out the forms twice for Curic, because the government considers a Farang's differentiated mind to be two different people in the same body. With that attitude, I don't know how they're ever going to get Constellation Library service down here. And I certainly wouldn't want to be the guy who has to sort out the paperwork for Her.
Blogging will be light for a few days. I'm working on a project for a friend. Also for money.
Real life, July 4
We all got into Bai's SUV and drove through traffic to the Constellation landing site; me and Jenny and Jenny's nephew Eduardo, who was more interested in seeing a real spaceship land than in meeting a space alien.
"Is Curic going to fit in the car?" said Jenny. "Physically? Have we checked?"
Bai looked back at Jenny and backed the car out of my unused driveway. "Durrr, we're not idiots, Jenny," he said. (Bai's douchebag tendencies rise to the surface when he gets nervous.) "Farang are hobbit size. She can sit on your lap."
"Not on my lap," said Jenny.
The road to the landing site was still packed and the approach full of rubberneckers, but after showing Curic's ticket to the guards we were able
"I really hope that was the last cookout," I said. I was playing a game on the Brain Embryo.
"I don't know what cookout you were at," said Jenny. "The one we had here was fine. Bizarro Kate and Martin finally hooked up. They left together, anyway."
"That's a chilling thought," I said. "I can already see their kids running around in little polo shirts and catgirl ears."
"People had a good time," said Jenny.
"I wanted to show them the Brain Embryo," I said. "But I was busy with emergencies and you guys didn't want to put in a little effort to figure things out."
"It's a party," said Jenny. "Not a time for strenuous mental effort. Here, lemme try it now." I left the Brain Embryo console and went to the bathroom.
"I like the art," said Jenny when I came back. "It's like playing a Kandinsky."
"You're not moving your guy," I said. "You're just looking around and the background's scrolling."
"Let me figure it out, pendejo ," said Jenny. "Not everything has to work immediately. Any docs on this thing?"
"Uh, it's called Sayable Spice . Apparently it shatters the taboos of Dhihe Coastal Coalition society, though I don't know what those might be. It's got a skewed histogram—that was a good idea you had."
"Okay," said Jenny. "Let's do this one."
"What? We're doing it now."
"Let's port it. It looks nice, it's a good game that a few people didn't like because it was controversial. Sounds like a good choice."
"It was controversial to another species ninety million years ago," I said. "I'm still going through the list."
"The list has fifteen thousand games on it," said Jenny. "And then there's all the other systems you could be exploring. Curic said you could spend the rest of your life playing these games, and I would like to start getting paychecks before then. That means at some point making a decision and starting work. So let's do this."
"What if there's something wrong with Sayable Spice ?"
"Yeah, there probably is. You know how I complain about my web design clients?"
"How you give them exactly what they ask for, and then they change their minds. Which is what I want to avoid."
"That's part of the process," said Jenny. "You build something, and then you find out it sucks, and you use that information build something else. The only way to avoid this problem is to never get started and never get paid."
"Okay," I said, "the decision is made." Crispy Duck Games is porting Sayable Spice . (Offer subject to change.)
----
Chapter 8: They Came For Our Twinkies
Blog post, June 29
Woo hoo! Thank you, Charlene Siph! Constellation citizens are now being issued US tourist visas!
ABlum: i'm filling out paperwork for your visa
i need to know if you're a "person of good character"
----
Curic: I sure hope not.
----
ABlum: i'm going to put down "yes"
I have to fill out the forms twice for Curic, because the government considers a Farang's differentiated mind to be two different people in the same body. With that attitude, I don't know how they're ever going to get Constellation Library service down here. And I certainly wouldn't want to be the guy who has to sort out the paperwork for Her.
Blogging will be light for a few days. I'm working on a project for a friend. Also for money.
Real life, July 4
We all got into Bai's SUV and drove through traffic to the Constellation landing site; me and Jenny and Jenny's nephew Eduardo, who was more interested in seeing a real spaceship land than in meeting a space alien.
"Is Curic going to fit in the car?" said Jenny. "Physically? Have we checked?"
Bai looked back at Jenny and backed the car out of my unused driveway. "Durrr, we're not idiots, Jenny," he said. (Bai's douchebag tendencies rise to the surface when he gets nervous.) "Farang are hobbit size. She can sit on your lap."
"Not on my lap," said Jenny.
The road to the landing site was still packed and the approach full of rubberneckers, but after showing Curic's ticket to the guards we were able
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