Atypical April:
|
|
| vt experience home about features back to peterpages.net | |
| There are a lot of pictures in this section. A record number, in fact. I just couldn't bear to leave any of them out of the story. There are also a large number of large videos (over 300 MB total), so if you decide to watch them you may have a while to wait. Oh, and a big thanks to Erin R. for her pictures... that Julia took. |
Jump to a Section:
Miscellaneous Compilation | An Intentsly Campy Adventure | Flying | NerdFest The Price is Right
|
Following the events earlier in April, the conclusion of NerdFest had to be shifted around. But we still pulled the thing together. I mean, Jeremy's room was crammed full of prizes for the thing, and we wanted to be able to give them away without just junking them. So, a week after the scheduled date, we put the thing on ourselves, since Main Campbell was dealing with their own issues. The turnout was better than expected, and in true NerdFest Closing Ceremony tradition, we were running late. But the crowd was understanding. Here, Roger "Peter" Dobkowitz finished off the programming. And now for one of many video clips, this one on the room setup. |
![]() |
|
![]() |
We had to do some on-the-fly modifications of the game software to fit the technology available, but we got the thing running. Rod "Jeremy" Roddy called our first four contestants on down, I forgot to advance the slideshow (temporarily blinding Collin and company), and things moved on. Like the background? It's the actual font: pricedown. | |
| Here, Bob "Greg" Swieter, our illustrious host leads the first Contestants' Row in bidding. You can see Collin's bid of "a billion dollars" represented in the best way we could determine. | ![]() |
|
![]() |
The judging crew working hard to keep the stuff going. Three computers, a TV, two projectors, a jumbo speaker, and a rats nest of cables equal total awesomeness. | |
| Our first showcase winner: Elizableth, formerly of HC, but studying abroad in MC. She gets to play Cliff Hangers! Here, she bids on a set of DVD+Rs. There's a TV in front of her showing the same image, so she can look towards the audience while bidding. Cool, right? Yeah, that's what I thought. | ![]() |
|
![]() |
A not-so-secret look behind the scenes of Cliff Hangers. And a video look in front of the scenes. |
|
|
Next, Collin, you get to play Plinko, for a chance not really win up to $50,000! But only after we move the board into position in this video clip. |
![]() |
|
![]() |
To win more chances to win, all you have to do is tell us which digit of this price is correct? That is, does this pack of three HP ink cartridges cost thirty-some or somethingty-seven dollars? | |
| $67, correct! | ![]() |
|
![]() |
The audience waits while the RHF's plinko board is put into position. | |
|
RHF couldn't find their chips, so we were forced to use blank CDs as Plinko chips. Here, in the video section, Collin does well on his first play, but not on his second. |
![]() |
|
![]() |
Ooh, look as one of Swieter's Sweeties shows off the next item up for bid: a monitor from the VT Surplus Auction! | |
| Nate, you get to play Secret "X"! Greg explains the convoluted rules to everybody. Notice his authentic-looking microphone thing! | ![]() |
|
![]() |
Peter, workin' hard for the money. You'll notice that we didn't have most of the products, rather, pictures of them were projected onto this screen to the side of the stage. | |
| Unfortunately, Nate did not win "Secret 'X'". You can see how disappointed they both look. | ![]() |
|
![]() |
But now it's time to spin The Large Wheel! Our wheel is smaller than The Big Wheel, but was probably a crapload cheaper. A $17 4'x8' sheet of foam core and a 1/2" diameter wooden dowell from Mish Mish, 10 soda cans to give the thing thickness, liberal hot glue, half of one of my black ink tanks, and several yards of scotch tape. Put that together with some dining room chairs and a pointer arrow made from folded paper, and you've got yourself a functional wheel. | |
| Look at it spin! | ![]() |
|
![]() |
With 85 cents, Elizabeth won! (See the video.) It also helped that she went last and the other two guys went over on their second spins. You can see the convenient handles from this side. | |
|
Because MC wasn't able to finish their games, Jeremy and I hastily found some extra prices that afternoon so we could play all of our games twice. Here, Greg runs Cliff Hangers II so other Greg can play it. His first go wasn't too good... but fortunately he had some awesome items to bid on later on. |
![]() |
|
![]() |
Look at how happy our second half contestants are! Here, the welcome somebody to luxurious |
|
| Lauren will bid one dollar, Bob. | ![]() |
|
![]() |
David wins! | |
| And he gets to play Plinko, blah blah, $50,000, blah blah. Yeah, we've heard all of this before. | ![]() |
|
![]() |
Ooh, our sophisticated A/V system... a computer with Notepad open, and a computer with iTunes open. In all seriousness, the Notepad computer was running several HTML files (websites) that refreshed every second automatically (for instant updates) and a powerpoint presentation, but still. | |
| Well, only one of you guys will actually win something. Don't mess up this time. | ![]() |
|
![]() |
Yay, computers! | |
| The audience waits with bated breath... for something. If you look towards the end of this row, you can see Honors Director Jack Dudley along with some notable visitors. | ![]() |
|
![]() |
Still waiting... As you can see, our cameraperson got a bit distracted. |
|
| OK, Will, you actually have a chance to win this game... will you? | ![]() |
|
![]() |
Oh, sorry, we tricked you by not moving the X at all. Tricky us. | |
| Yay, artsy audience shot. Brad and Russell talk in the back row, no doubt coming up with some harebrained scheme to take over the world. | ![]() |
|
![]() |
More wheel spinning! And more repetitive videos. This is the last one, I promise. |
|
| David and Bob/Greg dance to stall for time while Jeremy and I ready the showcases. he won with 75 cents. | ![]() |
|
![]() |
Ooh, the showcase set. David bid on the Soccer Mom showcase, and Elizabeth bid on the Nascar Dad showcase. Not the way we planned it, but whatever. | |
|
Now for a lot of repetitive pictures: David's bid. |
![]() |
|
![]() |
Elizabeth's bid. | |
| David's under by $7303... | ![]() |
|
![]() |
But Elizabeth is only under by $5673! | |
| And they shake hands like good contestants should. | ![]() |
|
![]() |
And in true Price is Right style, Elizabeth is greeted by her overjoyed "family" members. | |
| Participants shot! | ![]() |
|
![]() |
Contestants not appearing on stage will receive... a computer monitor, just like everybody else. We got 24 for $5, what else do you want us to do with them? | |
| And some TVs for the big winners. | ![]() |
|
![]() |
Here our host explains the prizes in great detail... | |
| While everyone else graciously waits around. | ![]() |
|
![]() |
Group shot! Just like the last time, except a bit smaller (40 versus 44 people). | |
|
|
|