Desert Bus

[Sared]

So, this is a thing I get into every year.

Long story short: Pen and Teller released a game full of mini-games for the Sega CD called "Smoke and Mirrors". One of these mini-games is called 'Desert Bus', and with it's 8-bit graphics, monotone soundtrack, and soul-crushing depth of realism, is considered the most painful way to re-create driving from Tuscon to Las Vegas at 54 MPH in REAL-TIME. The game cannot be paused, the road has no traffic, is perfectly straight, and the bus veers slightly to one side, requiring constant re-adjusting.

The drivers, carefully selected from the cast and crew of LoadingReadyRun, take 24-hour shifts with the old Sega CD controller, carefully navigating this treacherous pathway, with only short breaks for peeing and eating to be had.

How could something like this possibly be fun? When others are inflicting this game upon themselves while broadcasting it for the sadistic enjoyment of the internet. Did I mention they do sketch comedy, and they're pretty good?

During the whole event, the group will accept Challenges from their viewers. These challenges can include everything from the person playing to sit upside-down in their chair for two minutes, to everyone to doing an a capella rendition of 'Over the Rainbow'. The challenges get crazier and crazier every year, and endless supplies of lulz and general hilarity are to be found.

They ALSO do an auction! Several of them! There are silent auctions happening on their website, and live auctions happening all the time! The biggest auction last year was a full sheet of un-cut Magic cards from their latest expansion. A lot of high-profile companies and nerds send them merchandise to give away and auction off during the event, but there is also a good deal of super high-quality artwork that is donated to the auctions as well, if you want to snag a piece of that action!

The whole event is a terrible amount of fun, and every penny gets donated to Child's Play. If you stop by and enjoy the antics, then pitch in a few bucks! See something in the auction that has your attention? Break out your Paypal and get on that shit! Here's some links:

http://desertbus.org/
http://loadingreadyrun.com/