2007-10-08
Prank Calling the School of Game Development
I made a prank call today. I couldn't help it. The School of Game Development made me.
Okay, they didn't make me, exactly. But they were asking for it.
Just take a look at their half-page advertisement in Game Informer magazine:

Friggin' genius! He doesn't even hold his control pad the right way. And he's supposed to be a graduate? The only way that would work is if this was the "before" picture a two-part ad. The message being, "We even taught this guy how to program!"
Concerned for the future of the School of Game Development, I placed a call.
No, seriously. I called them up. And though I did not mean to, I spoke in a slight Indian accent. Purely subconsciously, I assure you.
Fine. I sounded like Ben Jabituya.
Ben (me): Hello, is this the School of Game Development?
Operator (bubbly): Yes it is!
Ben (me): I was wondering if you had a course on advanced joystick holding.
Halfway through saying this, I realized how dirty it sounded. I was afraid she'd hang on me. This wasn't a sleazy call! Luckily, things were about to get too damn funny for her to hang up on me now.
Operator (slight pause): No, sir.
Ben (me): Well I noticed in your advertisement that the fellow in the advertisment ("ad-ver-tis-ment") held his gamepad outwards, away from him, and I was wondering if this is an advanced technique?
Operator (mortified): We... can can teach you how to make a game -- how to develop on a platform -- but we can't teach you how to play...
Ben (me): Yes, that is the problem. I cannot play -- I hold the gamepad facing towards me.
And at that point, my brother laughed so hard in the background that she hung up.
The end.
Okay, they didn't make me, exactly. But they were asking for it.
Just take a look at their half-page advertisement in Game Informer magazine:

Friggin' genius! He doesn't even hold his control pad the right way. And he's supposed to be a graduate? The only way that would work is if this was the "before" picture a two-part ad. The message being, "We even taught this guy how to program!"Concerned for the future of the School of Game Development, I placed a call.
No, seriously. I called them up. And though I did not mean to, I spoke in a slight Indian accent. Purely subconsciously, I assure you.
Fine. I sounded like Ben Jabituya.
Ben (me): Hello, is this the School of Game Development?
Operator (bubbly): Yes it is!
Ben (me): I was wondering if you had a course on advanced joystick holding.
Halfway through saying this, I realized how dirty it sounded. I was afraid she'd hang on me. This wasn't a sleazy call! Luckily, things were about to get too damn funny for her to hang up on me now.
Operator (slight pause): No, sir.
Ben (me): Well I noticed in your advertisement that the fellow in the advertisment ("ad-ver-tis-ment") held his gamepad outwards, away from him, and I was wondering if this is an advanced technique?
Operator (mortified): We... can can teach you how to make a game -- how to develop on a platform -- but we can't teach you how to play...
Ben (me): Yes, that is the problem. I cannot play -- I hold the gamepad facing towards me.
And at that point, my brother laughed so hard in the background that she hung up.
The end.
Labels: videogames
