On March 12th, 2005, at 4:00 P.M. EST (10:00 P.M. GMT), the XYZZY Awards Ceremony was held at ifMUD. Below is the transcript of the event, including side-comments that those in attendance made on the #peanut-gallery channel. Should you not wish to see those comments, an expurgated version is also available.

 

klimas says, "So I moved to leave the stage but I couldn't: the guy under the stage explained, there's one more favor I need from you and then you can go back to the desert, or the party, or work, or Beatrice's house, or wherever it was you really were before you began dreaming --"
[peanut-gallery] DrewMochak asks, "Hey, where's the love for Hello Sword?"
klimas says, "The nominees for best writing, he asked me to say, are:"
Bishop cheers for the mutual appreciation of the anglophone and Italian IF communities.
Rob says, "ha ha"
[peanut-gallery] wojohz says, "Hello, Nurse"
Lee cheers
klimas says, "Bolivia By Night, by Aidan Doyle."
[peanut-gallery] Merk says (to Drew), "Heh. I did like its color scheme..."
Norah claps
sdee applauds
[peanut-gallery] Rob says, "man, blue chairs seems like ages ago"
[peanut-gallery] olethros says, "hm"
Lee claps
Guest1 exclaims, "BOLIVIA!!!!"
Merk says, "Wooo Bolivia"
[peanut-gallery] klimas says, "I know it"
Rob claps
Eric applauds stylishly.
olethros claps bolivianously.
[peanut-gallery] Rob says, "heh"
klimas says, "Chancellor, by Kevin Venzke."
inky says, "hooray for ninjas"
sdee claps
olethros asks, "ninjas?"
Lee claps
Rob clpas
Merk exclaims, "Wooo Chancellor!"
Eric applauds economically.
klimas says, "Mix Tape, by Brett Witty."
[peanut-gallery] wojohz says, "i think you've said that before, about a different game"
[peanut-gallery] DrewMochak says, "Eh, doesn't seem that old to me. Brilliant game, though."
Rob chalupas
Norah claps
Lee applauds
[peanut-gallery] wojohz says, "in a different year"
[peanut-gallery] Merk says, ""(chanting) Chanc-ell-or. Chanc-ell-or. Chanc-ell-or."
Jacqueline applauds for Brett.
sdee claps
Eric gives mixed applause.
klimas says, "Tough Beans, by Sara Dee."
wojohz says, "yay Chancellor yay"
maga says, "yay"
[peanut-gallery] olethros asks, "maybe chancellor will win at least one thing.. wait, is this Best Game?"
Lee claps
Eric claps toughly.
wojohz says, "yay Tough Beans"
lpsmith cheers.
Merk exclaims, "woo mix tape & tough beans!"
olethros exclaims, "Hooray!"
[peanut-gallery] inky says, "this is best writing"
[peanut-gallery] Norah asks, "Brett has an account here doesn't he?"
Rob asks, "num num why violence in streets?"
klimas says, "And Vespers, by Jason Devlin."
[peanut-gallery] inky says, "yeah, he's BrettW"
Rob claps.
maga says, "woo"
[peanut-gallery] inky says, "but he's australian"
sdee exclaims, "woo!"
[peanut-gallery] olethros says, "I predict Vespers"
Lee claps
[peanut-gallery] Jacqueline says (to Rob), "yay"
Guest1 says, "yay vesp"
[peanut-gallery] Rob says, "this is writing"
klimas says, "The winner is..."
[peanut-gallery] olethros says, "but I haven't played Mix Tape"
Eric applauds monastically
klimas says, "Vespers, by Jason Devlin!"
Rob claps
[peanut-gallery] DrewMochak says, "I did. IT was alright."
Norah claps
maga says, "woo"
olethros says, "Hooray"
Lee cheers
sdee cheers
wojohz says, "hurray Vespers"
Guest1 says, "congrats"
Lee exclaims, "wooo hoo!!"
[peanut-gallery] Rob says, "an unsurprising victory"
Eric exclaims, "Well done, Jason!"
Merk exclaims, "Congrats to JasonD!"
GaylaW claps
[peanut-gallery] Bishop was kind of eh on Mix Tape.
inky says, "woot"
Jota applauds.
jmac snaps appreciately
[peanut-gallery] maga says, "Mix Tape had good prose"
klimas gives Best Writing 2005 XYZZY to JasonD.
robgrassi applaudes
[peanut-gallery] olethros says, "well, hm... writing also includes things like how effectively NPCs and settings are portrayed"
[peanut-gallery] olethros says, "somehow"
[peanut-gallery] maga says, "it depends whether the relevant definition of 'writing' involves things like plot design"
[peanut-gallery] maga says, "timing"
wojohz applauds again
Lee applauds
[peanut-gallery] olethros says, "economic use of words and so on"
[peanut-gallery] wojohz asks, "Scotty, how are my hands holding up?"
olethros applauds.
Eric hums a suitable dies irae ditty.
lpsmith says (to Jason), "Do you have anything more to say, or have you said it already? ;-)"
[peanut-gallery] (from wojohz) Scotty exclaims, "She can't take much more!"
Merk exclaims, "One more left! The big-dog of awards!"
[peanut-gallery] wojohz exclaims, "what do you mean she?!"
JasonD says, "The pressure's especially on to say something deep and insightful when someone gets Best Writing. And it doesn't get more deep and insightful than "Thanks guys!""
klimas laughs.
koblin laugh.
ParserGirl cheers!
lpsmith chuckles.
Eric cheers.
Norah says, "Heh"
Lee laughs
olethros says, "hahaha"
sdee claps
Jacqueline says, "Well stated, Jason."
koblin laughs.
Bishop laughs and claps.
klimas claps for everybody and heads for his seat.
wojohz says, "hee"
eileen claps enthusiastically
Merk says (to Jason), "Also, now the pressure's on to keep up the high standards game after game!! =)"