On March 9th, 2008, at 4:00 P.M. EDT, 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.

 

lpsmith exclaims, "OK! Our next award is for Best Story. Back up to present is Merk. Take it away, Merk!"
Eric applauds.
Merk steps to the stage.
McMartin cheers
Otto sings an Astartan song
Eric leaves the auditorium to the west.
Merk says, "I'm pleased to be up here once again, this time to present in the category of Best Story."
</Eric> Eric has disconnected from ifMUD.
VictorGijsbers exclaims, "There he is, the Ashtrartan assassin!"
Merk says, "This is all about the "fiction" in Interactive Fiction. Great stories are what keep many of us so interested in IF, and these are all worthy nominees in the category."
Merk says, "But, on with the nominations.""
Merk says, "A Fine Day for Reaping, by James Webb aka "revgiblet""
McMartin claps
Emerald claps
Taleslinger claps.
Emily claps
Jota claps.
Baryon cheers
Merk claps, then checks the next on the list.
Merk says, "An Act of Murder, by Christopher Huang as "Hugh Dunnett""
Taleslinger is randomly chosen to be the one who claps.
duesen claps violently.
Baryon returns to clapping
Emerald claps
McMartin couldn't have applauded, given the situation
Jota applauds!
lpsmith cheers
McMartin says, "yay"
Merk claps again, then moves on to the third nominee.
Merk says, "Dead Cities, by Jon Ingold"
McMartin says, "Yay doom"
Jota claps.
Taleslinger can't clap, he's turned to stone.
Emerald says, "yay Dead Cities"
lpsmith updates the BEST SETTING entry on the chalkboard.
Merk claps.
Merk says, "Next up..."
Merk says, "Deadline Enchanter, by Alan DeNiro as "Anonymous""
duesen exclaims, "aha!"
Emerald says, "yay"
McMartin cheers
Taleslinger cheers.
nm applauds
Jota claps.
djfletch reads paper then claps
Merk says, "Our last nominee for best story is...""
Merk says, "Fate, by Victor Gijsbers"
<Ghogg> You consider the DOXY'S words, and furrow your savage brow in mild discomfort, for there are many syllables.
Jota applauds.
Emerald claps
Ghogg arrives from the west.
lpsmith cheers!
McMartin ended up clapping.
Emily claps for all of the foregoing
duesen claps
Taleslinger says, "Yay! Bound to happen!"
Merk peeks at the winner's envelope, then makes one of those "I know something you don't know" kind of faces like the models do on Deal or No Deal.
Jacqueline waves and makes an isquiesque departure for home.
</Jacqueline> We speak loudly, so that the other people in the cafe understand that we are aces of interactive fiction and the integrity of the world would waver without our presence.
[peanut-gallery] zarf says (to emily), "that's *Gousheh*-Forgoing."
[peanut-gallery] Emily says, "oh yes, how silly of me"
lpsmith says, "I tried to get one of them, but they were busy."
lpsmith says, "And besides, they didn't win anything last year."
Merk says, "The winners of Best Story have always been Titles of three words or less. Not so, this year. The winner is..."
Merk says, "A Fine Day for Reaping, by James Webb aka "revgiblet""
McMartin exclaims, "Woo!"
ctate applauds!
Ghogg cheers
Jota says (to lps), "Someone will have to include them as an NPC in 2008."
Emily says, "yay!"
Merk exclaims, "Also, the first win for an Adrift game. Congrats!!"
Otto claps too
Sargent says, "Woo!"
Miseri says, "And a fine day for it, too!"
Jota cheers.
Emerald cheers
Taleslinger claps.
lpsmith cheers!
djfletch exclaims, "hurrah!"
DavidW says, "woo!"
[peanut-gallery] Ghogg asks, "whoa really, first Adrift win ever?"
Nitku exclaims, "Yeah!"
<aash29> aash29 has connected to ifMUD.
[peanut-gallery] DavidW says, "yes, I think so"
[peanut-gallery] Merk says, "According to If-Wiki"
[peanut-gallery] ctate says, "of a xyzzy, i think so yeah"
[peanut-gallery] McMartin says, "I think the others were just nominated"
lpsmith asks, "Do we have James Webb or a representative here?"
[peanut-gallery] Merk says, "there have been 5 prior nominations."
duesen says, ""Reaping, My Love!""
[peanut-gallery] DavidW says, "Others have been nominated"
[peanut-gallery] Ghogg says, "Neat."
Taleslinger says, "Yay for Adrift!"
aash29 arrives from the west.
lpsmith asks (of aash29), "You're not James Webb, are you?"
Merk steps down, awaiting either Revgiblet or the next presenter.