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, "So! Our next award goes to the game with the Best Setting. Our presenter for this, once again, is Emily!"
duesen looks sad, "no David..."
[peanut-gallery] VictorGijsbers says, "According to IFWiki. yes."
Merk exclaims, "Yay for games with great settings!"
Emily returns to the stage, frowning at a spot on the floor near where the elephant had been
duesen points at Emily, "Who's that?"
Taleslinger says (to duesen), "Shhh"
Emily says, "(I hope there's no cleaning deposit)"
Jota asks, "Will the elephant be presenting anything next year?"
[peanut-gallery] zarf says, "Let us never speak of the elephant's deposit again"
[peanut-gallery] DavidW says, "(I hate downloading new apps. Hate hate hate.)"
Emily says, "This next award honors imaginative, strange, evocative, or simply very well-constructed and thorough settings"
[peanut-gallery] McMartin says, "Augh"
[peanut-gallery] Emily says, "yeeeah"
Emily says, "the nominees are:"
[peanut-gallery] Merk says, "I wanna win one of these some day. Some day."
Emily says, "For a mysterious island in uncharted seas"
Emily says, "Blighted Isle, by Eric Eve"
Jota claps.
[peanut-gallery] Merk says, "(thinking of a great setting even as we speak)"
[peanut-gallery] McMartin says, "This category baffled me this year"
duesen pulls Eric's tail.
DavidW applauds
Celestianpower applauds exorbitantly
Emerald claps
McMartin claps
Merk exclaims, "Yay for Eric!"
VictorGijsbers plays adventurous music.
djfletch says, ">chart seas"
Emily says, "For being Good:"
Emily says, "Ferrous Ring, by Carma Ferris"
Eric claps.
Jota claps.
VictorGijsbers barrel organ.
Emerald claps
Merk claps
VictorGijsbers says, "Hm, doesn't work."
Emily says, "For a Place Under Ground"
Celestianpower cheers
[peanut-gallery] Merk says, "that was a cool setting."
Emily says, "Lost Pig, by Admiral Jota as "Grunk""
Eric claps.
Merk claps again.
duesen exclaims, "ah!"
McMartin clap
Emerald claps some more
Eric hands Victor another barrel-organ repair kit.
[peanut-gallery] Celestianpower asks, "say Which was a cool setting, Merk?"
Baryon claps
VictorGijsbers seeks for the gnomish song, but it was eaten by the pig.
[peanut-gallery] Merk says, "Ferrous Ring. Although, I suppose all are."
lpsmith claps.
Emily says, "As the first lightless windowless locked one-room vault ever to be nominated for a setting award"
Emily says, "Suveh Nux, by David Fisher"
Taleslinger says, "Yay"
Eric claps.
Jota applauds.
Merk claps for Suveh Nux.
McMartin claps
Emerald applauds
[peanut-gallery] McMartin asks, "What about Shade?"
VictorGijsbers plays some minimalist Glass.
[peanut-gallery] zarf says, "had windows."
[peanut-gallery] DavidW says, "It wasn't a vault."
[peanut-gallery] VictorGijsbers asks, "Was it locked?"
[peanut-gallery] Nitku says, "There was light."
[peanut-gallery] Taleslinger asks, "Who's Tom Brucker?"
Emily says, "For a world of intrigue, magic, and politics that seems to stretch beyond the borders of the game"
[peanut-gallery] (from Jota) Jota says, "Wasn't a room."
Emily says, "Varkana, by Maryam Gousheh-Forgeot as "Farahnaaz""
Jota claps.
[peanut-gallery] McMartin says, "Well, you couldn't leave"
Merk Claps for Varkana
Taleslinger cheers.
Eric claps.
duesen exclaims, "yay, Maryam!"
McMartin cheers for Varkana
Emerald says, "yay"
Emily says, "And the winner is"
Baryon exclaims, "Yay!"
Emily says, "Varkana, by Maryam Gousheh-Forgeot as "Farahnaaz""
Jota applauds!
McMartin exclaims, "Yay!"
duesen says, "I said so..."
[peanut-gallery] DavidW says, "Haven't played Varkana yet. Looks like I should."
Sargent claps!
lpsmith cheers!
Eric claps enthusiatically.
zarf claps
Emerald applauds vigorously
djfletch exclaims, "hurrah!"
Otto says, ""you have thanks from her""
<nm> AFAIK FWIW IANAL SAMPFAG
Baryon applauds magically
[peanut-gallery] Merk says, "The setting is great. The story/pacing is a little rough around the edges..."
Recchi applauds!
Emily says (to Otto), "excellent"
nm walks out from under the archway south of here, although you didn't notice him approaching it from the other side.
Miseri says, "Huzzah for intrigue, magic and politics that seem to stretch beyond the borders of the game!"
lpsmith asks, "I don't suppose we have Maryam with us today?"
[peanut-gallery] Baryon says, "I loved that place"
Taleslinger gives a standing ovation.
baf exclaims, "Yaay!"
VictorGijsbers claps for the kitten!
[peanut-gallery] McMartin says, "Yeah, have the walkthrough handy, though don't believe it on its claims of shortcomings - at least, not unless you run into it."
[peanut-gallery] McMartin says, "I didn't"
Celestianpower applauds stertorously
Otto says, ""I represent her (I'm a kind of Ambassador from Arg Varkana)""
Merk exclaims, "Congrats!!!!"
Emily lets Otto have the podium
Merk claps for Otto
lpsmith says (to otto), "Sure, come up and say something."
Otto says, ""Really, thank you everyone !""
Eric claps.
Otto says, ""I will tell her with our magic crystalPhone""
Emerald cheers
Merk claps.
Eric claps again.
duesen says, "http://www.spritewood.net/english/bio.htm"
lpsmith exclaims, "Excellent!"
[peanut-gallery] Merk exclaims, "And another award for a first-timer too! Woo!"
Otto says, ""Ok, I've just tell her she're really happy !""
lpsmith cheers again.
Emily says, "yay"
Taleslinger says, "good"
VictorGijsbers says, "sings and cheers."
Otto says, ""I hope it will encourage her to make new games !""
VictorGijsbers sings and cheers.
[peanut-gallery] DavidW asks, "VLC seems to be zapping the contents of my toolbar. How is that good?"