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Thanks to the recent infestation of geeky tech and sci-fi shows—including The Big Bang Theory —there’s never been a better time to be a nerd. Developers Wot-Not want you to liberate your cerebral celibacy and celebrate with Nerd-O-Rama, an amalgam of games with proven nerd appeal. Nerd-O-Rama has many familiar nerd staples such as Chess, Bowling, JRPGs, Star Wars and Star Trek , and economic sims, but all with a twist. Nerd-O-Rama has one of the best A.I. personalities ever developed. Based on HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey , this personality will accompany you through all the games. Named INoF (In Need of Friend), he will act as tutor, mentor, competitor, and, most importantly, a friend. “We all know that nerds are a lonely bunch,” says developer Billy Burle. “They are in need of companionship, and there’s no better friend for these people than robots. Nerds are shy, reclusive, and often repugnant and repulsive. They need a friend that’s nonjudgmental, and somewhat controllable, especially if he begins to scare them. If INoF gets too smart for the nerd, or overindulges in ridicule, they can always dumb him down or soften him up a bit.” Berle continued: “The game comes with a kit that included a cell phone and glasses. They’re not 3D glasses or anything, just glasses. Because nerds usually wear glasses. And it’s not a real cell phone, it’s more like a pager. Nerds usually don’t have a lot of friends, so what’s the point of having a phone? INoF will leave messages on it when the player has been away from the game for too long. He’ll tell them he misses them, and that they should come home soon and play the game. I know it sounds a little creepy, but our research tells us nerds find this nurturing, even if it is artificial.” INoF is a big help for beginners. He’ll guide newbies through the rules of Chess, ultimately playing against them when they’re sufficiently trained. He’ll also teach newly nerds why they should like Star Trek , how to run from beatings, and the art of being fearful and awkward around members of the opposite sex. “I tried Nerd-O-Rama last week and it was amazingly realistic,” says former Cheat Code Central CEO Arty Hackery. “Especially when INoF was calling me a loser, a freak, and an idiot, just for making some simple mistakes. It really brought back some memories.” Nerd-O-Rama will be available immediately after the Holiday Season. Look for the game with the hole drilled on the top corner of the package. By Cole Smith |