The Fool and His Money is up
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Comments: 8 (latest November 15)
Tagged: the fool and his money, cliff johnson, your soul, the fool's errand
I was planning on writing this blog post Friday afternoon, and cueing it up to hit the streets at 9:01 PM. But that rat Johnson has tripped me up yet again and released The Fool and His Money a day early.
My download meter says "5 min 29 sec remaining", so that's how long I have to finish this post.
I was going to make a speech about not being a sardonic smartass about this sort of thing. I guess I still want to make that point. The past seven years have been punctuated by a lot of comments from That Guy -- you know who I mean -- the Guy Who says "Ha ha, 'the fool and his money', you're the fool, Cliff Johnson stole your money, he's never going to finish the game."
If you're that person, be ashamed. Doubt is easy; I've doubted. Calling somebody a liar is also easy, but it costs more. Don't impugn someone's honesty just to make a weak pun about the game's title. That's jackassery.
(Some of my friends are That One, and I'm sorry for lecturing you about this. I think it's important to say this.)
Yes, I am a biased commentator. I am a dude who is late with a game. Nobody's called me a liar yet, but I'm sure it'll come along. It won't break my spirit. That's not the point. The point is this:
If you have been 100% confident all along that Cliff Johnson would finish his game, today you are riding high. Your game is here and you're excited to play it.
If you have been hopeful -- or even doubtful! -- that Cliff Johnson would finish his game, today you are riding high. The world has justified your hopes, or the world is brighter than you expected; you are excited to play the game.
If you have been going around telling people that Cliff Johnson would never finish his game, that he was a liar, that we were idiots to believe it -- today you are horrified. You are disappointed. You're not the smart one after all. You invested yourself in believing the worst of someone, and the world has crushed your hopes. Your soul is smaller today.
I am here to tell you that you can be better than that. Your heart can grow three sizes today. It will hurt, though. Apologies always do.
Comments imported from Gameshelf
Brad J
(October 26, 2012 at 10:38 AM):
I think we can rejoice in having the game, even as we blush a bit at our cynicism.
I came to the conclusion several years ago that, even if it turned out just to be a big piece of performance art, I was okay with that.
But it's worth noting that it still took less time than Duke Nukem Forever, and about the same as Team Fortress 2.
Rinaldo
(October 26, 2012 at 2:13 PM):
I had faith the whole time, and I'm nothing but glad today. (Including my glee at having a whole long game to play.)
When the teaser came out, a few years ago, there was a forum for discussing the puzzles it contained. That URL no longer leads anywhere. Has the forum moved, or does it no longer exist?
Kathleen H
(October 29, 2012 at 11:03 AM):
Sometimes it is just good to help someone along on their errand than to receive the promised product and that is what it became for me. The next quest begins as I work and struggle with the puzzles.
Andrew Plotkin
(October 29, 2012 at 3:16 PM):
I never saw that forum; I don't know its fate.
Cliff Johnson
(October 31, 2012 at 12:32 PM):
Well put.
Abra6
(November 3, 2012 at 11:42 PM):
Cliff gave those of us who worked for it the Gift of Wisdom. Now we have another challenge. The timing is perfect. Who knows what The Fool and his Money might Spell for the True Believer? I suppose we will find out. Godspeed to you Cliff Johnson. The joke appears to be upon itself. -P-
Nate
(November 15, 2012 at 1:14 PM):
"I came to the conclusion several years ago that, even if it turned out just to be a big piece of performance art, I was okay with that."
Ditto. I had my doubts, but decided the money was worth the stuff he gives away free on his website. (Although I have an original Fool's Errand and 3 in Three, I'm sure it didn't cost as much as they were worth.)
What about those of us who were hopeful and/or doubtful (and are riding high), but also took the opportunity to make many easy cracks about the name of the game?