Our Hope For Desert Bus 2010....

[cerulgalactus]

So, due to a few throwaway lines from Morgan and Graham over the course of the last DesertBus, both myself and StrangeJet got inspired.

To do what?

Well, what we want to do is bring the crew to Australia for DesertBus 2010. Don't worry, all we want to change is the location.

And that is where we need everyone's help. We have set up a facebook group (here) whereby you can, for now, pledge your wishes for this to happen. And starting from January next year, we'll be trying our damnedest to raise the money necessary to fly the crew here - we didn't want to try to pass the hat until after DesertBus has wrapped.

And, as stated on the page, if we do not meet the amount we believe we'll need to get the Runners here then all money raised will go directly to Child's Play.

We sincerely hope that this idea comes to fruition.

[Lorithad]

This might just be my bias of wanting to keep the crew in an area where I might actually be able to attend desert bus, but I don't really see a point in changing the venue.

Desert bus isn't something that the location really matters. As long as they have all their equipment, a good internet connection, and a week's supply of energy drinks, why would it matter if they're in victoria or or anywhere else? At least keeping the venue where it is means we can see all the people who help out LRR through out the rest of the year. And they get to sleep in their own comfy beds when they actually get the chance to sleep.

[Machalllewis]

Actually yeah. That would suck for them to have to drive for 6 days and then have to go back to a hotel or something.

[Cake]

The interbutts in Australia are made of failtubes.

[ThrashJazzAssassin]

The main problem probably wouldn't be with Desert Bus itself, it would be with all the other LRR business. At least one extra week's worth of LRR, ENN and Unskippable, plus anything else the crew might be doing by then, would need to be pre-recorded alongside the previous week's videos. The crew would also be without their familiar technical setup during the week, and there wouldn't be the opportunity for so many guests and friends to drop in.

Sorry, guys, but I don't think this is likely to work.

[CtMolloy]

The interbutts in Australia are made of failtubes.

This.
The internet connection wherever they are would probably get capped half a day into the bussing and the children would be disappoint.
As much as i would like them to come to Australia it would be a biiiig undertaking.

[Machalllewis]

Good point actually Thrash. It does seem to be all a bit over complicated as well as incredibly limiting for the crew themeselves. Im assuming you wouldn't be paying for their hotel and food and everything, so that would be an extra expense for them and they can hardly lift the funds from the charity like.

[Lord Chrusher]

Any money you are willing to spend to get LRR in Australia next year is better spent being donated to Child's Play. I am saying this as someone who is hopefully living in Australia this year.

[Digital Dolphin]

Yeah, I have to agree with most other people in this thread... the guys need to focus on improving their system to make sure it can handle the huge and ever increasing load that they experience when they do DesertBus. I don't think taking them out of their comfort zone, spending a TON of money in the process, is the best way to serve a charity fundraiser.

[iamafish]

Any money you are willing to spend to get LRR in Australia next year is better spent being donated to Child's Play. I am saying this as someone who is hopefully living in Australia this year.

this. word for word...

[Kaemon]

As fun as that could be, yeah, it wouldn't really work. The extra time and limitations of people visiting if you were in Australia would just not work.

Money is better spent just donating.

[MattAn]

When I first read "Australia", my eyebrow somewhat raised in interest of this viewpoint and I wished to subscribe to its newsletter.. However, there ARE pros and cons.

-Pros-
LRR gets a new environment to do their thing, gets a fresh perspective.
It'd be closer for me?
ENN and Unskippable could technically still be done while in Australia. Yahtzee's here after all. Maybe some on-site ENN reports much like Yahtzee's Washington DC tour for Zero Punctuation.
Not sure about other people, but being the charitable person I am (and I hope all LRR Australian members are), I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult getting the LRR crew some top-notch accommodation.

-Cons-
Australian internet sucks.
The lack of Canadian and American-based organizations/guests like Hothead, Penny Arcade and Ken Steacy won't be there. Think of the monies.. For the children!
Money more worth going to Child's Play, really, as stated much more above.

In general, it sounds like a -great- idea to me, personally, but when you think of the logistics of it all.. Not so much.

[Metcarfre]

There's NO WAY the crew could afford to go down to Australia together. Furthermore, it provides NO benefit to the actual AIM of Desert Bus - to raise money for children.

Like the desires for a secret "Runners Only" chat room, this is a selfish desire to have the crew to yourselves to the detriment of the efficacy of the event.

[Master Gunner]

From what I've heard, Australia just doesn't have the tubes to support Desert Bus, and like Thrash said, there's a lot of other stuff they need to do in Victoria as it is. Then there's all of the stuff to auction off, they couldn't take all of it to Australia with them, especially just to bring it back so they could mail it at a reasonable rate. So yeah, better to just raise the money towards making the Desert Bus drive that distance between Victoria, Canada, and Victoria, Australia.

[MattAn]

Oh, don't get me wrong, metcarfre.. I'm in no way saying it's exactly feasible or even remotely worthwhile doing, because it defeats the point of what Desert Bus is about, as you stated.

Trust me, I'd much rather make MY OWN flight to Victoria, BC to actually be at the moonbase rather than needlessly dragging away people from their homes just to go to another country, especially when they're the ones putting all of it together.

I think, however, what cerulgalactus was saying is that Australians (or whoever) would fit the bill for the flights, etc.. But that still would be better off going to Child's Play and LRR running Desert Bus from home. I fail to see how running the game and multiple screens for days and days in a different location that isn't the moonbase would technically work. So yeah, I was merely being hypothetical or indecisive at the very least.

[epocalypse]

While it is a bit self serving, (moving back into pst myself next year) I got to agree with the general vibe: too hard on the crew and not enough internets.

[Kaemon]

From what I hear from this Australia has really bad internet....

How bad is it exactly?

[MattAn]

Well, once MY internet goes over the download usage limit, it's 15c a MB. That in itself adds up like a bitch.

It's fairly fast for the time before then though.. o.O

[Kaemon]

Download usage limits?
I thought that only existed on cell phone plans >_>

[MattAn]

There's like, unlimited usage and unlimited download and all.. But up to a certain GB, which is completely hypocritical.

That's another thing, it's not cell phones here, it's "mobile phones" and usually that's through the normal internets as well. Then again, I don't have an iPhone, but my PSP-3000 has an internet browser that goes through the wireless internet at home.

One thing I remembered regarding this topic.. More of a question.. Um.. cerul, you never once actually stated what it was Graham and Morgan actually said. There's no point claiming they said something when there's no explanation of it.

[Kaemon]

There's like, unlimited usage and unlimited download and all.. But up to a certain GB, which is completely hypocritical.

I don't see how they can get away with that. I mean, its annoying that my iphone has a 5gb cap, but I never reach that, so its not a problem, but they call it unlimited, and I don't know how they can say its unlimited except for 99% of their users don't get that high. (I've gotten to 4.8gb in a month max though...)

And if they're for your normal internet REALLY they shouldn't be saying unlimited download if its not. That must really suck.

[MattAn]

Well, I mean.. The iPhone and other related cordless phonetic devices with internet-like features may have some other sort of internet connection aside the normal PC one, but I know they have the same 5gb cap stuff on those.

But actual PC internet though.. Telstra here has caps going from;

Fast 256/64#
$29.95 200MB
$59.95 BigPond Liberty ® 12GB

Faster 1500/256#
$39.95 400MB
$69.95 BigPond Liberty 12GB
$79.95 BigPond Liberty 25GB

Fastest# High Speed ADSL2+ ADSL
$59.95 600MB
$89.95 BigPond Liberty 12GB
$99.95 BigPond Liberty 25GB (We had this I think..)
$149.95 60GB (We have this now?)

FINE PRINT: *Additional usage charged at $0.15/MB, except for members on the BigPond Liberty plans. If you are on a BigPond Liberty plan, once you reach your usage allowance, the speed of your service will slow to 64kbps until your new billing cycle starts.

As you can see, it is massive phail.

[Master Gunner]

That...those.....*head asplodes*

[TheRocket]

Why would I donate money to fly the crew across the world, where the internets are phail, and where not all the crew could go/guest spots be compromised? Especially when the money I donate to do something that is so unnessecary could be going to Childs Play?

Plus, you forget that through DB, crew members still have their jobs/lives. A lot of them still have to drag their asses to work after bussing.


It's a fun idea, and when LRR becomes big and famous and has tons of money, I'm sure they will be more then happy to travel.

[MattAn]

That...those.....*head asplodes*

This quote is berry yes. Berry yes.

Also, Siobhan speaks le truth. Although it would be awesome and amazing to have the LRR crew visit anywhere near where I am, but I'd be much more inclined to visit Canada and be in awe at the sheer awesome I'd witness.

Furthermore, what?