Work Text:
Get ready for a Not Game Changer, the only game show fanwork where the game changes every work. I am your host Not Sam Reich, I am joined today by our lovely... contestant?
Hello, Player. How are we doing today?
I'm doing good and I'm sooooo ready to start playing.
It's kinda meh, but I'm interested to see where this goes.
Not great chef. I'm only here because you distracted me with shiny CSS.
That's what I'm talking about Player! Pumped and ready to go, we love to see it.
One of those days huh, Player?
Yeah, times are rough Player. Hopefully this game can make this day less meh.
Okay so let's get to it! Player, do you understand how the game works?
I have no idea what this game is about.
Um, actually I know this game — I've been here before.
How am I supposed to know if I don't understand this game if I don't know what we're playing?
That's right, our player has no idea what game they're about to play.
Oh? Seems like we have a time traveller on our hands. Welcome back dear friend. I see you want to play again.
Ha ha, real funny. The Smartypants set isn't this way. Might I suggest checking again next week? Over here on Not Game Changer we like to play fun little games to pass the time.
The only way to learn is by playing, the only way to win is by learning, and the only way to begin is by beginning.
So without further ado, let's begin.
Player, for your first prompt:
Pop the bubbles
POP!
POP!
POP!
Nice work player.
So, do you know how the game works?
No, I don't... Am I missing something?
I think so... I still don't trust you.
Yeah, yeah I know what's going on. You're not that slick.
Au contraire Player, I think you're doing just fine. :)
Oh Player, how you wound me...
Oh, do you now Player? We'll see about that...
Here have one point for popping those bubbles.
Hey Player, do you like word games? They're one of my favourites. It's a great way to unwind after a long day of Not Being Sam Reich.
Yes, I love word games!
Words... I hate words...
Excellent! You're going to love this next game.
Well... Oops?
I hope you can still try your best and to keep an open mind.
Now for the next prompt, just sit back and relax and:
Complete the connections game
Player, do you know what is Connections?
Yes, you stole it. It's a very famous game.
No, I don't know what that is.
It's not stealing. I believe the term is that this is a transformative work. :)
Give it a go then.
So Connections is a word game. There are 16 words on the board. You have to categorize those words into groups of four. Those four words will have something in common.
Why don't we give it a try?
How to play:
- Find groups of four items that share something in common.
- Select four items and tap 'Submit' to check if your guess is correct.
First four prompts from the first make some noise episode
cow, duck, monkey, chick
Things the mouth approves of in the Nom nom nom episode
pizza, cookies, banana, ramen
Names of animals featured on Game Changer
Zuri, Henry, Mayday, Finn
Words made from the first letters of Game Changer S7 Episode Names
YOU-lympics, EARnest-est, crowd control, one year later
Zuri
pizza
One
You
cow
cookies
Henry
duck
banana
Ear
monkey
Mayday
Crow
Finn
ramen
chick
Submit
Select four
Zuri
pizza
One
You
cow
cookies
Henry
duck
banana
Ear
monkey
Mayday
Crow
Finn
ramen
chick
Submit
Select four
Zuri
pizza
One
You
cow
cookies
Henry
duck
banana
Ear
monkey
Mayday
Crow
Finn
ramen
chick
Submit
Select four
Zuri
pizza
One
You
cow
cookies
Henry
duck
banana
Ear
monkey
Mayday
Crow
Finn
ramen
chick
Submit
Select four
Congratulations player! One point for you. How did you find it?
It was fun! I liked it.
Meh, it was fine.
Excellent Player!
Sometimes we just need to play some word games to keep the old noggin' sharp.
I hear you Player, word games aren't for everyone and that's fine.
There are a ton of other ways to chill.
Okay so now we're going to make this a little harder.
Finish this sudoku puzzle
How to play sudoku:
- The 9x9 square can only be filled with numbers 1-9 in any given row, column, or the marked 3x3 boxes without any repeat numbers.
How to play AO3 sudoku:
- Click/tap on the blank boxes to cycle through the numbers. The numbers will loop back around if you go too far.
Nice work Player. Look at you, you're on a roll. Did you know, studies have indicated that doing number and word puzzles may keep your brain working better for longer?
Okay so now we're going to go a little more personal. Players, I want you to:-
Text a friend you haven't spoken to in a while
Um... Not Sam Reich, what?
Like, real life friend? What about online friends?
What? It's a perfectly reasonable request.
Texting a friend you haven't spoken to in a while is a normal thing to do.
What is the online space but a digital playground to hang out at after work?
Well, I like to think online friends are also real life friends. Just remember to be careful when talking to strangers online.
So you just want me to text a friend I haven't talked to in a while? Sure, I can do that.
What would I even talk about?
Uh, I don't know if I can do that.
Excellent, Player.
Just text them and you can come back to the game while waiting for their reply.
Or if they're a fast texter, come back to the game whenever. I'll be here. Although, please don't refresh the page or you'll lose your progress so far.
Okay I texted them!
Just say hi. Talk about what you've been up to, or ask them what they've been up to. Make plans to meet up.
Or if they're cool with fandom, tell them that an AO3 fanfic told you too. Possibilities are endless.
Okay, yes I think I can text them.
I don't think I can do that.
Awesome.
Just text them and you can come back to the game while waiting for their reply.
Or if they're a fast texter, come back to the game whenever. I'll be here. Although, please don't refresh the page or you'll lose your progress so far.
Okay I dropped them a text.
Why not?
I don't think I have anyone to text.
The idea of texting them makes me anxious.
Awesome work player! 1 point for you.
The community we nurture and the company we need takes time and effort. Having a diverse social group is really important for your well-being. Keeping in touch with old friends is good for both you and them. Good job, you.
Hm, how about this? Would you like to text me instead?
Text you? What do you mean?
Yeah, Player! It'll be fun. Come on, let's start.
Not Sam Reich
Hi!
Why am I doing this?
Would you like a bird fact?
Hi!
Hi!
What's up?
Why am I doing this?
You tell me.
Would you like a bird fact?
Yes
Always
Owl's eyes are actually tubes
Some albatrosses are lesbians
Owl's eyes are actually tubes
like long eyeballs that are stuck to its skull
Oh my god, eye tubes??
Horrifying. Incredible fact.
What's up?
Some albatrosses are lesbians
Female Laysan albatrosses will sometimes get a male albatross to "donate their sperm" and then raise the chick with another female albatross
man i love birds so much
anyways, what's up?
youre the one who asked me to message you
i'm supposed to message a friend
youre the one who asked me to message you
well technically the prompt was to message a friend you havent spoken to in a while
i'm supposed to message a friend
as flattering as it is, we only did just meet
youre supposed to message a friend who haven't spoken to in a while
you're the one who gave me the option to message you instead!
what if i consider you a friend?
you're the one who gave me the option to message you instead!
and you're the one who picked this over texting your irl friend
why didn't you text them?
what if i consider you a friend?
you know that's not what i meant
player, i'm not real
why didn't you text your friend?
i don't think they'll be interested to hear from me. it'll be awkward
i'm busy, they're busy, i don't want to be a bother
what would we even talk about?
i don't think they'll be interested to hear from me. it'll be awkward
you don't know if they'll be interested or not!
yes, it might be awkward at first
but if you never try you never knowww
maybe they miss you too
i'm busy, they're busy, i don't want to be a bother
that's part of friendships, isn't it?
being a bother
its about putting in the effort and going out of your way
its the price of friendship
what would we even talk about?
say hi how are you
ask them about what theyve been up to
share cool bird facts
possibilities are endless, really
what's the point of all this, really?
what's the point of all this, really?
there is this one study on nature dot com
https://www.nature.com/articles/s44271-024-00075-8
it says that people are hesitant to reach out to each other for many reasons
but it also found that you can ease that anxiety by "practicing" talking to other people or strangers
i don't know if a predetermined set of answers from an ao3 work counts as practicing
but i hope it does
and thank you, player
i hope you get to talk to them soon
take a point for preemptive effort
And that brings us to the second last prompt of the game.
I thought we should have a little fun with this one. For this round, you have to:
make a pixel art
Player, have you ever made pixel art?
Yes! I've done pixel art before.
No, and I'm confused.
Oh, I see we have an artist in our midst.
Give it a whirl then my dear Player.
Pixel art is made up of tiny squares that you can manipulate (in this case, changing the colours) to make a whole art piece.
Why don't you give it a try?
Directions:
- The large square below is filled with tiny cells.
- Long press on those tiny cells to colour it.
- If you are on a mobile Android device, you have to release the long hold for the colour to appear.
- Tap on the controls to change the colour.
- Tap on the Underlined speed indictor to change the pressure for different shades.
- Stack multiple colours to mix your own.
- WARNING: If you want to save your work, please screenshot it.
Slow
Medium
Fast
Instant
Speed
I'm done.
Excellent work Player! I know art is subjective, but technically it is the best one here. Art is what you take from it, and I think it's great. 1 point for you.
And that brings us to our last prompt.
Now this prompt doesn't have any points, but maybe that is the point.
Take things slow
The world moves extremely fast these days, so your last prompt is to take things slow — play with bubbles, do some puzzles, call your friends, and make some art.
And that brings the end of our show. Congratulations Player, you are the winner of this episode of Not Game Changer.
I am your host, Not Sam Reich, reminding you that when it comes to taking care of yourself, the only person you can compete with is yourself.
Goodnight.
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