S6 E206 Boring, boring... never! Why Desert Bus is just perfect for machinima (Dec 2025)

🚍 This Week on Now for Something Completely Machinima 🎮

What if the most boring video game ever made was actually a goldmine for creativity?

This episode kicks off with Ricky’s unconventional pick: Desert Bus, a notorious 1990s “anti-game” by Penn & Teller where you drive a bus from Tucson to Las Vegas… in real time… for eight hours… and earn one point. That’s it. No explosions. No shortcuts. No pause button. Just desert, drift, and existential dread.

But instead of dismissing it as pointless, we flip the script. What if boredom is the point? What if empty, quiet, repetitive spaces are actually perfect canvases for machinima storytelling?

From comedy-driven conversations and Tarantino-style dialogue, to slice-of-life sci-fi journeys, existential bus rides, lonely astronauts, AI companions with zero empathy, and even an eight-hour “Are we there yet?” gag, the group explores how creativity thrives when spectacle disappears.

Along the way, they we into:

• Why originality matters more than flashy assets
• How boredom fuels imagination
• Using obscure, “weird,” or abandoned games as storytelling tools
• Desert Bus’s surprising cult following and charity legacy (yes, millions raised!)
• Why machinima has always been about writing, ideas, and voice more than graphics

The big takeaway?

 🎨 Creativity isn’t about having more tools — it’s about seeing possibilities where others see nothing.

If you’ve ever wondered how to turn the dullest game, the quietest moment, or the emptiest road into a compelling story, this episode is for you.

Buckle up. It’s a long ride… and that’s where the good ideas start.

And, for good measure: HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

Credits -
Co-hosts: Ricky Grove, Phil Rice, Damien Valentine, Tracy Harwood
Producer: Ricky Grove
Editor: Phil Rice
Music: Phil Rice & Suno AI