zotmeister | Hunt

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Hunt

I have something of a conundrum. I'm sure many of you know that the MIT Mystery Hunt is this weekend; some of you may even be attending (or solving remotely, or wanting to but can't, or are intentionally giving it a miss). I've had a year to decide whether I wanted to attend again, and I still haven't made up my mind one way or the other. I have compelling reasons to go and compelling reasons not to. I'm genuinely stuck. Maybe some of you could help me resolve it. I should note that I can make my decision literally at the final hour, as the MIT campus is not a long drive for me. Here are things making me want to go: It's the greatest face-to-face gathering of puzzle solvers I can reasonably attend. Working with the likes of Mike Sylvia and Joe DeVincentis is just awe-inspiring. It could lead to the potential of helping to run the Hunt next year, an amazing outlet and opportunity (not to mention that I felt I underperformed last time and wouldn't mind a chance to remedy that). Being a gameshow host last year was a dream come true. The weather is actually looking favorable. When it snows up there, it is a torment (not to mention all the shoveling I was forced to stay up to do after I got home after my first Hunt, when I was already far beyond sleep-deprived - that situation actually got even worse, but that would be unfair to hold against the Hunt). I'll generally take any excuse for visiting the MIT campus. I love the place. I visited often (usually the arcade) during my two years living in Boston; the Hunt isn't the only competition I've participated in there; my most beloved relative as a child, my great-uncle Karl Gelpke, called it his alma mater and his endearment of the place easily passed down to me. Honoring his memory was one of the main reasons I wanted to do the Hunt in the first place - it was the closest to his wish of my attending MIT that I will likely ever come at this point, but I'd like to think that under the circumstances he'd be happy [I can hear his voice all these years later - "Oh, that's WONderful, Adam!"]. I just feel like I belong there. I'm a puzzler. I live in New England. I feel like I shouldn't even be debating it, but I know better. ["You are carrying a flagon. This is the Flagon Spilling Room. You spill your flagon..."] I may be able to bring a friend along this time, which would make the whole experience FAR more enjoyable. (He is a lot less likely to be spontaneously available like myself, however - the sooner I can get that squared away, the better.) Not going would be the "what if" I'd potentially regret. I sort of have a crush on someone likely to be there (not that I'll have any opportunity to see them - see below). Here are things making me want to not go: It's grueling. It's non-stop, and people eventually get pissy (and smelly). I have not completely physically recovered. My ear is much better, but my face is still half frozen, and my eye - although no longer dependent on drops - still can't quite close all the way and still requires attention and care. I can't afford to "nod off" like I did once two years ago - that could actually become a serious issue. If I need to crash, I need to bring eye patches and have a zero-traffic area to properly lie down in. I was hoping that if I were to attend the Hunt again that I'd be able to spring for proper lodgings in the area, eliminating the need to deal with parking nightmares (which I had in spades both years) and/or trips home. As I'm still unemployed, this didn't happen. Not everyone on my team is someone I'd want to be in the presence of. One is an outright bully. One is a petty thief. One is just a dumbass. And one just really weirds me out. But it's the bully that concerns me most. I'd probably weird out everyone else - I weird myself out in the mirror, and watching me laugh from the front or right side is just grotesque. I can't put my finger on it, but I'm wondering if certain members of my team actively want me to not stay with them for a reason not covered here. To say I haven't been kept in the loop would be an understatement. Needless to say, the whole process of finding a new team at the final hour would be a whole 'nother problem beyond actually physically being there. I may well have been spoiled by our previous victory; not only is there no guarantee we'll win, but there's also the shift in the social dynamic: I remember visiting the other teams and meeting people face-to-face for the first time (especially Derek Kisman, the other resident of the intersection of the videogame and puzzle realms) as the best part, and on a solving year that potential is greatly reduced. Two in particular I'd like to meet again are probably not going to attend, one likely never again (which is a particular shame, as I was three feet away more than once but too chickenshit to introduce myself and may never get the chance again...) Wedding theme?! Really? Yuck. I know the theme doesn't relate too much to the puzzles, but still... if I was leaning ever-so-slightly towards going - and it was hard to tell - I'm certainly not now. I'm in no position - physically or financially - to follow through on a crush (not to mention that I tend to forget how old I really am compared to college students...). I'm not even sure why I mentioned it in the first place - a sense of catharsis completeness, I suppose. It is 2 AM. (I am certainly in the right sort of sleep cycle for the Hunt, at least...) I reserve the right to edit this list as I come up with more elements. I'm really on the fence here. What do you think? Private responses (my email address is on my user info page) are just as welcome as public ones. Comments about your own personal desire to attend (or lack thereof, or possession of the opposite) are also welcome. - ZM

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My recommendation is to solve remotely. It sounds like the combination of things from the second list would outweigh the first list's benefits. Even though this would normally be the best thing ever, you'd be setting yourself up for a net loss of fun rather than a net gain. As much as I was inclined to say "ZOMG you HAVE to do it for everyone who CAN'T make it!!!1!" it's much better for you to save the gas money, energy, and possible team drama for another year.

I live so close to it that if I were to do it at all, I would want to be there. I did consider remote solving as a possibility, but ultimately dismissed it - I'm either going to be there or not. I appreciate the suggestion, though. - ZM

I don't know precisely how close you are, but if it's a resonable distance and you get a team with strong remote solving connectivity, you might be able to split the difference. Drive in, work locally, drive home as you start to get tired, then log in and continue working from the comfort of your own home. Then drive back in when you're settled. Maybe do one day local and one day remote, or something similar.

Something like that may be feasible. Oddly enough, it may depend on where I park; some places are more amenable to leaving the car there for the weekend, some to leaving and returning. The latter could encourage a time schedule, which could actually be a good thing [see motris' 2) below] but of course could also hurt my Hunt performance. Anyway, a good idea, and something to consider. - ZM

I should go and make my own list of pros and cons in the same way. Right now I think too much about my cons: 1.) I have no team, 2.) I have no ability to choose to sleep during an event I want to see as much of as possible which is unhealthy, and 3.) I kill metas dead and this is bad unless you want to write another Hunt.

We'll get to meet again eventually, though, I'm sure.

I realized I was focusing on my cons as well, which is why I did this in the first place. I also realize my pros border on TMI [Derek told you, didn't he?] and/or TL;DR, but that was the best I could articulate them.

I'd certainly like to see that list of yours, but it's not my place to encourage you. For what you have said, I'm sure any team that has no problem with 3) would have no problem with 1) [asssuming you have no problem with 3), which you probably do], but 2) is something I can relate to (especially now with my condition) and I'm pretty sure you have other cons (and/or subtexts to those three) as well. (I know I was shaken to find the team that ran my first Hunt had scattered to the winds for the second, but...) - ZM

I have to go to work, but I'd like to respond to some of this later. I'll drop you an e-mail, and conversing by IM is also possible.

I look forward to it - your pre-convo email was the first I'd heard that the team changed its name... - ZM

[EDIT: Sorry, Angry Flower, not sure what came over me there.]

Edited 2011-01-10 17:12 (UTC)

I feel you on the "belong" thing. I've said it since the first time I stepped foot there. Should have done so when I was applying for schools way back when. Sigh. :)

We'd love to have ya man, hope you decide to come.

The vote of confidence would mean a lot more coming from someone willing to share their identity - it makes it look like there's a conspiracy against me ["How DARE you encourage him!"] - but I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and appreciate it anyhow (I'm probably overromanticizing all this anyhow). - ZM

--It's grueling. It's non-stop, and people eventually get pissy (and smelly).

I always thought the smelliness was part of the charm. Yeah, people do get pissy and bossy in the final hours. I walk into it with the feeling that if I control my own pissiness, then I won't contribute to the problem. I'm also more forgiving than I would be in real life, because these people around me haven't slept in ages.

---I have not completely physically recovered. My ear is much better, but my face is still half frozen, and my eye - although no longer dependent on drops - still can't quite close all the way and still requires attention and care. I can't afford to "nod off" like I did once two years ago - that could actually become a serious issue. If I need to crash, I need to bring eye patches and have a zero-traffic area to properly lie down in.

If your medical issues really are that serious, then this would be the one valid reason where I'd say don't go.

---I was hoping that if I were to attend the Hunt again that I'd be able to spring for proper lodgings in the area, eliminating the need to deal with parking nightmares (which I had in spades both years) and/or trips home. As I'm still unemployed, this didn't happen.

I know our team (Codex) can be very accommodating with places to put vehicles and getting to and from said vehicles. Heck, I had an offer to pick me up at the airport at 11pm the night before (since I'm staying in a hotel Thursday night, this turned out not to be an offer I needed to take her up on).

---Not everyone on my team is someone I'd want to be in the presence of. One is an outright bully. One is a petty thief. One is just a dumbass. And one just really weirds me out. But it's the bully that concerns me most.

There are lots and lots of teams out there. You can find a team that suits your mood for the hunt.

---I'd probably weird out everyone else - I weird myself out in the mirror, and watching me laugh from the front or right side is just grotesque.

Heh, every person there has a reason not to go that involves "People will think I'm weird because of _______." The neat thing about the hunt is that it's really not an issue if everyone can make the same statement.

---I can't put my finger on it, but I'm wondering if certain members of my team actively want me to not stay with them for a reason not covered here. To say I haven't been kept in the loop would be an understatement. Needless to say, the whole process of finding a new team at the final hour would be a whole 'nother problem beyond actually physically being there.

I bet finding a new team might be easier than you think. Codex would be glad to have you.

---Wedding theme?! Really? Yuck. I know the theme doesn't relate too much to the puzzles, but still... if I was leaning ever-so-slightly towards going - and it was hard to tell - I'm certainly not now.

Wedding theme? Hmmm, hadn't heard about this. Are you sure it's not a dummy theme to put us off the scent? I actually had a mystery hunt idea that I hadn't seen done that related to weddings...I'd be interested to see if they do the same thing this year.

---I'm in no position - physically or financially - to follow through on a crush (not to mention that I tend to forget how old I really am compared to college students...). I'm not even sure why I mentioned it in the first place - a sense of catharsis completeness, I suppose. It is 2 AM. (I am certainly in the right sort of sleep cycle for the Hunt, at least...)

Can't help you there. :)

Dropped you an e-mail.

I suggest you go. Here are the arguments I have to present:

Noticaeble physical illness: As said by others, there are probably numerous individuals who may have a noticeable ailment or nonstandard appearance. It will hopefully not be an issue, or at least it will hopefully be one among several. One would hope that since this is by definition a gathering of highly intelligent people, such concerns are less pressing.

Unfriendly team members: From other people's comments, it appears you wouldn't have difficulty finding a different, better team.

Crush: I know how you feel. I'd say if you go into interacting with this person with the mindset of making friends, you're a lot less likely to encounter problems--and may well be pleasantly surprised.

Winning: You may not win, true enough. But it sounds like you'll enjoy the puzzles and learn a good deal, which seems a good substitude in and of itself.

The people: If you meet even one person that you continue to keep in contact with, it's probably worth it.

The what-if factor seems the biggest one. Once the weekend ends, the irritation of sleeping arrangements, fatigue, etc, will fade. The positive interactions, the joy of the puzzle hunt, that remains. If you stay in, you'll have a normal weekend. If you go, you could potentially have an amazing one.

Good luck with your decision.

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