Unsweet Tea: Games as Bodies

A weird thing about being an independent game creator is that when your games are shown at festivals, expos, community meetups, etc. you are expected to babysit your game.I have spent countless hours sitting behind a folding table, my laptop turned to face away from me while someone plays a game about me.There is then almost always an uncomfortable conversation about me, my games, and why I do what I do.I am never the one to start these conversations.I would much prefer to be left alone, to be far away from my game.One of the worst parts of these interactions is the comparison between their experience with my games (a raw honest reflection of me) and me (a very uncomfortable shuffling back of flesh).Through my games, players have a view into my soul that is otherwise off-limits to almost everyone.My games are in many ways, my body.They are representative assemblages that hold relationships with other people.And I often find that my games do a better job of being me than I do sometimes.