The day before Managotchi is due is when we realize how big the game actually is.

Having shot and edited all our images is one thing, stitching them together as movie files with sketch drawings and sound clips in Flash is another.

It’s a long, long night leading up to our Tuesday 9 a.m. presentation, most of the group getting less than three hours of sleep to ensure there are no hiccups.

Quality Assurance at 3 a.m. is pretty thrilling though, once we realize how well the game works. It’s just a slight tweak by Jeff to ensure our “fullness” meter is better balanced, and Managotchi is complete.

And despite the lack of sleep all around, our presentation goes strongly. Our newly branded team (Team Eagle Spirit) engages the class in a call-and-answer round of Managotchi, taking in suggestions for how to care for him. Perhaps most importantly, George Johnson seems impressed.

We wearily high-five one another as the semester comes to a close and head home for some much-needed rest. Managotchi was a heck of a lot of fun to work on, but sleep seems far more thrilling right about now!

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