In the last episode, team Stack Up’s captain Jon Sandman successfully defused the bomb in Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes, thanks in equal parts to his team’s precise directions and his own intuition.
Team Take This’ captain Pamela Horton had a much tougher time. With seconds remaining on the clock, Team Take This called upon its instincts to defuse the bomb. Unfortunately, it turned out that the teammate’s guessing skills weren’t sharp enough to keep the bomb from exploding. When Pamela’s her teammates urged her to cut the last blue wire, the bomb exploded.
With that, Team Stack Up jumps ahead with a 1000 point lead.
Luckily, the competition was far from over, and team Take This still had many opportunities to make a comeback.
Before moving onto the next game, Take This’ content manager Dr. Chelsea Hughes made a special appearance. On stage, she explained Take This’ mission statement and how it plans on eliminating the social stigma surrounding mental health.
The Take This charity was founded in 2013 by journalists Russ Pitts, Susan Arendt, and clinical psychologist Dr. Mark Kline empower gamers experiencing mental health challenges. Its website offers extensive information on topics including the importance of mental health, different categories of mental illness, and treatment options.
Going beyond just offering passive support, Take This also actively help gamers at events with its Away From Keyboard (AFK) Room. Crowded floorspace, tight schedules, and other stressors can trigger emotional distress, especially in depression and anxiety. The Take This AFK Rooms is a specially-reserved quiet space for gamers overwhelmed with stimuli at large conventions. More than just a lounge, the AFK Room is staffed with trained volunteers who can offer resources and socialize with attendees. Its atmosphere follows a rigorous guideline so its members always get a consistently peaceful experience.
In addition, Take This also provides mental health consulting for HR departments, industry partners, and game companies to be safer and more inclusive. It recently launched its Ambassador Program, which aims to assist streamers in fostering a positive space for people to discuss mental health on their stream.
If you want to visit Take This in person, you won’t have to wait long. Take This will be hosting it’s AFK Rooms at PAX South and MAGFest. Check out its website for more information.
After Chelsea departed (with a high-five to Pamela), the competitive tension returned. For the second VR challenge, each team put forth its calmest-looking member. Team Stack Up chose ST Peach, while team Take This nominated Misses Mae.
As it turned out, the calm trait was critical for the horror VR game “Face your Fears”. It took players through a nerve-racking scenario completed with terrifying visual and audio effects. Once again, the “Wheel of Misfortune” made surviving extra difficult. Stack Up spun “Feathers”, which allowed a Take This member to assault the player with a feather at their leisure. Take This, on the other hand, rolled “blow air on neck”. Yep, it was creepy on multiple levels.
A panel of judges offstage kept their keen eye on the contestant's reactions and gave a score based on how well they handled the game.
Even before the game began, both ST Peach and Misses Mae were already petrified by the mandatory clown doll companion. When the game engaged full-throttle, their terrified screams resonated deeply with both teams. It was hilarious to see Peach being prodded with a feather and hearing Mae cry “WHY IS THERE AIR” at the top of her lungs.
The winner of this challenge will be announced in the next episode. Continue to catch the action on Oculus Facebook, Oculus YouTube, Oculus Rift Facebook, and VR League Facebook.
