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PrintProgrammer pops question on girlfriend's video game
Tue Apr 15, 2008 9:15 AM EDT
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JERSEY CITY — Hiding a ring in a bouquet just wasn't enough when a computer programmer decided to pop the question. Bernie Peng reprogrammed Tammy Li's favorite video game, "Bejeweled," so a ring and a marriage proposal would show up on the screen when she reached a certain score.
Li reached the needed score — and said yes.
The word of the romantic feat last December filtered out after Peng, a financial software programmer, posted details on his blog. The reprogramming was a tricky task and took him a month.
"I thought it was pretty cool, in a nerdy way," Peng told The Star-Ledger of Newark.
The couple plan to marry over Labor Day weekend, and PopCap, the Seattle company that makes "Bejeweled," will fly the couple to Seattle as part of their honeymoon.
"Most video game companies would frown on people manipulating their games," said Garth Chouteau, a spokesman for PopCap.
"But it won him a woman. As a bunch of geeks we have to say, 'Bernie, hats off to you.'"
The company is also supplying copies of "Bejeweled" to hand out as favors to the wedding guests. In the hugely popular game, players score points by swapping gems to form vertical and horizontal chains.
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 | Love-struck hacker proposes using 'Bejeweled' | CNN | Wed Apr 16 | 2 |
- Public Discussion (34)
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{"commentId":1694172,"authorDomain":"jlaramore"}
as the girlfriend of a comptuer science major and a devoted video game player myself, if Bejeweled floats her boat then why not propose that way? My vote - incredibly romantic and cute to boot.
{"commentId":1694172,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"jlaramore"}
- 1 vote
#1 - Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:47 PM EDT{"commentId":1694265,"authorDomain":"babie"}
I think it is sweet he know his wife to be and I am sure that will be a moment in her life that she will never forget. It takes a lot for a guy to come up with the next creative moment to pop the question and something like this takes time and effort. I am sure that if I were her I would have been surprised. What will the next husband to be think of next. Originality counts. Mine had all my friends come over to because I had something to say. So as they all piled in the living room one by one I was shocked to see him with my parents in tow to pop the questions it is something me and my girls talk about til this day 9 years later
{"commentId":1694265,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"babie"}
- 2 votes
#2 - Tue Apr 15, 2008 1:08 PM EDT{"commentId":1694309,"authorDomain":"sscabet"}
I think it is very romantic that he took the time and used his expertise to do that!
Being creative in a proposal is a definite plus. And it might get him some interesting job options too!
My current husband of 20 years took me one early morning for a hot air balloon ride and proposed one mile up! (Right over a mental hospital) I was so scared up there I could not talk! The pilot jokingly said "What's your answer? He told us if you say no we should throw you out!" I started to laugh and finally said yes after starting to cry. It is truly a moment I will never forget. We had champagne when we landed. It was REALLY great.
{"commentId":1694309,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"sscabet"}
- 1 vote
#3 - Tue Apr 15, 2008 1:22 PM EDT{"commentId":1694424,"authorDomain":"emab4"}
Definitely smooth, but only for the nerdy folks...
{"commentId":1694424,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"emab4"}
- 1 vote
#4 - Tue Apr 15, 2008 1:52 PM EDT{"commentId":1694638,"authorDomain":"bsmart"}
Anybody who goes to that effort to propose is definitely a catch. Thoughtfulness, patience and creativity are all cornerstones of a healthy marriage. Why would anybody attach negative connotations to "nerdy". Maybe we need a few more of these "nerds". Apparently, they have the solutions to problems that elude "normal" people. "Nerds" of the world unite. Bring em on!!!
{"commentId":1694638,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"bsmart"}
#5 - Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:40 PM EDT{"commentId":1694691,"authorDomain":"letsd"}
its just to nerdy and really only a dork with no change with another woman would try and pull it off.so with out to much guessing im sure the two are suited for each other.
{"commentId":1694691,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"letsd"}
- 1 vote
#6 - Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:54 PM EDT{"commentId":1694856,"authorDomain":"mhopf"}
I'm sure you'd have no chance with someone that actually knows how to spell and use proper grammar!
Perhaps you should take a look at yourself before making negative comments on others...
{"commentId":1694856,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"mhopf"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":1705204,"authorDomain":"jtwtwo"}
Perhaps if you realized that you can use your computer as more than a wank-o-matic short attention span diversion you would have at least a little respect for the man's effort and originality. Fire up Visual Studio or Front Page for your wedding proposal; you could always go with the tried and true stadium scoreboard proposal. Caution, you may encounter at least one computer nerd to get your well crafted proposal to post!
{"commentId":1705204,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"jtwtwo"}
{"commentId":1707204,"authorDomain":"sphinx"}
or Front Page for your wedding proposal
Oh dear, there goes your computer nerd status. :-p
{"commentId":1707204,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"sphinx"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1694788,"authorDomain":"Jipc"}
Nerds Rule!!! I think he's sweet AND he knows his now bride-to-be. She was playing a game she likes and up pops a proposal in a place where she couldn't possibly think it would show up in. The effort he put into reprogramming a game shows his devotion to his lady! You go dude!!!
{"commentId":1694788,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"Jipc"}
#7 - Tue Apr 15, 2008 3:20 PM EDT{"commentId":1694819,"authorDomain":"clcastillo0704"}
I think it very thought full. She is lucky to have a man that would take that kind of time to make this something she will remember.
Joe Montana, you are just jealous because you would NEVER be able to do something like that. Who are you to judge.
{"commentId":1694819,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"clcastillo0704"}
- 1 vote
#8 - Tue Apr 15, 2008 3:25 PM EDT{"commentId":1694842,"authorDomain":"kiki-bear1903"}
It's incredibly smooth! The fact that he used something that his girl enjoyed, and made it a creative and unique proposal...anyone who could criticize that gesture just doesn't have the imagination to do something as amazing as that!
{"commentId":1694842,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"kiki-bear1903"}
- 2 votes
#9 - Tue Apr 15, 2008 3:29 PM EDT{"commentId":1694849,"authorDomain":"deblynluv"}
Absolutely Smooth!!!!
{"commentId":1694849,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"deblynluv"}
- 2 votes
#10 - Tue Apr 15, 2008 3:31 PM EDT{"commentId":1694937,"authorDomain":"jjjeb2003"}
Who are we to decide what is nerdy or not. I say what ever works for that particular couple is the right
proposal.
Look at it this way, we are all making comments about how he proposed, which mind you is in the spot light. That's more than I can say about my own proposal. Maybe I'm the nerd and he's the cool one.
Think about it!
{"commentId":1694937,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"jjjeb2003"}
- 1 vote
#11 - Tue Apr 15, 2008 3:50 PM EDT{"commentId":1694959,"authorDomain":"jdmiller82"}
Awesome idea, and cudos to PopCap for being cool with it.
{"commentId":1694959,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"jdmiller82"}
- 2 votes
#12 - Tue Apr 15, 2008 3:54 PM EDT{"commentId":1695046,"authorDomain":"fugitive247"}
Congrats to the happy couple, and kudos to PopCap for having a heart. You'd never hear of something this cool happening with Halo 2, EverQuest, or WoW type of genre. Someone may eventually use Half Life or Kingdom of Loathing in a similar manner, although not hacked into the game program itself. Peng pulled off a righteous slice of code wrangling there, friends!
{"commentId":1695046,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"fugitive247"}
- 3 votes
#13 - Tue Apr 15, 2008 4:17 PM EDT{"commentId":1699846,"authorDomain":"sphinx"}
Actually, I think someone spelled out MARRY ME in a Halo 3 Forge amp for his girlfriend. I could be wrong, though.
As for WoW, well, they have in-game weddings all the time, and you kinda have to actually be there to pop the question, which sorta ruins the smoothness: "Alright, you cast some buffs, here's a ring of [something], and by the way, do you wanna marry me?"
{"commentId":1699846,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"sphinx"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":1700477,"authorDomain":"gwenny"}
and you kinda have to actually be there to pop the question, which sorta ruins the smoothness
Could always spell it out in dead gnomes.
{"commentId":1700477,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"gwenny"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":1701833,"authorDomain":"fugitive247"}
Nothing says I ♥ U like tiny dead folks!
If somebody wanted to do it Sims style, they could kill off dozens of their virtual people then use the urns and headstones.
{"commentId":1701833,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"fugitive247"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":1703019,"authorDomain":"gwenny"}
Nothing says I ♥ U like tiny dead folks!
The only thing that could be better would be if they were dead murlocs. :D
If somebody wanted to do it Sims style, they could kill off dozens of their virtual people then use the urns and headstones.
Yeah. I don't know how Sims work. I played SimCity for like ten minutes and uninstalled it. LOL It was so boring to me.
{"commentId":1703019,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"gwenny"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1704012,"authorDomain":"sphinx"}
It's like SimCity Mini, but with the addition of needing to clean up dishes and tell people to go potty.
{"commentId":1704012,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"sphinx"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":1704278,"authorDomain":"gwenny"}
It's like SimCity Mini, but with the addition of needing to clean up dishes and tell people to go potty.
I'm struggling here. The lure of this is? I did 25 years of motherhood. The idea of using my spare time to pretend to be a mom just confuses me. LOL Besides, unless you can go on mad rampages and kill stuff, it's not going to be a good outlet for me. ::snicker:: Some days I just GOTTA KILL GNOMES.
{"commentId":1704278,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"gwenny"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1704649,"authorDomain":"sphinx"}
I never saw the allure.
I played it once just to build a big mansion (LOTS of windows. it was gorgeous), then got bored once I put people in it, and realized that it takes way too long to walk from the living room to the nearest bathroom.
Besides unless you can go on mad rampages and kill stuff
Well, you can get aliens to impregnate your female Sim, I think. And, I think your Sims can starve, though that's a bit more passive-aggressive than dicing gnomes.
{"commentId":1704649,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"sphinx"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1695583,"authorDomain":"dixibleu"}
smoooth~ however, look out for others to follow with programmed break-up notes, the dating/marriage equivalent of 'game over.'
{"commentId":1695583,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"dixibleu"}
- 1 vote
#14 - Tue Apr 15, 2008 6:32 PM EDT{"commentId":1695939,"authorDomain":"boonsorama"}
Will the honeymoon take place via computer too?
{"commentId":1695939,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"boonsorama"}
{"commentId":1697032,"authorDomain":"johnharrison"}
Hats off to the guy - he deserves a huge gold star!!! Very ingenious and original!! And this compliment is coming from a former Marine who is a martial arts expert, loves to hunt, and drinks whisky like water - definitely not a "nerd". The term "nerd", by the way, is only for those who are not confident in themselves. It is also quite unfair. As a guy who has partied with some unbelievable beauties, believe me - the women who make the nicest and best wives are often the ones who work as librarians, etc. Not the ones you see spending tons of money in upscale malls. Enough said.
{"commentId":1697032,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"johnharrison"}
- 1 vote
#15 - Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:53 AM EDT{"commentId":1697771,"authorDomain":"scottf"}
This sounds like some Second Life stuff..
{"commentId":1697771,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"scottf"}
- 1 vote
#16 - Wed Apr 16, 2008 10:02 AM EDT{"commentId":1697839,"authorDomain":"fugitive247"}
/me whaps self on forehead... Second Life is the game I'd meant to reference in #29. D'oh!
Just wait- a Second Life proposal is bound to happen. After all, worlds can and do converge in unusual ways. ;oD
{"commentId":1697839,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"fugitive247"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1702553,"authorDomain":"badfae"}
Who says it has to be smooth OR nerdy? Can't it be both? The two are not necessarily mutually exclusive. I think this is a really cute, fun, clever way to propose, and was just right for both people.
Also...I was pleasantly surprised to see fugitive247 mention Kingdom of Loathing (*is logged in to KoL even as we speak*); even with as many players as there are, it doesn't seem to be that easy to find people who have even heard of the game. Yay!
{"commentId":1702553,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"badfae"}
- 1 vote
#17 - Thu Apr 17, 2008 11:11 AM EDT{"commentId":1703386,"authorDomain":"patrickdron"}
popping the question in game is pretty cool. it's rare that popping the question can happen in something like that. but it's pretty cool that that guy did that.
{"commentId":1703386,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"patrickdron"}
- 1 vote
#18 - Thu Apr 17, 2008 1:56 PM EDT{"commentId":1703526,"authorDomain":"chull120"}
My boyfriend and I play an on-line game together all the time. I think it would be romantic if he propose in game. Why not do it while playing something we play together all the time? It's sweet, thoughtful, and a great surprise!
{"commentId":1703526,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"chull120"}
- 1 vote
#19 - Thu Apr 17, 2008 2:24 PM EDT{"commentId":1705681,"authorDomain":"Wendylady"}
Very Smooth ....... I mean is there really a bad way to say I love you and I want to be with you forever!!
{"commentId":1705681,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"Wendylady"}
- 1 vote
#20 - Thu Apr 17, 2008 11:57 PM EDT{"commentId":1707210,"authorDomain":"sphinx"}
I mean is there really a bad way to say I love you and I want to be with you forever!!
After 8 vodka tonics, yelling it hoarsely across the entire bar, especially to a girl you just met. :-p
{"commentId":1707210,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"sphinx"}
{"commentId":1712594,"authorDomain":"sandy-270010"}
Very smooth! Anyone who doesn't think so is just jealous!
{"commentId":1712594,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"sandy-270010"}
- 1 vote
#21 - Sat Apr 19, 2008 11:10 PM EDT{"commentId":1722451,"authorDomain":"irislover"}
I think what he did is awesome and romantic! As a woman, having a unique proposal story is very cool! I've been married 12 years, and STILL tell our story!
Kudos to him for knowing his lady well enough to pick such a great proposal!
Also props to PopCap for being cool about it! Am I nerd cuz I like their games? :)
{"commentId":1722451,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"irislover"}
- 1 vote
#22 - Tue Apr 22, 2008 7:25 PM EDT{"commentId":1723344,"authorDomain":"anapic2005"}
I think it is an incredibly romantic way to propose. She should feel blessed to have such a thoughtful man, who planned ahead and made a beautiful memory. People who don't think this is romantic and sweet are obviously unhappy with their own fate and who proposed to them.
{"commentId":1723344,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"anapic2005"}
#23 - Wed Apr 23, 2008 12:41 AM EDT{"commentId":1757499,"authorDomain":"histaricl"}
I think its both smooth and nerdy. Smooth to think of it and nerdy to able to do it.
{"commentId":1757499,"threadId":"250504","contentId":"1431930","authorDomain":"histaricl"}
- 1 vote
#24 - Fri May 2, 2008 8:20 AM EDT{"canLink":false,"threadId":"250504","isPrivate":false}
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