X: Freights and Grooves — Chapter 1

Summary

• Dov and Sadie are friends, former lovers, and industry colleagues. They're catching up over brunch in Silver Lake and discussing the past, notably their relationships and careers in the gaming world. Dov playfully asks Sadie to feel his muscle and brings up their shared history, including a past romantic relationship.
• Dov is reminded of his fondness for Sadie, and admits regretting they didn't end up together. He flirts and compliments her, arguing that the videogame Sam built to trick her was actually a grand romantic gesture.
• Sam, a long-time friend and coworker of Sadie's, plotted an elaborate deception using the videogame they'd developed. He played a female character named Dr. Edna Daedalus, with whom Sadie developed an in-game romantic relationship, initially unaware of Sam's involvement.
• Sadie became suspicious over time, however, and eventually confronted Sam. While she was hurt by Sam's manipulation, her fond memories of the game still linger.
• Sadie has been asked to teach a seminar at MIT and discusses the experience with her students. The class, a blend of technical instruction and creative mentorship, revolves around critiquing and creating games. The class members, including Destiny, are eager to learn from Sadie and impressed by her portfolio, including her famed game "Ichigo: Ume no Kodomo".
• Sadie encourages Destiny and the class to accept failure as a part of growth. She stresses the importance of simply creating, in spite of perfectionist inhibitions, and shares her experiences of creating games in her early career.
• Sadie receives an old Magic Eye book, a nostalgic object pushing her to reflect on the past, and in a tender act, sends the book to Sam without a note. Her decision is driven by feelings of empathy for Sam and a latent desire for reconciliation.
• Later, Sadie meets Ant for dinner, a colleague who updates her on Sam's recent actions. She learns Sam is shutting down Pioneers and planning an AR game, and more personally, that Sam's adoptive grandfather (whom she considered a father figure to Sam) has passed away from cancer. Sadie is taken aback by the news, suggesting that deep-seated feelings for Sam still exist.

• Chapter explores the relationship and interaction between two old friends, Sadie and Sam, who were both once part of a highly successful game development team along with their friend Marx, who is now deceased.
• Sadie and Sam meet up to discuss the idea of letting a game company, ReveJeux, develop a third sequel to their successful game, Ichigo. The company has great respect for the original game and Sadie and Sam both admire ReveJeux's previous work.
• The history of the trio's game development career is touched upon. After Marx's death, they all struggled with grief. Sadie mentions a metaphor about the human brain creating an AI version of loved ones after they die and slowly forgetting the physical details about them. She fears this happening with her memories of Marx.
• It is revealed that Sadie now has a daughter, Naomi, and that she struggles with motherhood due to her need for solitude.
• Sam discusses the loss of his grandfather, Dong Hyun, and how he prefers the idea of a 'video game death' - a brief and spectacular end.
• Sam and Sadie's relationship is explored and it is revealed that Sadie chose not to pursue a romantic relationship with Sam because she valued their working relationship more.
• The interaction between Sam and Sadie mainly revolves around discussing the opportunity to create a continuation of their previous game, coping with the pressures of their identities as successful game developers, and grieving their pasts.
• The chapter ends with a poignant interaction between Sadie and Sam talking about their potential future collaborations and reflecting on their past success.

• The chapter explores a night-time walk through New York City with friends Sam and Sadie, who are game designers. They reflect on their shared pasts, their challenges, and their creative work in the gaming industry.
• Sadie discusses her observations about her students, noticing their openness about their traumas and how different this generation is in their approaches to sexism and racism.
• They consider how fortunate they were to be born in an era that allowed them to pursue their passion for game design, due to the balance of technological access and creative freedom they experienced.
• Sam and Sadie debate if their personal traumas drove their ambitions in their field. Sadie recognizes that her success in game design is due to Sam and her joint efforts.
• Sam proposes they create another game together, regardless of the outcome and despite past challenges. Sadie provides him with a drive containing the start of a game she's been working on, titled “Ludo Sextus”, and invites him to contribute.
• The chapter concludes with Sadie getting on a flight back to Boston, leaving Sam in New York with the unfinished game.