[arg_discuss] Re: Develop 2006 + Group Gathering

[Christy Dena]

I agree, Ian, that there needs to be an attempt to clarify the terminology;
and I like the idea of having a discussion here on the list. I'll jump right
in to try and get the conversation going.

XME
I see Cross-Media Entertainment (XME) as a term that encompasses all forms
of entertainment that use multiple platforms, which includes but is not
limited to ARGs. 

PERVASIVE GAMING
I think this term is also a top-level one that can encompass ARGs and
non-ARGs. Perhaps there are some people on this list, like Eva Nieuwdorp,
who is doing a PhD on the area, could pop in some definitions that are out
there?

ARG
As for ARG, I was thinking that maybe an approach like this definition given
in a paper recently about "hybrid reality games" was a good model:

"HRGs have three main design elements. First, they are mobile and
location-based activities. Second, they are multiuser games and, therefore,
social activities. Finally, they expand the game environment outside the
traditional game space (the board or the screen) into the physical space,
thereby creating new spatial perceptions, by merging physical and digital
spaces, and new possibilities for social networks in both spaces."

(From: De Souza E Silva, Adriana; Delacruz, Girlie C. (2006) Hybrid Reality
Games Reframed: Potential Uses in Educational Contexts, Games & Culture)

So, you could put (this is to get the ball rolling on some ideas):

"ARGs have five (?) main design elements. First, they use a range of media
platforms and real life spaces. Second, they are played collaboratively,
mainly through online networking. Third, the game responds to the player
activities through human intervention by the "puppet-masters". Fourth, they
create an "alternate reality" where nothing is identified as being fiction.
Fifth, they are played in real time."

Cheers,
Christy

-----Original Message-----
From: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org [mailto:arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org] On
Behalf Of Ian Millington (NWI)
Sent: Sunday, 16 July 2006 5:42 AM
To: arg_discuss at igda.org
Subject: [arg_discuss] Re: Develop 2006 + Group Gathering

One of the most interesting things about the whole conference (at least what
I saw of it), was a huge swing in interest to broad-demographic games from
AAA titles (partly driven, I think, from the phenominal success of Xbox Live
Arcade). Even down to Phil Harrison (Sony supremo) saying that he worries
about the lack of good broad-demographic games for the next-generation.

Out of the 8 sessions I attended, at least 3 mentioned how $20m+ budgets
mean that there is a huge opporunity for games with great gameplay, but much
smaller cost-to-play and smaller content-creation requirements. This fits
nicely into ARGs which have some degree of both.

The biggest was the keynote, where Mark Rein of Epic, fresh from insulting
Nintendo and saying next-gen games were all about Graphics at E3, wasn't
very complimentary about alternative game development models (although to be
fair I think he was slightly misunderstood on all 3 points). In the
questions afterwards he got variously called a dinosaur, out of touch, and
what's wrong with the industry. I took that to be a good sign!

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=18283


Advertising funded small casual games were also a conversation I ended up
having a couple of times with surprisingly major studio execs. Of course,
excepting EDOC and PPC, that's ARG all over.

As I said in my personal-intro, I'm particularly interested in XME
generally: there was a terminology soup between ARG, XME and  pervasive
gaming at the conference, I noticed - it would be good I suspect to have
some kind of glossary in the whitepaper if possible. Or maybe we should try
to come to a consensus definition of the three terms here on the list - it
would help when trying to sell the idea to the suits.

I agree with Adam there was a big jump forward in how receptive people are
to talking about this and how much credibility they give it for the future.

Ian

--
Ian Millington
Near Worlds Interactive
http://nearworlds.com
UK: (+44/0) 845 123 5715
US: +1 (650) 276 0485

-- 
Ian Millington - IPR Ventures
Email: idm at iprventures.com
Tel: (+44/0)845 123 5715
Web: http://www.iprventures.com

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