[arg_discuss] Penny Arcade and the Ovaltine Disappointment

[Brian Clark]

Been neglecting this list, sorry :(


> "Drink your Ovaltine?"


Not just lectured in ARG circles, lectured in other contexts too. There are
better formulas to follow (or, stated another way, by the time Christmas
movies are lampooning your marketing technique you should stop practicing
it.)


> Then they associate that enjoyable experience with, say, a brand. 


Absolutely: if you're interested in jumping into a geeky academic end of the
pool, let me suggest the heuristics work in psychology. What you're
describing above can be described in three heuristics playing together (mere
exposure theory, availability heuristic and the propinquity effect.) That
combination is a common one for using immersive narrative to ALSO craft
positive brand experiences as well, but it isn't the only one. 


>This, as a player, is the chief problem with some of the grassroot ARGs 

>that are coming out. There are plenty of spooky and mysterious websites 

>with plenty of spooky and mysterious puzzles. But, there's no "reason" 

>for me to climb that mountain save for "because it's there". I have to 

>believe I'm gonna find Noah's ark before I'm going to invest that much 

>time in the trip. 


There are some really deep questions in the above, lurking beneath the
surface comment about puzzles having a reason. It circles around the clearer
question of providing motivation.

I know people who use the "ding" of puzzle solving as reward to motivate.

I know people who use the "time sink" of puzzle solving as something that
requires other motivation to assume an audience will do.

I know people who use the puzzles themselves as narrative devices, mixing
whether it is a sink or generator of motivation.

Beneath that seems even a question about clichés. You see the same thing in
MMORPGs and quest design -- templates produce clichés. I, for one, am sick
of saving the damsel in distress and defusing the ticking time bomb.
Structurally, the integration of activity (puzzle) and experience
(narrative) shouldn't require "special effect" level motivation to make
work, right? Not that the work that does use that technique is bad or
inferior ... but you can make movies without special effects, you can write
novels with death tolls. A good narrative device should have tons of
flexibility.


Interesting stuff,


Brian