[arg_discuss] Open Source ARGs

[A Nakama]

Speaking specifically to this end of the conversation, I want to add a
similar sentiment, in that most of the working writers I know are constantly
grumping that the neophytes don't know the history of their art form--and
editors are constantly rejecting stories that have been done by masters
decades ago.  In nonfiction writing, you can get away with repetition
because that's the name of the game (how many articles on video game
violence have we all seen in how many venues?).  But most of the successful
writers of commercial fiction are ones who have read widely in their chosen
field.

As far as ARGs go, yes, we still have that Wild West feel--but I came to
puppetmastering through school, and I noticed after I joined a whole slew of
other people coming here from educational institutions as students rather
than professors.  And even if you gripe about game education in general, in
order to have a curriculum, you still need a little more structure than "Go
forth and screw around with gamedev tools!"  When it came to ARGs, that
involved a little bit of history and seeing what other successful and not
successful ARGs have done.

In other words, punk is dead, and we've moved onto grunge.  :)

~ Adam Nakama

On 8/1/08, libfli at aol.com <libfli at aol.com> wrote:

>

> just jumping in on one point here - perhaps it is the artist in me.. but i

> think it is always best to know as much as possible about whatever art form

> you're exploring -

> imo it is best for those jumping onto the ARG bandwagon to at least play a

> game or two (or ten) before tossing out a game or storyworld.  pointing to

> other art forms -

>

> would you make a film w/o ever having watched one... oh but you've read

> about it?  you could, but it would more than likely suck.  i would love for

> more and more people to

>

> create good ARGs and push the ARG envelope -  and i think those who will

> make great ARGs and push those envelopes will be like the "creators" who do

> it for

>

> other art forms - these creators will love the genre and have a passion for

> it and want to know as much as they can before they make the big step toward

> creating an ARG.

>

>

>

>

> (stepping off my soap box)

>

>

>

>

> Jan

>

>

>

> -----Original Message-----

> From: wendy <wendeth at wendydespain.com>

> To: Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG <arg_discuss at igda.org>

> Sent: Fri, 1 Aug 2008 9:10 am

> Subject: Re: [arg_discuss] Open Source ARGs

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> On Fri, 1 Aug 2008, Mark Heggen wrote:

>

>

> > It is a troublesome fact that most of the people who will MAKE an ARG in

> the

>

> > next year never really played OR lurked on any numbers of seminal ARGs,

> or

>

> > possibly any at all.

>

>

> Hmm, I agree with you Mark that getting good metrics is a real problem for

> the genre, but

> it's most difficult if you think of ARGs in isolation. If

> you think of it in comparison to a 30-second spot (be it a public service

> announcement or movie trailer... I'm talking about form, not content here)

> when they do surveys to find out how effective those 30-second spots are,

> they count it a success if the respondents know what the product/message

> is - they don't only count those people who can repeat lines from the spot

> or tell them in detail what the content consisted of.

>

>

> So I don't think we should completely disregard those people who just

> follow a few links in an ARG. They're aware of what's going on, and to me

> that's a win, albeit a small one.

>

>

> As to your concern that the people making ARGs have never played one...

> (or haven't played one recently) all I can do is point to other

> entertainment art forms. You may be appalled to find out how few

> television creators watch (or even like) televsion. Book authors are

> always struggeling to find time to read books.

>

>

> This isn't an unusual conundrum for creators of any medium. We do our best

> to keep up with what our peers are doing, but creative endeavors often

> consume our lives.

>

>

> Just defending the lurkers, I guess.

>

>

> Wendy Despain

>

> quantumcontent.com

>

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