[arg_discuss] is ARG just a marketing technique to the press?

[Michael Monello]

Why does paying have to be optional in a non-ad supported model?

I think one issue is that ARGs haven't presented a real value  
proposition to players that would justify them paying for the  
experience the way they will drop $60 on a PS3 game, which is why the  
ad-supported model has been most successful in terms of both  
generating audiences and being a viable business proposition for those  
who want to be paid for their work

I don't think ARGs will be able to get to that level without radically  
restructuring how they are designed and played, which means rejecting  
the modes and styles that have come before (and as a subset rejecting  
many of the features that hard-core ARG players think they want) in  
order to create a more accessible experience without losing the  
elements that make ARGs unique.

Best,

Michael Monello
Partner, Campfire
62 White Street, 3W
New York, NY 10013
212-612-9600
http://www.campfirenyc.com



On Dec 31, 2007, at 9:28 AM, Brooke Thompson wrote:


>> The route that interests my company most is taken from the games  

>> industry,

>> as demonstrated by the superb "KartRider" game from Asia, which is  

>> worth

>> looking into if you haven't heard about it. It's a superb game that  

>> was

>> given away for free, but makes lots of money from micro-transactions;

>> selling small objects, better clothing, modifications for your kart  

>> and so

>> on. The key to this was getting lots of people to play the game  

>> over and

>> over again - once you have a large community playing repeatedly,  

>> then it

>> seems possible to start charging them small amounts to make their

>> experience

>> even better. In this model, the biggest challenges seems to be  

>> creating an

>> ARG that doesn't end after a month or two (not an insurmountable

>> obstacle),

>> and getting the funding to create the game in the first place. Anyone

>> agree/disagree? Has anyone tried the micro-transaction model?

>>

>> Patrick, nDreams

>

>

> I don't want to say that it hasn't been done, but I can't think of any

> examples of micro-transactions in ARGs and I've been looking for  

> them as I

> have several games in my head that use such a model. The challenge  

> that I've

> found is not one of getting funding (I haven't gotten to that point,  

> but

> don't imagine that it would be difficult) or in a game that can  

> continue

> month to month, but in maintaining a balance of power.

>

> Any micro-transaction will change the power structure in the community

> where, up to now, the currency of power has been activity based.  

> Whether

> that activity is interacting with the characters, sorting through game

> websites for clues, participating in a live event, doing research, or

> creating & maintaining player resources, people who are more active  

> have

> more power either within the social/community structure or the game

> structure (in some cases, both). This dynamic works well for  

> collaborative

> information based games, such as ARGs. I think it is possible to add

> micro-transactions and believe that I might have one idea that will  

> work and

> others that, with a bit of playing around with, may work, but  

> maintaining

> that balance while keeping the micro-transactions optional (a  

> necessity, in

> my mind), is the biggest challenge to the design.

>

> Brooke

>

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