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

[Christy Dena]

I actually have an essay coming out next month that looks at (among other
things) how players have got around the lack of casual design in ARGs.
Although it is not based on the current ARG scene (it was written a year
ago) it does touch on some of the concerns raised here today. 

I'll ping the list when it comes out. 

And Happy New Year everybody! 

Best,
Christy

-----Original Message-----
From: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org [mailto:arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org] On
Behalf Of Brooke Thompson
Sent: Wednesday, 2 January 2008 02:38
To: 'Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG'
Subject: Re: [arg_discuss] is ARG just a marketing technique to the press?


> One potential solution is to structure an ARG like a television series

> -- not just seasons, like Clark is doing with EE, but episodes as

> well. Short, repeatable "episodes" that allow players to get involved

> while having more control over how and when. There are many potential

> solutions most of which break the traditional model of an ARG, but I

> believe you have to solve that problem before you can rely on micro-

> transactions to provide anything close to real financial support for a

> game.

> 


Absolutely. Like you said, there are a number of ways to go about doing
this. I'm a huge fan of repeatable activities (things the missions in sf0 or
the small favors in Last Call Poker) which can enhance the narrative and
provide a bit of competition and/or structure for completionists along with
a way to get involved casually all while only taking a couple hours of time
at most. It's a bit lighter than episodes which may make it easier to
incorporate in some designs though, at the same time, they don't provide
that feeling of story building & exploration that repeatable episodes may -
the candy that leads to the crack?

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