From dan at sixtostart.com Thu Jul 3 05:01:19 2008 From: dan at sixtostart.com (Dan Hon) Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2008 10:01:19 +0100 Subject: [arg_discuss] LA Flying visit Message-ID: Hi everyone, I'm going to be in LA from the 16th to 20th July (rather short notice, I know). Anyone fancy meeting up? Dan -- Dan Hon, CEO, Six to Start m: +44 7870 600 828 t: +44 33 3340 7490, f: +44 33 3340 7494 From markus.montola at uta.fi Fri Jul 4 02:35:17 2008 From: markus.montola at uta.fi (Markus Montola) Date: Fri, 04 Jul 2008 09:35:17 +0300 Subject: [arg_discuss] Social Interaction in ARGs In-Reply-To: <000001c8d6c8$abdc1670$6b00a8c0@PKDHEAD> References: <000001c8d6c8$abdc1670$6b00a8c0@PKDHEAD> Message-ID: <486DC4A5.50504@uta.fi> Back again at the email a lot later. We have coined the term "minimalist role-playing" for many role-playish situations that emerge in pervasive games. It happens primarily when you have to perform a character in order to interact with the game sensibly: For instance, if you play the role of the captain on the bridge of the Enterprise, and the game hardware only reacts to voice commands such as "Computer! Activate the Tachyon Shields!", you are role-playing -- even though your knowledge of (and interest in) the character is small. You play the captain of Enterprise, but don't really know/care whether he's Kirk or Picard. I think such interactions are becoming more common of late. Sometimes it comes up like the computer game Uplink, which changes your computer into your game character's computer and allows you to hack international targets, or an ARG, where you don't know whether you are talking with an NPC or an outsider. If you play a tad role-playish ARG like Sanningen om Marika, which explicitly told the players to pretend it is real as the only rule in the advertisements, you start making more difference between your "ordinary self" and "role-played self". I've discussed Minimalist Role-Playing in this paper. Please note that it is written from the other end of the bridge, for a larper audience. Minimalist role-playing enters the story under the heading "playing without characters", there's a lot of stuff before it. We are giving it some proper treatment in our forthcoming book, which does not have a publication date just yet. http://www.liveforum.dk/kp07book/lifelike_montola.pdf Also, you should take a look at this paper; it discusses the ARGlike larp Momentum, in which a nice double life strategy was used. The story is quite complicated so I won't try to summarize it, but it's all about your ordinary self, your game self and a nice way of introducing separate characters into the equation. And what happens when your character meets your mother. http://www.liveforum.dk/kp07book/lifelike_stenros.pdf Best, - Markus PS. If ARG is "defined" by lack of role-played characters, what should we call the group of hybrids which look like ARGs and taste like ARGs but where designers *or players themselves* come up with pretended, fictional or secretly fabricated characters? Brian Clark kirjoitti: > "I don't quite understand why all of you think it isn't a factor, and don't > see any difference between roleplay in ARGs and RPGs." > > I see a huge diversity of roleplaying within individual ARGs and RPGs, let > alone in differences between the two genres. > > Once of my cast members for Eldritch Errors is a fairly well known LARP > (live action roleplaying) figure, and she too wrote about the differences > there. Quoting her: > > "In RPG's, there is a clear line between 'character' and 'self', or at least > clearer. When you are 'in game' you are not you, but a character that you > have created; and when the game is over, you go back to being you. ARG's are > different, in this way, because while people maintain an 'in game' and 'out > of game' understanding, their persona 'in game' is really them, the actual > person. Granted, in some cases it is an amplified version of themselves, but > regardless, it makes the interactions complicated on a whole new level that > is not touched upon often, and most times purposefully avoided, in RPG's." > > From: http://www.schmeldritch.com/2007/11/on-the-inside-looking-in.html > > She also focused on the difference between self and character between the > two, and pointed to a John Hughes 1988 paper entitled "Therapy is Fantasy: > Roleplaying, Healing and the Construction of Symbolic Order": > http://www.rpgstudies.net/hughes/therapy_is_fantasy.html > > In that paper, Hughes tries to define roleplaying as "a recreational [...] > translation of private fantasy activities such as daydreaming into social > and game context that is structured and controlled by an agreed set of > rules." > > He's interested in it as a therapist, though, because: > > "One of the characteristics of collective fantasy formations such as > roleplaying is that because the creation of the fantasy is a group > communicative process, one is able to access the processes of symbol > formation in ways that are not possible when studying reports of dreams and > daydreaming. As such, collective fantasy stands as a prime example of the > symbolic interactionalist approach to the construction of meaning, a true > universe of discourse." > > To boil that back to Markus, maybe the difference is that ARGs tend to have > a smaller distance between ordinary self and pretend self (as in "I'm trying > on an alternate version of myself") than "fantasy roleplaying" (where I > don't mean fantasy as in "elves and wizards" so much as "I'm escaping from > myself into a fantasy".) > > Both, though, are a collective symbolic process that is constructing > meaning, and Hughes would argue both give you a symbolic peek into the minds > of the participants. > > -----Original Message----- > From: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org [mailto:arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org] On > Behalf Of Christy Dena > Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2008 11:06 PM > To: Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG > Subject: Re: [arg_discuss] Social Interaction in ARGs > > Yes, I like Markus's quote too. That is exactly the kind of definition > that facilitates the continnum I was after. There can be a sliding > scale of difference between the ordinary and pretended self. To me > (and others), the difference between the ordinary self and the > pretended self is a signficant part of the experience, and therefore > influences design. I mean, there are millions of people worldwide > playing World of Warcraft, not World of Walmart. To be honest, I don't > quite understand why all of you think it isn't a factor, and don't see > any difference between roleplay in ARGs and RPGs. > > > On 6/25/08, Brian Clark wrote: >> Markus, I love the clarity of: >> >> "an ordinary self, a pretended self and a consciousness of their >> differences" >> >> That actually seems to be a unifying concept across these other competing >> definitions: the arguments are about how far the pretend self has to be > from >> the ordinary self to count as roleplaying. >> >> Christy, though, I want to go back to one of the definitions you offered: >> >> "creating a novel persona for your character that fits in the context of > the >> game world and interacting with others through that persona" >> >> I'd argue that "novel" is a pretty high bar to set to qualify. "For your >> character" suggests a certain level of roleplaying is already happening, >> doesn't it -- because the MMPORG mechanic subtly encourages that by >> producing a digital proxy. It also leaves itself fuzzy with the > "interacting >> with others" because MMPORGs historically can separate human-to-human >> interaction into "player/player" with everything else > "player/environment". >> ARGs don't have such an easy shortcut. >> >> If you took Yee's definition and reworked it, it sounds like Markus' >> statement from Lillard: >> >> "creating a persona for yourself that fits in the context of the game > world >> and interacting with others through that persona" >> >> This to me seems axiomatic, at least in the player-centered definition of >> what is an ARG. That's what underscores that Unfiction is an OOG space: >> because the rest of the world becomes "the game world". I'd go so far to >> argue that if people weren't at least subtly "creating personas" to >> "interact with others" it wouldn't be the Internet, which has a culture of >> anonymous voyeurism that ARGing (like other community dynamics) actually >> manages to overcome in amazing ways. >> >> The lack of roleplaying is the emergent behavior from the interaction of > the >> system, not the roleplaying. >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org [mailto:arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org] > On >> Behalf Of Markus Montola >> Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2008 3:13 AM >> To: arg_discuss at igda.org >> Subject: Re: [arg_discuss] Social Interaction in ARGs >> >> It all depends on how you define role-play. A good definition of >> pretend play (iirc by Lillard) assumes an ordinary self, a pretended >> self and a consciousness of their differences. So if you don't know >> she is a character, you can't pretend. Of course this is not always >> simple; especially if young children play. >> >> Usually. >> >> Our research project (IPerG) ran a few games using a lot of pervasive >> role-play, where players were explicitly asked to treat everyone as >> part of the play. Thus, they were role-playing in their everyday >> interactions with bus drivers and clerks -- and incidentally some of >> these folks (like a real nurse working in a real hospital) turned out >> to be involved with game content. >> >> As a result we ended up with lots and lots of gray areas between play >> and not play, often involving pretence, role-play et cetera. >> >> We have published quite a lot on role-play, pervasive play and the >> social expansion to the ordinary world. I'm more than happy to provide >> links if anyone's interested. >> >> >> Best, >> >> - Markus Montola -- writing a PhD. on pervasive role-play >> >> University of Tampere Hypermedialab >> Mobile: +358 44 544 2445 >> >>> I'm with you, Mike. I think as soon as a player treats a character as >>> real, which they know (or suspect) to be a fictional construct of some >>> kind, that puts them in the realm of roleplay. They're placing their >>> own persona into the game. >>> >>> Also, I don't think there's really any difference between a person >>> playing an Orc (or Shakespeare) and themselves. The vast majority of >>> players are not skilled enough to behave in any manner other than >>> their own, if that makes sense. And this isn't bashing the player's >>> skill levels - it's an observation of how rare real acting talent is. >>> So even though the Orc mask may give them permission to loosen up and >>> not worry so much about what other people might think - they're still >>> essentially being themselves. >>> >>> But I'll provide the same caveat as Mike as well. I'm no academic. So >>> I may just be missing the point. >>> >>> Wendy >>> >>> >>> On Mon, June 23, 2008 7:53 am, Mike Monello wrote: >>>> I am the furthest thing from an academic you can get, but it seems to >>>> me that when a player knowingly interacts with a fictional character >>>> they have crossed the threshold into role-playing. Whether they send >>>> an email or >>>> go on a mission or more involved experience, they have made that jump >>>> into the game space, even if the character they've chosen is a close >>>> version of themselves. I don't recognize a difference between someone >>>> playing a character exactly like themselves in a known fiction and >>>> someone playing an Orc or any other fantastical creature - both are >>>> operating within the safety and knowledge of a fictional framework >>>> that allows them to make choices and play in a way that real life >>>> absolutely would not. >>>> >>>> Either that or I've totally missed what y'all smart folks are talkin' >>>> about! :) >>>> >>>> --- >>>> Mike Monello >>>> Partner, Campfire >>>> http://www.campfirenyc.com >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Am 23.06.2008 um 04:50 schrieb Christy Dena: >>>> >>>>> Cool. ARGs really are about performance in so many ways. >>>>> >>>>> But that still isn't the aspect of roleplay I was talking about. I'm >>>>> after a definition that indicates how much the 'performance' of the >>>>> player differs from their everyday self. There must be a continuum >>>>> or >>>>> something that shows the difference between a player performing an >>>>> Orc >>>>> or Shakespeare on the one end and being themselves but doing >>>>> something >>>>> they have never done before on the other (and all that is in >>>>> between). >>>>> [I don't have any of my books with me and am on short periods of >>>>> dial-up and so can't research this myself right now.] Hmm, perhaps I >>>>> shouldn't of put the draft up just yet after all. :\ >>>>> >>>>> Anyway, I think ARG players are usually called on to do more on the >>>>> 'other' end of the spectrum. But, I may be entirely wrong and so >>>>> would >>>>> love to know more. Jan sent me a great example of roleplaying in her >>>>> ARG. I'd love to see others. >>>>> >>>>> John Evans has actually moved all of the content into the ARGology >>>>> wiki. So, please, feel free to hack and add at will!: >>>>> >>>>> http://www.argology.org/wiki/index.php?title=Social_Interaction >>>>> >>>>> A start may be to add a quote from Jane's essay in the roleplay >>>>> section! From svenabraham at yahoo.com Sun Jul 13 12:29:43 2008 From: svenabraham at yahoo.com (Sven Abraham) Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2008 16:29:43 +0000 (GMT) Subject: [arg_discuss] The (Marketing) Effects Of Alternate Reality Games Message-ID: <616931.90207.qm@web25907.mail.ukl.yahoo.com> >Hi Sven, I've mostly worked in ARGs related to television shows, and believe me, those clients want to measure exactly how their marketing dollars are contributing to the success of the product (the show). One thing we did would be to measure traffic of websites over time. The show aired at different times in different cities, so when a new url was mentioned on the show we could track the response and see spikes in traffic immediately after 35 minutes into the hour, for instance. We reported weekly to the clients with information on web traffic, forum traffic (and topics) and ARG progress. Unfortunately, all that information is locked up tight and can't be made public. Ultimately, our ARG had to impact show ratings and that's an exceptionally difficult thing to correlate, but since most of our ARGs were intended to build up to the launch of the show and get people to watch that first premiere episode of the season, getting a good rating on that premiere showed we did something right. Wendy Despain Hi Wendy, Thanks for your posting. We?ve produced recently two ARGs. One was for a thrillernovel by a german writer and the other one for Microsoft Germany (Visual Studio 2008). We measured everything as well. The traffic and postings of the IG websites and -blogs, the quantity of postings at the main playerforums/websites/weblogs, etc and analyzed the quality of the postings as well. But what does it mean? What does it mean if you have 100.000 views on an internetforum? You need to complain it with other ARGs. But we don?t have that ?many? ARGs in Germany to compare with. Do you think it?s enough to compare the goals of the ARGs with the outcome? Is this the method to messure the effect of an ARG? >Hey Sven, Great to see you're pursuing both academic study and creative practice at the same time. :) I've considered your question about measuring the 'effect' of ARGs too, and found that looking at what you're measuring and what 'branding' is, is helpful. What is the difference between branding and advertising (indeed marketing and advertising)? What are the differences in their goals? Once you've cleared up these questions, I think you'll find different assessment methods emerge. I look forward to (hopefully) reading what you discover and propose. Sorry, but I don?t get it! What should be the difference between marketing and advertising? Advertising is one part of marketing (product, place, price and promotion). What do you mean by ?branding?? Are you talking about the ?branding? of the (advertised) product in an ARG? >Also, I think you'll find that in most cases the product, service or company IS known during the game phase. The difference here is that it is not necessarily 'announced' as a commissioned project for a product, service or company, but the relationship to a product, service or company is made very early on in most ARGs. Various techniques include starting the game trail from a trailer in a film, during a TV show and so on. It is usually in the pre-game period where no obvious connection is made, but these are very, very short periods. That could be true. But I can tell you that in our ARGs the players have realized the product/company very lately. I.e. in the latest ARG ?The Final Mill? they even didn?t ?get it? with the ending of the game that it was produced for Microsoft. Visual Studio was mentioned in the game!!! I.e. At a live event they had programmed with it! ;-) >The interactivity of the game and the high involvement of the players shall award a strong effect to the communication strategy. But for a disproportionally small segment of the total audience. Heist was trying to sell cars directly to the people running mission for Nisha. That?s true. But you have in general always a few people (1%) who are very into something, 9% are unsteady in that subject and 90% are noticing it only alongside. But that few people can reach a lot more people by talking about what they are doing. So that they could recruit new players. >ARGs are produced effortfully and can get very expensive. Not really: expensive is a relative term in advertising or entertainment. They are still "small to moderate" budget projects for the most part in the advertising space. True. If you compare it with the mediabudget of big companies. But money is money. No company would scrap money away. We are talking about up to a few million dollar/euro for a game! >You can read on the internet that this form of advertising is unimportant for them and they're playing the ARG because alone the fun counts. Soap opera and home improvement television show viewers would say the same thing: that's the heart of a branded entertainment strategy. Could be stand the branded entertainment strategy above everything? Is this the strategy of ?all? promotional ARGs. Best Sven ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + SVEN ABRAHAM + BERGMANNSTRASSE 95 + D-10961 BERLIN ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + TELEFON +49 (30) 3406002383 + MOBIL +49 (177) 765 45 46 + TELEFAX +49 (1212) 66 765 45 46 __________________________________________________________ Gesendet von Yahoo! Mail. Dem pfiffigeren Posteingang. http://de.overview.mail.yahoo.com From cdena at cross-mediaentertainment.com Mon Jul 14 23:50:30 2008 From: cdena at cross-mediaentertainment.com (Christy Dena) Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:50:30 +1000 Subject: [arg_discuss] ARGology: What are ARGs to you video Message-ID: <20080715035141.IYLZ10493.nschwotgx03p.mx.bigpond.com@HPPIE> Hey All! Hope you've all good. :-) The ARGologists are crunching away to get content done for the ARGology launch @ ARGFest. One section that Jamie and mez were working on is the Definitions section. I proposed at some point creating a page with a whole lot of mini videos of people talking about their definition of an ARG. The idea came from this amazing page about visual conversation: http://www.tiil.us/seesmic/norms/ But I thought rather than asking for a definition, I'd make the question wider and just ask for peeps to respond about what ARGs mean to you. The video conversation has been started at the visual conversation community Seesmic: http://www.seesmic.com/#/video/fl0KmoU1Zo/watch. You can join for free and record your video (click on the red dot on my video), or send us a link to a video you put online elsewhere. If we get enough responses we'll create a page like the norms page I cite above on the ARGology site. I wasn't sure if peeps here would join in but Jamie was keen. :-) Let me know if you have any technical probs. Best, Christy From wendeth at wendydespain.com Tue Jul 15 00:16:27 2008 From: wendeth at wendydespain.com (Wendy Despain) Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:16:27 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [arg_discuss] ARGology: What are ARGs to you video In-Reply-To: <20080715035141.IYLZ10493.nschwotgx03p.mx.bigpond.com@HPPIE> References: <20080715035141.IYLZ10493.nschwotgx03p.mx.bigpond.com@HPPIE> Message-ID: <18627.98.174.206.45.1216095387.squirrel@webmail.wendydespain.com> This sounds like a fun idea, Christy. Have you considered setting something up at ARGfest to allow attendees there to make a video submission quick? Or a roving person with a camera to ask the question and record the answers... I'm guessing you'll find a lot of people with opinions and creative input. Just thinking of content-generating possibilities. Not volunteering. Sorry! Wendy Despain quantumcontent.com On Mon, July 14, 2008 8:50 pm, Christy Dena wrote: > Hey All! > > > > Hope you've all good. :-) > > > > The ARGologists are crunching away to get content done for the > ARGology > launch @ ARGFest. > > > > One section that Jamie and mez were working on is the Definitions > section. I > proposed at some point creating a page with a whole lot of mini videos > of > people talking about their definition of an ARG. The idea came from > this > amazing page about visual conversation: > http://www.tiil.us/seesmic/norms/ > > > > But I thought rather than asking for a definition, I'd make the > question > wider and just ask for peeps to respond about what ARGs mean to you. > > > > The video conversation has been started at the visual conversation > community > Seesmic: http://www.seesmic.com/#/video/fl0KmoU1Zo/watch. You can join > for > free and record your video (click on the red dot on my video), or send > us a > link to a video you put online elsewhere. If we get enough responses > we'll > create a page like the norms page I cite above on the ARGology site. I > wasn't sure if peeps here would join in but Jamie was keen. :-) > > > > Let me know if you have any technical probs. > > > > Best, > > Christy > > > > _______________________________________________ > ARG_Discuss mailing list > ARG_Discuss at igda.org > http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss > Wendy Despain quantumcontent.com From cdena at cross-mediaentertainment.com Tue Jul 15 00:19:22 2008 From: cdena at cross-mediaentertainment.com (Christy Dena) Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:19:22 +1000 Subject: [arg_discuss] ARGology: What are ARGs to you video In-Reply-To: <18627.98.174.206.45.1216095387.squirrel@webmail.wendydespain.com> Message-ID: <20080715042033.LAOY19251.nschwotgx01p.mx.bigpond.com@HPPIE> LOL. I know, it is dangerous to be positive around here. Positive = work! I was thinking that anyone online now and anytime in the future can contribute. If there are peeps there who have webcams & Net access then even better (we might get some drunken party vids too!). But if someone has a camera that would be great...they can either upload them to Seesmic or elsewhere (though on Seesmic you are meant to upload to your own account)... -----Original Message----- From: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org [mailto:arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org] On Behalf Of Wendy Despain Sent: Tuesday, 15 July 2008 14:16 To: Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG Subject: Re: [arg_discuss] ARGology: What are ARGs to you video This sounds like a fun idea, Christy. Have you considered setting something up at ARGfest to allow attendees there to make a video submission quick? Or a roving person with a camera to ask the question and record the answers... I'm guessing you'll find a lot of people with opinions and creative input. Just thinking of content-generating possibilities. Not volunteering. Sorry! Wendy Despain quantumcontent.com On Mon, July 14, 2008 8:50 pm, Christy Dena wrote: > Hey All! > > > > Hope you've all good. :-) > > > > The ARGologists are crunching away to get content done for the > ARGology > launch @ ARGFest. > > > > One section that Jamie and mez were working on is the Definitions > section. I > proposed at some point creating a page with a whole lot of mini videos > of > people talking about their definition of an ARG. The idea came from > this > amazing page about visual conversation: > http://www.tiil.us/seesmic/norms/ > > > > But I thought rather than asking for a definition, I'd make the > question > wider and just ask for peeps to respond about what ARGs mean to you. > > > > The video conversation has been started at the visual conversation > community > Seesmic: http://www.seesmic.com/#/video/fl0KmoU1Zo/watch. You can join > for > free and record your video (click on the red dot on my video), or send > us a > link to a video you put online elsewhere. If we get enough responses > we'll > create a page like the norms page I cite above on the ARGology site. I > wasn't sure if peeps here would join in but Jamie was keen. :-) > > > > Let me know if you have any technical probs. > > > > Best, > > Christy > > > > _______________________________________________ > ARG_Discuss mailing list > ARG_Discuss at igda.org > http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss > Wendy Despain quantumcontent.com _______________________________________________ ARG_Discuss mailing list ARG_Discuss at igda.org http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss From jason at aporiacme.com Tue Jul 15 06:40:58 2008 From: jason at aporiacme.com (Jason Chrest) Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:40:58 +0000 Subject: [arg_discuss] ARGology: What are ARGs to you video In-Reply-To: <20080715042033.LAOY19251.nschwotgx01p.mx.bigpond.com@HPPIE> References: <18627.98.174.206.45.1216095387.squirrel@webmail.wendydespain.com><20080715042033.LAOY19251.nschwotgx01p.mx.bigpond.com@HPPIE> Message-ID: <779561399-1216118486-cardhu_decombobulator_blackberry.rim.net-921446789-@bxe176.bisx.prod.on.blackberry> Wow I am so scared to partake in the nectar now! Didn't know you were going (for sure) Christy - it'll be my first and seeing more and more of you all that I respect so much sign up makes me really excited. It can't get here soon enough. Jason Chrest Aporia Cross-Media Entertainment www.aporiacme.com jason at aporiacme.com -----Original Message----- From: "Christy Dena" Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:19:22 To: 'Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG' Subject: Re: [arg_discuss] ARGology: What are ARGs to you video LOL. I know, it is dangerous to be positive around here. Positive = work! I was thinking that anyone online now and anytime in the future can contribute. If there are peeps there who have webcams & Net access then even better (we might get some drunken party vids too!). But if someone has a camera that would be great...they can either upload them to Seesmic or elsewhere (though on Seesmic you are meant to upload to your own account)... -----Original Message----- From: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org [mailto:arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org] On Behalf Of Wendy Despain Sent: Tuesday, 15 July 2008 14:16 To: Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG Subject: Re: [arg_discuss] ARGology: What are ARGs to you video This sounds like a fun idea, Christy. Have you considered setting something up at ARGfest to allow attendees there to make a video submission quick? Or a roving person with a camera to ask the question and record the answers... I'm guessing you'll find a lot of people with opinions and creative input. Just thinking of content-generating possibilities. Not volunteering. Sorry! Wendy Despain quantumcontent.com On Mon, July 14, 2008 8:50 pm, Christy Dena wrote: > Hey All! > > > > Hope you've all good. :-) > > > > The ARGologists are crunching away to get content done for the > ARGology > launch @ ARGFest. > > > > One section that Jamie and mez were working on is the Definitions > section. I > proposed at some point creating a page with a whole lot of mini videos > of > people talking about their definition of an ARG. The idea came from > this > amazing page about visual conversation: > http://www.tiil.us/seesmic/norms/ > > > > But I thought rather than asking for a definition, I'd make the > question > wider and just ask for peeps to respond about what ARGs mean to you. > > > > The video conversation has been started at the visual conversation > community > Seesmic: http://www.seesmic.com/#/video/fl0KmoU1Zo/watch. You can join > for > free and record your video (click on the red dot on my video), or send > us a > link to a video you put online elsewhere. If we get enough responses > we'll > create a page like the norms page I cite above on the ARGology site. I > wasn't sure if peeps here would join in but Jamie was keen. :-) > > > > Let me know if you have any technical probs. > > > > Best, > > Christy > > > > _______________________________________________ > ARG_Discuss mailing list > ARG_Discuss at igda.org > http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss > Wendy Despain quantumcontent.com _______________________________________________ ARG_Discuss mailing list ARG_Discuss at igda.org http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss _______________________________________________ ARG_Discuss mailing list ARG_Discuss at igda.org http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss From jamiebono at gmail.com Tue Jul 15 17:19:19 2008 From: jamiebono at gmail.com (J. James Bono) Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:19:19 -0400 Subject: [arg_discuss] ARG_Discuss Digest, Vol 35, Issue 5 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Thanks for the idea and for getting this rolling, Christy! This should be a fun way to put faces to some of the names on here, too. I'm ready to contribute as soon as my hair and makeup people get here. Cheers, Jamie From cdena at cross-mediaentertainment.com Fri Jul 18 10:57:36 2008 From: cdena at cross-mediaentertainment.com (Christy Dena) Date: Sat, 19 Jul 2008 00:57:36 +1000 Subject: [arg_discuss] Launch of ARGology! Wohoo! Message-ID: <20080718145849.SJFK19251.nschwotgx01p.mx.bigpond.com@HPPIE> ARGology is LIVE! Well, after churning away for a few weeks, the first round of ARGologists have produced a website that will hopefully be a source of information and inspiration to people keen to find out about ARGs. On the site now is: What is an ARG? By mez and J. James Bono: http://www.argology.org/_what-is-an-arg/ ARG Design Links by Christy Dena: http://www.argology.org/arg-design/arg-design-links/ ARG Developers by Michelle Senderhauf, Jan Libby: http://www.argology.org/arg-developers/ ARG FAQs by Wendy Despain: http://www.argology.org/arg-faqs/ ARGs in Education & Training by Alex Moseley, Bryan Alexander, J. Jamie Bono: http://www.argology.org/args-in-education-training/ Awarded ARGs by Christy Dena: http://www.argology.org/awarded-args/ History of ARGs by Michelle Senderhauf: http://www.argology.org/history-of-args/ How to Play ARGs (links) by Christy Dena: http://www.argology.org/how-to-play-args/ What are ARGs to You?: http://www.argology.org/what-are-args-to-you/ ARGology logo: Marc Williams Website Management and Hosting generously provided by John Evans The official URL is: http://www.argology.org/ This is a great effort, especially for very busy volunteers. I'm sure all of the contributors welcome you feedback and ideas, either on this list or directly via email. Also, fellow ARG SIGers, please consider the first round of contributions as a starting point. If you don't agree with the content provided, you don't necessarily have to change it. We can easily create new pages within each category. Indeed, the more voices and views.the better. Although the ARG SIG voted for .org AND .com, we only recently realized that none of us had actually checked whether .com was available. Uncannily enough, a French company had bought argology.com back in March. So, we never could have had both URLs. Sorry for the mess up. But please note we have one address in any publicity you may feel compelled to put out there. :-) I hope you're all happy with this effort, and take a moment to give a remote to the ARGologists who worked so hard to get this happening. I hope this site becomes a place where ARG SIGers, and anyone who is keen, can find and contribute info on ARGs. A few ARG SIGers are at ARGFest and will launch it there too. But this mini-remote-text-launch is for us. :-) Best, Christy From varineq at gmail.com Fri Jul 18 11:15:50 2008 From: varineq at gmail.com (Michelle Senderhauf) Date: Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:15:50 -0400 Subject: [arg_discuss] Launch of ARGology! Wohoo! In-Reply-To: <20080718145849.SJFK19251.nschwotgx01p.mx.bigpond.com@HPPIE> References: <20080718145849.SJFK19251.nschwotgx01p.mx.bigpond.com@HPPIE> Message-ID: <9CBDEF81-1507-486C-A2AE-7645688C14F5@gmail.com> Strange about the argology.com. I swear I remember checking it when we started throwing around domain names. Are we sure it wasn't reserved by someone on the list?? Michelle Senderhauf Sent from my iPhone On Jul 18, 2008, at 10:57 AM, "Christy Dena" wrote: > ARGology is LIVE! > > > > Well, after churning away for a few weeks, the first round of > ARGologists > have produced a website that will hopefully be a source of > information and > inspiration to people keen to find out about ARGs. On the site now is: > > > > What is an ARG? By mez and J. James Bono: > http://www.argology.org/_what-is-an-arg/ > > > > ARG Design Links by Christy Dena: > http://www.argology.org/arg-design/arg-design-links/ > > > > ARG Developers by Michelle Senderhauf, Jan Libby: > http://www.argology.org/arg-developers/ > > > > ARG FAQs by Wendy Despain: http://www.argology.org/arg-faqs/ > > > > ARGs in Education & Training by Alex Moseley, Bryan Alexander, J. > Jamie > Bono: http://www.argology.org/args-in-education-training/ > > > > Awarded ARGs by Christy Dena: http://www.argology.org/awarded-args/ > > > > History of ARGs by Michelle Senderhauf: > http://www.argology.org/history-of-args/ > > > > How to Play ARGs (links) by Christy Dena: > http://www.argology.org/how-to-play-args/ > > > > What are ARGs to You?: http://www.argology.org/what-are-args-to-you/ > > > > ARGology logo: Marc Williams > > > > Website Management and Hosting generously provided by John Evans > > > > The official URL is: http://www.argology.org/ > > > > This is a great effort, especially for very busy volunteers. I'm > sure all of > the contributors welcome you feedback and ideas, either on this list > or > directly via email. Also, fellow ARG SIGers, please consider the > first round > of contributions as a starting point. If you don't agree with the > content > provided, you don't necessarily have to change it. We can easily > create new > pages within each category. Indeed, the more voices and views.the > better. > > > > Although the ARG SIG voted for .org AND .com, we only recently > realized that > none of us had actually checked whether .com was available. Uncannily > enough, a French company had bought argology.com back in March. So, > we never > could have had both URLs. Sorry for the mess up. But please note we > have one > address in any publicity you may feel compelled to put out there. :-) > > > > I hope you're all happy with this effort, and take a moment to give > a remote > to the ARGologists who worked so hard to get this > happening. I > hope this site becomes a place where ARG SIGers, and anyone who is > keen, can > find and contribute info on ARGs. > > > > A few ARG SIGers are at ARGFest and will launch it there too. But this > mini-remote-text-launch is for us. :-) > > > > Best, > > Christy > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > ARG_Discuss mailing list > ARG_Discuss at igda.org > http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss From cdena at cross-mediaentertainment.com Fri Jul 18 11:20:02 2008 From: cdena at cross-mediaentertainment.com (Christy Dena) Date: Sat, 19 Jul 2008 01:20:02 +1000 Subject: [arg_discuss] Launch of ARGology! Wohoo! In-Reply-To: <9CBDEF81-1507-486C-A2AE-7645688C14F5@gmail.com> Message-ID: <20080718152115.NSEH25437.nschwotgx02p.mx.bigpond.com@HPPIE> Yeah, I thought we checked it too. But the rego is for March. Way before the idea was posed here. -----Original Message----- From: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org [mailto:arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org] On Behalf Of Michelle Senderhauf Sent: Saturday, 19 July 2008 01:16 To: Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG Subject: Re: [arg_discuss] Launch of ARGology! Wohoo! Strange about the argology.com. I swear I remember checking it when we started throwing around domain names. Are we sure it wasn't reserved by someone on the list?? Michelle Senderhauf Sent from my iPhone On Jul 18, 2008, at 10:57 AM, "Christy Dena" wrote: > ARGology is LIVE! > > > > Well, after churning away for a few weeks, the first round of > ARGologists > have produced a website that will hopefully be a source of > information and > inspiration to people keen to find out about ARGs. On the site now is: > > > > What is an ARG? By mez and J. James Bono: > http://www.argology.org/_what-is-an-arg/ > > > > ARG Design Links by Christy Dena: > http://www.argology.org/arg-design/arg-design-links/ > > > > ARG Developers by Michelle Senderhauf, Jan Libby: > http://www.argology.org/arg-developers/ > > > > ARG FAQs by Wendy Despain: http://www.argology.org/arg-faqs/ > > > > ARGs in Education & Training by Alex Moseley, Bryan Alexander, J. > Jamie > Bono: http://www.argology.org/args-in-education-training/ > > > > Awarded ARGs by Christy Dena: http://www.argology.org/awarded-args/ > > > > History of ARGs by Michelle Senderhauf: > http://www.argology.org/history-of-args/ > > > > How to Play ARGs (links) by Christy Dena: > http://www.argology.org/how-to-play-args/ > > > > What are ARGs to You?: http://www.argology.org/what-are-args-to-you/ > > > > ARGology logo: Marc Williams > > > > Website Management and Hosting generously provided by John Evans > > > > The official URL is: http://www.argology.org/ > > > > This is a great effort, especially for very busy volunteers. I'm > sure all of > the contributors welcome you feedback and ideas, either on this list > or > directly via email. Also, fellow ARG SIGers, please consider the > first round > of contributions as a starting point. If you don't agree with the > content > provided, you don't necessarily have to change it. We can easily > create new > pages within each category. Indeed, the more voices and views.the > better. > > > > Although the ARG SIG voted for .org AND .com, we only recently > realized that > none of us had actually checked whether .com was available. Uncannily > enough, a French company had bought argology.com back in March. So, > we never > could have had both URLs. Sorry for the mess up. But please note we > have one > address in any publicity you may feel compelled to put out there. :-) > > > > I hope you're all happy with this effort, and take a moment to give > a remote > to the ARGologists who worked so hard to get this > happening. I > hope this site becomes a place where ARG SIGers, and anyone who is > keen, can > find and contribute info on ARGs. > > > > A few ARG SIGers are at ARGFest and will launch it there too. But this > mini-remote-text-launch is for us. :-) > > > > Best, > > Christy > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > ARG_Discuss mailing list > ARG_Discuss at igda.org > http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss _______________________________________________ ARG_Discuss mailing list ARG_Discuss at igda.org http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss From Bryan.Alexander at nitle.org Fri Jul 18 16:56:27 2008 From: Bryan.Alexander at nitle.org (Bryan Alexander) Date: Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:56:27 -0400 Subject: [arg_discuss] Launch of ARGology! Wohoo! References: <20080718145849.SJFK19251.nschwotgx01p.mx.bigpond.com@HPPIE> Message-ID: <08119B28F4B3FF46A5747921C9FAA67868B646@AA1EXCH06.office.share.org> Hurrah! Questions: Is there still the chance of contributing? And any suggestions for blogging? i.e., favorite tags, anyone we should link to, etc. I wish I could have done more, this past month. :( -----Original Message----- From: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org on behalf of Christy Dena Sent: Fri 7/18/2008 10:57 AM To: 'Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG'; 'Alternate Reality Game Researcher & Educator List' Subject: [arg_discuss] Launch of ARGology! Wohoo! ARGology is LIVE! Well, after churning away for a few weeks, the first round of ARGologists have produced a website that will hopefully be a source of information and inspiration to people keen to find out about ARGs. On the site now is: What is an ARG? By mez and J. James Bono: http://www.argology.org/_what-is-an-arg/ ARG Design Links by Christy Dena: http://www.argology.org/arg-design/arg-design-links/ ARG Developers by Michelle Senderhauf, Jan Libby: http://www.argology.org/arg-developers/ ARG FAQs by Wendy Despain: http://www.argology.org/arg-faqs/ ARGs in Education & Training by Alex Moseley, Bryan Alexander, J. Jamie Bono: http://www.argology.org/args-in-education-training/ Awarded ARGs by Christy Dena: http://www.argology.org/awarded-args/ History of ARGs by Michelle Senderhauf: http://www.argology.org/history-of-args/ How to Play ARGs (links) by Christy Dena: http://www.argology.org/how-to-play-args/ What are ARGs to You?: http://www.argology.org/what-are-args-to-you/ ARGology logo: Marc Williams Website Management and Hosting generously provided by John Evans The official URL is: http://www.argology.org/ This is a great effort, especially for very busy volunteers. I'm sure all of the contributors welcome you feedback and ideas, either on this list or directly via email. Also, fellow ARG SIGers, please consider the first round of contributions as a starting point. If you don't agree with the content provided, you don't necessarily have to change it. We can easily create new pages within each category. Indeed, the more voices and views.the better. Although the ARG SIG voted for .org AND .com, we only recently realized that none of us had actually checked whether .com was available. Uncannily enough, a French company had bought argology.com back in March. So, we never could have had both URLs. Sorry for the mess up. But please note we have one address in any publicity you may feel compelled to put out there. :-) I hope you're all happy with this effort, and take a moment to give a remote to the ARGologists who worked so hard to get this happening. I hope this site becomes a place where ARG SIGers, and anyone who is keen, can find and contribute info on ARGs. A few ARG SIGers are at ARGFest and will launch it there too. But this mini-remote-text-launch is for us. :-) Best, Christy _______________________________________________ ARG_Discuss mailing list ARG_Discuss at igda.org http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss From cdena at cross-mediaentertainment.com Fri Jul 18 19:40:34 2008 From: cdena at cross-mediaentertainment.com (Christy Dena) Date: Sat, 19 Jul 2008 09:40:34 +1000 Subject: [arg_discuss] Launch of ARGology! Wohoo! In-Reply-To: <08119B28F4B3FF46A5747921C9FAA67868B646@AA1EXCH06.office.share.org> Message-ID: <20080718234147.FKQJ3962.nschwotgx03p.mx.bigpond.com@HPPIE> Huzzah! Of course! Anyone can still contribute! Anytime! If you're blogging about the site, it would be good to link to the site and the ARG SIG website (and include that it is an IGDA ARG SIG initiative). I guess 'ARGology' and 'ARGSIG' would be the two tags... Plenty of time to do more. :) -----Original Message----- From: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org [mailto:arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org] On Behalf Of Bryan Alexander Sent: Saturday, 19 July 2008 06:56 To: Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG; Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG; Alternate Reality Game Researcher & Educator List Subject: Re: [arg_discuss] Launch of ARGology! Wohoo! Hurrah! Questions: Is there still the chance of contributing? And any suggestions for blogging? i.e., favorite tags, anyone we should link to, etc. I wish I could have done more, this past month. :( -----Original Message----- From: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org on behalf of Christy Dena Sent: Fri 7/18/2008 10:57 AM To: 'Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG'; 'Alternate Reality Game Researcher & Educator List' Subject: [arg_discuss] Launch of ARGology! Wohoo! ARGology is LIVE! Well, after churning away for a few weeks, the first round of ARGologists have produced a website that will hopefully be a source of information and inspiration to people keen to find out about ARGs. On the site now is: What is an ARG? By mez and J. James Bono: http://www.argology.org/_what-is-an-arg/ ARG Design Links by Christy Dena: http://www.argology.org/arg-design/arg-design-links/ ARG Developers by Michelle Senderhauf, Jan Libby: http://www.argology.org/arg-developers/ ARG FAQs by Wendy Despain: http://www.argology.org/arg-faqs/ ARGs in Education & Training by Alex Moseley, Bryan Alexander, J. Jamie Bono: http://www.argology.org/args-in-education-training/ Awarded ARGs by Christy Dena: http://www.argology.org/awarded-args/ History of ARGs by Michelle Senderhauf: http://www.argology.org/history-of-args/ How to Play ARGs (links) by Christy Dena: http://www.argology.org/how-to-play-args/ What are ARGs to You?: http://www.argology.org/what-are-args-to-you/ ARGology logo: Marc Williams Website Management and Hosting generously provided by John Evans The official URL is: http://www.argology.org/ This is a great effort, especially for very busy volunteers. I'm sure all of the contributors welcome you feedback and ideas, either on this list or directly via email. Also, fellow ARG SIGers, please consider the first round of contributions as a starting point. If you don't agree with the content provided, you don't necessarily have to change it. We can easily create new pages within each category. Indeed, the more voices and views.the better. Although the ARG SIG voted for .org AND .com, we only recently realized that none of us had actually checked whether .com was available. Uncannily enough, a French company had bought argology.com back in March. So, we never could have had both URLs. Sorry for the mess up. But please note we have one address in any publicity you may feel compelled to put out there. :-) I hope you're all happy with this effort, and take a moment to give a remote to the ARGologists who worked so hard to get this happening. I hope this site becomes a place where ARG SIGers, and anyone who is keen, can find and contribute info on ARGs. A few ARG SIGers are at ARGFest and will launch it there too. But this mini-remote-text-launch is for us. :-) Best, Christy _______________________________________________ ARG_Discuss mailing list ARG_Discuss at igda.org http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss _______________________________________________ ARG_Discuss mailing list ARG_Discuss at igda.org http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss From adam.m.s.martin at googlemail.com Sat Jul 19 11:54:55 2008 From: adam.m.s.martin at googlemail.com (Adam Martin) Date: Sat, 19 Jul 2008 16:54:55 +0100 Subject: [arg_discuss] GDC 2009: what ARG events do you want? Message-ID: It's that time of year again: preparations for the next Game Developers Conference are getting up and running, and this year there are some format changes that affect us. I know a lot of people on this list won't be at GDC. But also quite a few of you will be. So, to that latter group, it would help enormously if you could chip in with some feedback and/or ideas for what you'd like to see ARG-related and ARG-SIG-related at GDC next spring... Previous years: For the last 3 years, we've had a "Group Gathering", hosted at the IGDA booth. Attendance has varied between about 20 and 30 people. Sometimes this has worked very well as a space, other times it's been hard to hear what was being said (pot luck with timings, because the booth itself was always on (the edge of) the show floor or main thoroughfares). The format we adopted was approximately: - 10 minutes for introductions, everyone says "hi" and a little about what their interest is in ARGs. In the first year we also did a quick stint on "what is an ARG?" - 5 minutes for ARG SIG business. Usually a call for more volunteers :), but also some quick feedback on what people liked and didn't like about the past year's SIG activities (usually "more, please"). - 60-90 minutes of mingling/networking/socialising/chatting So, a mix of "SIG business", roundtable-type discussions, and (mostly) general networking. This year: - we might be able to get a private room (much quieter) for doing a sort of "mini AGM" of the SIG, for anyone to come to who's interested specifically in the SIG and what we could/should be doing next - we might be able to get a roundtable as one of the main GDC sessions: if you haven't been to the GDC roundtables, FYI they are anywhere from 10 to 60 people, a freeform informal chat with a moderator to keep it becoming a free for all. They're great for having a wide-ranging explorative conversation with lots of people. They're terrible for doing networking / socialising with lots of people. - and we can certainly do a traditional Group Gathering again, but it's not yet clear whether the location provided for that will be better or - possibly - much worse than previous years, in terms of amount of ambient noise. Opinions welcome. So ... what did you like? What do you want of the above? How much value do each of them provide? PS: to everyone involved in ARGology: Excellent work! Adam From mmonello at campfirenyc.com Wed Jul 23 23:09:21 2008 From: mmonello at campfirenyc.com (Mike Monello) Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:09:21 -0700 Subject: [arg_discuss] The Argument against ARGs Message-ID: Here's a little something to get the juices flowing! http://io9.com/5028054/the-argument-against-args I wish I could have been in Boston last week. How was it? Best, Mike From cdena at cross-mediaentertainment.com Thu Jul 24 00:04:20 2008 From: cdena at cross-mediaentertainment.com (Christy Dena) Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:04:20 +1000 Subject: [arg_discuss] The Argument against ARGs In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <20080724040538.XQIK10912.nskntotgx01p.mx.bigpond.com@HPPIE> Looks like a feature article on Independent ARGs is needed on ARGology?... :) -----Original Message----- From: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org [mailto:arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org] On Behalf Of Mike Monello Sent: Thursday, 24 July 2008 13:09 To: Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG Subject: [arg_discuss] The Argument against ARGs Here's a little something to get the juices flowing! http://io9.com/5028054/the-argument-against-args I wish I could have been in Boston last week. How was it? Best, Mike _______________________________________________ ARG_Discuss mailing list ARG_Discuss at igda.org http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss From libfli at aol.com Thu Jul 24 00:09:06 2008 From: libfli at aol.com (libfli at aol.com) Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:09:06 -0400 Subject: [arg_discuss] The Argument against ARGs In-Reply-To: <20080724040538.XQIK10912.nskntotgx01p.mx.bigpond.com@HPPIE> Message-ID: <8CABB5A2688EB02-7EC-4D93@WEBMAIL-NG17.sysops.aol.com> cheers to that! ?:) -----Original Message----- From: Christy Dena To: 'Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG' Sent: Wed, 23 Jul 2008 9:04 pm Subject: Re: [arg_discuss] The Argument against ARGs Looks like a feature article on Independent ARGs is needed on ARGology?... :) -----Original Message----- From: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org [mailto:arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org] On Behalf Of Mike Monello Sent: Thursday, 24 July 2008 13:09 To: Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG Subject: [arg_discuss] The Argument against ARGs Here's a little something to get the juices flowing! http://io9.com/5028054/the-argument-against-args I wish I could have been in Boston last week. How was it? Best, Mike _______________________________________________ ARG_Discuss mailing list ARG_Discuss at igda.org http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss _______________________________________________ ARG_Discuss mailing list ARG_Discuss at igda.org http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss From patrick at ndreams.com Thu Jul 24 03:15:01 2008 From: patrick at ndreams.com (Patrick O'Luanaigh) Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:15:01 +0100 Subject: [arg_discuss] EIF "The Future of Alternate Reality Games" session In-Reply-To: <8CABB5A2688EB02-7EC-4D93@WEBMAIL-NG17.sysops.aol.com> References: <8CABB5A2688EB02-7EC-4D93@WEBMAIL-NG17.sysops.aol.com> Message-ID: <48882BF5.7030305@ndreams.com> A final note on the session we're running at the Edinburgh Interactive Festival next month called 'The Future of ARGs'. I'll be chairing a panel session with Dan Hon, Alex Fleetwood, David Varela and Yomi Ayeni which will take place at 3pm on Monday 11th August (at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre). We'll be talking about possible future directions, including non-branded ARGs, how ARGs may combine in different with other forms of entertainment, and business models. Hopefully it will be a really interesting session, and we'll post a brief summary on here after the event. http://www.edinburghinteractivefestival.com/ From mj_williams at mac.com Thu Jul 24 08:10:56 2008 From: mj_williams at mac.com (mj williams) Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2008 13:10:56 +0100 Subject: [arg_discuss] interesting piece in the guardian today Message-ID: all about ARGs : nice quote from Andrea too! http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/jul/24/games.internet -- **think of something funny** mj williams | www.bushofgoats.com/bookofworks | mj_williams at mac.com | +44(0)7971 004821 From jason at aporiacme.com Thu Jul 24 08:35:25 2008 From: jason at aporiacme.com (Jason Chrest) Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:35:25 +0000 Subject: [arg_discuss] interesting piece in the guardian today Message-ID: <652764839-1216902941-cardhu_decombobulator_blackberry.rim.net-535537764-@bxe176.bisx.prod.on.blackberry> Nice article thanks for the heads up. Andrea did provide great content and after hearing her this weekend that would not be unexpected, but so did Ken. This article is a great contrast to the io9.com article from yesterday. ------Original Message------ From: mj williams Sender: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org To: arg_discuss at igda.org ReplyTo: Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG Sent: Jul 24, 2008 7:10 AM Subject: [arg_discuss] interesting piece in the guardian today all about ARGs : nice quote from Andrea too! http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/jul/24/games.internet -- **think of something funny** mj williams | www.bushofgoats.com/bookofworks | mj_williams at mac.com | +44(0)7971 004821 _______________________________________________ ARG_Discuss mailing list ARG_Discuss at igda.org http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss Jason Chrest Aporia Cross-Media Entertainment www.aporiacme.com jason at aporiacme.com From andrhia at gmail.com Thu Jul 24 08:51:12 2008 From: andrhia at gmail.com (Andrea Phillips) Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:51:12 -0400 Subject: [arg_discuss] The Argument against ARGs In-Reply-To: <8CABB5A2688EB02-7EC-4D93@WEBMAIL-NG17.sysops.aol.com> References: <20080724040538.XQIK10912.nskntotgx01p.mx.bigpond.com@HPPIE> <8CABB5A2688EB02-7EC-4D93@WEBMAIL-NG17.sysops.aol.com> Message-ID: <5c799fd60807240551h149a73b5ke4a22141e918c804@mail.gmail.com> Definitely agree. ARG = marketing is probably one the biggest misconception we're fighting against. Do we have enough other widespread misconceptions to make an ARG Myths page? I can't think of any, but I might not be in a position to know what they are. On Thu, Jul 24, 2008 at 12:09 AM, wrote: > cheers to that! :) > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Christy Dena > To: 'Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG' > Sent: Wed, 23 Jul 2008 9:04 pm > Subject: Re: [arg_discuss] The Argument against ARGs > > > > > > > > > > Looks like a feature article on Independent ARGs is needed on ARGology?... > :) > > > -----Original Message----- > From: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org [mailto:arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org] On > Behalf Of Mike Monello > Sent: Thursday, 24 July 2008 13:09 > To: Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG > Subject: [arg_discuss] The Argument against ARGs > > Here's a little something to get the juices flowing! > > http://io9.com/5028054/the-argument-against-args > > I wish I could have been in Boston last week. How was it? > > Best, > > Mike > _______________________________________________ > ARG_Discuss mailing list > ARG_Discuss at igda.org > http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss > > _______________________________________________ > ARG_Discuss mailing list > ARG_Discuss at igda.org > http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > ARG_Discuss mailing list > ARG_Discuss at igda.org > http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss > -- Andrea Phillips http://www.deusexmachinatio.com Words * Culture * Interaction From andrhia at gmail.com Thu Jul 24 08:59:26 2008 From: andrhia at gmail.com (Andrea Phillips) Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:59:26 -0400 Subject: [arg_discuss] interesting piece in the guardian today In-Reply-To: <652764839-1216902941-cardhu_decombobulator_blackberry.rim.net-535537764-@bxe176.bisx.prod.on.blackberry> References: <652764839-1216902941-cardhu_decombobulator_blackberry.rim.net-535537764-@bxe176.bisx.prod.on.blackberry> Message-ID: <5c799fd60807240559y522fbcc6oc449916143feda67@mail.gmail.com> Oh, stop, you're making me blush. :) Hear hear for Ken! So Ken, when can we expect World Without Bananas, another serious look at a looming global crisis? On Thu, Jul 24, 2008 at 8:35 AM, Jason Chrest wrote: > Nice article thanks for the heads up. Andrea did provide great content and after hearing her this weekend that would not be unexpected, but so did Ken. This article is a great contrast to the io9.com article from yesterday. > > > > ------Original Message------ > From: mj williams > Sender: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org > To: arg_discuss at igda.org > ReplyTo: Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG > Sent: Jul 24, 2008 7:10 AM > Subject: [arg_discuss] interesting piece in the guardian today > > all about ARGs : nice quote from Andrea too! > > http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/jul/24/games.internet > > > > -- > **think of something funny** > > mj williams | www.bushofgoats.com/bookofworks > | mj_williams at mac.com > | +44(0)7971 004821 > > _______________________________________________ > ARG_Discuss mailing list > ARG_Discuss at igda.org > http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss > > > Jason Chrest > Aporia Cross-Media Entertainment > www.aporiacme.com > jason at aporiacme.com > _______________________________________________ > ARG_Discuss mailing list > ARG_Discuss at igda.org > http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss > -- Andrea Phillips http://www.deusexmachinatio.com Words * Culture * Interaction From iaskwith at MIT.EDU Thu Jul 24 09:13:08 2008 From: iaskwith at MIT.EDU (Ivan Askwith) Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:13:08 -0400 Subject: [arg_discuss] interesting piece in the guardian today In-Reply-To: <5c799fd60807240559y522fbcc6oc449916143feda67@mail.gmail.com> References: <652764839-1216902941-cardhu_decombobulator_blackberry.rim.net-535537764-@bxe176.bisx.prod.on.blackberry> <5c799fd60807240559y522fbcc6oc449916143feda67@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <4F5F7C2F-734D-404B-B286-6FDFB762DB75@mit.edu> Cheers to both of you! And personally, I've been waiting for "World Without Honey Bees," since those seem to be disappearing as well, with catastrophic implications most people are entirely unaware of. > Oh, stop, you're making me blush. :) > > Hear hear for Ken! So Ken, when can we expect World Without Bananas, > another serious look at a looming global crisis? > > On Thu, Jul 24, 2008 at 8:35 AM, Jason Chrest > wrote: >> Nice article thanks for the heads up. Andrea did provide great >> content and after hearing her this weekend that would not be >> unexpected, but so did Ken. This article is a great contrast to >> the io9.com article from yesterday. >> >> >> >> ------Original Message------ >> From: mj williams >> Sender: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org >> To: arg_discuss at igda.org >> ReplyTo: Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG >> Sent: Jul 24, 2008 7:10 AM >> Subject: [arg_discuss] interesting piece in the guardian today >> >> all about ARGs : nice quote from Andrea too! >> >> http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/jul/24/games.internet >> >> >> >> -- >> **think of something funny** >> >> mj williams | www.bushofgoats.com/bookofworks >> | mj_williams at mac.com >> | +44(0)7971 004821 >> >> _______________________________________________ >> ARG_Discuss mailing list >> ARG_Discuss at igda.org >> http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss >> >> >> Jason Chrest >> Aporia Cross-Media Entertainment >> www.aporiacme.com >> jason at aporiacme.com >> _______________________________________________ >> ARG_Discuss mailing list >> ARG_Discuss at igda.org >> http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss >> > > > > -- > Andrea Phillips > http://www.deusexmachinatio.com > Words * Culture * Interaction > _______________________________________________ > ARG_Discuss mailing list > ARG_Discuss at igda.org > http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss From bclark at gmdstudios.com Thu Jul 24 09:41:09 2008 From: bclark at gmdstudios.com (Brian Clark) Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:41:09 -0400 Subject: [arg_discuss] The Argument against ARGs In-Reply-To: <5c799fd60807240551h149a73b5ke4a22141e918c804@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <006d01c8ed92$eea02560$6b00a8c0@PKDHEAD> Ah, give us the patience to know what we can't change, and I fear this might be one of them, and you can blame most of us on this list for that. The press will always focus on the shiniest bit on the ground, and that will likely always be branded marketing ARGs. Mike: during the first panel at ARGfest, I was actually concerned. The topic was extending realities, and while Evan was a tremendous moderator and Lance Weiler tried to throw a friendly hand grenade or two, that panel could help but drift to "hoax as good marketing". I couldn't resist throwing the question to them, "After advertising agencies move on to the next flavor of the week, will you still make ARGs?" I think the panel's general answer was, "Who'd ever get tired of ARGs on move on to another flavor?" The surest way to fight that misperception is for someone to make a huge game that's immensely popular that isn't funded that way and doesn't serve a marketing purpose. But then people still think blairwitch.com was a marketing play. -----Original Message----- From: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org [mailto:arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org] On Behalf Of Andrea Phillips Sent: Thursday, July 24, 2008 8:51 AM To: Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG Subject: Re: [arg_discuss] The Argument against ARGs Definitely agree. ARG = marketing is probably one the biggest misconception we're fighting against. Do we have enough other widespread misconceptions to make an ARG Myths page? I can't think of any, but I might not be in a position to know what they are. On Thu, Jul 24, 2008 at 12:09 AM, wrote: > cheers to that! :) > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Christy Dena > To: 'Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG' > Sent: Wed, 23 Jul 2008 9:04 pm > Subject: Re: [arg_discuss] The Argument against ARGs > > > > > > > > > > Looks like a feature article on Independent ARGs is needed on ARGology?... > :) > > > -----Original Message----- > From: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org [mailto:arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org] On > Behalf Of Mike Monello > Sent: Thursday, 24 July 2008 13:09 > To: Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG > Subject: [arg_discuss] The Argument against ARGs > > Here's a little something to get the juices flowing! > > http://io9.com/5028054/the-argument-against-args > > I wish I could have been in Boston last week. How was it? > > Best, > > Mike > _______________________________________________ > ARG_Discuss mailing list > ARG_Discuss at igda.org > http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss > > _______________________________________________ > ARG_Discuss mailing list > ARG_Discuss at igda.org > http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > ARG_Discuss mailing list > ARG_Discuss at igda.org > http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss > -- Andrea Phillips http://www.deusexmachinatio.com Words * Culture * Interaction _______________________________________________ ARG_Discuss mailing list ARG_Discuss at igda.org http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss From adrijackmarie at gmail.com Fri Jul 25 07:05:43 2008 From: adrijackmarie at gmail.com (Adrien MARIE) Date: Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:05:43 +0200 Subject: [arg_discuss] The Argument against ARGs In-Reply-To: <8CABB5A2688EB02-7EC-4D93@WEBMAIL-NG17.sysops.aol.com> References: <8CABB5A2688EB02-7EC-4D93@WEBMAIL-NG17.sysops.aol.com> Message-ID: And, because any friend of yours is a friend of ours, we're also giving you a special code to pass on to someone who's never bought from MOO before. The code 3MHYKG* will entitle a brand new MOO customer to 15% off their first order. Help us spread the Summer love, and pass it on! On 24 Jul 2008, at 6:9, libfli at aol.com wrote: > cheers to that! :) > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Christy Dena > To: 'Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG' > Sent: Wed, 23 Jul 2008 9:04 pm > Subject: Re: [arg_discuss] The Argument against ARGs > > > > > > > > > > Looks like a feature article on Independent ARGs is needed on > ARGology?... > :) > > > -----Original Message----- > From: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org [mailto:arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org > ] On > Behalf Of Mike Monello > Sent: Thursday, 24 July 2008 13:09 > To: Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG > Subject: [arg_discuss] The Argument against ARGs > > Here's a little something to get the juices flowing! > > http://io9.com/5028054/the-argument-against-args > > I wish I could have been in Boston last week. How was it? > > Best, > > Mike > _______________________________________________ > ARG_Discuss mailing list > ARG_Discuss at igda.org > http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss > > _______________________________________________ > ARG_Discuss mailing list > ARG_Discuss at igda.org > http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > ARG_Discuss mailing list > ARG_Discuss at igda.org > http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss From mj_williams at mac.com Sat Jul 26 06:41:09 2008 From: mj_williams at mac.com (mj williams) Date: Sat, 26 Jul 2008 11:41:09 +0100 Subject: [arg_discuss] Mystery on Fifth Avenue In-Reply-To: <08119B28F4B3FF46A5747921C9FAA678B7A61E@AA1EXCH06.office.share.org> References: <48568F00.4080507@disobey.com> <08119B28F4B3FF46A5747921C9FAA678B7A5DC@AA1EXCH06.office.share.org> <912DC93A-BE47-4466-A5EC-20D9CA97C05E@sixtostart.com> <08119B28F4B3FF46A5747921C9FAA678B7A5E1@AA1EXCH06.office.share.org> <003201c8d047$efd6db30$4001a8c0@nDreamsRock> <08119B28F4B3FF46A5747921C9FAA678B7A61E@AA1EXCH06.office.share.org> Message-ID: <48317AF6-FFA5-40FB-BE1A-7944F97D1CE2@mac.com> Homes for stories. An occasional series: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/gallery/2008/jul/26/homes.architecture?picture=335953251 -- **write something funny** mj williams | www.bushofgoats.com/bookofworks | mj_williams at mac.com | +44(0)7971 004821 On 19 Jun 2008, at 12:02, Bryan Alexander wrote: OK, I could deal with that as a work environment. If I had to. Btw, I've had a bunch of non-ARG-types mention this apartment story to me over the past week. I wonder if it might not be a useful story to use, now, when explaining what an ARG is. -----Original Message----- From: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org [mailto:arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org] On Behalf Of Patrick O'Luanaigh Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 3:01 AM To: 'Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG' Subject: Re: [arg_discuss] Mystery on Fifth Avenue Here's a link to photos of the Three Rings studio that Dan mentioned .... WOW! http://www.wired.com/culture/design/multimedia/2007/06/gallery_nemo_offi ce -----Original Message----- From: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org [mailto:arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org] On Behalf Of Bryan Alexander Sent: 16 June 2008 20:52 To: Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG Subject: Re: [arg_discuss] Mystery on Fifth Avenue I haven't/ Field trip! -----Original Message----- From: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org [mailto:arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org] On Behalf Of Dan Hon Sent: Monday, June 16, 2008 3:27 PM To: Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG Subject: Re: [arg_discuss] Mystery on Fifth Avenue -- Dan Hon, CEO, Six to Start m: +44 7870 600 828 t: +44 33 3340 7490, f: +44 33 3340 7494 On 16 Jun 2008, at 20:00, Bryan Alexander wrote: > It's a nifty thing. I noted a couple of responses at my Infocult > blog: > > 1. It reminds me of the old Renaissance rich benefactor/patron thing, > given how rich the family is. (And reminds me a little of The Game) > 2. I wonder what it would be like to have a living and/or working > space > which was a platform for this sort of thing. Have you guys seen Three Rings' studio? Now that's a fantastically designed working space... Dan _______________________________________________ ARG_Discuss mailing list ARG_Discuss at igda.org http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss _______________________________________________ ARG_Discuss mailing list ARG_Discuss at igda.org http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss _______________________________________________ ARG_Discuss mailing list ARG_Discuss at igda.org http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss _______________________________________________ ARG_Discuss mailing list ARG_Discuss at igda.org http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss From cdena at cross-mediaentertainment.com Sun Jul 27 03:06:05 2008 From: cdena at cross-mediaentertainment.com (Christy Dena) Date: Sun, 27 Jul 2008 17:06:05 +1000 Subject: [arg_discuss] Does anyone know anything about this book? Message-ID: <20080727070725.DYAC10826.nschwotgx02p.mx.bigpond.com@HPPIE> "THIS IS NOT A GAME is a novel built around the coolest phenomenon in the world. That phenomenon is known as the Alternate Reality Game, or ARG. It's big, and it's getting bigger. It's immersive and massively interactive, and it's spreading through the Internet at the speed of light. To the player, the Alternate Reality Game has no boundaries. You can be standing in a parking lot, or a shopping center. A pay phone near you will ring, and on the other end will be someone demanding information. You'd better have the information handy. ARGs combine video, text adventure, radio plays, audio, animation, improvisational theater, graphics, and story into an immersive experience. Now, one of science fiction's most acclaimed writers, Walter Jon Williams, brings this extraordinary phenomenon to life in a pulse-pounding thriller. This is not a game. This is a novel that will blow your mind." http://www.orbitbooks.net/orbit-us-titles-fallwinter-08/#tinag From cdena at cross-mediaentertainment.com Sun Jul 27 03:13:18 2008 From: cdena at cross-mediaentertainment.com (Christy Dena) Date: Sun, 27 Jul 2008 17:13:18 +1000 Subject: [arg_discuss] Does anyone know anything about this book? In-Reply-To: <20080727070725.DYAC10826.nschwotgx02p.mx.bigpond.com@HPPIE> Message-ID: <20080727071438.EDEC10826.nschwotgx02p.mx.bigpond.com@HPPIE> Aha, just saw he was a co-writer on Last Call Poker... -----Original Message----- From: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org [mailto:arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org] On Behalf Of Christy Dena Sent: Sunday, 27 July 2008 17:06 To: 'Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG'; 'Alternate Reality Game Researcher & Educator List' Subject: [arg_discuss] Does anyone know anything about this book? "THIS IS NOT A GAME is a novel built around the coolest phenomenon in the world. That phenomenon is known as the Alternate Reality Game, or ARG. It's big, and it's getting bigger. It's immersive and massively interactive, and it's spreading through the Internet at the speed of light. To the player, the Alternate Reality Game has no boundaries. You can be standing in a parking lot, or a shopping center. A pay phone near you will ring, and on the other end will be someone demanding information. You'd better have the information handy. ARGs combine video, text adventure, radio plays, audio, animation, improvisational theater, graphics, and story into an immersive experience. Now, one of science fiction's most acclaimed writers, Walter Jon Williams, brings this extraordinary phenomenon to life in a pulse-pounding thriller. This is not a game. This is a novel that will blow your mind." http://www.orbitbooks.net/orbit-us-titles-fallwinter-08/#tinag _______________________________________________ ARG_Discuss mailing list ARG_Discuss at igda.org http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss From mj_williams at mac.com Sun Jul 27 04:40:40 2008 From: mj_williams at mac.com (mj williams) Date: Sun, 27 Jul 2008 09:40:40 +0100 Subject: [arg_discuss] Does anyone know anything about this book? In-Reply-To: <20080727070725.DYAC10826.nschwotgx02p.mx.bigpond.com@HPPIE> References: <20080727070725.DYAC10826.nschwotgx02p.mx.bigpond.com@HPPIE> Message-ID: 'the coolest phenomenon in the world'? maybe, maybe not. But a novel about an ARG? Song about architecture, anyone? -- mj williams | www.bushofgoats.com/bookofworks | mj_williams at mac.com | +44(0)7971 004821 On 27 Jul 2008, at 08:06, Christy Dena wrote: "THIS IS NOT A GAME is a novel built around the coolest phenomenon in the world. That phenomenon is known as the Alternate Reality Game, or ARG. It's big, and it's getting bigger. It's immersive and massively interactive, and it's spreading through the Internet at the speed of light. To the player, the Alternate Reality Game has no boundaries. You can be standing in a parking lot, or a shopping center. A pay phone near you will ring, and on the other end will be someone demanding information. You'd better have the information handy. ARGs combine video, text adventure, radio plays, audio, animation, improvisational theater, graphics, and story into an immersive experience. Now, one of science fiction's most acclaimed writers, Walter Jon Williams, brings this extraordinary phenomenon to life in a pulse-pounding thriller. This is not a game. This is a novel that will blow your mind." http://www.orbitbooks.net/orbit-us-titles-fallwinter-08/#tinag _______________________________________________ ARG_Discuss mailing list ARG_Discuss at igda.org http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss From jwaite at argn.com Sun Jul 27 13:57:24 2008 From: jwaite at argn.com (Jonathan Waite) Date: Sun, 27 Jul 2008 12:57:24 -0500 Subject: [arg_discuss] Does anyone know anything about this book? (Jonathan Waite) In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hopefully, not to be confused with Dave Szulborski's book of the same name: http://www.amazon.com/This-Not-Game-Alternate-Reality/dp/1411625951 Jonathan Waite ARGNet: Alternate Reality Gaming Network 630.274.5425 jwaite at argn.com On 27-Jul-08, at 9:00 AM, arg_discuss-request at igda.org wrote: > Send ARG_Discuss mailing list submissions to > arg_discuss at igda.org > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > arg_discuss-request at igda.org > > You can reach the person managing the list at > arg_discuss-owner at igda.org > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of ARG_Discuss digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Does anyone know anything about this book? (Christy Dena) > 2. Re: Does anyone know anything about this book? (Christy Dena) > 3. Re: Does anyone know anything about this book? (mj williams) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Sun, 27 Jul 2008 17:06:05 +1000 > From: "Christy Dena" > Subject: [arg_discuss] Does anyone know anything about this book? > To: "'Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG'" , > "'Alternate Reality Game Researcher & Educator List'" > > Message-ID: > <20080727070725.DYAC10826.nschwotgx02p.mx.bigpond.com at HPPIE> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > > > > "THIS IS NOT A GAME is a novel built around the coolest phenomenon > in the > world. That phenomenon is known as the Alternate Reality Game, or > ARG. It's > big, and it's getting bigger. It's immersive and massively > interactive, and > it's spreading through the Internet at the speed of light. To the > player, > the Alternate Reality Game has no boundaries. You can be standing > in a > parking lot, or a shopping center. A pay phone near you will ring, > and on > the other end will be someone demanding information. You'd better > have the > information handy. > > ARGs combine video, text adventure, radio plays, audio, animation, > improvisational theater, graphics, and story into an immersive > experience. > > Now, one of science fiction's most acclaimed writers, Walter Jon > Williams, > brings this extraordinary phenomenon to life in a pulse-pounding > thriller. > This is not a game. This is a novel that will blow your mind." > > http://www.orbitbooks.net/orbit-us-titles-fallwinter-08/#tinag > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Sun, 27 Jul 2008 17:13:18 +1000 > From: "Christy Dena" > Subject: Re: [arg_discuss] Does anyone know anything about this book? > To: "'Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG'" , > "'Alternate Reality Game Researcher & Educator List'" > > Message-ID: > <20080727071438.EDEC10826.nschwotgx02p.mx.bigpond.com at HPPIE> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > > > Aha, just saw he was a co-writer on Last Call Poker... > > > -----Original Message----- > From: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org [mailto:arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org > ] On > Behalf Of Christy Dena > Sent: Sunday, 27 July 2008 17:06 > To: 'Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG'; 'Alternate Reality Game > Researcher & Educator List' > Subject: [arg_discuss] Does anyone know anything about this book? > > > > "THIS IS NOT A GAME is a novel built around the coolest phenomenon > in the > world. That phenomenon is known as the Alternate Reality Game, or > ARG. It's > big, and it's getting bigger. It's immersive and massively > interactive, and > it's spreading through the Internet at the speed of light. To the > player, > the Alternate Reality Game has no boundaries. You can be standing > in a > parking lot, or a shopping center. A pay phone near you will ring, > and on > the other end will be someone demanding information. You'd better > have the > information handy. > > ARGs combine video, text adventure, radio plays, audio, animation, > improvisational theater, graphics, and story into an immersive > experience. > > Now, one of science fiction's most acclaimed writers, Walter Jon > Williams, > brings this extraordinary phenomenon to life in a pulse-pounding > thriller. > This is not a game. This is a novel that will blow your mind." > > http://www.orbitbooks.net/orbit-us-titles-fallwinter-08/#tinag > > > > _______________________________________________ > ARG_Discuss mailing list > ARG_Discuss at igda.org > http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 3 > Date: Sun, 27 Jul 2008 09:40:40 +0100 > From: mj williams > Subject: Re: [arg_discuss] Does anyone know anything about this book? > To: Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG > Message-ID: > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes > > 'the coolest phenomenon in the world'? > maybe, maybe not. > But a novel about an ARG? Song about architecture, anyone? > > > -- > > mj williams | www.bushofgoats.com/bookofworks > | mj_williams at mac.com > | +44(0)7971 004821 > > > On 27 Jul 2008, at 08:06, Christy Dena wrote: > > > > "THIS IS NOT A GAME is a novel built around the coolest phenomenon in > the > world. That phenomenon is known as the Alternate Reality Game, or > ARG. It's > big, and it's getting bigger. It's immersive and massively > interactive, and > it's spreading through the Internet at the speed of light. To the > player, > the Alternate Reality Game has no boundaries. You can be standing > in a > parking lot, or a shopping center. A pay phone near you will ring, > and on > the other end will be someone demanding information. You'd better have > the > information handy. > > ARGs combine video, text adventure, radio plays, audio, animation, > improvisational theater, graphics, and story into an immersive > experience. > > Now, one of science fiction's most acclaimed writers, Walter Jon > Williams, > brings this extraordinary phenomenon to life in a pulse-pounding > thriller. > This is not a game. This is a novel that will blow your mind." > > http://www.orbitbooks.net/orbit-us-titles-fallwinter-08/#tinag > > > > _______________________________________________ > ARG_Discuss mailing list > ARG_Discuss at igda.org > http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss > > > > ------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > ARG_Discuss mailing list > ARG_Discuss at igda.org > http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss > > > End of ARG_Discuss Digest, Vol 35, Issue 12 > ******************************************* From info at dlimedia.com Mon Jul 28 11:46:58 2008 From: info at dlimedia.com (Darklight Interactive) Date: Mon, 28 Jul 2008 11:46:58 -0400 Subject: [arg_discuss] Does anyone know anything about this book? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <488DE9F2.9080908@dlimedia.com> Hey! I replied to this! Still gotta get the hang of these lists... Anyway, here's the repost; don't mind the newbie here... ;) It's been mentioned on unFiction: http://forums.unfiction.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=26287 First was the whole "argument against ARGs" post... http://io9.com/5028054/the-argument-against-args ...then there was the conveniently timed counter-point... http://www.orbitbooks.net/2008/07/23/a-case-for-args/ ...with the book's plug at the bottom. And, not to be extremely blunt, but he's referred to as "...one of science fiction's most acclaimed writers..." and is not listed as attending WorldCon - the World Science Fiction Convention in Denver, Colorado next month. The science fiction writers that I know personally (and I do know a few) have HEARD of him, but very few have apparently actually READ any of his work. One person refers to him as "...one of the most famous 'cyberpunk' writers, along with Gibson..." He seems to have focused more on sci-fi in the past. Tnx & Rgds... David Flor - dflor at dlimedia.com Darklight Interactive - http://www.dlimedia.com/ 786-234-7800 "Omne ignotum pro magnifico" arg_discuss-request at igda.org wrote: > Send ARG_Discuss mailing list submissions to > arg_discuss at igda.org > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > arg_discuss-request at igda.org > > You can reach the person managing the list at > arg_discuss-owner at igda.org > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of ARG_Discuss digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Re: Does anyone know anything about this book? (Jonathan > Waite) (Jonathan Waite) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Sun, 27 Jul 2008 12:57:24 -0500 > From: Jonathan Waite > Subject: Re: [arg_discuss] Does anyone know anything about this book? > (Jonathan Waite) > To: arg_discuss at igda.org > Message-ID: > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes > > Hopefully, not to be confused with Dave Szulborski's book of the same > name: > > http://www.amazon.com/This-Not-Game-Alternate-Reality/dp/1411625951 > > Jonathan Waite > ARGNet: Alternate Reality Gaming Network > 630.274.5425 > jwaite at argn.com > > > > On 27-Jul-08, at 9:00 AM, arg_discuss-request at igda.org wrote: > > >> Send ARG_Discuss mailing list submissions to >> arg_discuss at igda.org >> >> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit >> http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss >> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to >> arg_discuss-request at igda.org >> >> You can reach the person managing the list at >> arg_discuss-owner at igda.org >> >> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific >> than "Re: Contents of ARG_Discuss digest..." >> >> >> Today's Topics: >> >> 1. Does anyone know anything about this book? (Christy Dena) >> 2. Re: Does anyone know anything about this book? (Christy Dena) >> 3. Re: Does anyone know anything about this book? (mj williams) >> >> >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >> Message: 1 >> Date: Sun, 27 Jul 2008 17:06:05 +1000 >> From: "Christy Dena" >> Subject: [arg_discuss] Does anyone know anything about this book? >> To: "'Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG'" , >> "'Alternate Reality Game Researcher & Educator List'" >> >> Message-ID: >> <20080727070725.DYAC10826.nschwotgx02p.mx.bigpond.com at HPPIE> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >> >> >> >> "THIS IS NOT A GAME is a novel built around the coolest phenomenon >> in the >> world. That phenomenon is known as the Alternate Reality Game, or >> ARG. It's >> big, and it's getting bigger. It's immersive and massively >> interactive, and >> it's spreading through the Internet at the speed of light. To the >> player, >> the Alternate Reality Game has no boundaries. You can be standing >> in a >> parking lot, or a shopping center. A pay phone near you will ring, >> and on >> the other end will be someone demanding information. You'd better >> have the >> information handy. >> >> ARGs combine video, text adventure, radio plays, audio, animation, >> improvisational theater, graphics, and story into an immersive >> experience. >> >> Now, one of science fiction's most acclaimed writers, Walter Jon >> Williams, >> brings this extraordinary phenomenon to life in a pulse-pounding >> thriller. >> This is not a game. This is a novel that will blow your mind." >> >> http://www.orbitbooks.net/orbit-us-titles-fallwinter-08/#tinag >> >> >> >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> Message: 2 >> Date: Sun, 27 Jul 2008 17:13:18 +1000 >> From: "Christy Dena" >> Subject: Re: [arg_discuss] Does anyone know anything about this book? >> To: "'Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG'" , >> "'Alternate Reality Game Researcher & Educator List'" >> >> Message-ID: >> <20080727071438.EDEC10826.nschwotgx02p.mx.bigpond.com at HPPIE> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >> >> >> Aha, just saw he was a co-writer on Last Call Poker... >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org [mailto:arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org >> ] On >> Behalf Of Christy Dena >> Sent: Sunday, 27 July 2008 17:06 >> To: 'Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG'; 'Alternate Reality Game >> Researcher & Educator List' >> Subject: [arg_discuss] Does anyone know anything about this book? >> >> >> >> "THIS IS NOT A GAME is a novel built around the coolest phenomenon >> in the >> world. That phenomenon is known as the Alternate Reality Game, or >> ARG. It's >> big, and it's getting bigger. It's immersive and massively >> interactive, and >> it's spreading through the Internet at the speed of light. To the >> player, >> the Alternate Reality Game has no boundaries. You can be standing >> in a >> parking lot, or a shopping center. A pay phone near you will ring, >> and on >> the other end will be someone demanding information. You'd better >> have the >> information handy. >> >> ARGs combine video, text adventure, radio plays, audio, animation, >> improvisational theater, graphics, and story into an immersive >> experience. >> >> Now, one of science fiction's most acclaimed writers, Walter Jon >> Williams, >> brings this extraordinary phenomenon to life in a pulse-pounding >> thriller. >> This is not a game. This is a novel that will blow your mind." >> >> http://www.orbitbooks.net/orbit-us-titles-fallwinter-08/#tinag >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> ARG_Discuss mailing list >> ARG_Discuss at igda.org >> http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss >> >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> Message: 3 >> Date: Sun, 27 Jul 2008 09:40:40 +0100 >> From: mj williams >> Subject: Re: [arg_discuss] Does anyone know anything about this book? >> To: Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG >> Message-ID: >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes >> >> 'the coolest phenomenon in the world'? >> maybe, maybe not. >> But a novel about an ARG? Song about architecture, anyone? >> >> >> -- >> >> mj williams | www.bushofgoats.com/bookofworks >> | mj_williams at mac.com >> | +44(0)7971 004821 >> >> >> On 27 Jul 2008, at 08:06, Christy Dena wrote: >> >> >> >> "THIS IS NOT A GAME is a novel built around the coolest phenomenon in >> the >> world. That phenomenon is known as the Alternate Reality Game, or >> ARG. It's >> big, and it's getting bigger. It's immersive and massively >> interactive, and >> it's spreading through the Internet at the speed of light. To the >> player, >> the Alternate Reality Game has no boundaries. You can be standing >> in a >> parking lot, or a shopping center. A pay phone near you will ring, >> and on >> the other end will be someone demanding information. You'd better have >> the >> information handy. >> >> ARGs combine video, text adventure, radio plays, audio, animation, >> improvisational theater, graphics, and story into an immersive >> experience. >> >> Now, one of science fiction's most acclaimed writers, Walter Jon >> Williams, >> brings this extraordinary phenomenon to life in a pulse-pounding >> thriller. >> This is not a game. This is a novel that will blow your mind." >> >> http://www.orbitbooks.net/orbit-us-titles-fallwinter-08/#tinag >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> ARG_Discuss mailing list >> ARG_Discuss at igda.org >> http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss >> >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> _______________________________________________ >> ARG_Discuss mailing list >> ARG_Discuss at igda.org >> http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss >> >> >> End of ARG_Discuss Digest, Vol 35, Issue 12 >> ******************************************* >> > > > > ------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > ARG_Discuss mailing list > ARG_Discuss at igda.org > http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss > > > End of ARG_Discuss Digest, Vol 35, Issue 13 > ******************************************* > > > > From andrhia at gmail.com Tue Jul 29 11:55:36 2008 From: andrhia at gmail.com (Andrea Phillips) Date: Tue, 29 Jul 2008 11:55:36 -0400 Subject: [arg_discuss] Next IRC Chat: Aug. 17 Message-ID: <5c799fd60807290855j3a98e417o4d8e7fdb2570a022@mail.gmail.com> Hi, boys and girls! It's been a long time since we had a talk, hasn't it? So let's get back on the IRC bandwagon, shall we? I'm unilaterally calling for a SIG IRC chat on Sunday August 17, 2008 at 6pm EST (U.S.), 3pm PST, 11pm BST, 8am Monday morning EST (Australia). Mark your calendars! Do let me know if I've embarrassingly picked a date that conflicts with some big conference everyone will be attending or some similar thing. If there's enough displeasure at my arbitrary date, I'm happy to reschedule. If you have items you'd like to see on the agenda, please let me know! Right now I've got nothin'. HOW TO GET ON IRC For those of us who may not be familiar with IRC, you first need to download a client such as mIRC for Windows (http://www.mirc.org/) or Colloquy for OSX (http://colloquy.info/downloads.html). When you have it downloaded and installed, you will need to connect to a server. Ours is irc.chat-solutions.org. The port you will need is the default, 6667. Once you have a connection to the server, you need to join the SIG chat channel, which is #arg_sig You may also use the Unfiction applet here: http://www.unfiction.com/chat/ Just make sure to input #arg_sig into the channel field, plus your name & etc. If you've never used IRC before and you're a little worried, I'd encourage you to try it out ahead of time, it won't hurt anything. :) And feel free to email me if you're having trouble getting everything all set up. As always if you have anything you'd like to add to the agenda, or any other questions or comments, please post or email. Hope to see you all there! -- Andrea Phillips http://www.deusexmachinatio.com Words * Culture * Interaction From dflor at dlimedia.com Tue Jul 29 13:31:01 2008 From: dflor at dlimedia.com (David Flor) Date: Tue, 29 Jul 2008 13:31:01 -0400 Subject: [arg_discuss] Next IRC Chat: Aug. 17 In-Reply-To: <5c799fd60807290855j3a98e417o4d8e7fdb2570a022@mail.gmail.com> References: <5c799fd60807290855j3a98e417o4d8e7fdb2570a022@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <488F53D5.50300@dlimedia.com> Not that it bothers me (I'm in Miami, Florida - Eastern Time US), but isn't that like 1am for England? Don't we have quite a few people across the pond? Tnx & Rgds... David Flor ( dflor at dlimedia.com ) Darklight Interactive - http://www.dlimedia.com/ "Omne ignotum pro magnifico" Andrea Phillips wrote: > Hi, boys and girls! It's been a long time since we had a talk, hasn't > it? So let's get back on the IRC bandwagon, shall we? > > I'm unilaterally calling for a SIG IRC chat on Sunday August 17, 2008 > at 6pm EST (U.S.), 3pm PST, 11pm BST, 8am Monday morning EST > (Australia). Mark your calendars! > > Do let me know if I've embarrassingly picked a date that conflicts > with some big conference everyone will be attending or some similar > thing. If there's enough displeasure at my arbitrary date, I'm happy > to reschedule. > > If you have items you'd like to see on the agenda, please let me know! > Right now I've got nothin'. > > HOW TO GET ON IRC > > For those of us who may not be familiar with IRC, you first need to > download a client such as mIRC for Windows (http://www.mirc.org/) or > Colloquy for OSX (http://colloquy.info/downloads.html). > > When you have it downloaded and installed, you will need to connect to > a server. Ours is irc.chat-solutions.org. The port you will need is > the default, 6667. Once you have a connection to the server, you need > to join the SIG chat channel, which is #arg_sig > > You may also use the Unfiction applet here: http://www.unfiction.com/chat/ > > Just make sure to input #arg_sig into the channel field, plus your name & etc. > > If you've never used IRC before and you're a little worried, I'd > encourage you to try it out ahead of time, it won't hurt anything. :) > And feel free to email me if you're having trouble getting everything > all set up. > > As always if you have anything you'd like to add to the agenda, or any > other questions or comments, please post or email. Hope to see you all > there! > > From andrhia at gmail.com Tue Jul 29 14:12:29 2008 From: andrhia at gmail.com (Andrea Phillips) Date: Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:12:29 -0400 Subject: [arg_discuss] Next IRC Chat: Aug. 17 In-Reply-To: <488F53D5.50300@dlimedia.com> References: <5c799fd60807290855j3a98e417o4d8e7fdb2570a022@mail.gmail.com> <488F53D5.50300@dlimedia.com> Message-ID: <5c799fd60807291112g10963a3cr875214dcc01c50eb@mail.gmail.com> As I figure it, 11pm in Britain. It's a tricky thing trying to find a time that works for people in the U.K. and in Australia; I know we've got both on the list... On Tue, Jul 29, 2008 at 1:31 PM, David Flor wrote: > Not that it bothers me (I'm in Miami, Florida - Eastern Time US), but isn't > that like 1am for England? Don't we have quite a few people across the pond? > > Tnx & Rgds... > David Flor ( dflor at dlimedia.com ) > Darklight Interactive - http://www.dlimedia.com/ > > "Omne ignotum pro magnifico" > > Andrea Phillips wrote: >> >> Hi, boys and girls! It's been a long time since we had a talk, hasn't >> it? So let's get back on the IRC bandwagon, shall we? >> >> I'm unilaterally calling for a SIG IRC chat on Sunday August 17, 2008 >> at 6pm EST (U.S.), 3pm PST, 11pm BST, 8am Monday morning EST >> (Australia). Mark your calendars! >> >> Do let me know if I've embarrassingly picked a date that conflicts >> with some big conference everyone will be attending or some similar >> thing. If there's enough displeasure at my arbitrary date, I'm happy >> to reschedule. >> >> If you have items you'd like to see on the agenda, please let me know! >> Right now I've got nothin'. >> >> HOW TO GET ON IRC >> >> For those of us who may not be familiar with IRC, you first need to >> download a client such as mIRC for Windows (http://www.mirc.org/) or >> Colloquy for OSX (http://colloquy.info/downloads.html). >> >> When you have it downloaded and installed, you will need to connect to >> a server. Ours is irc.chat-solutions.org. The port you will need is >> the default, 6667. Once you have a connection to the server, you need >> to join the SIG chat channel, which is #arg_sig >> >> You may also use the Unfiction applet here: http://www.unfiction.com/chat/ >> >> Just make sure to input #arg_sig into the channel field, plus your name & >> etc. >> >> If you've never used IRC before and you're a little worried, I'd >> encourage you to try it out ahead of time, it won't hurt anything. :) >> And feel free to email me if you're having trouble getting everything >> all set up. >> >> As always if you have anything you'd like to add to the agenda, or any >> other questions or comments, please post or email. Hope to see you all >> there! >> >> > > _______________________________________________ > ARG_Discuss mailing list > ARG_Discuss at igda.org > http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss > -- Andrea Phillips http://www.deusexmachinatio.com Words * Culture * Interaction From andrhia at gmail.com Tue Jul 29 14:16:44 2008 From: andrhia at gmail.com (Andrea Phillips) Date: Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:16:44 -0400 Subject: [arg_discuss] ARGology Moo Cards Message-ID: <5c799fd60807291116o7a48ae74ma26091d17acf2e33@mail.gmail.com> I'm kicking around the idea of having Moo cards printed up to promote ARGology. The idea would be that we'd send them to interested SIG members to hand out during conferences and at other meetings with people and organizations who could use the info ARGology has to offer. Who'd be interested in getting some of these cards and handing them out? And how many do you think each person should get? I'm trying to get a ballpark sense of sizing the order so I can get pricing info from Moo. -- Andrea Phillips http://www.deusexmachinatio.com Words * Culture * Interaction From wendeth at wendydespain.com Tue Jul 29 14:47:39 2008 From: wendeth at wendydespain.com (Wendy Despain) Date: Tue, 29 Jul 2008 11:47:39 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [arg_discuss] Next IRC Chat: Aug. 17 In-Reply-To: <5c799fd60807291112g10963a3cr875214dcc01c50eb@mail.gmail.com> References: <5c799fd60807290855j3a98e417o4d8e7fdb2570a022@mail.gmail.com> <488F53D5.50300@dlimedia.com> <5c799fd60807291112g10963a3cr875214dcc01c50eb@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <62588.69.144.84.128.1217357259.squirrel@webmail.wendydespain.com> I think this is the only time we can get both the UK and Oz. But I have to put in my thoughts about the day. Sundays just won't work for me. I need time away from work and that's what my weekends are for. So I'm not saying you should plan the chat around me. Just providing my apologies. If it's on Sunday, i can't make it. Wendy Despain quantumcontent.com On Tue, July 29, 2008 11:12 am, Andrea Phillips wrote: > As I figure it, 11pm in Britain. It's a tricky thing trying to find a > time that works for people in the U.K. and in Australia; I know we've > got both on the list... > > On Tue, Jul 29, 2008 at 1:31 PM, David Flor > wrote: >> Not that it bothers me (I'm in Miami, Florida - Eastern Time US), >> but isn't >> that like 1am for England? Don't we have quite a few people across >> the pond? >> >> Tnx & Rgds... >> David Flor ( dflor at dlimedia.com ) >> Darklight Interactive - http://www.dlimedia.com/ >> >> "Omne ignotum pro magnifico" >> >> Andrea Phillips wrote: >>> >>> Hi, boys and girls! It's been a long time since we had a talk, >>> hasn't >>> it? So let's get back on the IRC bandwagon, shall we? >>> >>> I'm unilaterally calling for a SIG IRC chat on Sunday August 17, >>> 2008 >>> at 6pm EST (U.S.), 3pm PST, 11pm BST, 8am Monday morning EST >>> (Australia). Mark your calendars! >>> >>> Do let me know if I've embarrassingly picked a date that conflicts >>> with some big conference everyone will be attending or some similar >>> thing. If there's enough displeasure at my arbitrary date, I'm >>> happy >>> to reschedule. >>> >>> If you have items you'd like to see on the agenda, please let me >>> know! >>> Right now I've got nothin'. >>> >>> HOW TO GET ON IRC >>> >>> For those of us who may not be familiar with IRC, you first need to >>> download a client such as mIRC for Windows (http://www.mirc.org/) >>> or >>> Colloquy for OSX (http://colloquy.info/downloads.html). >>> >>> When you have it downloaded and installed, you will need to connect >>> to >>> a server. Ours is irc.chat-solutions.org. The port you will need is >>> the default, 6667. Once you have a connection to the server, you >>> need >>> to join the SIG chat channel, which is #arg_sig >>> >>> You may also use the Unfiction applet here: >>> http://www.unfiction.com/chat/ >>> >>> Just make sure to input #arg_sig into the channel field, plus your >>> name & >>> etc. >>> >>> If you've never used IRC before and you're a little worried, I'd >>> encourage you to try it out ahead of time, it won't hurt anything. >>> :) >>> And feel free to email me if you're having trouble getting >>> everything >>> all set up. >>> >>> As always if you have anything you'd like to add to the agenda, or >>> any >>> other questions or comments, please post or email. Hope to see you >>> all >>> there! >>> >>> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> ARG_Discuss mailing list >> ARG_Discuss at igda.org >> http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss >> > > > > -- > Andrea Phillips > http://www.deusexmachinatio.com > Words * Culture * Interaction > _______________________________________________ > ARG_Discuss mailing list > ARG_Discuss at igda.org > http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss > Wendy Despain quantumcontent.com From btradish at earthlink.net Tue Jul 29 22:04:01 2008 From: btradish at earthlink.net (John Evans) Date: Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:04:01 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [arg_discuss] ARGology Moo Cards Message-ID: <28926568.1217383441976.JavaMail.root@elwamui-huard.atl.sa.earthlink.net> By the way, I think the IRC meeting is great, I'll be there. >I'm kicking around the idea of having Moo cards printed up to promote >ARGology. The idea would be that we'd send them to interested SIG >members to hand out during conferences and at other meetings with >people and organizations who could use the info ARGology has to offer. > >Who'd be interested in getting some of these cards and handing them >out? And how many do you think each person should get? I'm trying to >get a ballpark sense of sizing the order so I can get pricing info >from Moo. Sounds great! I don't make it to that many conferences, but I show up at most of the IGDA NYC meetings. ...One question, though, what are Moo cards? Are they just business cards, or different in some way? -- John Evans Chaoseed Software - http://chaoseed.com From Bryan.Alexander at nitle.org Tue Jul 29 22:07:00 2008 From: Bryan.Alexander at nitle.org (Bryan Alexander) Date: Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:07:00 -0400 Subject: [arg_discuss] ARGology Moo Cards References: <28926568.1217383441976.JavaMail.root@elwamui-huard.atl.sa.earthlink.net> Message-ID: <08119B28F4B3FF46A5747921C9FAA67868B668@AA1EXCH06.office.share.org> Whew! I thought I was the only one who didn't know. (Which didn't stop me from idly imagining what they *could* be. "Moo cards are collectible trading cards, each depicting a favorite cow or bovine breed...." "MOO cards contain different bits of code, letting the reader enter unusual rooms in those online spaces..." -----Original Message----- From: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org on behalf of John Evans Sent: Tue 7/29/2008 10:04 PM To: Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG Subject: Re: [arg_discuss] ARGology Moo Cards By the way, I think the IRC meeting is great, I'll be there. >I'm kicking around the idea of having Moo cards printed up to promote >ARGology. The idea would be that we'd send them to interested SIG >members to hand out during conferences and at other meetings with >people and organizations who could use the info ARGology has to offer. > >Who'd be interested in getting some of these cards and handing them >out? And how many do you think each person should get? I'm trying to >get a ballpark sense of sizing the order so I can get pricing info >from Moo. Sounds great! I don't make it to that many conferences, but I show up at most of the IGDA NYC meetings. ...One question, though, what are Moo cards? Are they just business cards, or different in some way? -- John Evans Chaoseed Software - http://chaoseed.com _______________________________________________ ARG_Discuss mailing list ARG_Discuss at igda.org http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss From andrhia at gmail.com Tue Jul 29 22:12:56 2008 From: andrhia at gmail.com (Andrea Phillips) Date: Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:12:56 -0400 Subject: [arg_discuss] ARGology Moo Cards In-Reply-To: <08119B28F4B3FF46A5747921C9FAA67868B668@AA1EXCH06.office.share.org> References: <28926568.1217383441976.JavaMail.root@elwamui-huard.atl.sa.earthlink.net> <08119B28F4B3FF46A5747921C9FAA67868B668@AA1EXCH06.office.share.org> Message-ID: <5c799fd60807291912p7ae71b9cjd048e9da8b7a9b6@mail.gmail.com> Oh! Moo cards are stylish little mini-sized business cards. They really impress people for some reason... http://www.moo.com/products/minicards.php On Tue, Jul 29, 2008 at 10:07 PM, Bryan Alexander wrote: > Whew! I thought I was the only one who didn't know. > > (Which didn't stop me from idly imagining what they *could* be. > "Moo cards are collectible trading cards, each depicting a favorite cow or bovine breed...." > "MOO cards contain different bits of code, letting the reader enter unusual rooms in those online spaces..." > > > -----Original Message----- > From: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org on behalf of John Evans > Sent: Tue 7/29/2008 10:04 PM > To: Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG > Subject: Re: [arg_discuss] ARGology Moo Cards > > By the way, I think the IRC meeting is great, I'll be there. > >>I'm kicking around the idea of having Moo cards printed up to promote >>ARGology. The idea would be that we'd send them to interested SIG >>members to hand out during conferences and at other meetings with >>people and organizations who could use the info ARGology has to offer. >> >>Who'd be interested in getting some of these cards and handing them >>out? And how many do you think each person should get? I'm trying to >>get a ballpark sense of sizing the order so I can get pricing info >>from Moo. > > Sounds great! I don't make it to that many conferences, but I show up > at most of the IGDA NYC meetings. ...One question, though, what are > Moo cards? Are they just business cards, or different in some way? > > -- > John Evans > Chaoseed Software - http://chaoseed.com > > _______________________________________________ > ARG_Discuss mailing list > ARG_Discuss at igda.org > http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss > > _______________________________________________ > ARG_Discuss mailing list > ARG_Discuss at igda.org > http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss > -- Andrea Phillips http://www.deusexmachinatio.com Words * Culture * Interaction From cdena at cross-mediaentertainment.com Wed Jul 30 03:27:40 2008 From: cdena at cross-mediaentertainment.com (Christy Dena) Date: Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:27:40 +1000 Subject: [arg_discuss] ARGology Moo Cards In-Reply-To: <5c799fd60807291912p7ae71b9cjd048e9da8b7a9b6@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <20080730072901.HOMF10826.nschwotgx02p.mx.bigpond.com@HPPIE> Part of the reason for the appeal of the Moo cards is their look. Part of the reason for the success is the company: http://cogdogblog.com/2008/07/30/moo-2/ And part is use of moo cards for your virtual world identity: http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=all&q=moo+card+second+life&m=text ... Moooo! :) -----Original Message----- From: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org [mailto:arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org] On Behalf Of Andrea Phillips Sent: Wednesday, 30 July 2008 12:13 To: Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG Subject: Re: [arg_discuss] ARGology Moo Cards Oh! Moo cards are stylish little mini-sized business cards. They really impress people for some reason... http://www.moo.com/products/minicards.php On Tue, Jul 29, 2008 at 10:07 PM, Bryan Alexander wrote: > Whew! I thought I was the only one who didn't know. > > (Which didn't stop me from idly imagining what they *could* be. > "Moo cards are collectible trading cards, each depicting a favorite cow or bovine breed...." > "MOO cards contain different bits of code, letting the reader enter unusual rooms in those online spaces..." > > > -----Original Message----- > From: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org on behalf of John Evans > Sent: Tue 7/29/2008 10:04 PM > To: Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG > Subject: Re: [arg_discuss] ARGology Moo Cards > > By the way, I think the IRC meeting is great, I'll be there. > >>I'm kicking around the idea of having Moo cards printed up to promote >>ARGology. The idea would be that we'd send them to interested SIG >>members to hand out during conferences and at other meetings with >>people and organizations who could use the info ARGology has to offer. >> >>Who'd be interested in getting some of these cards and handing them >>out? And how many do you think each person should get? I'm trying to >>get a ballpark sense of sizing the order so I can get pricing info >>from Moo. > > Sounds great! I don't make it to that many conferences, but I show up > at most of the IGDA NYC meetings. ...One question, though, what are > Moo cards? Are they just business cards, or different in some way? > > -- > John Evans > Chaoseed Software - http://chaoseed.com > > _______________________________________________ > ARG_Discuss mailing list > ARG_Discuss at igda.org > http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss > > _______________________________________________ > ARG_Discuss mailing list > ARG_Discuss at igda.org > http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss > -- Andrea Phillips http://www.deusexmachinatio.com Words * Culture * Interaction _______________________________________________ ARG_Discuss mailing list ARG_Discuss at igda.org http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss From cdena at cross-mediaentertainment.com Wed Jul 30 03:31:12 2008 From: cdena at cross-mediaentertainment.com (Christy Dena) Date: Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:31:12 +1000 Subject: [arg_discuss] Next IRC Chat: Aug. 17 In-Reply-To: <5c799fd60807291112g10963a3cr875214dcc01c50eb@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <20080730073233.IFVD9085.nschwotgx03p.mx.bigpond.com@HPPIE> If I'm the only one from Oz that may attend the meeting then don't make it harder for those closer to your timezones. I can catch up afterwards. (Plus, there is a chance I may in the your timezone at that time.) -----Original Message----- From: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org [mailto:arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org] On Behalf Of Andrea Phillips Sent: Wednesday, 30 July 2008 04:12 To: Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG Subject: Re: [arg_discuss] Next IRC Chat: Aug. 17 As I figure it, 11pm in Britain. It's a tricky thing trying to find a time that works for people in the U.K. and in Australia; I know we've got both on the list... On Tue, Jul 29, 2008 at 1:31 PM, David Flor wrote: > Not that it bothers me (I'm in Miami, Florida - Eastern Time US), but isn't > that like 1am for England? Don't we have quite a few people across the pond? > > Tnx & Rgds... > David Flor ( dflor at dlimedia.com ) > Darklight Interactive - http://www.dlimedia.com/ > > "Omne ignotum pro magnifico" > > Andrea Phillips wrote: >> >> Hi, boys and girls! It's been a long time since we had a talk, hasn't >> it? So let's get back on the IRC bandwagon, shall we? >> >> I'm unilaterally calling for a SIG IRC chat on Sunday August 17, 2008 >> at 6pm EST (U.S.), 3pm PST, 11pm BST, 8am Monday morning EST >> (Australia). Mark your calendars! >> >> Do let me know if I've embarrassingly picked a date that conflicts >> with some big conference everyone will be attending or some similar >> thing. If there's enough displeasure at my arbitrary date, I'm happy >> to reschedule. >> >> If you have items you'd like to see on the agenda, please let me know! >> Right now I've got nothin'. >> >> HOW TO GET ON IRC >> >> For those of us who may not be familiar with IRC, you first need to >> download a client such as mIRC for Windows (http://www.mirc.org/) or >> Colloquy for OSX (http://colloquy.info/downloads.html). >> >> When you have it downloaded and installed, you will need to connect to >> a server. Ours is irc.chat-solutions.org. The port you will need is >> the default, 6667. Once you have a connection to the server, you need >> to join the SIG chat channel, which is #arg_sig >> >> You may also use the Unfiction applet here: http://www.unfiction.com/chat/ >> >> Just make sure to input #arg_sig into the channel field, plus your name & >> etc. >> >> If you've never used IRC before and you're a little worried, I'd >> encourage you to try it out ahead of time, it won't hurt anything. :) >> And feel free to email me if you're having trouble getting everything >> all set up. >> >> As always if you have anything you'd like to add to the agenda, or any >> other questions or comments, please post or email. Hope to see you all >> there! >> >> > > _______________________________________________ > ARG_Discuss mailing list > ARG_Discuss at igda.org > http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss > -- Andrea Phillips http://www.deusexmachinatio.com Words * Culture * Interaction _______________________________________________ ARG_Discuss mailing list ARG_Discuss at igda.org http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/arg_discuss From btradish at earthlink.net Wed Jul 30 04:42:02 2008 From: btradish at earthlink.net (John Evans) Date: Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:42:02 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [arg_discuss] Open Source ARGs Message-ID: <16780884.1217407323202.JavaMail.root@elwamui-huard.atl.sa.earthlink.net> So, at ARGFest, Dave Szulborski delivered a rather moving keynote speech. I can't do it justice, but apparently there's going to be video available sometime, or at least a DVD...so, patience! I want to focus on one particular thing he mentioned. First, he talked about getting his "start" in ARGing with Majestic. (By the way, any inaccuracies are solely the result of my own fallible memory...) He talked about making a couple of sites that explored some of the more esoteric parts of the Majestic continuity, almost like fan fiction about some of the characters. "Nowadays we might call that 'gamejacking'," he said. But apparently EA welcomed the fans' interest and recognized several of the sites, including his. (I'm not clear on what that recognition entailed, I suspect it was just "Look at these cool things our fans have done".) And then Dave advanced the idea of "open source ARGs" where other creators were free to contribute their own ideas to the "official" continuity. I found this very intriguing because the same idea has occurred to me. Wouldn't it be interesting if some hints or story elements in one ARG led to another? What if there was a sort of larger alternate reality that had these elements in common? For example, an "in-character" news site where you could have results from the Gotham City election alongside bulletins from Perplex City? Or, what if a hacked file on a Metacortechs server had the random filename "BadWolf"? (That's a Doctor Who reference. ;) ) Now, obviously there are some caveats. This kind of open sourcing wouldn't work for all ARGs, and there's no reason it has to. I'm just thinking it could be an interesting *option* for people looking for new storytelling innovations. Especially indie types who are just getting started. (Of course, it could also turn out to be a crutch, which would be bad...) So, I have two questions. First, is this actually a good idea that we should be thinking about? And second, how can someone best implement it? Maybe a site for PMs where they can give each other cryptic hints: "A man in a dark hat and coat is asking about an arrogant middle- aged man with the power to manipulate minds; when asked why, or details about himself, he replies only 'Disclosing that information is inadvisable'". So, in this case, you can have your character write a blog post about her scary encounter with a freaky MiB looking for a middle-aged psychic. I think there's some really cool potential here. And here's some further reading just to get your brains going: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jenny_Everywhere -- John Evans Chaoseed Software - http://chaoseed.com From morbus at disobey.com Wed Jul 30 08:15:05 2008 From: morbus at disobey.com (Morbus Iff) Date: Wed, 30 Jul 2008 08:15:05 -0400 Subject: [arg_discuss] Open Source ARGs In-Reply-To: <16780884.1217407323202.JavaMail.root@elwamui-huard.atl.sa.earthlink.net> References: <16780884.1217407323202.JavaMail.root@elwamui-huard.atl.sa.earthlink.net> Message-ID: <48905B49.9030105@disobey.com> > to be a crutch, which would be bad...) So, I have two questions. > First, is this actually a good idea that we should be thinking > about? And second, how can someone best implement it? Maybe a Something I'm working on is in this vein, but the roots were there in a previous (not-traditional-ARG) game I did: http://www.gamegrene.com/wiki/Main_Page Ghyll ran for about two years with the premise: "The basic idea is that each player takes on the role of a scholar, from before scholarly pursuits became professionalized (or possibly after they ceased to be). You are cranky, opinionated, prejudiced, and eccentric. You are also collaborating with a number of your peers -- the other players -- on the construction of an encyclopedia about Ghyll. Despite the fact that your peers are self-important, narrow-minded dunderheads, they are honest scholars. No matter how strained their interpretations are, their facts are as accurate as historical research can make them. So if you cite an entry, you have to treat its factual content as true! (Though you can argue vociferously with the interpretation and introduce new facts that shade the interpretation.)" The ARG I'm currently spec'ing out (dunno if it'll go anywhere) will be considered "Ghyll Round 3" (the first two rounds having been played on the wiki via the Lexicon rules). Ghyll grew out of nothing - everything on the wiki was player made, and the goal was to accept everything as fact; a guiding principle of the Round 3 ARG would be much the same. Everything in Ghyll is released under a Creative Commons license. I'm envisioning situations where the players are given a chance to write as their own scholar for the Ghyll Encyclopedia. Accepted entries (with new "facts" and knowledge) become canon, and part of the existing Encyclopedia/wiki. Whilst I haven't fleshed them out, I see "me" and the players getting into factual "battles" - where the game presents a puzzle (or situation) and, instead of "solving" it, players write entries that make the situation less dangerous, worrisome, etc. There will be open submissions in the sense that every player can submit an article for the Encyclopedia. But, the Encyclopedic organization already has precedents for quality control - the Encyclopedants. They'd be the ones who would finally "accept" an entry as fact (or fix any errors that blindly contradict current facts) - all others would be disregarded as unpublishable (and thus, not canon). > your character write a blog post about her scary encounter with > a freaky MiB looking for a middle-aged psychic. I think there's > some really cool potential here. See also Noteworthy, which I've been wanting to run for a while. http://www.allenvarney.com/noteworthy.html -- Morbus Iff ( i still fail to see what this has to do with morocco ) Technical: http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/au/779 Enjoy: http://www.disobey.com/ and http://www.videounderbelly.com/ aim: akaMorbus / skype: morbusiff / icq: 2927491 / jabber.org: morbus From fono at mobilefono.com Wed Jul 30 12:16:33 2008 From: fono at mobilefono.com (David Fono) Date: Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:16:33 +0800 Subject: [arg_discuss] Open Source ARGs In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <5539E79D-905D-4923-8A2E-2CFF0060B1A6@mobilefono.com> This just brought up a series of reflections that have been floating through my head for a number of years now. The relevance to ARGs has always been evident, but honestly I'm not sure exactly what I talk about when I talk about this. I'm going to put it out there because I'm sure someone can draw a clear connection. About 15 years ago Nintendo's online department started up a series of "interactive stories." These were nothing like interactive fiction, and Nintendo's nomenclature was grounded in nothing whatsoever, which is why I have hard time figuring out the context for this. Essentially, these ISes consisted of a bunch of kids and teenagers on a forum writing stories that took place within the universe of a Nintendo game -- Zelda, Starfox, etc. This sounds like fanfic, and technically that's an appropriate label. But the mechanics of the community and the nature of the stories written went a lot deeper than what I've seen in fanfic (although I'm hardly an expert in the field.) First, while the stories borrowed the worlds of the Nintendo games, they did so only in the most basic sense. The writers pretty much universally ignored the inhabitants of these worlds -- characters, institutions, technology, etc. -- and replaced with incredibly elaborate societies of their own devising. Take Starfox for example: the most narratively complex Starfox game contains perhaps 100 lines of dialogue, whereas within the IS writers built entire political systems, interracial conflicts, a media ecosystem, etc. Now, here's where it gets interesting. The writers didn't write their stories in isolation. The culture that formed around these ISes was as much one of reading as of writing, and it was generally the norm to write your own contributions in a manner that reflected other contributions. Nor was this a simple matter of collaborating on a single, shared story, though. Rather, a definite but unwritten protocol sprang up that dictated how the stories of different writer's ought to "interact." This was facilitated by a hierarchal board system that reflected geographical partitions in the setting -- so, for instance, writers who wrote about things happening on Planet Fortuna would stick to the Fortuna board, and consequently be exposed to the other "events" happening on the planet. A common sort of interaction went like this: Alice writes about a restaurant in a chapter of her story, and the next day Bob has the characters in his story visit the same restaurant. Or, alternatively: Alice writes about her politician character giving a speech, and the next day Bob depicts his characters watching the scene on TV in one scene. What this sort of exchange did was build the community and given the writers a sense of involvement with one another (and appreciation), while at the same time allowing space for each writer to pursue their distinct, creative vision. Occasionally, these exchanges would build a deeper relationship between writers who would then pursue an explicit collaboration -- their stories would directly intersect. Even more rarely, certain events -- events of significant impact, gracefully written by a writer respected by the community -- would be adopted by all the writers of a region or the entire universe. For instance, Alice writes about her politician character declaring a state of emergency, and a large proportion of the other writers skew their stories accordingly, sometimes for the full duration of the IS. All these levels of interaction, taking place at different levels, in different group sizes, around different topics formed a remarkably complex ecosystem of information give-and-take within the fictional universe. And it was almost certainly these complex interactions that allowed the writers to collaboratively build such intricate and enduring systems within their stories. Now, I know this sounds a lot like plenty of other collaborative activities on the net -- I mean, this is just another example of chaotic fiction. But, I have yet to see anything quite the same. Tragically, any evidence of these ISes seems to have evaporated from the aether -- googling for "interactive story" along with one of the IS titles brings up no hits whatsoever. To me, that's remarkable considering that I'm quite sure that the combined word count for the Starfox IS was at least a couple million. I still keep track of some of the veterans of these stories at kupopolis.com, where the same sorts of mechanics are employed and remain similarly fascinating. I mention all this of course because I think this is all a pretty clear precedent for the sort of thing John is suggesting -- but I'm also wondering if anyone else out there knows what I'm talking about and can connect the dots for me. I strongly suspect that there are entire massive communities dedicated to this sort of thing that everyone has known about for a while now, but I'm in the dark. Cheers, David On 30-Jul-08, at 10:00 PM, arg_discuss-request at igda.org wrote: > And then Dave advanced the idea of "open source ARGs" where other > creators were free to contribute their own ideas to the "official" > continuity. I found this very intriguing because the same idea has > occurred to me. Wouldn't it be interesting if some hints or story > elements in one ARG led to another? What if there was a sort of > larger alternate reality that had these elements in common? For > example, an "in-character" news site where you could have results > from the Gotham City election alongside bulletins from Perplex > City? Or, what if a hacked file on a Metacortechs server had the > random filename "BadWolf"? (That's a Doctor Who reference. ;) ) From markheggen at gmail.com Wed Jul 30 14:06:29 2008 From: markheggen at gmail.com (Mark Heggen) Date: Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:06:29 -0400 Subject: [arg_discuss] Open Source ARGs In-Reply-To: <16780884.1217407323202.JavaMail.root@elwamui-huard.atl.sa.earthlink.net> References: <16780884.1217407323202.JavaMail.root@elwamui-huard.atl.sa.earthlink.net> Message-ID: <77c653440807301106s1aaef98csf2175ee8d074bae@mail.gmail.com> > "Wouldn't it be interesting if some hints or story > elements in one ARG led to another? What if there was a sort of > larger alternate reality that had these elements in common? For > example, an "in-character" news site where you could have results > from the Gotham City election alongside bulletins from Perplex > City? Or, what if a hacked file on a Metacortechs server had the > random filename "BadWolf"?" It seems clear by now that the single biggest audience-limiting aspect of most ARGs is the inapproachability that stems from their complicated and multi-tiered systems of obfuscation. One important reason that such small numbers of people actually play ARGs (for more than a few minutes) is that most people don't really like feeling lost, confused, stymied, and unable to advance a plot they are trying to follow. A large majority of people who have any initial contact with an ARG stop "playing" before long because they are unable to grasp what is going on, what they should pay attention to, what is a good use of their time, and so on. The notion that ARGs would benefit from further confusing their players and blurring their boundaries seems odd to me. Successful ARGs take pains to give their audiences some set of clean lines of distinction and well-marked boundaries, because without some hard and fast rules about what players ought to pay attention to people are bound to get lost (aka lose interest). The once-popular notion that ARGs are popular BECAUSE they are so hard to follow has by now surely been set aside as untrue, and yet still most ARGs today are in need or more clarity and less confusion. _Mark From mmonello at campfirenyc.com Wed Jul 30 14:41:16 2008 From: mmonello at campfirenyc.com (Mike Monello) Date: Wed, 30 Jul 2008 11:41:16 -0700 Subject: [arg_discuss] Open Source ARGs In-Reply-To: <77c653440807301106s1aaef98csf2175ee8d074bae@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: The idea of an open source narrative is interesting, but I imagine it would make the "game" aspect extremely difficult to maintain. Eric Martin has been developing an interesting narrative project where he maintains ownership over specific characters but has turned over the universe to Creative Commons, allowing other creative people to create derivative works (any format) within the universe. Here's a link to his description of Saijo City: http://infocalypse.ning.com/profiles/blog/show?id=851933%3ABlogPost%3A921 Best, Mike --- Mike Monello Partner, Campfire http://www.campfirenyc.com From andrhia at gmail.com Wed Jul 30 15:09:36 2008 From: andrhia at gmail.com (Andrea Phillips) Date: Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:09:36 -0400 Subject: [arg_discuss] Open Source ARGs In-Reply-To: <16780884.1217407323202.JavaMail.root@elwamui-huard.atl.sa.earthlink.net> References: <16780884.1217407323202.JavaMail.root@elwamui-huard.atl.sa.earthlink.net> Message-ID: <5c799fd60807301209h68e5f30dydc119eab0de4b9ec@mail.gmail.com> On Wed, Jul 30, 2008 at 4:42 AM, John Evans wrote: > And then Dave advanced the idea of "open source ARGs" where other > creators were free to contribute their own ideas to the "official" > continuity. I found this very intriguing because the same idea has > occurred to me. Wouldn't it be interesting if some hints or story > elements in one ARG led to another? What if there was a sort of > larger alternate reality that had these elements in common? For > example, an "in-character" news site where you could have results > from the Gotham City election alongside bulletins from Perplex > City? Or, what if a hacked file on a Metacortechs server had the > random filename "BadWolf"? (That's a Doctor Who reference. ;) ) > We actually introduced mechanisms for that kind of active player-generated worldbuilding in Perplex City. We knew building a realistic, living city by ourselves was a huge, daunting task, so (among other things) we set up email addresses for players to submit tips to the newspaper, or even submit news articles as stringers... but nobody ever really took us up on it. Eventually we became a little more explicit and lobbied for articles from players as, well, players; but the original intent was to have players filling in gaps in the Perplexian news cycle, and helping to create the breathing city along with us. (Dan, Adrian, have anything else to add to that?) I think, though, that some of the reason for this not-taking-us-up-on-the-offer goes all the way back to the Cloudmakers and our horrified reaction to a player-created news site that went up -- I think it was Bangalore News Network? And the very concept of gamejacking that's come into existence since then. The act of a player creating within the context of the game world has taken on hostile connotations and is actively discouraged by the community at this point. Which, well, it's too bad, and in retrospect I feel terrible that I was a part of fostering that culture of intolerance. Sigh. -- Andrea Phillips http://www.deusexmachinatio.com Words * Culture * Interaction From mmonello at campfirenyc.com Wed Jul 30 15:25:35 2008 From: mmonello at campfirenyc.com (Mike Monello) Date: Wed, 30 Jul 2008 12:25:35 -0700 Subject: [arg_discuss] Open Source ARGs In-Reply-To: <5c799fd60807301209h68e5f30dydc119eab0de4b9ec@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: I think ARG players are, for the most part, not interested in creating content within the framework of an ARG, and the ones that do, like Dave S., become puppet masters! Which is not to say that players don't actually create content, they just like to do it on their own terms and I think part of the attraction to players is that while an ARG is interactive and changes in reaction to their activities, players still get the pleasure of experiencing a (hopefully) well-told narrative rather than the very different pleasures that go to the storytellers. Best, Mike On 7/30/08 3:09 PM, "Andrea Phillips" wrote: We actually introduced mechanisms for that kind of active player-generated worldbuilding in Perplex City. We knew building a realistic, living city by ourselves was a huge, daunting task, so (among other things) we set up email addresses for players to submit tips to the newspaper, or even submit news articles as stringers... but nobody ever really took us up on it. Eventually we became a little more explicit and lobbied for articles from players as, well, players; but the original intent was to have players filling in gaps in the Perplexian news cycle, and helping to create the breathing city along with us. (Dan, Adrian, have anything else to add to that?) I think, though, that some of the reason for this not-taking-us-up-on-the-offer goes all the way back to the Cloudmakers and our horrified reaction to a player-created news site that went up -- I think it was Bangalore News Network? And the very concept of gamejacking that's come into existence since then. The act of a player creating within the context of the game world has taken on hostile connotations and is actively discouraged by the community at this point. Which, well, it's too bad, and in retrospect I feel terrible that I was a part of fostering that culture of intolerance. Sigh. --- Mike Monello Partner, Campfire http://www.campfirenyc.com From wendeth at wendydespain.com Wed Jul 30 18:41:58 2008 From: wendeth at wendydespain.com (Wendy Despain) Date: Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:41:58 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [arg_discuss] Open Source ARGs In-Reply-To: <5539E79D-905D-4923-8A2E-2CFF0060B1A6@mobilefono.com> References: <5539E79D-905D-4923-8A2E-2CFF0060B1A6@mobilefono.com> Message-ID: <52582.206.228.139.131.1217457718.squirrel@webmail.wendydespain.com> On Wed, July 30, 2008 9:16 am, David Fono wrote: > I mention all this of course because I think this is all a pretty > clear precedent for the sort of thing John is suggesting -- but I'm > also wondering if anyone else out there knows what I'm talking about > and can connect the dots for me. I strongly suspect that there are > entire massive communities dedicated to this sort of thing that > everyone has known about for a while now, but I'm in the dark. Personally, I associate movements like the one you described with the "yes-and" method used in improv theater. Here's some commentary about it from Colbert: http://personalchallenge.wordpress.com/2007/06/16/stephen-colbert-on-improv-in-life/ I'm studying a bit of improv theory through the lense of ARG game design and coming up with some interesting thoughts. For instance, the problem of getting players/partners/users to participate is directly addressed in improv material such as this: http://www.yesand.com/articles/?ArticleID=47 So if you're interested in finding more along these lines, google might be able to point you toward some interesting improv-related material. Wendy Despain quantumcontent.com