[arg_discuss] Open Source ARGs

[Mike Monello]

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" <andrhia at gmail.com> 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