[arg_discuss] Social Interaction in ARGs

[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!

OK, over and out. :)

On 6/22/08, Hugh Davies <marcus.helm at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi all

>

> Im just catching up on this discussion and just wanted to weigh in on the

> idea of "playing/performing  a role"

>

> I recon that this might be an example of Jane Mcgonigals notion of

> Performance of Belief within the field of Pervasive Games. This is similar

> to the suspension of disbelief associated with cinema audiences but more

> active; while suspension of disbelief implies a tacit agreement of an

> audience to defer their judgment and accept fiction as truth in exchange for

> entertainment, performance of belief requires players to also become actors

> not just spectators, performing within the reality of the game, thus

> creating greater immersion both for themselves and for others.

>

>

> Jane discusses the notion of performance of belief and give a brief history

> of the credulous spectator here:

>

>

>

> http://www.avantgame.com/MCGONIGAL%20A%20Real%20Little%20Game%20DiGRA%202003.pdf

>

> Im also interested in Brians comment:

>

> >From an experience design perspective, the ARG as developed is like a piece

> of clothing lying on a table: it is only truly "as designed" once it is

> being worn.

>

> I think that there is a unique open sourceness to ARG's in that players

> activly shape the game into the experience that that want to have, create

> their own intruege and level of involvement. Im reminded of the horror

> cinema technique of showing as little of the evil as possible to allow it to

> individualise itself in the minds of each viewer.

>

> hugh

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