[arg_discuss] The Dead Legacy piece (was Re: we are obsolete (RE: Copycatwarningoveralternative reality games)

[Mike Monello]

This brings up an interesting thread - has there been any example of an ARG that has left behind a "dead" piece of media that works completely on it's own, with no knowledge of the activity that produced it or any need for nostalgia to carry it through?

Most ARGs leave bits and pieces that have been assembled on websites or blogs, but I find all of those truly unsatisfactory as a stand alone experience.

Blair Witch wasn't an ARG, but as a cross media experience each of the pieces was designed to work individually as well as fit within the larger whole. The movie, TV documentary, book, comics, PC games etc. all functioned on their own terms individually but combined to tell a larger story. The website, which was truly interactive (not just in a push the button click the link way) was also it's own experience but helped thread the whole thing together. At the end of the day, there isn't really even a legacy piece on Blair Witch that captured everything, although I do have an amazing notebook stuffed full of fan-created content, stories, artwork, etc. that, if published might be an interesting attempt at one.

I haven't read it, but I imagine Cathy's Book works on it's own terms outside the ARG experience, but that was the starting point and not a legacy piece.

Brian, is Eldritch working towards a legacy piece that stands outside the experience?

Best,

Mike


On 10/9/08 8:26 PM, "Will Emigh" <will at studiocypher.com> wrote:

We always called them Multiplayer Novels for a similar reason.  It's a
participatory process (multiplayer) that produces something "dead" (novel).

Of course, that has its own problems, not least of which is an
unpronounceable acronym.

-- Will

On Thu, Oct 9, 2008 at 3:09 PM, Brian Clark <bclark at gmdstudios.com> wrote:


> Now we're getting somewhere, Gupfee. I take back everything I said about

> agreeing with Monello, he's completely wrong.

>

> We don't care about the painting at all. That's what makes us difference.

> We

> do care about the act of painting ... the painting is mere documentation.

>

> I can point to the Art of the Heist, but we all agree is a documentation of

> something else, and this documentation is "dead" rather "living".

>

> The painting and the book are "dead" as well. What are the words we use to

> describing other living processes?

>

> Improv? Open Source? Collaborative?

>

> It is the introduction of time and control into all those dead media that

> makes us difference.

>

> I move we change the name "No Longer Dead Media".

>

> Next problem ... global economic crisis! Solve as an ARG community crisis

> problem! Discuss!

>

> Brian

>

> -----Original Message-----

> From: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org [mailto:arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org]

> On

> Behalf Of Gupfee

> Sent: Thursday, October 09, 2008 3:02 PM

> To: Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG

> Subject: Re: [arg_discuss] we are obsolete (RE:

> Copycatwarningoveralternative reality games)

>

> On a more serious note, after hanging out w/Lance at DIY Days, I've  been

> thinking of this kind of stuff as "Open Source Media".

>

> Marie

>

> On Thu, Oct 9, 2008 at 2:58 PM, Brian Clark <bclark at gmdstudios.com> wrote:

>

> > Hmm, I kind of like Steve's. I've been thinking about "Shows Hinged in

> > Technology" but others in my office think "Simple Live Ulterior Stories"

> > will close a lot more phat ad contracts!

> >

> > -----Original Message-----

> > From: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org [mailto:arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org]

> > On

> > Behalf Of Andrea Phillips

> > Sent: Thursday, October 09, 2008 2:09 PM

> > To: Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG

> > Subject: Re: [arg_discuss] we are obsolete (RE: Copycat

> > warningoveralternative reality games)

> >

> > On Thu, Oct 9, 2008 at 2:04 PM, Steve Peters <scpeters at gmail.com> wrote:

> > > At this point, we've been referring to them as Participatory

> > Entertainment

> > > Experiences...

> > >

> >

> > Wow, and I didn't think we could come up with a worse acronym if we'd

> > tried!

> >

> >

> > --

> > 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

> >

> > _______________________________________________

> > ARG_Discuss mailing list

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> >

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Mike Monello
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