[arg_discuss] TOW: What's the worst unforseen disaster you had inan ARG, and how did you handle it?

[David Flor]

For LGL I had the crazy idea of sending a Rubik's Cube to players 
because one of the puzzles was based on it. It ultimately wasn't 
necessary (they figured out how to solve it without a cube), but I 
figured it would not only confirm their theories but serve as a sort of 
reward. But my game had a short run - only 8 days - so it was vital to 
get the cubes to them as soon as possible. So I picked eight people for 
whom I had addresses in the US and mailed them a cube each using US 
Postal Service Priority Mail, which cost me around $12 a box.

The problem was that I used Stamps.com, and took an educated guess on 
the weight. The USPS service thought otherwise and thought they would 
cost more. I wasn't that concerned about this and hoping on "law of 
averages"; I only needed one cube to get delivered successfully, and 
didn't care if the rest of cubes were never delivered and disappeared in 
to ether (at least three cubes did disappear and were never found).

What I was *not* expecting was the USPS, even though there was not 
enough postage on the box for a few recipients, DID attempt to deliver 
it, but decided to charge the difference in postage - $3.50 in most 
cases - TO THE RECIPIENT.

So people began posting on UF "hey, I got a package that the post office 
says I have to pay four bucks for!" which was hardly my plan. I wouldn't 
have minded if I got charged, but certainly not the players.

I had to step out from behind the curtain briefly and contact these 
people, telling them that the package was not vital to the gameplay 
progression and they, at their discretion, could elect to not pay the 
postal service and return the package.

Most players paid the $3.50 anyway, despite my recommendations.

Jason Chrest wrote:

> During the development of an ARG..

>

> Two hurricanes that disrupted the development process, a tornado that ripped through my neighborhood, multiple computer crashes to multiple staff members (one even having their computer stolen), a military deployment... Just to list a few things.

>

> Where did I slap karma in the face for all of that? Lol

>

>

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

> From: Adam Martin

> Sender: 

> To: Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG

> ReplyTo: Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG

> Subject: [arg_discuss] TOW: What's the worst unforseen disaster you had inan ARG, and how did you handle it?

> Sent: Jan 7, 2009 2:23 PM

>

> The idea is that we will chuck a topic at you

> each week and given you a little something to think about and give us

> your thoughts. We've already come up with a list of questions at the

> minute, but if you want your question to be featured as part of the

> topic of the week, please let me know and we can add it to the list.

>

> (this week's is courtesy of Michelle :))

>

> Adam

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>

> Jason Chrest

> Aporia Cross-Media Entertainment, LLC.

> http://news.aporiacme.com

> Cell:(662)251-9312

> jason at aporiacme.com

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