[arg_discuss] Topic of the Week July 13: Why are you here?

[Thomas Maillioux]

~takes 2 cents out of his pocket and chimes in~

Back in 2005 or maybe 2006 is when I had my first active contact with ARGs
with Perplex City. The reasons why it clicked, and why I stayed on the boat
hopping from one game to another are as far as I can tell, the following :

The intellectual aspect : Perplex City and puzzle-powered ARGs in general
arrived at a time in my life when I was looking for a new hobby to pounce
on. Hours spent trying to figure out what someone had hidden under several
layers of meaning, code, or puzzles was something that came as refreshing,
stimulating and cheap activity ! Not to mention the occasion to research
more about this or that bit of culture that had served as a basis for the
creation of this or that puzzle.

The social aspect : The opportunity to question what you know, to accept the
fact that others (younger or older) will know better than you while drawing
theories on a a riddle, uzzle or story point is something I had been - and
still am - in dire need of. Not to mention the fact that one can interact
with a lot of very intersting people from several cultures and backgrounds
and, if they live not too far from you, make some possibly very good
friends.

The professional aspect : Playing ARGs as well as moving on to writing about
them (and at one point, having the opportunity to work with others to
develop one) allowed me to grasp the complexity and challenges - and rewards
! - of the process as well as learn some of the must-have skills necessary
for the field : tight writing, tight organizing and close collaborative
works (and the use of the tools that go with it) are some of the things I
picked up and was able to reinvest in my everyday, bill-paying job as a
librarian.

Well, that was a lot for just 2 cents ! Very good subject for the week, and
I'm loving reading you guys' stories and experiences !