[arg_discuss] Budget and/or project plan for running an ARG

[Wendy Despain]

Just thought I'd share that my ARG planning charts usually end up
looking more like the one on this page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Event_chain_diagram

but I don't use project planning software to do it. I usually have to
draw it out by hand as it's very very customized to the game.

I included a sanitized chart (for an ARG that died before it was
produced) with my chapter in the last IGDA Writing SIG book. The
chapter is called "Writing for ARGs." It has a bit about planning in
there too.

http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Video-Game-Genres-FPS/dp/1568814178/ref=pd_sim_b_4

Wendy Despain
quantumcontent.com


On Thu, June 11, 2009 8:00 am, Michael Monello wrote:

> I understand what you are getting at, but the pieces are tied to

> tactics, and tactically, ARGs are all over the place. Each element

> within an ARG will generally have some kind of systematized budgeting

> & production process, so you basically take your tactics and run them

> through that:

>

> Video/film production

> Application development

> Website development

> Live performance/events

> Book publishing

> Etc.

>

> At the end of the day. Schedule often determines budget, so I suggest

> you attack larger productions with some serious project planning, use

> a Gantt chart and then work out your budgets based on the

> relationships you've identified in the Gannt.

>

> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gantt_chart

>

> Mike

>

> On 6/11/09 10:52 AM, "Steve Vosloo"

> <steve.vosloo at shuttleworthfoundation.org> wrote:

>

> Thanks Jeromy. This is all true.

>

> I guess I was hoping to get an overview of the key activities -- like

> "develop websites" ... whether it's 3 or 25, and whether they're

> commercially designed or done by volunteers is something that will

> vary

> from project to project. But at least that key activity has a place in

> the project plan and budget.

>

>

>

> Jeromy Barber wrote:

>> I don't have one for ARGs.  I budgeted many a film when I lived in

>> NYC, and

>> it's my opinion that you have to be starting with a budget to find a

>> form

>> that would make sense for your project.  Because ARGs have such

>> diverse and

>> innovative experiences, it's going to be tough to find a boilerplate

>> budget

>> with standardized line items with predictable costs.

>>

>> For instance, if you don't have any money and are working with

>> volunteers,

>> then there is no budget.  If you have $5000 for your game, then you

>> plan

>> your ARG with those limitations in mind.  You get rid of 25 web site

>> design

>> plans and go with 3 instead.  If you are dealing with a larger

>> budget than

>> that, then I recommend hiring someone to help with the budgeting.

>>

>> Jeromy

>>

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

>> From: arg_discuss-bounces at igda.org

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

>> Behalf Of Andrea Phillips

>> Sent: Wednesday, June 10, 2009 12:55 PM

>> To: Discussion list of the IGDA ARG SIG

>> Subject: Re: [arg_discuss] Budget and/or project plan for running an

>> ARG

>>

>> Hi, Steve. Thanks for posting, it's a good question.

>>

>> On Tue, Jun 9, 2009 at 4:25 AM, Steve

>> Vosloo<steve.vosloo at shuttleworthfoundation.org> wrote:

>>

>>

>>> I'm putting together a project proposal for running a shortish ARG

>>> (2

>>> weeks). Does anyone have an old budget that I can use as a starting

>>> point

>>> AND/OR a project plan.

>>>

>>

>> I think you might have a little trouble with this, simply because

>> this

>> type of information is often covered by NDAs. And the budget in

>> particular is tricky because you have the shoestring

>> volunteer-time-and-free-web-services kinds of ARGs, the

>> million-dollar-plus ARGs, and every price point in between.

>>

>> But you're right, it would be really useful to have sample budgets

>> and

>> project plans available as a springboard... even if it's just a

>> template with the numbers redacted. Does anybody have a sanitized

>> version of such a thing they might be willing to share, or even post

>> to ARGology?

>>

>>

>

> --

> Steve Vosloo

> Fellow, 21st Century Learning

> The Shuttleworth Foundation

>

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>

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>

>

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> Mike Monello

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Wendy Despain
quantumcontent.com