[arg_discuss] Topic of the Week Aug. 31: Umbrella Term

[Christopher Amherst]

Markus wrote:

> But fundamentally, I suppose, the question is: "what do you need the umbrella for?"

>Werewolf and Art of H3ist are certainly both social games, but I don't see why they should fit under the same umbrella in most cases.


I'll make a counter argument that an umbrella does matter.

In order to analyze any qualitiative data in the creative community
and in the playing community, we have a vocabulary that allows us to
be able to talk about the discrete differences between one style or
form and another.

Conceptually, we understand that a puzzle hunt is different than a
LARP is different than an ARG is different than a "Big" Game.
Yet, we still are left with the question:
Do they represent forms within that umbrella?  Do they represent styles?
What attributes do they all share?

Is a sufficiently well-designed ARG indistinguishable from a LARP (or
a Puzzle Hunt)?
(If not, how?)

Chris