[arg_discuss] Looking for Resources on Engaging Casual Players in ARGs

[John Maccabee]

Thank you, one and all, for this. Wendy - great point*:  overcoming the
default setting of inaction in an entertainment experience*.* *That's a big
one. I don't know if the number for ARGs [circa I LOVE BEES] still holds
but it is that 10% of players are playing daily, 30% play weekly, and 60%
are watching the other 40%. What I have been doing with mission-based
games, games that ask players to do for the game, is beginning with people
used to doing and making, i.e.  DIYs. That could help blending tutorials
into the games. And I agree with Jamey - people who participate may not
care about the artifice in a game if it is presented as part of the
engagement. I'm trying to get the first romcom game going. The original
impetus for me to design ARGs/transmedia/whathaveyou had to do with my
association with the SF Public libraries. Ahead of the curve on that one.
Went with a museum instead.  Best, John Maccabee

On Thu, Jun 6, 2013 at 12:17 PM, Thomas Maillioux <
thomas.maillioux at gmail.com> wrote:


> 2013/6/6 Ian Pottmeyer <ian at studiocypher.com>

>

> > If you want to see more of this tutorial style of gameplay, Valve games

> are

> > an absolute treasure trove. Check out Portal 1, I'm pretty sure the

> in-game

> > developer commentary talks about how they designed the levels to teach.

> >

> > Put short, they'll have one level where they teach you a concept very

> > explicitly: "DO THIS" Then they'll immediately follow that with a level

> > where you have to use the skill you were just taught in order to

> progress.

> > They don't tell you that's the case, they let you figure it out yourself.

> > Since the new technique is still fresh in your mind, you're more likely

> to

> > be still thinking about it, and using it in the next area feels natural,

> > and that solidifies it in your gameplay repertoire.

> >

>

> Teaching your players something, then giving them the opportunity to apply

> what they have juste learnt works great in video games design, especially

> adding little variations one on top of the other to help players develop

> their manoeuvers repertoire : Edmund McMillen of Team Meat breaks it down

> really really well in Indie Game : The Movie - you can find the excerpt

> where he explains all that over at Critical

> Commons<

> http://www.criticalcommons.org/Members/fearv/clips/indie-game-the-movie-edmund-mcmillen-discusses

> >.

> The parallel between Super Meat Boy and ARGs might make even more sense in

> that, much like the main character, players don't necessarily learn new

> moves along the course of a game.

>

> Regarding what Wendy said about tutorials not being too hamhanded - the

> most subtle tutorial I've ever seen is for Left 4 Dead. In fact, there is

> no tutorial : the trailer for the game, that people got to see over and

> over before launch, had all the information one needs to understand basic

> tactics and the behaviours of the different types of zombies. You can find

> it over YouTube <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF1HVlcXBmA> among other

> places. Such a tutorial doesn't require much effort to soak it all in, and

> it might work well with casual, passers-by audiences.

>

> Regarding ARGs and casual player engagement in general : good luck ! That

> audience can be especially hard to woo, even moreso with the competition

> with other forms of entertainment (and Candy Crush Saga) ! At what point

> would you consider your audience "engaged" ?

>

> Good luck and keep us posted ! It's a great time for ARGs to explore

> different roads and themes and I'm looking forward to reading about your

> project here and there :) And I'd love to read more about the library ARG

> as well (I'm a librarian and ICT trainer by day) !

>

> --

> "We do it because we are compelled."

> http://www.tommaillioux.fr

> Twitter :

> @JTMaillioux - Documentation et actualité académique

> @Bookmore - Culture digitale, gaming, DIY

> +33669245239

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-- 
John Maccabee
citymystery.info
johnmaccabee at gmail.com
(c) 415-377-6839

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