April 05, 2005My two cents about ARGs...
UPDATE: I would just like to add two pertinent tidbits to add a little perspective to what I wrote-- my friend John Harrigan just left this in the comments:
hi weirdpixie, foolishpeople did exactly what your looking for re arg's on Ruined Steel. we had a companion arg to the interactive theatre event where players could interact with characters and explore the rs world online before seeing the live event.
I knew also about a friend's recent ARG that I should have mentioned, El Centro. But I guess I'm just hoping that more folks put that sort of creative juice into this new frontier and keep it from becoming just another tool for media propaganda and capitalism/consumerism. Keep creating new realities while still "keepin' it real, yo".
>> original post <<
Just got back from Digital Falcon where I was reading another article on Alternate Reality Gaming which got my gears turning and now I feel the need to ramble on a bit and share my thoughts....
Let me just say ahead of time here (before I start my rant) that I'm really not trying to quash anyone's excitement regarding ARGs and the continuing upswing in popularity with online gamers. I actually find the whole idea of immersive gaming pretty phenomenal and interesting, but I just have a few thoughts I'd like to jot down while I've got the time to do so. So, here is my two cents, bearing in mind that I am NOT a gamer or in fact very much into gaming much at all.
First of all, will there ever be such a thing as a non-profit ARG? Ha! ok, I won't hold my breath, but it would indeed be a nice thing to see one of these attached to something that's not related to selling some product or end up just being an advertising gimmick overall. I know, the medium is still on the rise and has yet to evolve, but I have yet to see signs of true culture-jamming elements arise from one of these things thus far other than the usual teamworking or teambuilding aspects that go hand-in-hand with any form of group gameplay in general. But wouldn't it be a neat thing when designing the storyline for one of these ARG's if you build in certain real-world projects that could actually give the player something thrilling to do that might add a little spark to the world around them? Like they have to plant a tree in the middle of a sidewalk or something.
I don't know, I'm just thinking a bit here. I think I'm feeling the same way about ARGs as I ended up feeling about the whole 'smart mob' frenzy. Fun concept but no one really seemed to take it further. I'm hoping ARGs actually do end up "taking it further".
The thing that sorta bugs me about the current ARG "modus operandi" is that even though the ideas and gameplay seem pretty cool and immersive when you're reading about it, the end result seems to basically be the profit margins after the game ends. When the "truth" that it wasn't "real" comes out, all the players really get is the experience itself, and from what I've read in some cases, it's not much more than after spending months on your Xbox at home with a few friends every Friday night-- the only difference being that with ARG's sometimes the players get a bit more exercise (and probably spend a little more cash in doing so). I would just hope for a bit MORE on the immersive end of things, that's all.
Please, prove me wrong you people out there designing the next ARGs!
I guess it's "vive le experience" for all that's worth, but me personally, I'd rather see true cultural change and a valuable creative spark come from working with those farce elements that ARG's and any other storytelling hoaxes over time have used as their vehicle. Give the people a little more at the end is all I'm saying here-- something longer lasting and more impactive than to just create huge bankrolls for the media fatcats (who, IMHO are already fat enough!)
I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens, of course. I'm sure there are better storylines that will arise from ARG's as they continue to appear on the horizon, and I look forward to watching it all unfold.
Aye-yayee-yayeeee, I'm probably going to get it from some folks for even opening up my trap about this stuff but I can't help it sometimes...
hi weirdpixie, foolishpeople did exactly what your looking for re arg's on Ruined Steel. we had a companion arg to the interactive theatre event where players could interact with characters and explore the rs world online before seeing the live event.
I knew also about a friend's recent ARG that I should have mentioned, El Centro. But I guess I'm just hoping that more folks put that sort of creative juice into this new frontier and keep it from becoming just another tool for media propaganda and capitalism/consumerism. Keep creating new realities while still "keepin' it real, yo".
>> original post <<
Just got back from Digital Falcon where I was reading another article on Alternate Reality Gaming which got my gears turning and now I feel the need to ramble on a bit and share my thoughts....
Let me just say ahead of time here (before I start my rant) that I'm really not trying to quash anyone's excitement regarding ARGs and the continuing upswing in popularity with online gamers. I actually find the whole idea of immersive gaming pretty phenomenal and interesting, but I just have a few thoughts I'd like to jot down while I've got the time to do so. So, here is my two cents, bearing in mind that I am NOT a gamer or in fact very much into gaming much at all.
First of all, will there ever be such a thing as a non-profit ARG? Ha! ok, I won't hold my breath, but it would indeed be a nice thing to see one of these attached to something that's not related to selling some product or end up just being an advertising gimmick overall. I know, the medium is still on the rise and has yet to evolve, but I have yet to see signs of true culture-jamming elements arise from one of these things thus far other than the usual teamworking or teambuilding aspects that go hand-in-hand with any form of group gameplay in general. But wouldn't it be a neat thing when designing the storyline for one of these ARG's if you build in certain real-world projects that could actually give the player something thrilling to do that might add a little spark to the world around them? Like they have to plant a tree in the middle of a sidewalk or something.
I don't know, I'm just thinking a bit here. I think I'm feeling the same way about ARGs as I ended up feeling about the whole 'smart mob' frenzy. Fun concept but no one really seemed to take it further. I'm hoping ARGs actually do end up "taking it further".
The thing that sorta bugs me about the current ARG "modus operandi" is that even though the ideas and gameplay seem pretty cool and immersive when you're reading about it, the end result seems to basically be the profit margins after the game ends. When the "truth" that it wasn't "real" comes out, all the players really get is the experience itself, and from what I've read in some cases, it's not much more than after spending months on your Xbox at home with a few friends every Friday night-- the only difference being that with ARG's sometimes the players get a bit more exercise (and probably spend a little more cash in doing so). I would just hope for a bit MORE on the immersive end of things, that's all.
Please, prove me wrong you people out there designing the next ARGs!
I guess it's "vive le experience" for all that's worth, but me personally, I'd rather see true cultural change and a valuable creative spark come from working with those farce elements that ARG's and any other storytelling hoaxes over time have used as their vehicle. Give the people a little more at the end is all I'm saying here-- something longer lasting and more impactive than to just create huge bankrolls for the media fatcats (who, IMHO are already fat enough!)
I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens, of course. I'm sure there are better storylines that will arise from ARG's as they continue to appear on the horizon, and I look forward to watching it all unfold.
Aye-yayee-yayeeee, I'm probably going to get it from some folks for even opening up my trap about this stuff but I can't help it sometimes...
