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 Forum index » Meta » Puppetmaster Help
Fundamental ARG question for new PM
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Twilite
Greenhorn

Joined: 29 Apr 2005
Posts: 4
Location: England, UK

 		Fundamental ARG question for new PM
Hi there, I'm in the process of writing my own game, but need a little help on a (quite major) element of it.

I've played a few ARGs semi seriously previously, and am reading around past games to deepen my experience.

Basically what I want to know is, how would you describe the players interaction linking in with the direct unfolding of the story line?
I'm having trouble putting my finger on this: How does solving a puzzle that has been set directly trigger the next part of the story to begin?

The main bit of ARGs I've been part of is trawling through related webpages looking for clues to characters and things; not the core development of the story.

For example, you have an encrypted email. You decrypt the email. Other than getting a password or a URL with new information and puzzles on it, what other 'triggers' are there that can advance the story?

All my ideas so far would make the game a series of pages that you need to work out a password or web address for the next page and puzzle, which would be repetitive and not an ARG at all!
Any tips would be useful. Thanks.

PostPosted: Thu Jan 26, 2006 7:54 am
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Flynn_at_work
Guest


 		If you can, you might find it helpful to come along the Orbital Colony post game PM chat - we'll be answering questions about the game then. Also, we'll be opening some of our development forums in the near future, you might find some useful information there.

PostPosted: Thu Jan 26, 2006 8:18 am
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MageSteff
Pretty talky there aintcha, Talky?


Joined: 06 Jun 2003
Posts: 2716
Location: State of Denial

 		Re: Fundamental ARG question for new PM
Twilite wrote:

Basically what I want to know is, how would you describe the players interaction linking in with the direct unfolding of the story line?
I'm having trouble putting my finger on this: How does solving a puzzle that has been set directly trigger the next part of the story to begin?


You have probably heard, or will hear the term "non-linear."
The solving of a puzzle doesn't have to lead directly to the next portion of the story, but instead uncover one part of the story, or part of the "back story." These elements fill in around the characters to show motivations, reasons, important information for the characters to receive. Sometimes they drive the story forward and sometimes they don't.

Quote:

The main bit of ARGs I've been part of is trawling through related webpages looking for clues to characters and things; not the core development of the story.


I'd say that is true for the most part - simply because of what happens when the players get stumped on a puzzle. If the story moving forward depends too much on the puzzles it could grind to a halt and never move forward. Not good in most cases.

Quote:

For example, you have an encrypted email. You decrypt the email. Other than getting a password or a URL with new information and puzzles on it, what other 'triggers' are there that can advance the story?


Sometimes it can be information that the characters need to solve the current problem. In Chasing the Wish, a few of the puzzles contained information that the main character, Dale, needed to solve his problem.

Quote:

All my ideas so far would make the game a series of pages that you need to work out a password or web address for the next page and puzzle, which would be repetitive and not an ARG at all!
Any tips would be useful. Thanks.


That isn't necessarily a bad thing. Some players thrive on that type of game and don't want to worry about a story arc at all. Do some Googling for "Jaded Media eXperience" also called JMX. It was a puzzle trail that was only there for the puzzles without a story around it. Also search this board for "Soogees" which is another puzzle trail. You might also want to look through the "Timewasters" section for other shorter puzzle trails that people have thrown together over the years to pass the time.


And welcome to Unfiction and the ARG community.
_________________
Magesteff
A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead


PostPosted: Thu Jan 26, 2006 9:46 am
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Twilite
Greenhorn

Joined: 29 Apr 2005
Posts: 4
Location: England, UK

 		Thanks for the replies, both very useful.

I was interested in the post game chat, but unfortunately will not be at home at the time. Will the log be around afterwards for those who cannot make it to read? (Not the same as asking my own questions, but such is life!)

One little question that's come out of MageSteff's reply: In what formats has information been given to characters previously? I mean, one of my characters will begin in a sealed room, with limited outside communication; he can't just pop along and read the forums! It'd obviously be down to the PM to see it had been solved and take appropriate action, but I'm stuck for a credible way of relaying the information between the player and character?

Thanks again for the pointers, Leigh

PostPosted: Fri Jan 27, 2006 6:57 pm
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Flynn
Decorated


Joined: 11 Nov 2003
Posts: 240
Location: UK
Twilite wrote:
I was interested in the post game chat, but unfortunately will not be at home at the time. Will the log be around afterwards for those who cannot make it to read? (Not the same as asking my own questions, but such is life!)

The chat will (hopefully!) be logged by a few people - not least most of us PM's Wink It's a shame you can't make it, but if you need a copy of the log and can't find it, let me know via pm. Also, what advice I can offer I'll be happy to give - but remember it was my first time behind the curtain Wink One thing is for sure (and it's been said many times) - however much time you think it will take, double it. Then add some. Then put in a random addition for fun. then probably double it again. In other words - don't go it alone. Read the chat log, read the other chat logs too - many games implode for any number of reasons, but solo PM's are particularly vulnerable.

One last thing - if I can help you I will (I'm in the UK too,and I'd like to see us get our own indie ARG scene Smile ), So if I can help, y'know, tell me Smile

PostPosted: Fri Jan 27, 2006 9:10 pm
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MageSteff
Pretty talky there aintcha, Talky?


Joined: 06 Jun 2003
Posts: 2716
Location: State of Denial
Twilite wrote:
Thanks for the replies, both very useful.

I was interested in the post game chat, but unfortunately will not be at home at the time. Will the log be around afterwards for those who cannot make it to read? (Not the same as asking my own questions, but such is life!)


Yeah, I'll be logging, and it will be listed here, and probably over at Deaddrop.us, and another copy over at our home base for running the OC game, varin.org. (Thanks, BTW Varin, we really appreciated the use of the space)


Quote:

One little question that's come out of MageSteff's reply: In what formats has information been given to characters previously? I mean, one of my characters will begin in a sealed room, with limited outside communication; he can't just pop along and read the forums! It'd obviously be down to the PM to see it had been solved and take appropriate action, but I'm stuck for a credible way of relaying the information between the player and character?

Thanks again for the pointers, Leigh


By sealed, do you mean the character has no access to phone, fax, internet, slipping notes under the door to a conspirator?

In which case you are building in a lot of extra trouble for yourself (one of the lessons we learned running OC was "never have a puzzle trail where the in-game creator of said trail isn't around to make modifications of it.") You will need at least one stable connection to the outside.

The twist comes in how you provide that connection. It could be that a co-conspirator is able to take in questions and take out replies. It could be the protagonist has managed to bypass a firewall in the system to get messages out sporadically, or at pre-determined intervals. It could be paintings the character in question did before her disappearance (Chasing the Wish), or that some psychic palm reader has dreams about the character... Ok I may want to use that last one some day... Laughing

But you get the idea - with no way to communicate to the players, either through another character, or some other semi plausible way, you have painted yourself into a corner and won't be able to get out of it without getting the paint all over yourself and leaving big PM shaped footprints behind.

Please note: There is a difference between PMs reading the forum to gauge how frustrated the players are, and Characters using the information from the forums. Some forums (like those used in Find Araya Benedict and Aware) are considered IN game and usable by the characters, while others (UF, Deaddrop, ARGN) are OUT of game and use of information that comes strictly from those places is considered bad form for the PM to use. It is requested and highly suggested that you respect the out of game spaces and neither post to your own game (as PM or a Character) nor use information that comes from the out of game boards alone with no other source.

There were a number of times we sat on our hands waiting for a player to write an in game character about something so we could act on it. Sometimes the players surprised us by keeping a secret TOO well from the In game sources.

Have at least one legitimate in game method to keep the information flowing in both directions, or you risk the game coming to a grinding halt for the players.

And did we mention - having a lot of help behind the scenes on all aspects is a very good thing. And proof reading... yeah, proof reading by as many differnt people as you can manage is a good thing too.
_________________
Magesteff
A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead


PostPosted: Fri Jan 27, 2006 10:46 pm
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Twilite
Greenhorn

Joined: 29 Apr 2005
Posts: 4
Location: England, UK

 		Thanks again for the pointed. I guess this thread has made me realise I know a whole lot less about ARGs than I thought! I knew I was a relative novice, and was probably prematurely moving towards PMing, but I had a secondary motive so thought I'd give it a shot. But I think I'll wait!

I've read the first part of the log from last nights chat, has been very informative so far, hope you all enjoyed it as much as I am?

Well, thanks again for the tips but I think I'll go try and find a game in its early stages and try to get involved in the the play (any I should particularly look at?). I'll probably necromance this thread at a later date when I have things a little straighter!

Leigh

PostPosted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 8:36 am
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Flynn
Decorated


Joined: 11 Nov 2003
Posts: 240
Location: UK
Twilite wrote:
Well, thanks again for the tips but I think I'll go try and find a game in its early stages and try to get involved in the the play (any I should particularly look at?).

That's a really good idea, play a couple of games first to get a feel for the genre. Take a look at the News & Rumours forum, anything marked in there as [trailhead] is potentially a new game starting - The Composer has just finished, but apart from that there's a few getting going right now. I'm playing Project Ashcroft 3 at the moment, so I'm going to recommend that, but you have a few to choose from.

Also, there is the ARG's with potential section for games that are a bit further advanced, but still at an early enough stage to catch up with them fairly easily. Most of all, have fun - that's what it's all about Smile

PostPosted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 11:44 am
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