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 Forum index » Archive » Archive: General » ARG: Who Is Benjamin Stove
Glacial pace. (Now resolved, thank you PM's)
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rowan
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Joined: 12 Apr 2004
Posts: 1966
Dr. Confoundo wrote:
This is my first ARG, so I have a strange question to ask... How do we know when it's over?

Is WIBS winding down?
Depends on the game. Some games can have a really big event signalling the end, while others just kinda fade out.

You could say that Tucker's adventure with Shannon and Ben's manifesto are the "big events" and that the game is now in a wrapping up phase, or you could be expecting something more. It's kinda hard to say - but usually when the game is over over, you'll be informed of it (you often get credits and/or the PMs come out from behind the curtain to talk about the game).
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 06, 2006 11:20 pm
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MageSteff
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Joined: 06 Jun 2003
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Dr. Confoundo wrote:
This is my first ARG, so I have a strange question to ask... How do we know when it's over?

Is WIBS winding down?


There is usually a "big bang" at the end of most games - of some type. SOme big secret revealed, some huge last puzzle trail, some kind of wrap up scene. Then the credits get announced somewhere (usually) and then the PMs are invited to have a post game chat if they desire one. Of course no two ARGs are alike, so YMMV, MSRP, tax, tag and all applicable fees not withstanding.
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 06, 2006 11:21 pm
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SirQuady
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Joined: 15 Jan 2006
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 		Now of course, it's possible this is a "false ending", and there is a whole nother section to this game.... Tucker vs the MIB?
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 5:36 pm
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AngBa
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Joined: 10 Apr 2006
Posts: 532
Location: the pit of misery, KS

 		mrazfan here (since this was my first ARG, and now I'm hooked) I figured that I should go all out and create an official alterego, and stop just lurking around here....

Back on topic.... I was hoping that this wasn't just dying out and was moving on to something else, a la Sir Quady... Either way, it couldn't move any slower if it tried, and as far as I'm concerned there are quite a few unanswered questions...

PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 11:19 am
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Lovek
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Joined: 02 Mar 2005
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 		Tucker is giving away the coconut dude. Should we call that the end?

PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 5:35 pm
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Dr. Confoundo
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Joined: 06 Apr 2006
Posts: 49

 		Huh. Is it just me, or did this whole thing seem like a lot of effort (on the parts of GM and the designers) for a fairly minimum amount of payoff?

I mean, someone had to go to these places and drop off the notes. Unless they used people local to the libraries as messengers, somebody had to travel there... Did all of those cities have corporate offices of GM?

edit: deleted duplicate post - rowan

PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 6:44 pm
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Lovek
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Joined: 02 Mar 2005
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Dr. Confoundo wrote:
Huh. Is it just me, or did this whole thing seem like a lot of effort (on the parts of GM and the designers) for a fairly minimum amount of payoff?

I mean, someone had to go to these places and drop off the notes. Unless they used people local to the libraries as messengers, somebody had to travel there... Did all of those cities have corporate offices of GM?


My thoughts exactly. And what did the notes really earn us? I don't think we ever understood much about what any of them were trying to say.

PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 6:56 pm
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Blue K
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Joined: 20 Mar 2006
Posts: 192
Location: NW/Chicago
Lovek wrote:
Dr. Confoundo wrote:
Huh. Is it just me, or did this whole thing seem like a lot of effort (on the parts of GM and the designers) for a fairly minimum amount of payoff?

I mean, someone had to go to these places and drop off the notes. Unless they used people local to the libraries as messengers, somebody had to travel there... Did all of those cities have corporate offices of GM?


My thoughts exactly. And what did the notes really earn us? I don't think we ever understood much about what any of them were trying to say.


Exactly. It's because of the reasons that you both have listed that a nagging doubt remains in my mind that the game is really over. Maybe the site is getting enough unique hits to justify the effort and expense...I don't know. I would almost be willing to bet that after the success of Art of the Heist, GM came to GMD with the idea that they could replicate lightning in a bottle. Advertising can be a funny game.

PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 7:28 pm
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Dr. Confoundo
Boot

Joined: 06 Apr 2006
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 		I mean sure, it was entertaining. Watching some of you people solve those puzzles was crazy! My brain is obviously not wired for that kind of thing.

But what did it really get GM? Last I heard they weren't in the entertainment industry. So they got a few hundred people to discuss ethanol, and to stop by their livegreengoyellow website... but how much did this whole thing cost? Probably not as much as one full-page ad in a magazine like Time or People... but OTOH, those have circulations in the hundreds of thousands, if not millions.

PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 7:30 pm
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Dr. Confoundo
Boot

Joined: 06 Apr 2006
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Blue K wrote:
Exactly. It's because of the reasons that you both have listed that a nagging doubt remains in my mind that the game is really over. Maybe the site is getting enough unique hits to justify the effort and expense...I don't know. I would almost be willing to bet that after the success of Art of the Heist, GM came to GMD with the idea that they could replicate lightning in a bottle. Advertising can be a funny game.


Or did the game/ad campaign not live up to their expectations, and thus they are letting it peter out, rather than go on with the extended storyline they had planned... Advertising can be a funny game. Very Happy

PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 7:32 pm
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Blue K
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Joined: 20 Mar 2006
Posts: 192
Location: NW/Chicago

 		Good points, Dr. Confoundo. Very Happy

PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 7:36 pm
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Lovek
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Joined: 02 Mar 2005
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Dr. Confoundo wrote:


Or did the game/ad campaign not live up to their expectations, and thus they are letting it peter out, rather than go on with the extended storyline they had planned... Advertising can be a funny game. Very Happy


I hope we get an opportunity to ask. But, if they were going to let it peter out, why all the big "Response to Mr. Stove" ads on some pretty major websites? That was just last week, and I think they would've decided by then.

PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 7:39 pm
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Dr. Confoundo
Boot

Joined: 06 Apr 2006
Posts: 49
Lovek wrote:
I hope we get an opportunity to ask. But, if they were going to let it peter out, why all the big "Response to Mr. Stove" ads on some pretty major websites? That was just last week, and I think they would've decided by then.


And that's another thing that's striking me as strange... we just saw another big advertising push, bringing a lot more hits to the site; we just saw a link to the game from GM's site, bringing still more eyeballs; and then... the end?

The words 'Premature Ejaculation' come to mind. Wink

PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 7:49 pm
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Lovek
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Joined: 02 Mar 2005
Posts: 434
Dr. Confoundo wrote:
Lovek wrote:
I hope we get an opportunity to ask. But, if they were going to let it peter out, why all the big "Response to Mr. Stove" ads on some pretty major websites? That was just last week, and I think they would've decided by then.


And that's another thing that's striking me as strange... we just saw another big advertising push, bringing a lot more hits to the site; we just saw a link to the game from GM's site, bringing still more eyeballs; and then... the end?

The words 'Premature Ejaculation' come to mind. Wink


I keep wondering if they're going to be like "Well, after you guys didn't even find six of the puzzles, we figured it was time to quit" Smile

PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 7:56 pm
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Synchronicity
Veteran


Joined: 07 Apr 2006
Posts: 83

 		My thoughts FWIW

I don't think it is coincidence that the game came to a sudden end shortly after the big ads came out and folks realized GM was the sponsor.

A good number of players immediately expressed a certain distaste at finding GM behind the curtain and posted as much both here and on the IG forums. That was probably not the 'buzz' GM was hoping to get out of the campaign, and so before it went much further, they disassociated themselves from WIBS (we had nothing to do with this!!) and left the game to die.

While players may not object to finding a video game or a movie behind the plot in the gaming space- use entertainment to sell entertainment, seems fair - quite a few, including myself, just didn't like finding GM in the landscape.

The moral of the story - You can't kid a kidder, you can't con a conman and you can't game a gamer.

JMHO
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 10:48 pm
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