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[RatherNotSay]

There was reason behind the madness . The entire plot is based very much in reality, if that makes any sense. I don't want to give away too many details.

I also enjoy ARGs that are completely "unreal," but the basic idea behind this one would lend itself well to being as "real" as possible.

Whichever way we decdide to go, I think this has been an interesting discussion.

[catherwood]

The only kind of story that I could believe to be completely real and not be able to spot it as a game or fiction would be as dull as my own life. I'm not watching the guy in the cubicle next to me or following some stranger on the train to his house because there is nothing to motivate me to be interested in their ordinary lives. Reality is boring. Add any element to capture my attention and i'll smell "hyper-reality" or "alternate reality" or "improvisational theatre" or "guerilla marketing" -- it's what this community has trained me to observe.

[thebruce]

[Huan]

A very interesting topic!

Being not nearly tech saavy enough to know...what are some precautions a PM could/should take to protect the personal information of a real person/character in an ARG?

I do understand that with the information resources available on the web, all someone really needs is the subjects name and most of that person's information is easily found.

If a realworld person were to be used as a character, what could be done tto contain some of the fallout that could occur?

[Nightmare Tony]

some of the same things I have to do now, due to an impending loss of privacy for doing an upcoming movie soundtrack.

keep your personal information close
cameras on the gates.

know who is playing your game and see if any of them get really wierd or super attached to the characters.

[Mikeyj]

In order to avoid any problems with people stalking actors etc., Perplex City circumvented the issue by having all pictures of characters as illustrations and saying that this is a cultural norm in their society. Of course, that was unceremoniously dumped for poor Satoshi, wherever he is!

[Melthris]

Hmm this is a good question. As people above me have said, it depends on the cirumstances. Personally I wouldn't have someone play themselves due to future harassment, stalkers, people obsessed with the character etc. It does certainly add more of a realism element to the story of the particular ARG but its dangerous and shaky territory for having real life people with their real names etc being put in a 'game'

[vpisteve]

Didn't Ocular Effect do just this very thing??

[thebruce]

It did. And I think in part it was an experimentation of sorts... it was hard to tell when the character ended and the real person began. Save Mike and Faith, I think everyone else was 'real'. Kriel definitely IS Kriel, as is Steph, and the people we met in florida... who knows how many others.

[vpisteve]

So then, instead of people talking about what they THINK would happen, maybe it would be good to study what really did happen?? Just a thought.

[RatherNotSay]

I believe we have to a degree:

[rose]

Art of the Heistb - Will Star

[konamouse]

[rose]

[RatherNotSay]