unforum

[colin]

Pregame - What and Why

[addlepated]

I think that if the genre ever gets to an income-producing level, a pregame would be useful to show potential backers what the PMs are capable of, in order to get funding for the actual game.

Additionally, I guess the pregame would be useful to get buzz going so that there's a good crop of players for the real game?

Beyond that I'm befuddled as ever.

[BrianEnigma]

Re: Pregame - What and Why

[catherwood]

another possible reason for a pre-game would be to give players time to set up the various tools they will need, such as installing the brand of instant messenger software the characters will be using. Better to have these things in place rather than having players scramble on the day something is happening in realtime.

I want to emphasis the point about pre-game not being required for enjoyment and playability of the real game. What is the point of having a launch date if people need to be actively participating before that starting gun?

Pre-game is nice for setting mood and establishing character *history*. In that respect, I would think that a passive pre-game would make more sense than having characters interacting with "pre"-players.

just an opinion in an ever-evolving gamespace.

[colin]

maybe i should have started out with defining what pregame is.... i wouldn't really clasify what has happened in syzygy as pregame, its really just promotion, no mention of story. having said that i've refered to syzygy as being in 'pregame' I should probably say its a 'teaser'

[Slyfox]

I've assumed the purpose of a pre-game was to attract potential players, give an opportunity for the news of the game to be spread about and perhaps most of all to "Set the scene."

I figure this would include.

Characters, their personalities and enough of their background to understand their motivation.
An understanding of the Setting and any science/history/politics associated with it.
Something of the basic plot premise so that the players have an idea about where they might be heading. That's not to say there can't be surprises along the way.

This can be interactive if you like but I'm not sure that it can be called "pre-game" if the players can affect what happens within the story at this stage.

[Wolf]

[Fi]

Maybe the pre-game is also very useful from the PM's point of view - allowing them to test out ideas, get their s/w set up like cather said, seeing how certain concepts are grasped by players (like the whole Krystal in-game situation in Aware) and just generally 'dipping their toe in the murky waters of ARGness' before committing themselves in the actual game.

Aware is my first ARG, so I'm not nearly as experienced as you guys, but if I was setting up an ARG then boy would I want some way of testing things out beforehand! I guess it's a bit like a beta test in a way.

Fi

[jamesi]

One of the other nice features about running a well-organized, tactful pre-game is to get players impassioned, in one way or another, about the game. Using AWARE as an example: Whether the whole situation with Krystal/Palser/Nash was planned out in detail or not, it has made people sit up and take notice, even if it was originally in a negative way. Advertisers have always known that if you are marketing something, you have to get your audience to feel something about the product, even if it's negative publicity.

Now that AWARE has so many people speculating about this, that or the other thing, it has put itself into the heads of the audience. Kudos to them for their efforts!