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Frustrated in DC (part 1)
Moderators: imbri

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unmortal_mind
Boot

Joined: 18 Apr 2007
Posts: 58
Location: Washington DC

Frustrated in DC (part 1)
Or "What no meetups of local ARG designers?!?"

I'll start with Frustration #1:

Working remotely only works when you're on a team with decent communication skills and a way to assign tasks for resolution.
Working remotely also makes it difficult to network with your fellow team members and build some semblance of comraderie

However, the biggest aspect of this frustration.

In my day job, I have access to various peer networks / mailing lists / local user groups where I can post a question if I'm particularly stymied on a task or can go to a monthly meeting and chat with a fellow peer.

Problem is that I'm not aware of a local network/meetup/mailing list/user group for ARG Staff in my area.

Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions?

Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 1:38 pm

Agent Lex
Entrenched

Joined: 11 May 2006
Posts: 1188
Location: No longer London, still in England

You could always try the IGDA ARG SIG mailing list. Just beware of the Brian.

Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 3:07 pm

ndemeter
Entrenched

Joined: 28 Jul 2004
Posts: 1037
Location: Sunny California!

It always amazes me how teams of PM's working on a genre that requires the players to be in constant communication and accessible are sometimes not following that very same principle themselves.

It's not the fist time I have heard that comment though.

I live in Sacramento, I love it here, and have no intention of moving any time soon. Thus, what I can offer to any potential fellow PM's is my commitment that I will call in to all my meetings, will answer all my emails in a timely manner even if it's from my cell phone, will answer all calls and even call others myself if I need further input. Yes, I do that to bring forth a quality product but also to bridge the location challenge.

The comraderie on the other hand will come as the team builds and concludes the experience. You will know if this person is someone you want to work with again or this was not something you would do ever again. Just as the players would talk about their awesome adventures so you and your fellow PM's talk about the fun it was putting it all together.

So are those not the same expectactions you have from your fellow PM's?

_________________
Twitter: NickoDM - XBL: NickoDM

Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 4:28 pm

unmortal_mind
Boot

Joined: 18 Apr 2007
Posts: 58
Location: Washington DC

ndemeter wrote:

So are those not the same expectactions you have from your fellow PM's?

Personally, I hold myself to those expectations. However, my experiences have indicated that my expectations are the exception and not the rule.

I'll use my most recent experience working as staff on an ARG.

Staff Meetings were held on IRC. Notifications about the meeting were posted to the staff forum about 48 hours beforehand.

Even then, the meetings rarely started on time, the main PM often was late, and most items on the agenda were typically resolved prior to the scheduled meeting (via e-mail between the PM and the responsible party)

(Which left meeting minutes a tad cryptic for people that couldn't make the meeting)

On top of this, there wasn't a staff directory being maintained, so no one could contact anyone outside of the boards (without some major leg work)(which makes it difficult when coordinating live components of the game and the "actor" is only going to have a cell phone!)

Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 5:53 pm

ndemeter
Entrenched

Joined: 28 Jul 2004
Posts: 1037
Location: Sunny California!

In a world of Skype, WP, free long distance, etc it's amazing you guys chose IRC for a meeting area.

Anyways, this was your one bad experience. Now you learn and move on from this. There are PM's and PM's out there. Align yourself with the team that matches your standards.

_________________
Twitter: NickoDM - XBL: NickoDM

Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 6:31 pm

FLmutant
Decorated

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 244
Location: Orlando, FL

Agent Lex wrote:

Just beware of the Brian.

Yeah, that Brian guy is a complete contrarian buzzkill. Ignore him and the rest of that IDGA group can actually be okay. There's also a group on LinkedIn, it is a bit quiet but could blossom into something if people contributed a bit more.

Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 7:09 am

unmortal_mind
Boot

Joined: 18 Apr 2007
Posts: 58
Location: Washington DC

Agent Lex wrote:

You could always try the IGDA ARG SIG mailing list. Just beware of the Brian.

Thanks, I am obliged!

I knew about the SIG group after the white paper that was published. I hadn't realized that they had set up a mailing / discussion list.

Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 11:42 am

unmortal_mind
Boot

Joined: 18 Apr 2007
Posts: 58
Location: Washington DC

ndemeter wrote:

In a world of Skype, WP, free long distance, etc it's amazing you guys chose IRC for a meeting area.

I wouldn't call it entirely a surprise. The common denominator is that IRC is cheap.

ndemeter wrote:

Anyways, this was your one bad experience. Now you learn and move on from this. There are PM's and PM's out there. Align yourself with the team that matches your standards.

That was the most egregious.

I've seen people fail the simplest of business netiquette rules in terms of replying to e-mail less than promptly (say less than a week).

Having said that, I do agree that it was a learning experience and I'm moving on in two ways.

Responding to volunteer openings and maintaining a "PM" profile here
Focus on developing a few concepts into ARGs (I've been in the LARP scene for about 15 years, time to move on to writing/producing)

Beyond the forums on unfiction, where else should one look for opportunities to work with PMs on a given project?

Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 12:01 pm

ndemeter
Entrenched

Joined: 28 Jul 2004
Posts: 1037
Location: Sunny California!

unmortal_mind wrote:

Responding to volunteer openings and maintaining a "PM" profile here
Focus on developing a few concepts into ARGs (I've been in the LARP scene for about 15 years, time to move on to writing/producing)

Huh, well it seems like we have similar backgrounds. I would suggest trying to put something small together first. If it's enjoyable then you will get some recognition (ie ARGNet) then network with other PM's and keep the ball rolling.

Believe me, it's harder to get back in the scene after an absence (looking in the mirror as I say that) than it is to stay involved even in a small scale.

_________________
Twitter: NickoDM - XBL: NickoDM

Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 12:23 pm

Ziola
Decorated

Joined: 09 Jan 2009
Posts: 152
Location: A couch somewhere...

unmortal_mind wrote:

Beyond the forums on unfiction, where else should one look for opportunities to work with PMs on a given project?

Pardon me for tooting the proverbial horn, but I really think you should look into the Coalition (thecoalitiontv.com). There are four main games that share the same universe (and characters as well) but the PM's welcome and actually encourage people to develop their own characters and become Allies and Adversaries. They will work with you to incorporate your character(s) into the main storylines and help with puzzle development and basically everything else you might need. Check out the site (I'm there as Ziola as well), watch the videos and get a feel for the whole thing. There is a video on the main page (lower portion) that explains 3 of the 4 main games (I don't play the 4th myself, it bores me lol)

Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 1:28 pm

rose
...and then Magic happens

Joined: 26 Nov 2003
Posts: 4117

It isn't hard to start a meeting of ARG designers and players on a monthly basis. All you have to do is find a date, a place and start telling people about it.

Quote:

Yeah, that Brian guy is a complete contrarian buzzkill.

I thought he was a harbinger of doom like Kara Thrace. Wink

Actually,as AgentLex knows Brian is one of the best contacts (and loyal friend) you could make in this community.

_________________
I love this site for being free, in every sense of the word~Spacebass

Mankind was my business, the common good was my business.~ Dickens

Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 3:04 pm

Agent Lex
Entrenched

Joined: 11 May 2006
Posts: 1188
Location: No longer London, still in England

rose wrote:

Actually,as AgentLex knows Brian is one of the best contacts (and loyal friend) you could make in this community.

Indeed. I guess I should have qualified my "beware of the Brian" with a Wink

. Along with being a good contact and friend, he's also inspirational, and comes up with great ideas.

Now to actually get into his contact list...

Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 5:32 pm

unmortal_mind
Boot

Joined: 18 Apr 2007
Posts: 58
Location: Washington DC

rose wrote:

It isn't hard to start a meeting of ARG designers and players on a monthly basis. All you have to do is find a date, a place and start telling people about it.

Well, if I recall the DC IGDA chapter hasn't been particularly active, which may be the best motivation to get something like that rolling.

The only difficulty will be pushing word of mouth on various channels to get things rolling.

Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 10:16 pm

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