unforum

[sixsidedsquare]

I have to say that I really loved how this turned out. I know it was kind of annoying to be left hanging and wondering if anything more was going to happen, but VaporLofts has always been removed from the typical ARGs we get. I love the fact that it didn't do the typical 'lead up to a big climax that needs a puzzle solved or everything might end bad' ending.

I say good job on making something different, showing ARGs don't always have to end conclusively.

[mapmaker]

[theShaggy]

Although, as I recall, the prime common thread through all the LiveJournal "friendings" that started the whole ordeal was the term "ARG" or something very similar.

Hmm... I'll probably stop whining any minute now... I hope the PMs are not averse to giving us some answers for the ciphers.

(Also, considering the supporting characters that they created in the story - Jenna, Shinpu, and all the Firekeepers, wouldn't it make sense that some of them would still pick up the slack in the story?)

[ghostmeta]

Well, damn. I was kind of hoping for a resolution. All the same, I can see how that makes for a solid, ambiguous ending, like in most of the fiction of this type. Looking back on it, it's complete enough - I just wanted more.

Although I hope that at some point, VL's team works up the nerve to actually tell the story of the "exciting second phase." Who knows? Maybe they are, they're just not ready to reveal it to us.

Since clearly, the end of the game was the end of Phase One.

On the plus side, working through all these puzzles, and seeing how the ciphers and keys and codes were done in the first place, gave my creativity a jump-start, and I'm integrating some of the VaporLofts PM's techniques into my own online stories, with some (I think) spectacular results.

. . . no, I'm not making an ARG and I'm not advertising.

I mean, unless you consider forcing my friends to solve puzzles and stare at lines and lines of meaningless gibberish for a couple hours a day in the vain hope of something making sense an ARG. It's really just because I enjoyed VL so much, I thought I'd make some use of what I'd learned.

[Abraxas]

@krystyn
You just totally convinced me!
Although I believe Metachortechs had more of an ending-ending, I remember being surprised when the guide told me it was over. Probably because I could see that there was another page...but that's just for the aftermath and unsolved puzzles it turned out (which, btw, I did not read, yet...).
Alternate realities are supposed to fade in and fade out without you knowing about it. Now, of course, an experienced ARGer won't be taken off guard by it like the people playing The Beast probably were the first time...I can only imagine that.
But you can and should recreate the feeling as best as you can, I guess that is the point. And as such, VL tried something different and you can see that it worked, because many of us were dumbfounded by this "resolution".

[chumlee]

What's the Story?

[rowan]

Re: What's the Story?

[Delusional]

Re: What's the Story?

[rowan]

Re: What's the Story?

[Delusional]

I do have a copy, but everything on Anne's LJ was actually hosted on the VL site. Thankfully her files have been ARCHIVED.


Edit: My favorite line from the movie.

[chumlee]

Re: What's the Story?

[chumlee]