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 Forum index » Meta » General META Discussion
How best to Implode your game...
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Dionysus
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Joined: 18 Nov 2005
Posts: 612
Location: Philadelphia Area

 		How best to Implode your game...
… is not to implode at all!!

I kid, I kid…

Ok, so discussions on how to avoid implosions have been done to death.. We've even had threads on the community's reaction to implosions and how that should be done. Clearly, the overall opinion is that implosions should be avoided and can be. Implosions are bad. Allowing a game to fizzle out is unprofessional. However, realistically, implosions are going to happen. Consider it a Fact of ARGing – although an unpleasant one. So when a PuppetMaster or PM Team realize that their game is going to implode... how should they do it? That is the question that I'd like to put forth in this thread.

In planning to write this post, I ventured into the archives – as I haven't been around all that long – to examine the various implosions that we, at least, still have on record. As I did so I saw games implode a variety different ways and looked at how the community reacted and how I felt about what I read. I will now be examining a few of these games in particular. As a side note, I considered included AW2RE in this discussion considered how 'major' it was supposed to be... but as it never really started, I wasn't sure I could call it an implosion

QUI3E – QU13E is a good choice because it was a pretty darn popular ARG that acts as a representative of what I found to be one of the more prolific types of implosions: The "Fade Away". Other examples are Methargo, LegionPharma, and a few others. In
QU13E the updates become less and less frequent. People began to wonder if the game was dead. Events came slowly and then not at all. Then the sites went down and Unfiction was forced to conclude that the game had imploded. While not the WORST method, I feel that this way of shutting down your game is really not all that acceptable. For one thing, it is completely unfair to the players who keep checking their mail or your site waiting for an update. They can't be sure that the game is dead (until Jamesi officially pronounces it at least) so they keep checking… waiting... hoping. Its really rude and quite off-putting. Your players deserve some sort of announcement at the very least. I can understand, perhaps, a desire to keep the Puppetmasters anonymous – but anonymity is available both in email and by posting as a "Guest" on UF. A desire to maintain the Curtain... perhaps because you don't entirely want to let go of your baby… is understandable, but quite frankly if your game has imploded, the Curtain has already gone up in flames. It's not like VaporLofts which never raised its curtain – that was a successful conclusion and thus the curtain can still exist if they chose it too. At least give your players the respect of letting them know that its over so they can move on to other ARGs.

Hyp3r – Apologies to PMs, but I must use these as an example of one of the WORST implosions. In Hyp3r, although notification of the games demise was given the way it was done was horrible. The first post made by the PM wasn't all that bad. It at least it stated the game was over – though it denied that it was an implosion, as if the PM was in denial. I, personally, feel more explanation is warranted by any PM as to why their game went down – again I feel players deserve that much for there time – but at least he/she let UF know it was over (and "will be returning" – aren't they all?). There were some… issues… with the announcement as was pointed out. However, the PM crossed a lien when he allowed himself to be upset by the criticism over his game and lashed out at Unfiction. Claiming that we're responsible for his funding (if it existed) being pulled because we criticized his game? Not cool, man. As a PuppetMaster you are wholly responsible for both the quality and the overall fate of your game. Most UF-goers are intelligent people and will respect a PM more for taking responsibility for his mistakes. However, we'll be damn well pissed off if you attack us. It's your game, its your baby, don't blame or attack the players. Retana Isle's PM also attacked players who were critical of him, though at the inital time of writing this post I has missed that implosion entirely somehow, so I didnt get to go into more detail. Like Hyp3r it started out as dissappointing announcement, but then the PM attacked some of the players... and well.. that whole thread got nasty.

Another Contest Worth Entering – I was tempted not to talk about this one, but its a special case I wanted to look at. It actually did a lot right. It made an email announcement letting us know, in vague terms, what kinds of problems there were and why they were closing shop. This was wonderful. They gave us enough information so we don't feel left in the dark and are even satisfied with the response. They even eventually posted information on what we would have seen had the game not imploded. The only reason this doesn't qualify as one the "best" implosions is the fact that as a part of the game, in the beginning, Unfiction Member Chewy "won" and X-Box 360. Even after implosion, Chewy was told he would still receive his prize. However, the time he was told he would get it is long past and there has been no word from the PM Team. This is wholly irresponsible. If, as a PM Team, you make such promises to a player, you owe it to them to fulfill your obligation. If that were to become impossible, the PMs should AT LEAST notify Chewy. So while they started out giving good notification of their failure, in the end they went right back into silence.

City of Domes and Lenny's Xanga – If an implosion could be done "right", this is how it would be done. The City of Domes PM Team sent a very email apologizing for the implosion and explaining what the problem was. By having us understand why the game had to go down and expressing such remorse, we bore n o animosity towards the PMs. Even had they NOT been a reputable group to begin with, I believe the community, understanding what happened the with COD, would have been certainly willing to try trusting that team again had they put out another game at a later date. Now, some reasons for implosion are more… normal... than a company refusing to pay, which is why I want to briefly look at Lenny's Xanga. Here again the PM let us know the game was imploding and explained why it was happening and why the game had been suffering. Again, we at UF were fairly forgiving to the PM because of his maturity in letting us know. I would like to mention that I do not feel it was necessary for the PM to identify his brother such as he did, just as I don't think that City of Domes had to give us the name of its sponsor (indeed, they probably couldn't due to contractual agreements). You don't have to share all the dirty details of who did what to whom and can preserve anonymity and still have a... "better" implosion.

There's a lot of "in between" implosions, of course. Some PMs don't give quite as much information about the actual implosion, or just state that the game is over. However I believe the examples above cover some of the major types we've seen

Again, I'm not supporting Implosions here. I believe that 98% of them can be avoided and that many implosions are simply the result of games that should never have launched in the first place. However, from my reading I have come to the conclusion that the best way to implode your game, if you must, is to step up, let us know that its imploding, and take responsibility for that implosion.

Thoughts? Discussion?
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PostPosted: Fri May 26, 2006 1:59 am
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Puppy_Zwolle
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Joined: 18 Oct 2005
Posts: 969
Location: Not Zwolle anymore. really no kiddin'

 		Re: How best to Implode your game...
Dionysus wrote:
Thoughts? Discussion?
Does not look like it... no thoughts or discussion. You made a pretty conclusive essay on imploding ARG's that may prove to be the definitive work on the subject.

On the other hand: Your idea (never thought of it that way hence your idea) on the implosion as a style element is hardly feasible. Only in a very darkish, suicidal, downward-spiral kind of ARG would an 'engineered-implosion' be a fitting end.

Even an 'explosion' would be preferable to fading into oblivion. If it has to end, go out with a bang. Kill all the players, burn down your loft, shoot the alien back into his eggshell, tell everybody the butler did it, anything but silence.

It's better to burn up than to fade away.
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PostPosted: Mon May 29, 2006 2:12 pm
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Atrophied
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 		Re: How best to Implode your game...
Puppy_Zwolle wrote:
On the other hand: Your idea (never thought of it that way hence your idea) on the implosion as a style element is hardly feasible. Only in a very darkish, suicidal, downward-spiral kind of ARG would an 'engineered-implosion' be a fitting end.


I agree, an 'engineered-implosion' isn't exactly feasible. However, if your game is imploding (due to unforseen circumstances), then this would be a good piece of reference material to have, so as not to incur the wrath of the war-wombs. Wink

~Atrophied
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PostPosted: Mon May 29, 2006 3:55 pm
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MageSteff
Pretty talky there aintcha, Talky?


Joined: 06 Jun 2003
Posts: 2716
Location: State of Denial

 		Re: How best to Implode your game...
Dionysus wrote:
… is not to implode at all!!
....

Thoughts? Discussion?


If a PM (and team) realize that the caca is hitting the rotating blades, if they can find a way to bring out the conclusion (albeit an early one), would be better than "implosion." Some reason for implosion just can't be managed to allow a quick wind down, (technology, etc. related), and can't be avoided. But if a PM sees that things are going south fast, time to bring some form of closure to the main story line and bow out gracefully. If a PM is just running out of steam or find that time wise they are having difficulty managing, then wrapping everything up as quickly as possible would be best.

Unfortunately wrapping upt would be asking a lot from PM who are having difficulty putting together a coherent story in the first place. Rolling Eyes
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PostPosted: Mon May 29, 2006 4:42 pm
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buff
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Joined: 23 Sep 2003
Posts: 106

 		Re: How best to Implode your game...
MageSteff wrote:


If a PM (and team) realize that the caca is hitting the rotating blades, if they can find a way to bring out the conclusion (albeit an early one), would be better than "implosion."...


I can't say that I agree. If the story and the "form" of the ARG in question doesn't support an easy way out - I belive that it's by far superior to accept the fact that your game is about to go up in your face and tell your players. There's no need to "crash" the story because the actual game has imploded.

If one resort to an "easy" conclusion - the story is finished, it's demised, it's shuffled of its mortal coil, non?

But if one tells the players, as Dionysus concludes in his excellent essay, about the reasons the game's crashed and so forth - I can see no reason why the story couldn't be continued or better, begun anew at a latter date.

As usual, apologies for any bad spelling or grammar, english isn't my primary language.
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PostPosted: Tue May 30, 2006 4:17 am
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Dionysus
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Joined: 18 Nov 2005
Posts: 612
Location: Philadelphia Area

 		Re: How best to Implode your game...
Puppy_Zwolle wrote:
On the other hand: Your idea (never thought of it that way hence your idea) on the implosion as a style element is hardly feasible. Only in a very darkish, suicidal, downward-spiral kind of ARG would an 'engineered-implosion' be a fitting end.


I'm not sure where I mentioned an engineered-implosion. Maybe I'm misunderstanding something or miscommunicated myself. I certainly don't see it as a style element. My sole goal in this essay was to tell PMs, who find themselves in an Implosion Situation, how to treat their players with respect while ending the game and leave the least possible harsh feelings.
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PostPosted: Tue May 30, 2006 8:43 pm
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Puppy_Zwolle
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Joined: 18 Oct 2005
Posts: 969
Location: Not Zwolle anymore. really no kiddin'

 		Re: How best to Implode your game...
Dionysus wrote:
My sole goal in this essay was to tell PMs, who find themselves in an Implosion Situation, how to treat their players with respect ...

And thats what I read. Again nice work.

Somewhere between the lines (I guess) I found this 'engineered-implosion' but did not want to take the credit for it. But if you feel so strongly about it then maybe I should Wink .

With 'engineered implosion as a style-element' I mean the implosion was planned from the get-go, maybe even in such a way that the whole ARG was constructed to best facilitate this implosion. It would be the grandest anticlimax possible ... if you would want that as a PM . So not a half-way-through-the-game-decision to turn off the lifesupport. That, I agree, is the too easy way out.
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PostPosted: Wed May 31, 2006 7:46 am
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