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 Forum index » Meta » Puppetmaster Help
ARG - Independent Study
Moderators: imbri
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joshspazjosh
Boot


Joined: 31 Jan 2007
Posts: 27
Location: boston

 		ARG - Independent Study
Hello all-

I'm a freshman at a small school in Bar Harbor, Maine called College of the Atlantic. We operate on a trimester basis and I was thinking about doing an independent study during spring term, which lasts from mid-March to late May. The subject of this independent study would be ARGs - specifically, being a puppet master. I've had scarce experience with playing ARGs - I always like a puzzle, I read ARGN occasionally, I'm a huge LOST fan and played the pseudo-ARG "The Lost Experience" to my great disappointment. I like technology, design and telling stories and I think that the medium of an ARG would be interesting to explore.

Here's what I've been thinking I would do: each term lasts ten weeks. For the first seven weeks I would design the story and materials for the ARG. Week 8, I would make preparations: register website domains, etc. etc. The entire storyline of the ARG would take place over Week 9. At the end of Week 9, after all is said and done, I would have an online chat with players to get feedback on what they liked and didn't liked. Week 10, I would write a paper about what I learned . . . I guess an amateur puppetmaster guide of sorts.

I'm posting because I would really appreciate feedback before I submit my proposal or actually take steps to go through with this. Is seven weeks too short? Any advice I should take heed of during the process?

Thanks so much in advance!

EDIT: Moved to PM Guide forum. --Phaedra

PostPosted: Thu Feb 01, 2007 12:33 am
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Delusional
Entrenched


Joined: 16 May 2005
Posts: 839

 		I think that sounds like a nice idea Josh.
Eight weeks should be enough to prepare content for one week,
I think an 8/1 ratio of creation time to run time is probably more than a lot of successful ARGs have.

The one downside I think there may be with this idea is the lack of playing time. I don't think that one week will be enough to capture the essence of an ARG. The way the players become attached to characters, form bonds amongst each other, thier emotional reactions to in game events, these and other nuances I think go a long way to make ARGs what they are.
I can't see how you could convey all that to readers who may have never even heard of an ARG after just one week of game play.
It sounds like it would be more of a slightly interactive puzzle trail than an ARG.

I don't know if it would be possible for you, but mabey you could split this up into two separate trimesters.
1st: The creation of an ARG
2nd: The running of an ARG
Treating both as separate but related projects and writing papers for each.
Here the creation time to run time ratio might become a problem, but with a little help it should be achievable.
Just an Idea.

PostPosted: Thu Feb 01, 2007 2:12 am
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joshspazjosh
Boot


Joined: 31 Jan 2007
Posts: 27
Location: boston

 		I'm not sure two terms would be possible.

Hmmm . . . what about six weeks of development and then three weeks of playing? Or I could just develop it and then run it without school sanction.

-Josh

PostPosted: Thu Feb 01, 2007 9:45 am
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Rekidk
Entrenched


Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 992
Location: Indiana, USA

 		Didn't the new Virtuquest game only run about two weeks? And it was even pay-to-play!

I think that one or two weeks would be ok to run a short ARG. The only thing is, you need your player base built up before you begin. (You need to have a 'countdown' or a 'signup period,' in other words.) Otherwise, by the time people get into the ARG, it will be over.

Also, the storyline will need to be much simpler than in some ARGs. However, I think that's its totally possible to pull off a 1-2 week ARG, as long as you have players dedicated to playing it ahead of time. (And as long as they know that it's only a two-week experience.)

PostPosted: Thu Feb 01, 2007 6:17 pm
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catherwood
I Have 100 Cats and Smell of Wee

Joined: 25 Sep 2002
Posts: 4109
Location: Silicon Valley, CA

 		Talk to imbri about short-run games. She leads corporate training and team-building ARGs, which surely can't last more than a week or two, tops.

PostPosted: Thu Feb 01, 2007 10:42 pm
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