unforum

[Euchre]

[rose]

I think too that companies like Disney can afford to take a long approach to brand marketing. I know that ARG players have lifelong loyalty or at least strong fondness for the games they have played.

I will always love Halo and everything about it, a great game to be sure, but ilovebees gave me such a fantastic experience, that I always buy for my son (and myself) every Halo related thing - I even bought the Halo 3 version that included the master chief's helmet to store the games in, and I never buy that stuff for video games.

Same thing for all the ARGs I played. I still love Activision, even though Gun wasn't the greatest game, Last Call Poker was probably the most perfectly designed ARG ever.

Thanks to Art of the Heist, I recognize every Audi I see, which is saying something because otherwise I can only describe cars, including the one I am currently driving, by their color.

And, even though I found Year Zero waaay too dark for me, I will always be a Trent Reznor fan.

So the point is that companies are buying themselves passionate word of mouth and good will that will last them way beyond the one product they are selling. I said once in a meeting about ARGs we had in New York-"Players will love you forever." No TV ad can do that.

[stinji]

ive thought about it, and before this arg i knew they were doing another tron film. I doubt i would have mentioned it to anyone else. but since doing the club thing at comic con and following this arg, I have mentioned the movie, the arg, and my experiences to at least a dozen people that I never would have told about it.
So I think its working

[Broklynite]

I do tend to get a tad worried that ARG is becoming synonymous with advertising. I've played a couple over the years that really were just games, no more or less. Were they better or worse? Not particularly. I just get an uncomfortable itch when I think that, fun though this is, I'm nonetheless a number in a column for an advertising budget.

[thebruce]

Re: [OT] Tron and 42 Entertainments Future

[Broklynite]

I personally would love to join up with some fellow ARGers for a few drinks, if anyone is in NYC one of these days.

[FSURobbie]

Re: [OT] Tron and 42 Entertainments Future

[Broklynite]

Eh? SHarks tooth? That still active?

[FSURobbie]

[eolith]

[FilmEdge]

I can also see ARGs as the forerunner of interactive media, which is slowly incorporating movies and general entertainment, especially video games. When I say slowly, it's due to technology developing to make it feasible, but also users' ability to access and absorb the implications of that technology.

The lines between on-screen feature films and gaming and internet participation will blur greatly in the next decade or two, which of course changes the format and purpose of such entertainment media.

In short, all media and communication is trending toward active participation and not merely passive methods of 'data delivery'. Likewise digital technologies and the internet have begun to reverse the top-down delivery system of filmmaking, with the explosion of YouTube and amateur yet prolific filmmakers who distribute their own product on channels.

I can certainly see ARGs evolving and blurring the lines between an online 'game' and film storytelling... which eventually won't be on film at all. Plus this is just plain fun!

[stinji]

I personally have no problem with an arg that is commercial, so long as its fun. I think thats the key. It has to be fun and entertaining.

[KC0GRN]

Yes, fun and entertaining, with lots of swag

[NWinTN]

It was mentioned that out of this may come an attraction or ride by Disney for Tron at one of their parks. I've talked to a few people with major insider connections and they're reporting that Disney IS indeed working on putting some major Tron stuff. Whether it will be a lightcycle ride or something else is yet to be determined. I tweeted Disney Parks quite a while back about putting in either an End of Line club or Lightcycle game in EPCOT. Back in82 Disney had intended to put in Tron in an upstairs section of Innoventions, sadly the project fell through due to some not-to-bright higher ups.

[mach1monorail]

one Tron Disney theme park attraction did in fact see the light of day.
there was an add on to the PeopleMover at Disneyland in which you were transported to the game grid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lr0lGT5-uGY it starts at about 1:00 in

however this doesnt really apply to the 42 Entertainment topic hah