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 Forum index » Meta » Puppetmaster Help
Is city-specific a bad idea?
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Macar
Greenhorn

Joined: 03 Nov 2014
Posts: 5

 		Is city-specific a bad idea?
General Advice for a Noob
Hi All,

I've convinced my workplace to let me produce an ARG with a small amount of funding being provided by them. Smile This is very exciting and I want to do my best. I could really use is people to bounce ideas off of. It appears that the PM chat is defunct, which is too bad. If anyone is interested in chatting with me directly, please PM me.

That said, I have 2 questions I'd like to pose publicly:

1. Is it suicide to focus on an audience in a specific city? My vision is to have a fair bit of dead drops and live events. But will that eliminate too many potential players?

2. Any tips on clever ways to monitor and listen to the audience? Aside from Lurking on forums and getting Google alerts for my game, how can I tell how many people are playing and how they are reacting?

PostPosted: Mon Nov 03, 2014 5:07 pm
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catherwood
I Have 100 Cats and Smell of Wee

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

 		I have to ask: Why would your workplace agree to fund an ARG and not insist it be a local event? (Even if you are a global company, wouldn't the ARG expected to aim for employees as the audience?)

Also, I have to add: Don't expect to produce this alone! You need a team!

PostPosted: Tue Nov 04, 2014 4:29 pm
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Macar
Greenhorn

Joined: 03 Nov 2014
Posts: 5

 		We are a tourist site, so getting attention outside of the city would be desirable, I just don't think I have the resources for it. I guess I was hoping to be reassured that ARGs can work on a local scale. If not, I should rethink my balance and keep more of the content online/on phones/etc.

As for a team, I am going to conscript some of my employees and friends to help me for sure. I have a half dozen people on deck to help in minor ways (mostly playing characters and writing in-character content). But, I'm still expecting to do a lot of work myself over the next 6 months before the game even starts. I realize that it's an insane amount of work and I'm probably insane for trying...

Any suggestions on particular aspects I should seek help with? Things that are more time-consuming than you think?

PostPosted: Tue Nov 04, 2014 5:01 pm
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Crescent
Decorated


Joined: 05 May 2006
Posts: 281

 		planning
have an idea of the style of game - plot first the ending[s] and then work back. play test. play test again.
if you're going for general public to be audience and not just us arg-ers then you need to get their interest.
media whore yourself out... if the company you work for [tourism?] is popular, use those contacts...
the next posters or media outlet you do, jump on it - put a 2 second 'blip' which takes people to a site - the site needs to have a counting down clock to release time - that way you can still plan and get interest at the same time - don't have dead time - getting the interest is the hardest thing - the second is keeping it.
Most non-argers [people who haven't done it] - will be looking for a prize/reward - can your company provide this? fame itself is usually good enough - can the 'winner' be used in some way - lots of publicity splash - or can you use your funds to get a good prize - donations if your company is non-profit?
then, work on how to keep the interest running - drip feed the information but at a steady trickle. keep the fast players interested still, but the slower ones [those with less time, less experience and less net access] interested too... have an overall story arc with characters who can interact but - for some game reason - only at certain times - if its sci-fi based, then its when the secret satellite is in position [this means you don't have to monitor all the time!] - if 'real life' then office hours is fine - we have to use work computers because of xxxxx... ! etc

finally - delegate and get the interest up as soon as you can - BUT not too much in one go either - snippets which tease - think marketing campaigns for marvel etc - a static image 'help me' with a qr code is usually enough to get people talking...

edit: just realised didn't answer your main question: city specific - make it so those not able to get to your city can still interact - google earth etc to advise those who can - which city is it? look at public transport within the city and to/from that city - can things be advertised on those routes - but not suicide to make specific, so long as city has enough potential audience interactors - depending on the reason for arg [publicity/raising profile/raising funds?] you may want to adapt your game accordingly...
hope this helps - pm me if I can be of any more assistance
_________________
matter of fact I could leave....

PostPosted: Sun Nov 16, 2014 8:24 am
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Macar
Greenhorn

Joined: 03 Nov 2014
Posts: 5

 		Thanks for all if that of good advice. Boston is the city and it has the benefit of great public transit and a high ratio of nerds per capita Cool I looked into subway advertising and it was affordable, but they have a minimum order that it out of my price range. So I think I'm going to have to sick with guerrilla marketing.

I'm glad you talk about working backwards from the goal, as that is exactly how I'm proceeding. I have a culminating live event in mind as well as an after-party where I intend to lift the curtain.

Since posting this thread, I read about Jejune, which inspired me to believe this can work in one city. But I do like your point about including different ways for the online audience to be involved.

You mention play testing and I was wondering, how do you play test something that is meant to be solved by a collective?

PostPosted: Sun Nov 16, 2014 9:12 am
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