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 Forum index » Archive » Archive: General » ARG: Aware
SUMMARY: WHAT HAPPENED AND WHERE ARE WE?
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rose
...and then Magic happens


Joined: 26 Nov 2003
Posts: 4117

 		SUMMARY: WHAT HAPPENED AND WHERE ARE WE?
EDIT: The basic summary is too long. This is the deal: AWARE pre-game was to be a screening method Ideltech used to test potential employees. Real World Games ran AWARE. Krystal (who may have been in-game from the beginning posing as an active player) was supposed to pretend to be kidnapped by another character, the Professor. Finding her was part of the test. But, Joseph Palser, who was playing the character of the Professor, went crazy and actually kidnapped Krystal. (As LazarusLong put it: the fake kidnapping turned into a real kidnapping.) AWARE as the employee screening is ended. We need to find Krystal and Joseph Palser. Marcus is helping us get information. He has been transmitting it to us through IM. The Professor's websites are not to be trusted.

EDITED for clarity after a brief chat with SpaceBass: in-game characters are not to post on unfiction as if they are players. (heh. See Note)

AND: WHICH SITES ARE IN-GAME:
this is my understanding:
ideltech
Melody's blog and group
amboy monthly
Restorers

AS WELL AS:WHICH SITES ARE NOT:
this is my understanding
bluelouboyle.com

EDIT TO ADD A THIRD CATEGORY: UNDETERMINED STATUS
professor's blog
grendels supporters group


Herewith a basic summary regarding Krystal and her kidnapping. (Note: other parts of the game are omitted or glossed over. Errors should be pointed out by posting below and I will update.)

*When the AWARE pregame began, a player named Krystal appeared, she was very active and enthusiastic and even agreed to host and assist in writing the guide.

*Time passes and we are introduced to an in-game character called the Professor or William Roddington. (He was the college professor of three students: Marcus, Marty and Jude, who were expelled when the software they developed caused a major problem and the Professor lost his job.) Marcus is the spokesperson for the three who have gone on to found the company Ideltech. Ideltech uses the software the three developed, now called Tobi. Ideltech is looking for employees

* Krystal continues to be very active and posts a chat in which she agrees to go visit the Professor in Oregon. He pays 1/2 the airfare.

* Krystal disappears. We assume she has been kidnapped by the Professor making her "in-game" and therefore a player-character hybrid. Spec as to whether she was always in-game and opinionated reactions are posted.

* SpaceBass, the unfiction site administrator, clarifies that in-game characters are not to post on the boards.

* The game continues and somehow the narrative thread gets lost. (Note: that is my opinion) A character named Melody goes to Eugene to investigate the Professor almost simultaneously with Krystal's disappearance. Melody is a reporter for the Amboy Monthly, the online paper of the town of Amboy. We get some odd, conflicting information and there are odd interactions and chats between the Professor and players.

* Confusion continues. We can't find Krystal. We get a video of a kidnapped person from a website created by the Professor, but don't know whether it's Krystal and wonder if it was "planted" on the Professor's site by Marcus in an attempt to discredit him. We solve a coded message but it doesn't help us find her.

* Myssfitz (a player) begins to unravel something strange about the professor. She specs that there may be two people playing the professor: an imposter and the "real" in-game professor.

*Krystal suddenly emerges from the ether to tell us this: She was hired by Nash Carey, the PM of AWARE to pretend to be kidnapped by another person hired by Nash to play the Professor/ kidnapper. The pretend kidnapping has gone horribly wrong. She is now really kidnapped and we need to find her.

*Spec flies about what is in-game and what isn't. More opinions on what should be and shouldn't be in-game are aired. SpaceBass reiterates his rule that the unforum is not to be used by in-game characters.

*Marcus organizes a chat to explain that AWARE was being used by Ideltech to screen employees. This has now ended. Why? Joseph Palser, the actor hired to play the Professor has gone overboard and has now really kidnapped Krystal. We should not trust the Professor or any of his websites for information. We should look out for this person as he is dangerous.

* Marcus also promises to help us find leads about Krystal.

*All of the stuff Melody found was staged as part of the AWARE game. Melody didn't know about this and is still mad at Marcus for tricking her.

* Bill gets an email from Nash Carey explaining that AWARE was being used to screen potential employeees for Ideltech. He confirms the information from the chat with Marcus.

* Through YIM chats, Marcus gives us information on the last purchases, a puzzle and a video of Krystal to help us find her. The puzzle turns out to be a driver's license.

____________________________
Note: Before editing this read:"only players can post." SpaceBass corrected me by reminding me that PMs can post as PMs in meta. But PMs should not pretend to be players or post as in-game characters. If this is still not right, I'll fix it again.

PostPosted: Sun Apr 25, 2004 6:54 pm
Last edited by rose on Mon Apr 26, 2004 1:53 pm; edited 6 times in total
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StercusMaximus
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Joined: 19 Nov 2002
Posts: 204
Location: MA

 		Wow, rose, thanks for putting that together! I'm still wonderfully confused, but now it's actually starting to come together a little bit! I'm really geeked to see where this ends up going...


SM

PostPosted: Sun Apr 25, 2004 7:09 pm
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Slyfox
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Joined: 06 Feb 2004
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 		Re: SUMMARY: WHAT HAPPENED AND WHERE ARE WE?
rose wrote:

AND: WHICH SITES ARE IN-GAME:
this is my understanding:
ideltech
Melody's blog and group
amboy monthly
Restorers

AS WELL AS:WHICH SITES ARE NOT:
this is my understanding
bluelouboyle.com
professor's blog
grendels supporters group


What makes the last three site out of game other than an Email from Nash Carey of Real World Games. Isn't *this* Nash Carey in game? If so then I don't see how an in game character can declare a site 'out of game'. I'd accept a posting in the Meta Site from Nash Carey as we can be 100% sure about that information.

Now if we are to consider Joseph Palser out of game then at what point should someone call the FBI because at the moment I think we're all accessories to a kidnapping.
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"I mean, think about it.....its on the internet, right? Therefor, it's GOT to be real!! I mean, who would use the internet to lie? That'd just be crazy!" --- StercusMaximus

PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2004 5:11 am
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Shelina
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Joined: 03 Apr 2003
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Location: Madrid, Spain

 		Re: SUMMARY: WHAT HAPPENED AND WHERE ARE WE?
Slyfox wrote:
What makes the last three site out of game other than an Email from Nash Carey of Real World Games. Isn't *this* Nash Carey in game? If so then I don't see how an in game character can declare a site 'out of game'. I'd accept a posting in the Meta Site from Nash Carey as we can be 100% sure about that information.

Now if we are to consider Joseph Palser out of game then at what point should someone call the FBI because at the moment I think we're all accessories to a kidnapping.


I think what Rose was trying to say is those sites were not in-game considering "game" the AWARE screening process that Nash Carey created for Ideltech.

That does not mean the sites are not in-game considering the "overall game"

Huh, its hard to explain :S

PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2004 6:17 am
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Slyfox
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Joined: 06 Feb 2004
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Location: Manchester, UK

 		Ah. With you. Many thanks
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"I mean, think about it.....its on the internet, right? Therefor, it's GOT to be real!! I mean, who would use the internet to lie? That'd just be crazy!" --- StercusMaximus

PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2004 7:24 am
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Myssfitz
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Joined: 26 Feb 2003
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Location: In the pasture

 		BlueLouBoyly is NOT in game anymore. However, the blog is IN game. As for the Yahoo group, I don't know.
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2004 9:05 am
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Slyfox
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Joined: 06 Feb 2004
Posts: 323
Location: Manchester, UK
Myssfitz wrote:
BlueLouBoyly is NOT in game anymore. However, the blog is IN game. As for the Yahoo group, I don't know.


Now I'm confused (again). Other than what could be considered an "in-game" email as our single source do we have any other confirmation that BlueLouBoyle is NOT in game as Myssfitz writes? I'm not saying your wrong Myssfitz I'm just saying how can we be sure of anything at the moment. Maybe I've missed something along the way.
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"I mean, think about it.....its on the internet, right? Therefor, it's GOT to be real!! I mean, who would use the internet to lie? That'd just be crazy!" --- StercusMaximus

PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2004 9:11 am
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rowan
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Joined: 12 Apr 2004
Posts: 1966

 		My 2 cents
Myssfitz wrote:
BlueLouBoyly is NOT in game anymore. However, the blog is IN game. As for the Yahoo group, I don't know.


In my opinion, which has been known to be wrong lots in this game, if you're going to take out one of the boyle sites, why not take out all of them? I agree with Slyfox that an email from Nash the character doesn't take the site wholly out of the game. In fact his taking it out this way almost begs for it to be a part of the game overall. We've been steered away from other out-of-game things (Malynn being one) by better means then "This is no longer in the game".

And why would the site be out at this point anyways? Because Palser has control? That would mean that Nash, the PM, gave Palser control of blb (our main source of puzzles so far) but not over the blog or grendel groups, which is mostly day-to-day stuff, and Palser changed login info on Nash. At this point, I'm just not buying it. Plus, if Palser really had control and was really trying to screw with the game, wouldn't we start seeing stuff to that effect? Random puzzles taking us on wild goose chases?

The only way I see the boyle sites (any or all) being "out of the Aware game" at this point is that there have been no updates in a few days and Palser/Professor hasn't been around online (that I know of) since the last #marcus chat. It would be nice if the boyle sites could go away. The midi's are driving me nuts. But until I see either a post from Nash the PM or the sites just disappear, I can't count them totally out of the game.

Just my 2 cents.

Rowan
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2004 10:04 am
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Varin
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Joined: 02 Dec 2002
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Location: South of where I used to be

 		Re: My 2 cents
I don't know what I believe with this game anymore, but as for this bit...

rowan72 wrote:
Plus, if Palser really had control and was really trying to screw with the game, wouldn't we start seeing stuff to that effect? Random puzzles taking us on wild goose chases?


How do we know he hasn't? We don't know what Nash's original plans were to compare them to what really happened on blb. Wink
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2004 10:10 am
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rowan
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Joined: 12 Apr 2004
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 		You're right, we don't. I guess I'm just banking on the fact that if a troll had taken over a game site, he would be an active troll. But maybe trolls need to take a nap every now and then.
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2004 10:20 am
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Slyfox
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 		I'm figuring that if Palser, BlueLouBoyle or anything else for that matter where really out of game then there would be a posting to this effect in a 100% guaranteed place like the Meta discussion thread here on UF.

I'm speculating that the whole Ideltech/Tobi story is just a backdrop for the real ARG which will be "is Palser a fictional in character crazy kidnapper or a real life crazy kidnapper."

I'd like to think that, if a hired help for an ARG really had abducted a young woman the PM's would do a little more than email a few strangers about it. Wouldn't they?
_________________
"I mean, think about it.....its on the internet, right? Therefor, it's GOT to be real!! I mean, who would use the internet to lie? That'd just be crazy!" --- StercusMaximus

PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2004 10:23 am
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equi_design
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 		Lost
I took the weekend off and now I'm just so totally freakin' lost it's not funny... ugh. back to reading *all* the posts.
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2004 10:37 am
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konamouse
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Joined: 02 Dec 2002
Posts: 8010
Location: My own alternate reality

 		My take on the story:

GAME -
Ideltech hires Nash Carey to create a "game" as part of an interview process. This will actually be part 3 of the interview, but has to be set up earlier as backstory. Part 3 is a "find the professor & krystal who will be traveling across the US".
GAME -
We get job applications and such from Ideltech.
"game" -
We are introduced to the "professor" as an anti-Ideltech persona and get a backstory why he thinks TOBI is wrong, etc
"game" -
This sets up the scenario where Krystal disappears in prep for Part 3 of the interview process.

GAME -
We are told about Ideltech hiring Nash (this puts the real PM in position as an 'in-game' PM character) and that the BTS person acting as the professor has gotten himself too deep into the role. That the "game" is over (Part 3 of the interview process) but we still have to find Krystal - but she wasn't abducted by William Roddington, she is a captive of JP (the BTS person hired to play the professor).

Nash (the 'in-game') and Marcus have to "come clean" about JP/professor in that he is JP (and not the professor), and that what he says about TOBI is only from the script given to him by Nash to be part of the "game". That he is psychotic and what he says/posts is not real - hence the "ignore his websites". However, we still have to find Krystal. Hence, we are still in GAME (or Pre-Game). The GAME is no longer a test for employment at Ideltech, it is really to find Krystal who has been kidnapped by this psycho escapee.

Thus we are presented with a new twist on Alternative Reality.

But that is just my take on the situation.
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2004 11:21 am
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Giskard
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Joined: 07 Oct 2003
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Slyfox wrote:
I'm speculating that the whole Ideltech/Tobi story is just a backdrop for the real ARG which will be "is Palser a fictional in character crazy kidnapper or a real life crazy kidnapper."

I'd like to think that, if a hired help for an ARG really had abducted a young woman the PM's would do a little more than email a few strangers about it. Wouldn't they?


In giving my view on this situation (below), I can't help but looking at this ARG as a 'game' and talk about 'characters' instead of persons, which I usually dislike doing, because it spoils the "reality feel" of it all. However, I couldn't find a way of avoiding that, so, sorry for that, but here goes...

As far as I could follow things, "AWARE", the reality experience created for the Ideltech interviewing process, is over. However, the as of yet unnamed game TAFKAA (The ARG Formerly Known As AWARE) that houses Ideltech, it's three CEO's, Amboymonthly including Melody, and also the event of a person getting kidnapped by another, isn't over.

The above imho assures the fact that although Bluelouboyle.com and affiliated sites are out-of-game concerning AWARE, they are not concerning TAFKAA. It would also imply that Palser/Lance_Lake/JHonathan is in-game. Maybe he was created to the image of the Palser/Lake/JHonathan that tried to hijack Acheron, or maybe he's the same guy, but either way he's in game, right? Which would still make all the sites we knew in relation to AWARE in-game...

This is a novel twist alright... there have often been discussions on whether things are in- or out-of-game, but they were never before this confusing... Syzygy promised to be like the movie The Game, but AWARE turns out to be doing a pretty good job at that point as well Smile
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2004 11:35 am
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Shelina
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konamouse wrote:

But that is just my take on the situation.


And is exactly the same view I have of the situation so far... but you explained it better than me Very Happy

PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2004 11:46 am
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