unforum

[mgelles]

TLE Post Mortem Questions

[konamouse]

It was my impression, from reading comments in uF, that this wasn't a good ARG as much as just an "experience" or more like a graphic novel with videos and puzzles. Sounded like folks were not happy at the end (I did not really participate, just lurked).

It lead me to put into my own personal definition of ARG the idea that there is some semblence of interaction between characters and players. And therefore there is potential for players to have some affect on the story; on the lives of the characters.

If we are truely immersed in an alternate reality, and we are a part of that reality, then the characters should respond to us as if we lived within their world.

It sounded like folks were not "players" but more like "observers" in TLE.

But that's my thought. I'm sure there are plenty of other opinions on a META topic.

[mgelles]

There was some albiet limited real interactivity to it but I'm sure that I'm not the only one who recieved an introduction to an ARG-like style of gaming through TLE even if it's on the lower end of the ARG continuum. If you have a ton of people from the general public coming into the experience, I can understand the compulsion to keep control of the storyline especially with an uber-corporation like disney. It only whets my apetite all the more to learn the TLE was widely considered "arg-lite" by genre enthusiasts. I'm still very much intrigued by the potential for gaming and marketing purposes
Michelle

[konamouse]

Huge potential for marketing and advertising. Look at all the hype generated by other online content. Welcome to the 21st Century. Kids today are the consumers of today and tomorrow and everything is becoming multimedia & plugged in (iPods, cell phones, txt msg, YouTube, etc).

Commercial tv knows this. More and more content is available online/iTunes/etc for those who's busy lives = no time to watch on live tv. If you are going to use the internet for entertainment, add more layers to it and keep your audience glued to their computer screen. Throw in a few product placements and you've got a captive audience.

You have to wonder what would happen if Lonelygirl15 was shown drinking a specific brand of soda - how many folks in her audience would make that brand choice for their next purchase?

"Heroes" is doing an interesting extension of their tv show with online graphic novels (comics) that embelish the on air story. And a character blog as well. Again, tremendous opportunity to be "immersed" into this Alternate Reality but without the character interaction (nor puzzles, at least not yet) of an ARG. But still lots of fun to watch.

In the past, when "24" gave out a phone number, people called and it was a crew members cell phone. A website on the show could have been a great opportunity for fun & games (but not really ARG). Oh, a summer "24" experience would have been tons of fun. Not sure how fiscally beneficial it would be to the franchise. So, why take the time & money to develop the content. However, product placement (hey, who wouldn't want Jack Bauer's cell phone; the battery never runs out!) could be the means to finance this venture - but would it result in increase viewership? Probably not.

So, same thing for "Lost". What was the purpose of TLE? To increase viewership of the tv show? Doubtful. Sell a product? Ah, sublyminal advertising, right? Give the fans (and the producers KNOW there is a huge online fanbase) some fun this summer? definitely. Not sure what the internet audience was expecting when TLE first appeared. Those familiar with ARGs probably had a different expectation than those just used to clicking around movie/tv show websites. And rabid fans probably expected answers to the show's many secrets.

TV shows in the 21st Century are going to have to be more interactive to keep the fans watching live tv (vs waiting for the internet torrents/dl or even just holding out for commercial-free DVDs). I agree that some sort of interactive ARG-like content is one method that could be explored more fully.

[phew, didn't mean to get all META, but I'm a little bored at work today. Thanks for the opportunity to share my personal opinions. Looking forward to others.]

[Ruuku]

[thebruce]

[JohnLockeGuy]

[Ruuku]

[JohnLockeGuy]

I listened to the first live podcast the next day, and I never listened to the second one. Everyone said it sounded horrible anyway.