unforum

[Omnie]

[rose]

Thoughts about lurkers

[Alzheimers]

Player interaction, love it or hate it, is very much a part of the "soul" of the ARG. I think that part of the magic of the genre is the ability of the players to have an actual difference in the outcome of in-game events. That being said, I think that the level of effect that more "hands-on" players have on the game needs to be balanced against a few other factors, such as the needs of the less vocal players, the designer's vision, and the fundamentals of good storytelling.

For example, if the games becomes more about the actions of the players then those of the characters, you're not so much telling a story as providing a forum for others to tell their own story. If the focus of the game becomes sidetracked on insignificant details, then the vision and direction of the game can become lost in a sea of red herrings and dead ends.

As a PM, you need to let players become involved in your Alternate Reality. Part of this implies that you need to forget about the 4th wall and let players come up on the stage and interact with the characters and the environment. At the same time, you need to remember that the stage and those characters are there to share a story with the players, and it's the responsibility of the PMs to make sure that their world and those characters (with the help of the players) fulfill the purpose of their creation.

All the players, interactive or passive, share in the ultimate decision on how successful a game is. Without a guiding vision to lead them through the events of the game, an ARG can become nothing more than a glorified partyline. It's up to the PM to decide where that line is, but it's up to the players to step up to it.

[Ozy_y2k]

[catherwood]

[Varin]

[Phaedra]

[Alzheimers]

[Ozy_y2k]

Well and then to continue the thread of this observation, I've always noticed that lots of people who throw themselves into that First ARG whole-hog DO tend to stay around in Unfiction and in the larger ARG community and contribute and so on, but from that point on it's more about continuing to cement their ties to the Community, rather than because of any one particular Game. In other words, I see lots of people either continue to wistfully, nostalgically haunt the forum for their favorite game long past the point when the game itself has long since ended, or, alternatively, they sort of drift into the more META-oriented forums and their enthusiasm for the genre becomes more intellectualized, less about that pure visceral game-thrill.

While I think that is, to some degree, a uniform characteristic of all great shared-interest communities -- come for the Game, but stay for the People! -- it makes me believe that, at least in the aggregate, NONE of the features that we've all been attempting to define as a "priority" in terms of ARG design are really all that predominant. I think that people tend to get hooked on one element of a PARTICULAR game that really tickles their fancy, whether it be the thrill of cracking a bitch of a puzzle or that 'OMFG (character name) just talked to MEEEEEEE!!!" squeal of delight that Phae and Alzheimers were refering to, but then something more abstract, and less game-specific, and less describable, sort of takes over.

Its as if the Games are gateway drugs, just a little taste of the sweet sweet crack before the pusher moves you up into the harder stuff.

[Alzheimers]

I loved it so much, I wrote my own.

Really, is there any more a testimonial needs?

[jamesi]

[rose]

ozzie

[Ozy_y2k]

Hahahahahaha, dammit, I swear I do NOT ALWAYS LOOK THAT DORKY IN REAL LIFE.

Usually.

[MageSteff]

Re: ARG Priorities

[Duckie]

Re: ARG Priorities