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Alternate Reality GamingDhaval PatelMrunal Patel
Priyanka Patel
Overview
Introduction – (Mrunal Patel)
Game or not a Game??? – (Priyanka Patel)
Types of ARGs – (Dhaval Patel)
References
www.reperio.ca http://www.argn.com/ http://whysoserious.com/ http://www.mirlandano.com/arg-quickst
art.html http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/76385
81.stm http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pd
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IntroductionMrunal Patel
What is Alternate Reality Gaming?
Telling and producing a story while the audience interacts with ARG› May converse with fictional characters› Ideas produced by players might be
incorporated into plot Direct interaction is not required to
affect the narrative
What is Alternate Reality Gaming?
In simpler words› New genre of games that encourages
players to interact with fictional world using the real world to do it
Example of ARG
You are spending some time exploring the internet
Someone points you to couple of sites Tells you it’s a crazy mystery about
some missing monkeys So, you visit a site
everyonelovesmonkeys.com
Example of ARG
Everyonelovesmonkeys.com› Pictures of monkeys
Example of ARG
Everyonelovesmonkeys.com› List of monkey zookeeper’s email
addresses [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
Example of ARG
Intrigued, you visit crazymonkeyman.com› Concern that monkeys have been replaced
by robomonkeys!
Example of ARG
What you have done?› Used your real world computer to explore a
bit of fictional world› You have also solved your first ARG puzzle
You decide to send a little email to [email protected] to inquire more about his concerns
Example of ARG
You receive a reply What you have done?
Example of ARG
You communicated with the fictional world using your real world email
You notice a contact number and decide to give a call› Someone answers your call
What you have done?
Example of ARG
Now you are interacting with a fictional world using your real world phone and your real world i.e., “you”
Example of ARG
Conclusion› You were playing ARG when you were
Exploring the websites Sending the email Calling the phone number
Game Or Not A Game???? Priyanka Patel
TINAG Philosophy
What is a game?› ….an activity which is essentially: Free
(voluntary), separate [in time and space], uncertain, unproductive, goverened by rules, make-believe.”
- Roger Caillois (1961)
4 Paradigms of a Game› Defined rules› Defined playing space› Set of components/game pieces› Win/Loss scenarios
So What makes ARG??
Rabbit Holes Puppet masters Interactions Real World Events
Build Successful ARG
Compelling Storyline Collaborative Gameplay
Delivery tools› Web pages› email messages› phone calls› print-based mailings
Early Examples
Dreadnot (1996)› http://web.archive.org/web/
20000229151210/www.sfgate.com/dreadnot/index.html
Blair Witch project (1999) Go Games and Nokia Games The Beast I love Bees
The Beast
Promotional Campaign developed by Microsoft and Dreamworks for Steven Spielberg's movie "Artificial Intelligence”
Clues planted in the postersDiscussion group - "Cloudmakers“ www.cloudmakers.org
3 million unique visitors by July
I Love Bees
http://www.youtube.com/watc h?v=VeyskiiWRdI&feature=related
•Launched in July 2004 to promote Halo2
I Love Bees (ILB)
Aim: To attract gamer and media interest in the Halo2 release.
Ilovebees.com seemed to be infected Gamers help AI program (“the
Operator”) Operator’s Goal
› Fix the spacecraft› Gather the crew members› Deactivate strange artifact (“The Artifact”)› Return to Halo time and fight (“The
Covenant”) army
Design Team of ILB
Successful experience with the ARG “The Beast”
3 storywriters› Storyteller› Community Lead› Technology and Sound effects
Story Construction and Delivery
Assemble the story of the Operator 3 primary channels
› Hidden HTML code, email exchanges, sound files, and images
› Voice clips sent to payphones› A blog maintained by an imaginary
character in the game
Types of ARGsDhaval Patel
Traditional Marketing
The main goal is to create a buzz for the new product
Traditional marketing› Traditional ads are expensive› Time consuming› Often highly ineffective› Printed ads and commercials lacks power
to create necessary buzz
Marketing with ARG
Advertisement with ARG› Highly effective› Fairly inexpensive› Draws target audience into the story› Treasure hunting
Dark Knight
One of the successful ARG of recent times
ARG was one of the major reason for the success of the film
Played across 75 different countries More than 10 million participants Used internet, mobile phones, real
world events, videos etc
2010 Mazda3 campaign
Known as 33 keys ARG Mazda’s most successful marketing
campaign More than expected people took part in the
ARG Events occurred over four weeks Took place across multiple platforms (Radio,
online, etc.) Game took place in Quebec (Canada) Main Goal: Solve puzzles to find 33 keys
hidden in different parts of Quebec
Self Supporting ARGs
People win prizes by solving this ARG Funded through participation fees, in
game advertisement of other products Example
› Perplex City 200K prize money Finding Receda Cube
Serious ARGs Using ARG to solve real world problems Introduce plausibility as a narrative
feature to pull players into the game Serious subject matter distinguish
Serious ARGs from mainstream ARGs in design
Examples› World Without Oil› Traces Of Hope› The Black Cloud
ARG vs. Video Games Binding medium
› ARG uses multiple media › Video games uses special software
Non player characters› ARG – Real time by puppet master› Computer AI
RPG vs. LARPG› ARG don’t have fixed rules› Players discover rules through trial and
error
Open Questions
How secured it is for a real person to play in a real world?
Do alternate reality game damage children's social skills?
If ARG's can spark players to solve very hard fictional problems, could the games be used to solve real world problems?
