Alternate Reality GamesAlternate Reality Games

“ARG”“ARG”

Alternate Reality Gaming (ARG)Alternate Reality Gaming (ARG)New genre of gaming (since about 2000) that combines New genre of gaming (since about 2000) that combines real world events with the virtual experience.real world events with the virtual experience.

Built around solving puzzles or mysteries rather than “killing Built around solving puzzles or mysteries rather than “killing enemies” and has many emergent properties created by enemies” and has many emergent properties created by users rather than simple linear story-lines users rather than simple linear story-lines

““ARG”ARG”Alternate Reality Gaming is, according to CNET,Alternate Reality Gaming is, according to CNET, "...an "...an obsession-inspiring genre that blends real-life treasure hunting, obsession-inspiring genre that blends real-life treasure hunting, interactive storytelling, video games and online community...interactive storytelling, video games and online community...

"These games are an intensely complicated series of puzzles "These games are an intensely complicated series of puzzles involving coded Web sites, real-world clues like the newspaper involving coded Web sites, real-world clues like the newspaper advertisements, phone calls in the middle of the night from advertisements, phone calls in the middle of the night from game characters and more. That blend of real-world activities game characters and more. That blend of real-world activities and a dramatic storyline has proven irresistible to many."and a dramatic storyline has proven irresistible to many."

These games often have a specific goal of not only involving the These games often have a specific goal of not only involving the player with the story and/or fictional characters but of player with the story and/or fictional characters but of connecting them to the connecting them to the real world real world andand to each other to each other. Many . Many game puzzles can be solved only by the collaborative efforts of game puzzles can be solved only by the collaborative efforts of multiple players, sometimes requiring one or more players to get multiple players, sometimes requiring one or more players to get up from their computers to go outside to find clues or other up from their computers to go outside to find clues or other planted assets in the real world.planted assets in the real world.

““Traditional”Traditional” GAMES DEFINED RULESDEFINED RULES

DEFINED SPACEDEFINED SPACE

GIVEN SET OF COMPONENTSGIVEN SET OF COMPONENTS

SET OF VICTORY CONDITIONS SET OF VICTORY CONDITIONS

is the next stage in is the next stage in the game evolution. the game evolution.

EMERGENT PROPERTIESEMERGENT PROPERTIES

IMMERSIVE “REAL WORLD” ELEMENTSIMMERSIVE “REAL WORLD” ELEMENTS

COLLABORATIVE INTERACTIVE COLLABORATIVE INTERACTIVE STORYTELLINGSTORYTELLING

SELF ORGANIZING STRUCTURE SELF ORGANIZING STRUCTURE (OF THE ONLINE SOCIAL NETWORK)(OF THE ONLINE SOCIAL NETWORK)

The “Beast”The “Beast” (the first mainstream ARG)(the first mainstream ARG)““This much we were told from the This much we were told from the beginning: Evan Chan was murdered. beginning: Evan Chan was murdered. A web of clues was spun through the A web of clues was spun through the datasphere, and the Cloudmakers datasphere, and the Cloudmakers meticulously pored over each and meticulously pored over each and every puzzle and detail. The every puzzle and detail. The Cloudmakers brought together Cloudmakers brought together diverse skills ranging from cutting diverse skills ranging from cutting edge spectral analysis to a unique edge spectral analysis to a unique and unrivaled knowledge of historical and unrivaled knowledge of historical events and world literature . . . and a events and world literature . . . and a whole lot more. Two heads may be whole lot more. Two heads may be better than one, but seven thousand better than one, but seven thousand combined to form the ultimate crime combined to form the ultimate crime fighting syndicate.”fighting syndicate.”

--www.cloudmakers.orgwww.cloudmakers.org

A complicated promo for the movie “AI”. Began in 2000, ended in 2001 with over a million players.

A crafty way to self promote comic books. Ran for 3 years in 2 forms.

A complicated advertisement to “increase interest” for the TV series “Fallen”. Began and ended in 2006.

The first mainstream non-promo ARG. Very linear storyline. Simplistic card based puzzles. 3 years for “season one”, and sadly “season two” never happened.

www.argn.com

(www.unfiction.com/forums)www.unforums.com

despoiler taking the “spoiler” out of, um, “spoilers”

www.despoiler.org

www.argology.org

[Source: http://www.42entertainment.com/see]

PART IIThe Brackin

“Circular Model of ARG Development”

For Alternate Reality Games

[Source: http://www.42entertainment.com/see]

Deus City Player Statistics

Player Path to Level 3, “Enthusiastic” Status

A Hypothetical “Square Model” of Alternate Reality Games

The Brackin “Circular Model” of ARG Development

Two “Adjacent ARGs” with Shared Game Elements

A Theoretical “ARG Cluster” of “Adjacent ARGs”

A Theoretical “Inclusive ARG”

The Brackin “Circular Model of ARG Development”

Takes the proven 42 model of player participation to the next level

Is the much needed descriptive model of ARG development

Allows for a multi-sided ARG with multiple points of entry and player paths

Enables proper Illustration of “Adjacent ARGs”

Allows for new theoretical ARG designs, such as the “ARG Cluster” and the “Inclusive ARG”