Ridiculous performance of hapless and fast-dismantling panel. Engagement metrics, garbage slides, disorganised hapless panel, plants in the audience. Chaos.
Engaging an audience and getting people talking to each other. Have we gone on script again?
Sharing secrets. Alex and I share a quick private lament.
This session brings to my mind something Jane McGonigal said to me about a good game working on the principle of offering something to players rather than MAKING THEM DO SOMETHING.
Ah it's finally over. And we can get on with the panel: Lance Weiler (do games, make films, enjoy messing with people); Dee Cook (freelance ARGer); Steve Peteres (nomimes.com); Brian Clark (experimental design firm); Brian Cain (Campfire, branded ent, etc.) Show you some of the take-aways. Is something cynical is happening here? This session is great and fun but what about the real magic of an ARG which is entirely about the uncynical buy-in of players? That is the best case scenario. You have to establish the story world to extend it, no?
Definition of an ARG: story takes place in which audience are actively driving forward the story told across multiple platforms.
Everything you make is a prop.
An ARG is like a story that's in many pieces and you have to weave it back together. I really like that!
Sustainable business model - has any ARG earned capital? As IP for something else - promotional into a demonstration of new property and leverage that. And Perplex City model: monetisation was selling cards with puzzles on them. Charging money from the ARG audience is tricky and also, crucially, disrupts the narrative.
Tags: business, game, games, performance
