Is anyone on FP into Alternate Reality Games (ARGs)? Anyone interested in making one? - General

So, many of you know about Marble Hornets (or, more casually, the Slender Man videos). If you did a bit more research on it, you probably came across the term "ARG", which stands for "Alternate Reality Game". A wikipedia definition: [quote=Mr. Wiki]An alternate reality game (ARG), is an interactive narrative that uses the real world as a platform, often involving multiple media and game elements, to tell a story that may be affected by participants' ideas or actions. The form is defined by intense player involvement with a story that takes place in real-time and evolves according to participants' responses, and characters that are actively controlled by the game's designers, as opposed to being controlled by artificial intelligence as in a computer or console video game. Players interact directly with characters in the game, solve plot-based challenges and puzzles, and often work together with a community to analyze the story and coordinate real-life and online activities. ARGs generally use multimedia, such as telephones, email and mail but rely on the Internet as the central binding medium.[/quote] Some of my friends who have more knowhow about Marble Hornets revealed to me that it didn't seem to be an ARG so much as a dramatic speculative video series. However, whether this is true or not, it opened up the world of ARGs to me--I started reading some forums on it, and the stuff sounds [b]AMAZING[/b] and ridiculously fun. Especially reading about unsolved mysteries, cosmic duck's mysterious broadcasts, and other creepy shit just gets me so excited to think about what kind of awesome stuff you can do with an ARG. I was wondering, does anyone on FP participate in/make ARGs? Would anyone be interested in perhaps making an internet-only ARG with me? I'd definitely want it to be more supernatural and creepy, like Marble Hornets. EDIT: For clarification, I'm now updating this with some examples of ARGs. [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_Zero_%28game%29][b]Year Zero[/b][/url] As a precursor to the release of Nine Inch Nail's album, Year Zero, they worked with 42 Entertainment who created an alternate reality game involving a post apocalyptic future and figuring out who multiple different made up companies and factions were, as well as something called "The Presence" which is reminiscent of Slender Man. [img]http://www.docrpm.com/img/music/year_zero.jpg[/img] [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Love_Bees][b]I Love Bees[/b][/url] Something more of you might know, I Love Bees was an ARG about an AI stranded on a Halo in the Halo universe. It was used as a promotional game to help sales for Halo. [url=http://forums.unfiction.com/forums/index.php][b]Unfiction Forums[/b][/url] Unfiction is a MAJOR forum for ARGs. There was one thread where they talk about "You know you play too many ARGs if...", but I don't remember where it was, but some of the stuff they said is AMAZING. The amount of mind-bending that goes into it is fascinating. [url=http://www.giantmice.com/features/arg-quickstart/][b]Alternate Reality Gaming - A Quickstart Guide[/b][/url] [url=http://www.unfiction.com/dev/tutorial/][b]Tutorial for playing Alternate Reality Games[/b][/url]

I would love to help make one.

Is this like that Zombie survival movie-esque thing where it gives you choices then shows you the outcome and the idea is to survive? Yeah I hate those. Decent on the first time through, utterly pointless thereafter I think.

[QUOTE=Orsenfelt;19652099]Is this like that Zombie survival movie-esque thing where it gives you choices then shows you the outcome and the idea is to survive? Yeah I hate those. Decent on the first time through, utterly pointless thereafter I think.[/QUOTE] No, not even remotely like that. edit: will update OP with some more information and examples of ARGs

I have never played one of these

[QUOTE=Scyze;19652123]No, not even remotely like that. edit: will update OP with some more information and examples of ARGs[/QUOTE] Hmm, I've never heard of anything like this. Sounds fun enough, don't think I could be bothered putting in the effort tho heh.

Sounds fun.

Slenderman.

This could be fun if done well.

I'd love to get involved in one...I can never find them, though. Helping to make one would be a dream.

I played one but it never took off. Then it turns out to be a promotional ARG for a haunted house in Austin, Tx called the House of Torment but then it turns out to be company that makes ARGs. [url]http://www.globalfearenterprises.com/[/url]

What if I make a steam group that's invite only and ask you to say if you want to be invited, then we can discuss something about making one? How does that sound? Also, updated the OP with a few examples. I'm not about to go megathread on this, sorry. Updated OP again with some links on how to play ARGs/etc. [editline]:([/editline] Anybody? There's a lot of people reading this thread, but nobody posting. :frown:

[url=http://www.sixtostart.com/onetoread/2008/everything-you-know-about-args-is-wrong/]I stumbled across this; it could be useful.[/url]

I like slender man.

I had an idea to make an FP number station or something similar. Lets try this.

[QUOTE=Splurgy;19653553][url=http://www.sixtostart.com/onetoread/2008/everything-you-know-about-args-is-wrong/]I stumbled across this; it could be useful.[/url][/QUOTE] Thanks! Looks interesting, reading it now. All right, guys, I made a Steam group that's private at the moment. Please add me at my Steam username "Scyze" if you want an invite, or just tell me your Steam IM and I'll add you and invite you and we can talk it over.

I'm Splurgy on Steam. However I'm also going to bed after I have a wank so I won't be much use.

[QUOTE=Scyze;19653729]Thanks! Looks interesting, reading it now. All right, guys, I made a Steam group that's private at the moment. Please add me at my Steam username "Scyze" if you want an invite, or just tell me your Steam IM and I'll add you and invite you and we can talk it over.[/QUOTE] Added. I can help with some of the sounds.

'Kay. Invited Kyle, added Splurgy. Still waiting for more who want to participate. By the way, the group is just called "Facepunch ARG Studios", or FPARGS. Or FP:argh: if you desire.

So how is this going to go down? Just videos or are we going to do weird IRL shit.

Not sure yet. I'm reading the link Splurgy posted and I tend to agree with it. What we need first is a story. Obviously, video will be pretty tricky to do over the internet unless we have a member who has a whole film crew on hand to spend their free time on this sort of thing. It should be relatively easy to make, not too difficult to play, but very fascinating nonetheless. We'll need to get together as writers before we can actually make the game.

Well I played Xi on Playstation Home, but that wasn't like a full-fledged ARG. Also, ARGs always seem to happen far from me or I never hear about them so I have never been able to participate in one.

I'd like to help with this ARG project! I'm a great writer, and I know my way around audio and video editing software. Invite me to the Steam group please.

Should we make a thread in creationism corner? I'm pretty sure this is creative, and we can get a lot of artists and people who are good at audio video stuff.

Okay, I've added you, Doug, and sent you an invite, and Erp as well. Anyone else who wants to participate please let me know--those of you who are in the group, join the group chat and we can discuss it. And yes, I think we ought to make a thread in Creationism Corner for this.

Sent chills down my fucking spine. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRCR6onaASU[/media]

I'd like to join, sent an invite.

So far all I can think of plot-wise is some sort of serial killer similar to the zodiac killer. Or maybe some sort of government organization.

I want to join in.

You two have been added and invited. Join the group chat when you accept it.