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June 29, 2008

UPDATE: Prototype 161 Launches July 12

For those that remember the postcard we received a few days ago with the enigmatic "Wish You Were Here" message, we can now point you towards something more than just a vague location in New York City. A comment was left for that article by prototype161, stating, "Infringement will not be tolerated. Your sticker has been removed." This led us to look at prototype161.com, which is the home of prototype161 investiagtions. There's a client section which offers solutions when "problems cannot be solved by ordinary methods," and a recruitment section that reveals details about a live event in New York on July 12th.

Two days ago, a letter was received, addressed to me, telling me that I have been selected as a prospective agent of prototype161. According to the letter, I will play a vital role in the development of a new "perscrutative method" -- yes, I had to look up perscrutative, and it means thorough search -- in the evening of July 12th. I hope that my vital role can be played as I sit at home, because I won't be in New York City on the 12th. The letter encourages me to assemble a team of not more than eight people, and notes that if I am ubale to loction a sufficient number of friends, some will be provided for me. What are you saying, mysterious recruiter, I can't find my own friends?! Just kidding.

The only potential puzzle I've found so far is on the letter itself -- the footer contains the text prototype161 form LMTH."EUR", with the E in EUR red in color. Our friend Sean C. Stacey at Despoiler received a postcard and a letter as well, and there is an ongoing thread at the Unfiction forums for developments thus far.

If you are in the New York area and wish to represent ARGNet at the recruitment event, drop us a comment or a voicemail and we'll get in touch. Anyone attending the event that is able to take pictures or video, please send them our way, with our thanks and appreciation!

Posted by Jonathan Waite at 9:14 AM | Comments (3)

June 20, 2008

Cannes Lions Award for 42 Entertainment

42 Entertainment has won yet another distinguished honor, and this time, it's a grand prize. On Thursday, June 19, the company won the Grand Prix Cyber Lions award at the Cannes Lions 2008 festival in the Viral Advertising/Viral Marketing category for their alternate reality game. The Cannes Lions awards are widely considered the most prestigious of all advertising awards, so this is definitely a feather in the cap for the company responsible for this enthralling collaboration with Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails fame. Congratulations to the crew, which includes Steve Peters, the previous owner of this very web site.

In picture: Susan Bonds, Producer/CEO, and Alex Lieu, Creative Director/CCO, 42 Entertainment

Posted by Jonathan Waite at 2:17 PM | Comments (0)

June 17, 2008

Mailbox: From zombies to a mystery pole

It's turning out to be quite the summer for alternate reality games, or so the relentless parade of packages, letters and postcards to come through the ARGNet snail mail box seems to indicate. First up, from last week, is a lovely package from Lost Zombies, a new post-apocalyptic venture billing itself as "a community generated zombie documentary." Inside the package was a letter, a paperback copy of The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks, and a retail DVD copy of 28 Days Later, the superb film by Danny Boyle. According to the letter (full text available after the jump), these materials "provide valuable insight into zombie behavior and its many forms," and should help increase our chances of survival. Sweet!

Also in the mail -- just today, in fact -- was a postcard. Apparently, we're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year, because the sender wishes we were there, 'there' being New York City. And, beyond that, we have no idea why this postcard was sent to us. We do know that our friends at Despoiler received a similar postcard, and surmise that the image on the front is of a location in Times Square, NYC. They've urged their legion of readers to go outdoors and find the pole marked with the arrow, and we urge the same of our loyal viewers, if only to satisfy our curiosity as to the mystery of the blue pole.

From lostzombies.com:

We regret to inform you that we have received reports of a zombie outbreak in your area. Our records indicate you are a CLASS IV CIVILIAN. This designation suggests that you exhibit one or many of the following traits: resourcefulness, moderate
intelligence, extra sensory perception, and/or abnormally high immunity to illness. You may also have: more than 3 registered firearms, experience operating heavy machinery, experience killing zombies, and/or access to a large and captive audience. If you feel you have received this message in error your designation is more than likely CLASS V
ACCEPTABLE LOSS and you may ignore this letter.

We have included in this package works of zombie fiction. While none of these materials document actual zombie outbreaks, they provide valuable insight into zombie behavior and its many forms. We hope these materials increase your chances of survival.

After reading this letter and digesting the reality of your situation please immediately go to WWW.LOSTZOMBIES.COM and register. Our goal at Lost Zombies is to collect as much evidence as possible of zombies and zombie related outbreaks and to compile that evidence in to the world's first community generated zombie documentary. Upon registering at Lost Zombies please upload any proof of zombies you have and document any outbreaks you know of If you were unable to witness any outbreaks we will accept re-creations. It is also your responsibility to identify as many CLASS IV CIVILIANS as possible and communicate to them the zombie threat.

We need your help to prove to the world that zombies are a reality and that a zombie apocalypse is possible if not eminent.

Thank You
LOST ZOMBIES

PS: Any content you upload to the site belongs to you. In the event that Lost Zombies wants to use your footage in a documentary film we will reach out to you (assuming you've survived) and get your permission as well as discuss potential compensation.

The "Wish You Were Here" postcard, front and back:

Posted by Jonathan Waite at 8:11 AM | Comments (4)

June 15, 2008

ARGFest-O-Con 2008 - Ready or Not, Here Comes Awesome

Once again, ARGNet is proud to join Unfiction in hosting ARGFest-O-Con. This year's weekend ARG odyssey sails into Boston, Massachusetts on July 18-20 at the Boston Radisson Hotel and Conference Center. Scheduled events include a Friday night Welcome cocktail party, a full day of conference talks on Saturday, as well as the return of FestQuest - the puzzley adventure that takes you around the highlights of the host city. Registration for the event recently opened on the ARGFest website for the low cost of $25 (the Friday night reception is an additional $15). Booking now guarantees you a seat to the hottest ARG show of the year and a weekend of adventure with fellow ARG enthusiasts. Where else would you be able to rub elbows and fight over the last bits of buffet bacon with some of the biggest names in the genre? Book now!

Rooms at the Radisson are filling up fast, but a few slots remain for those procrastinators among you. Information about booking for the ARGFest rate of $189 a night (plus tax) can be found at the conference website.

ARGFest-O-Con is also actively seeking private and corporate sponsors for the event. Sponsorship opportunities have been outlined and can be viewed on the ARGfest website. This year also tills new soil with the addition of the Order of the Trout, an individual sponsorship tier that promises secret handshakes, troutly designation, and the joy of being referred to as "Fish Face" at the conference. Rarely have I wanted anything oh so badly. Now if only the Order came with a Wii...

Posted by Jackie Kerr at 7:14 PM | Comments (0)

June 12, 2008

Come to the White Island, stay for the all night dancing!

Something is happening in Ibiza... or so says the press release for The White Island, which filtered into the ARGNet tipline last week. The new alternate reality game began on June 1st, and involves dance music and late night parties across Europe. There are some interesting names connected to the project as well -- Pete Tong, known best for his work on BBC Radio 1 and for being the subject of the mockumentary "It's all gone Pete Tong", and Charles Kriel, a DJ who previously worked on the Fallen ARG and now heads up Black Swan Media. If these names aren't enough to get you clubbers interested, what about the cool swag we received earlier today? There's video and more pictures after the break, so put down the glow sticks and click on through!

So, what could a clay pot, some mysterious pieces of metal, and strange geometric patterns have to do with the thump-thump-thump of a big, bouncy rave? The press release offers details on some of the events to take place: "Based around the biggest dance music events and the hottest clubs and DJs of summer 2008, the game asks players from across the world to help solve the mystery behind a series of events that could threaten the very soul of Ibiza." Stop, you had us at 'hottest clubs'.

The campaign also has a pretty cool partner in Pioneer Pro DJ, because the company will be offering "huge prizes" as the campaign rolls out. To top it all off, many of dance music's hottest DJs will join in on the fun, which we imagine will result in a curious blurring of the lines between reality and the game.

So, if you find yourself on the terrace of Space or the dance floor of Wonderland this summer, take a quick look around for clues and puzzles, because you might be unlocking the secret of The White Island.

  

Posted by Jonathan Waite at 11:21 PM | Comments (0)

If Looks Could Kill... *ZAP!*

Vroom vroom! The sleek champagne Toyota Camry zips around the corner, coming to a screeching halt. Out steps a leggy, ultra-fashionable African-American woman, arriving to hook up with her ultra-fashionable, successful boyfriend. She flips her keys to the valet - a little "blip blip!" sounds from the Camry's push-button car alarm, like Kit saying "see ya later!" to Knight Rider. Who is this woman? Where did she get such an awesome car with such swanky accoutrements? Where did she find that hunky boyfriend of hers? What does her rolling stone of a father have to do with the dudes who stole her purse? What kind of pie did Nana bake? And where on earth did she find those fantastic shoes?!

The latest in cross-media marketing mayhem produced by Burrell Communications Group and 42 Entertainment for Toyota's 2009 Camry, entitled "If Looks Could Kill," takes you inside the world of high fashion and high espionage with Bianca, the fashionista lead character poised to pique the interest of young, hip, African-American women - women, who indeed, need a swanky Toyota Camry. In each weekly episode of this interactive drama, Bianca is pressed to unravel a mystery of intrigue and espionage, all while juggling the stressful duties of her job as a fashion designer, keeping her boyfriend happy and interested, and making sure not to miss coffee and dessert with her Nana. For seven weeks, participants are treated to six movie-styled webisodes of Bianca's crazy life as she tools around through New York City (without ever running into traffic) in her champagne-colored Camry (with touch navigation and integrated Bluetooth). Within each episode are opportunities for players to help Bianca escape from trouble, as she turns to the camera and asks you to do something for her, such as download photos and find flyers, and email her the information she needs to stay in the game.

In the first episode, cheekily named "Haute Pursuit," players are introduced to Bianca, her boss, boyfriend, oldest friend, and Nana - the woman of fantastic desserts. The plot unfolds rapidly in this short format, with Bianca's purse immediately getting swept up by an unknown male and whisked away in a van (again, without anyone getting stuck in traffic). Shortly after, participants learn that Bianca's father, a CIA agent, may be the reason behind her stolen purse. What will happen next week? Only those who check back in on June 23rd will discover the next bits of the story.

The campaign is set to run for seven weeks, launching with a runway show on June 11 in partnership with Essence Magazine, and includes glamorous prizes for participants, interactive boutique shopping parties, and a chance to win a 2009 Toyota Camry just like Bianca's. Women who participate are guaranteed to learn important lessons, such as how to get strangers online to hunt through your garbage, how to call Nana on the Camry's fancy system, that the police don't think purse snatchings are a priority, and that green makes that one woman look like baby poop - all that from just one episode! The dialogue may be cheesy, but there is enough in each episode to make the 5 minutes spent enjoyable, with chuckles, chortles and snorts keeping the plot from dragging.

Why are you still sitting there? Put on those stilettos, strut to your computer, and enter today!

Posted by Jackie Kerr at 6:49 PM | Comments (0)