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March 25, 2007
The Brooke Thompson 2007 Conference Tour, Part One
Editor's note: Brooke Thompson is back after a whirlwind tour of some of the biggest festivals so far this year. She attended the Game Developer's Conference and was a speaker at the South By Southwest (SXSW) and ARGFest-o-Con conferences. This article is the first in a series about her experiences.
What happens when you spend 15 days on the road traveling from conference to conference? You get just about nothing done, including writing reports from the road for one of the greatest websites on the internet (that'd be ARGNet, of course). At first this distressed me, but then I realized that most of the conference sessions that I had attended were well documented on blogs and news sites – some nearly word for word! – and that waiting allowed the experiences that I had to sink in and meld together into a bigger picture. It's that picture that I hope to paint for you over the next few articles.
The thing that I realized as I traveled from ARGfest to GDC to SXSW is that Alternate Reality Gaming is leading the future of entertainment.
We've been saying that for a long time. So, what's different? What's changed?
The word is out. People hear "Alternate Reality Game" or "ARG" and they understand what you are talking about. I don't mean to say that everyone that I met understood it, but if I walked into a crowd at least one or two people did and they were able to get the rest of the crowd excited and curious. And explaining it to those that have never heard of ARGs is easier today than it's ever been. People might not know that Lonelygirl15 has an alternate reality game component, but they've heard of it and when you talk about how the story is out there and it's fiction outside of a book or TV show and, in fact, might send you an email or call you on the phone – they get it. It doesn't seem strange, it seems cool.
The word is spreading. In a number of sessions, I saw references to alternate reality gaming on presentation slides or heard questions from the audience asking how alternate reality gaming fit into the larger picture of what was being discussed. From fictional blogging to pervasive gaming to online communities to collaborative game play – people are interested in how alternate reality gaming relates to what they are doing.
Not surprisingly, it relates very well to what a lot of people are doing. The concepts that we have been using for the past few years are now in the mainstream. Community has always been a topic at these conferences, but it was often something adjacent to the topic at hand. Now it is a point of fact, something that must be considered before moving forward. Collaboration is being considered alongside competition in ways that I had not noticed before. User-generated content is being discussed everywhere. And, whether you like to think of it in this way or not, alternate reality gaming would probably cease to exist if it weren't for the guides and trails, forum posts, screenshots, emails to characters, and so on. Alternate reality gaming is one big mass of user-generated content created by communities of players that collaborate to put together stories.
I don't mean to imply that alternate reality gaming is responsible for any of the above changes. It is purely because of the state of technology and an ever-increasing network, in particular broadband, that is making these things possible. However, as a net-native artform, alternate reality gaming has been on the forefront of adopting what one might call Web 2.0 culture and it is forever reaching out to try new things and to push the boundaries of the way we experience our entertainment.
While I still feel very out of place on the GDC expo floor as I walk through rows and rows of booths attempting to promote stuff that is way beyond the needs of most ARG developers, I'm beginning to feel more accepted at the conference, itself. The official theme of GDC was "Taking Control" but that was just what was printed on their materials. In just about every session that I attended and conversation that I had, the theme was "Getting Connected." The rest of the gaming industry seems to be catching up to the fact that there is an internet and that it can connect players. That this connection can allow for new types of collaborative and competitive game play experiences and that online communities are more than just places for fans but for players. They are embracing the fact that players want to participate in building their gaming experience and they can add their own content and that content can help to build the game and affect the experience of the game and of other players. The game industry has discovered Web 2.0 and what they have discovered are things that alternate reality games have done since the beginning. They are looking at us to see how we've done it, why it works, and what we are doing next.
Of course, Web 2.0 is old hat for those at SXSW, a conference that brings together storytellers, web designers & developers, and filmmakers. Game designers are not the focus there, but with the second annual Screenburn, gaming is getting a bit of attention. With so many areas of entertainment coming together, it's no surprise there was a great deal of discussion on convergence (the blending of old and new media which is one thing that ARGs are exceptionally suited for), storytelling, and play and how these things impact entertainment, the internet, and online communities. As more and more people discuss these things, it becomes easier and easier to see how playful the internet and entertainment can become. It also becomes easier to explain the concepts behind alternate reality gaming and how the genre fits into the larger entertainment picture – whether it's as a supporting element or something that stands on its own. The pieces are all there, it is just a matter of putting them together and, everywhere I turned, people were doing just that.
For years we've been saying this is the future of entertainment. Some of us actually believed that. This past month, I felt it. The questions this time were not just how ARGs could help improve their games, their films, their websites, but how ARGs could change their games, their films, their websites and how ARGs could tell their stories and engage their audience.
Over the next week or so, I'll be writing up more specific reports on each conference. I'll cover some of the sessions that I attended (those that I liked and those that made me so angry that I couldn't stop talking about them for the rest of the day) and social experiences that I had, linking to transcripts, presentation slides, and/or detailed blog entries in an attempt to build a clearer picture of how and where alternate reality gaming comes into play and why I returned home so excited for our future as ARG designers and players.
Posted by Brooke Thompson at 11:13 AM | Comments (0)
March 16, 2007
The Darker ARGs: This ARG is Not Yet Rated
EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the first of a planned series of editorials exploring horror- and dark-themed ARGs from a number of different perspectives.
The saccharine lyrics and cheerful smiles of the popular Japanese pop group "Dessart" hide a dark secret: coded messages hidden within stage performances, websites, and promotional posters for the band lead concerned individuals to a cult inciting mass suicides among Japan's disaffected youth. This is not a game. No, really -- this time it really isn't a game. Rather, it's Japanese director Sion Sono's award-winning film Jisatsu Circle. The movie paints a dark picture of what could happen within the alternate reality gaming industry.
Viewers never find out what drove Dessart to embed messages encouraging suicide within their seemingly upbeat music, but with song titles like Mail Me, it's not too improbable to assume it was a viral marketing ploy gone awry.
This raises a question relevant outside the realm of fiction: what level of responsibility do PMs have over actions their players take?
This is not an idle question. "Dark" ARGs seem to be crawling out of the woodwork. Whether it's The Human Pet (a story of kidnapping and torture that was censored from YouTube for disturbing content) or Bristel Goodman (a narrative revolving around a string of racy webcam-girl murders) things are getting scary in the ARG scene.
The game with perhaps the greatest potential for controversy is the Nine Inch Nails game Year Zero, which contains anti-establishment messages that can be seen as promoting terrorist measures against a secretive government very similar to our own. It's easy to imagine a fan taking the game too seriously and doing something stupid.
What responsibility do the game creators and backers have in such a situation?
A string of lawsuits touching on similar issues have plagued the entertainment industry for years. Congressional hearings on decency and the media have been held for music, television, movies and -- most recently -- video games. The big four branches of entertainment self-regulated to avoid liability by instituting ratings systems. While this is definitely not a perfect system, it does help provide marginal protection to creators.
However, the existence of a video games Ratings Board creates nearly as many problems as it solves, and for similar reasons, establishing an ARG Ratings Board would not be an ideal solution. Puppetmasters relinquish a degree of control the instant their trailhead hits the internet, and providing game materials to a panel before launch paints an incomplete picture of the final product.
As the genre becomes more mainstream -- perhaps within the next few years -- the ARG community will need to address the issue of liability. Most solutions, including stringent self-regulation on the part of puppetmasters or pre-launch advisory committees, will severely curtail the freedom of expression currently enjoyed in the medium. Sadly, this columnist feels that some form of change will be necessary.
By the way, the MPAA gave Jisatsu Circle an R rating for disturbing thematic elements, strong violence/grisly images and some language. So view at your own risk.
Posted by Michael Andersen at 1:46 PM | Comments (19)
March 5, 2007
My ARGFest
As the wheels of the small commuter plane touched down on the tarmac of San Francisco International Airport, the rush of excitement I felt having arrived for ARGFest-O-Con 2007 was almost overwhelming. It had been less than two years since I had attended the large-scale conference dedicated to alternate reality gaming – the 2005 event in New York City was my first ARGFest – but the anticipation for this event had me giddy as a schoolgirl. As I navigated through the weaving maze of gates and security checkpoints, I knew that in less than an hour, I would be meeting up with people from around the globe, some of which I had seen in late 2005 at the Last Call Poker finale, and some that I had never even had the chance to talk to in the online chat rooms that dot the ARG community landscape.
I had the benefit of arriving in San Francisco within minutes of Unfiction owner Sean Stacey and 42 Entertainment’s Elan Lee. After some careful coordination, we were able to share a cab to the convention’s home, the Holiday Inn Fisherman’s Wharf in northern San Fran. We began to talk, and it was obvious that despite a bit of fatigue, the other two were just as excited about the conference as I was. We chatted as though we had seen each other only days earlier, and as we traversed the streets leading to the hotel, fifteen minutes elapsed before Elan finally said, “Hey, San Francisco is really pretty.” We hadn’t even looked out the window of the cab, too busy talking with each other.
The rest of the evening went by much faster than I would have liked. Arriving at the hotel to see old friends and meet those I had previously talked with online, events quickly led to a wonderful Chinese meal, a regrettable absence from the Cruel 2 B Kind game that over 50 teams enjoyed, and a number of beverages at the hotel lounge. It was great to see people I write with on this site, people like Jackie Kerr and Marie Lamb, people who I had never met with in a real-world setting previously. Smiling faces and loud, raucous cheers littered the gathering place, and the festival moved forward, full tilt.
Early Saturday morning, hotel mates Will Bagby, Dave Tenenbaum and I found ourselves unexpectedly awake at six o’clock. Shaking out the cobwebs that normally follow an eventful, beverage-laden evening, I met with Rose and the rest of the organizing crew. A rush of lanyards, swag and registration materials made their way up to the conference room area, as people mingled and ate breakfast. At 8:45, Sean Stacey and I began our introduction, marking the official start to the day.
This year’s panels were, without question, amazing. Whether it was a discussion on the creation and implementation of an alternate reality game, or a dissection of the issues concerning the playability of ARGs, the presenters were poignant, intelligent and entertaining beyond measure. One of the highlights was hearing the 42 Entertainment panel talk about the synergy they have as a team, and the love for the players that they all own and cherish. Another was listening to the lonelygirl15 creators, as well as the OpAphid puppetmaster, as they described their journeys toward Internet superstardom.
This year was my first experience with the FestQuest, a scavenger hunt that led us through the streets and attractions of San Francisco. I joined up with Team Green, and we moved through the city almost effortlessly. We ended up finishing the quest in the fastest time, which meant little more in the non-competitive environment than simple bragging rights for the night. The quest led to a terrific dinner, which led to a few more interesting conversations and a lot more loud outbursts of laughter.
At ten o’clock on Saturday evening, we did our ARG Netcast. We had what must have been 60 people in room 240 of the hotel, and it was an incredible demonstration of just how tight our community is. After an hour of brilliant discussion and a few more chuckles, groups broke off and did their own thing. Some stayed in the room to Wii-bowl and sing karaoke, while others moved to more quiet locations for drinks. I went with a motley crew to an Indian restaurant which shared a building with an Irish pub, and as I sat down I realized just how lucky I was to be in San Fran for these festivities.
Beside me was Steve Peters, a friend and a mentor since 2001 who is now working for 42 Entertainment. Across from him sat Rose, the best damn ARGFest organizer of all time, and Dave Szulborski, who deserves a lot more credit than he usually gets for his work in alternate reality gaming. At my table sat two fellow Canadians -- TorGame’s Lindsay Mills, a brilliant and talented puzzle creator, and Geoff May, famous for his detailed wikis and organization skills. And somewhere in the mix, although never in the same place for too long, was Stitch Media’s Evan Jones, who I have admired for his work on the ReGenesis ARGs and who I have built a good friendship with. Now, these people may not mean anything to you, but they should, as they are a few of the many movers and shakers who make alternate reality gaming what it is today. These are just a handful of the hundreds of community members who are dedicated to the cause of pushing the boundaries of ARG while remembering to celebrate and give credit to past ARG projects. I realized shortly after sitting and listening to these people that it was indeed an honor to be sitting with such wonderful representatives of the community.
As the night drew into the early morning, and with plans for a Grand Slam breakfast at Denny’s requiring an early wake-up call, I reluctantly gave in to fatigue and made my way back to the hotel. It was bittersweet to know that in a few short hours, I would be leaving everything behind and relying only on my memories (and the thousands of digital pictures others had taken and shared during the event) of this unique event.
The trip wasn’t what I’d consider a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, because I don’t want to think that this past weekend was the last time I’ll be attending an ARGFest event. However, I find solace in the fact that if this was my last, it was certainly worth the time, effort and cost of attending. It’s certainly difficult to think of little else as I write this, airborne and on my way back to the frozen tundra that is Manitoba. The feelings and emotions that swept through me throughout the weekend are still fresh, and rather than feeling sorry for the fact that the event is now in the past, I feel refreshed and rejuvenated by the fact that those memories are now a permanent part of me, which is something I hope the other attendees are also feeling. This one goes out to them, but also to those who could not attend, in the hope that someday they will have a similar experience with equally great people.
P.S. Don't be insulted if I failed to mention you by name here. I appreciated meeting each and every person I did.
Posted by Jonathan Waite at 8:21 PM | Comments (0)