Final Post (for Fall class)

Well folks it has been fun!

Next semester's ARG lab aside, this class is done and over, so I suppose this is farewell (for now) unless we do it all again next Fall.

As for the other, well we shall be pulling the proverbial curtain closed for a semester... (nudge nudge wink wink)

Oh, and thanks for taking an interest those who weren't being... y'know... graded!

-Doc B.

EDIT:
INFO FOR FALL CLASS LISTING FOR UT-D ARG DEVELOPMENT LAB:

ATEC 7V82.501 Advanced Projects in Interactive Media Alternate Reality Gaming ATEC 1.104 Wednesdays 7:00 – 9:45

http://emac.utdallas.edu/?q=node/101 (Apparently my name is Al now)

WKs 13 & 14 (11-20 & 12-4 ) "Current Game" Presentations II & III

And here they are! The available final presentations of the set (and the class)...

Dharma Wants You
ARG presentation: Lost - Namaste

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Colleges and Univers Education lost namaste

LG15 Res.
ARG Presentation: LG15

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Colleges and Univers Education lonely girl 15 lg15

Quantum Code
ARG Presentation: Quantum Code

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Colleges and Univers Education quantum code arg presentation

Code 9
(coming soon)

FINAL CLASS ASSIGNMENT REMINDERS

Since the last class session is tonight - please take this time to collect all your contacts and messages, your interactions and postings, and all things otherwise ARGn, UF, ARGology, or Despoiler and send me the links and/or other form of comprehensive listing of your interactions this semester with the ever-growing ARG community.

It is 1/5 of your grade and DUE TO ME by 11:59(& 59 sec) WED night, DEC 10 - NO EXCEPTIONS!

Your blog postings (another 1/5) are self-explanatory and many of you are hovering at 80% because of it.

(GRAD STUDENTS: YOUR FINAL PAPER IS DUE at this same time on THURSDAY NIGHT, DEC 11! You can NOT PASS the class without it.)

WK 13 (11-13) "Current Game" Presentations I

Here are the first third of the "New Game" presentations...

Project Abraham
New ARG presentation: Project Abraham

Get your own at Scribd or explore others: Education Adult Education project abraham alternate reality ga

39 Clues
ARG Presentation: The 39 Clues

Get your own at Scribd or explore others: 39 clues alternate reality ga

Deleted
(coming soon)

UTD & Election Technology

But is it an ARG?
http://www.the33tv.com/pages/video/?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=3102356

WK12 (11-6) "Current Game" Presentation Dates:

Deleted - Jason (11-13)
39 Clues - Sherri & Mateo (11-13)
Project Abraham - Nitin (11-13)
--------------------
Dharma/??? - Candace (11-20)
Dharma/??? - Zen (11-20)
Muggle Q - A. Nonymous
LG15 Res. - Robert (11-20)
--------------------
Superstruct - Leslie (12-4)
District 9/Quantum Code - Perry (12-4)
Code 9 - Jax (12-4)

WK11 (10-30) "Welcome to the World of Tomorrow!"

1) Watch the copyright violation:

2) View the highly biased presentation of propaganda:

WK 11 (10-30) The Future of ARG and the "Circular Model of ARG" - Upload a Document to Scribd

3) Do your homework: Play your games – write your papers - Compile your list of interactions on the ARG websites - Contribute to the class blog

WK8 (10-23) extended experience games - presentations

"But is it an ARG?!??"

PRESENTATIONS:

Year Zero

WK8 (10-23) Year Zero - Upload a Document to Scribd

Ocular Effect

WK8 (10-22-08) Ocular Effect ARG Presentation - Upload a Document to Scribd

Lost / Find 815

WK8 (10-23) Lost Experience and Find 815 ARG Presentation - Upload a Document to Scribd

Heroes 360

WK10 (10-23) Heroes ARG Presentation - Upload a Document to Scribd

HW: Dig into UF and your games for the second round of presentations and also get caught up on your blog posts (for this blog).

XKCD = LOL

WK7 (10-16) indie games - presentations

HW: Read the 10 Commandments and discuss. Do you agree? Are these "in stone" or are they flexible? Do they need to be updated? If so, how would YOU update them?

Source

Presentations:

"Chasing the Wish"

WK8 (10-23) Catching the Wish ARG Presentation - Upload a Document to Scribd

"Urban Hunt"

WK8 (10-23) Urban Hunt - Upload a Document to Scribd

WK7 (10-9) - Mainstream Games – Presentations

Mainstream Games

Hex 168
PRESENTATION:
Hex 168 ARG Presentation - 10-9 - Upload a Document to Scribd


I Love Bees!
PRESENTATION:
i Love Bees ARG Presentation - 10-9-08 - Upload a Document to Scribd

--------------------
HW:
Watch 2007 ARGfest: 42 entertainment: "Play My Game!" (both parts) and blog about it in light of tonight's presentations. (Also, Jonathan and Sean want to know the code word.)

flOw and "Flow Theory"

Every so often you come across one of those little jewel time-waster flash web games that ingratiate themselves to you. I found one yesterday called "flOw" by Jenova Chen. The neat thing about it is that it is in a 'spiritual' series of games based on "flow theory" which is essentially "the state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter; the experience itself is so enjoyable that people will do it even at great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it (Csikzentmihalyi, 1991) .” and the subject of Chen's Thesis. The thesis "provides a unique game design methodology to realize player-centric Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment (DDA) in video games, which creates optimized video game experiences for different types of players." as stated on the Flow in Games site. The potential is limitless... Chen is even working on a math quiz that uses "Flow Theory" which you can try on the site.

The game I was playing flOw: "...is a game about piloting an aquatic organism through a surreal biosphere where players consume other organisms, evolve, and advance their organisms to the abyss. As part of Jenova Chen's thesis research, flOw inherits an embedded design of active DDA (dynamic difficulty adjustment), players with differing skill levels can intuitively customize their experiences in the zone and enjoy the game at their own pace. “Addicting” is the most common word its fans use to describe it." I'll vouch -it was addicting. (And yes there IS a connection to "Spore" - search the forums and you'll find it.)

Cool. Now, how does this relate to ARG? Specifically, how does "Flow Theory" apply to the self-organizing nature of the player base and the 42 Entertainment inverted triangle model of player participation?

WK7 (10-2) - Pregame – Presentations

Great start for the presentations! Next wk: I Love Bees & HEX 168!

The Beast:
PRESENTATION
The Beast ARG Presentation 10.2.08 - Upload a Document to Scribd

Majestic:
PRESENTATION
Majestic ARG Presentation 10.2.08 - Upload a Document to Scribd


The ARG statistics reference:
http://mssv.net/2006/02/10/args-just-the-facts-maam/

ARG Technology

http://docs.google.com/Presentation?id=dcp6wd28_4gx6zmfgk
ARG Tech. presentation by Fundi Technologies for your note-taking pleasure.

WK6 (9-25) - ARG IN CONTEXT

(HW: Blog about Szulborski's TINAG Appendices C through E on this post. Presentations begin this week. )

This is Not a Game?

Jane McGonigal’s seminal 2003 essay “This Is Not a Game: Immersive Aesthetics and Collective Play” was the first serious academic examination of the genre. She writes:

It is reasonable to argue that nothing about this virtual play was simulated. The computer-driven alternate reality ‘The Beast’ created was make believe, but every aspect of the player’s experience was, phenomenologically speaking, real.[1]

The essay succeeded in fueling the fire of ARG, addressing the questions of what it is, what it means, and where it was going. At this early stage, McGonigal even hesitates to call “The Beast” a game, but summarizes the reality aspect of the budding genre quite well, showing a profound understanding between the virtual or simulated and the immersive. This concept of immersive elements is explored in greater depth in chapter 3, “The Elements of ARG.”

The first academically qualified book to investigate and critically analyze online storytelling across interactive media from both a classic and historical narrative technique approach and an in-depth look at modern technology within the genre was Digital Storytelling: A Creator’s Guide to Interactive Entertainment.[2] The author begins with what is described as the “campfire model” of ancient interactive entertainment, and brings the reader quickly through to modern times for a comprehensive overview of the genre, and even ending with a glancing blow at Alternate Reality Games. While a number of other titles which examine the broader genre of Online Interactive Entertainment do exist,[3] most do not contain more than a small mention of the Alternate Reality Game genre subset if at all, since the primary focus of interactive entertainment is the multi-billion dollar video game industry including Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games, and this reality is reflected in the related literature as might be expected.

ARG in Print

A very small number of books have been written on the subject of ARG specifically as of yet, barely providing a working definition of the genre, an in-depth look at the history and evolution of various games successful and failed, and making some small projections as to the future of ARG. Perhaps it is not surprising that corporate Commercial ARG developers have not revealed their secrets or business models in print, as they have been too busy building their own reputations and high quality Commercial ARGs veiled in secrecy. This is an understandable business practice and not a bad thing at all from a commercial standpoint, but it does create a disadvantage for those who would seek to study academically the multi-faceted and complex ARG phenomenon. Fortunately for the academic community, however, independent, grass-roots, and similar Non-Commercial ARG creators are not limited by a corporate agenda, and these books are easily discussed.

J. W. Gosney’s 2005 book Beyond Reality: A Guide to Alternate Reality Gaming was the first proper ARG publication[4]. Gosney gives a brief history of ARG, but also includes an instructional guide for players with advice on approaching an ARG; including an annotated real ARG (“The Beast”), a sample rabbit hole and an example ARG (called “Route 66”) with analysis of each. The author is an experienced player with a unique perspective, but in many ways the book is still an incomplete glancing blow at ARG, if for no other reason than its admirable early entry into the field with so few usable references at the time, in a genre that was still defining itself. Also included in the book is a simple and somewhat dated, but clear outline for designing an ARG and suggested web design for would-be puppetmasters, which is more useful now as an archive of older web technology methods than as a practical, modern how-to guide.

Dave Szulborski’s This Is Not a Game: A Guide to Alternate Reality Gaming is in many ways the more academic and useful book[5], having been written by the experienced puppetmaster of a number of acclaimed grassroots ARGs. The book is an in-depth list of ARGs through 2005, focusing on not only the theory and history behind the genre but also the practice of making and playing ARGs with a look to the future of the genre and numerous references and resources for further study including various articles and academic insights, which predate and include the inception of the genre. Szulborski also implies that another reason that ARG should not be ignored as a form of online diversion is that it is the first form of entertainment that has been produced exclusively “by the Internet, and for the Internet”, though as mentioned it does spill over into the real world too – a bold claim either way.[6]

Szulborski’s 2005 follow-up book Through the Rabbit Hole: A Beginner's Guide to Playing Alternate Reality Games was written as “an introduction for newcomers to the exciting genre of alternate reality gaming.”[7] There is not much new content in the book to speak of as compared to his first book, but the games discussed are more recent and the rule-book style tone makes it a better choice for new players in the genre who are interested in breaking into ARG game theory without slogging through the meta-discussion of other books. Through the Rabbit Hole uses a simple and concise manner to lay out many of the game-elements and some general guidelines for playing Alternate Reality Games, using the games and his own experiences from the first five years of the ARG genre, as reasonably well as can be expected in the rapidly changing game environment of ARGs.

What is Lacking

What the current body of study regarding the genre of ARG lacks is an in-depth critical and statistical academic analysis of an ARG’s most critical elements, those qualities which make it by definition an Alternate Reality Game. This is a difficult and monumental task that will likely take years of collaborative work and access to data that is currently a closely guarded secret. Past ARGs have been determined to be either a success or a failure based on those factors which have been outlined in the above literature and resource studies, or as often as not by their commercial returns and simple website visit counts. Though a number of possibilities exist, it is also phenomenologically unclear at this time why the ARG player base seemingly prefers the reality of the player’s experience versus the computer-driven virtual and simulated reality environments such as those presented by newer generation video games or other virtual worlds like “Second Life.” Invariably ARGs set within these false constructs are short-lived and unremarkable, a phenomenon which is [...] well worthy of study at some point in the future.

---

[1] Jane McGonigal, “This Is Not a Game: Immersive Aesthetics and Collective Play,” Melbourne DAC, 2003, http://www.seanstewart.org/beast/mcgonigal/notagame/paper.pdf [accessed January 15, 2008].

[2] Carolyn H Miller, Digital Storytelling: A creator’s Guide to Interactive Entertainment. 1^st ed. [St. Louis: Focal Press, 2004]

[3] Andrew Glassner, Interactive Storytelling: Techniques for 21st Century Fiction, [Wellesley: AK Peters, 2004]; Chris Crawford, Chris Crawford on Interactive Storytelling, [Berkeley: New Riders Games, 2004]; Kay Teehan, Digital Storytelling: In and Out of the Classroom, [Morrisville: Lulu.com Press, 2006].

[4] John W. Gosney, Beyond reality: A guide to alternate reality gaming, [Boston: Thompson Course Technology PTR, 2005]

[5] Dave Szulborski, This Is Not a Game: A Guide To Alternate Reality Gaming. 2nd digital ed. [New-Fiction Press, 2005].

[6] Dave Szulborski, This Is Not a Game: A Guide To Alternate Reality Gaming. 2nd digital ed. [New-Fiction Press, 2005], 1.

[7] Dave Szulborski,Through the Rabbit Hole: A beginners Guide to Playing Alternate Reality Games, [Lulu.com Press, 2005].

Hasbro: Master of the Game Universe?

We briefly talked about Hasbro taking over the world in class last night. It is the #2 game/toy company (apparently second only to Mattel's Barbie line). Here is what I was talking about.

Compare this:
http://www.hasbro.com/default.cfm?page=ci_history_hasbro

with these:
http://boardgames.about.com/od/companies/a/hasbro_timeline.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasbro

...and discuss if you dare.

WK5 (9-18) - Collaborative Storytelling

Thus concludes our look at the Three origins of ARG:
Social Networking (Tools)
Real World (Immersive) Elements
Collaborative (Interactive) Storytelling



Historical ARG game presentations start in 2 weeks!

HW: Finish TINAG and BR books for discussion next wk! (Grads be prepared to enlighten us on the other two too!) Email me your second project topic if you haven't yet. Also feel free to read http://www.utdallas.edu/president/graduation/spring2008.html and play the “find the ARG elements” game by finding the ARG elements in the UTD alum's speech.

The question has been posed: Is there a way I can make hotlinks? 

The answer is yes - blogger takes limited html. Try this on your posts. 

WK4 (9-11) - Real World Elements

Keyword: Interactive



This week we talked about "real" interactive elements, from performance art to advertising that walk the fuzzy line between "real" Reality and Alternate Reality.

This week's HW:
Keep working on your presentations. You should already have started contributing to the ARG meta and forum sites. Aside from Blogger (this class blog) which is 1/5 your grade, you should be contributing to Unfiction, ARGn, Despoiler, and any others you are using for class-related ARG social networking that you wish to share. In order to get credit for your posts to these sites (another 1/5 of your grade!) you MUST keep track of what aliases you are using to post and keep a log of your interactions to send to me later.

Sample Presentation

Sample ARG Presentation: Deus City

Appendix C - Upload a Document to Scribd

Read this document on Scribd: Appendix C

WK3 (9-4) - Social Networking

"Social Networks" & "Social Networking Tools"

Know the difference - what's your level of intimacy/enthusiasm?

This week we talked about the difference and how unforums.com and the despoiler.org are the primary locations for the ARG player social network (right now) We listened to an episode of Anything You Ever Wanted to Know… from KERA because it is a perfect example of group information sharing in real time.

This week's HW:
Read the “Chaotic Fiction," "CF/ARG Debate" and "Social Networking" articles, and blog about it here. Also, pick a new and ongoing ARG from ARGN or UF - and start playing - be sure to contribute to unforums.com & despoiler.com – meta threads are OK too!

Next Week: "Real World Elements"

Next Month's Presentations:
ARG ------ STUDENT ------ PRES DATE
Majestic ------- Leslie ------- WK7 (10-2)
The Beast ------- Nitin ------- WK7 (10-2)
I Love Bees ------- Sherri ------- WK8 (10-9)
HEX 168 ------- Robert ------- WK8 (10-9)
CtW ------- Mary Ann ------- WK9 (10-16)
Urban Hunt ------- Jason ------- WK9 (10-16)
Year Zero ------- Adam ------- WK10 (10-23)
Ocular Effect ------- Perry ------- WK10 (10-23)
Lost / Find 815 ------- Candace ------- WK10 (10-23)
Heroes 360 ------- Zen ------- WK10 (10-23)

ARG Glossary and Index

The following Appendices are from my recent dissertation. I'm posting them to aid in our discussion of specific games, and in your choices for research of past games.

argGLOSSARY - Upload a Document to Scribd

Read this document on Scribd: argGLOSSARY

argGAMES - Upload a Document to Scribd

Read this document on Scribd: argGAMES

WK2 (8-28) - Intro to ARG

Consider the proverbial ice broken. Tonight we tackled the frustrating task of defining the undefinable by asking the daunting question "What IS an Alternate Reality Game anyway?" We considered a number of definitions and characteristics of the genre. Perhaps by the end of the semester we will have a definition.

We also reviewed the Syllabus, talked about the PUSH vs PULL homework (email your list to me!), and watched some of the 1997 movie: “The Game”

THIS WEEK:

1) Twitter me at "albrackin" and lets all start tracking each other. (its a sort of unofficial EMAC tradition - or so I'm told.)

2) Log in and get onto this blog and start making comments, posting links and making it a proper social networking tool. I recommend you subscribe to the feed by clicking the option on the right.

3) Get onto ARGn, UF, ARGology, and Despoiler - and start lurking and playing a game!

4) Email me if you have not already so I have your proper email address.

HW: Create a "fake internet presence" (alt) that can not be linked to you in any way. Email me (from your real email) a link to this fake “you’s” mark on the web by Wed night – but don’t tell anybody else what it is.

Push vs. Pull

Sonia Carreno of "Passage Communications" is an "Online Media Consultant" out of Canada. Her description of "Push vs Pull" Media is one of the best I've seen. Check out her blog and her post about it at Passage Communications.

Remember that this week's assignment is to generate a list of PULL media that you have come across in your daily activities.

Partial Syllabus

Course Syllabus: ATEC (EMAC) 4326

Course Information

ATEC (EMAC) 4326 Thursdays 4 - 6:45 PM (Emergent Media Production – Part 1)

a.k.a. The “Alternate Reality Game” Class (emac.utdallas.edu)

Professor Contact Information

Dr. Adam Brackin – 214-354-6161

albrackin@gmail.com (alb032000@utdallas.edu)

Course Description

"This is Not a Game" is the catchphrase for "Alternate Reality Games", the newest form of Interactive Online Entertainment. They were born from interactive forms of "Guerrilla Advertising" and are made up by a blending of Social Networks, Interactive Fiction, and MMOGs. This class will explore all things ARG from its history to its future, including the known boundaries of "Interactive Online Entertainment" and "Chaotic Fiction" as they relate to ARG, as well as the art and science of creating and playing ARGs.

Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes

Students will be asked to research, follow, and analyze past and current ARG games and to engage in the first steps in creating an online fictional self within the context of an interactive online environment through tools such as ARGn.com, Unfiction.com, Despoiler.org, and the ARGology.org project, as an interactive part of mapping the genre as it discovers itself.

Required Textbooks and Materials

THIS IS NOT A GAME - Dave Szulborski

ISBN-13: 978-1-4116-2595-2

http://www.amazon.com/This-Not-Game-Alternate-Reality/dp/1411625951/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1218266222&sr=8-1

(or at http://www.lulu.com/content/99444)

BEYOND REALITY

ISBN-10: 1592007376

ISBN-13: 978-1592007370

http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Reality-Guide-Alternate-Gaming/dp/1592007376/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1218266222&sr=8-2

Suggested Course Materials (Req. for Grad Students)

DIGITAL STORYTELLING

ISBN-10: 0240809599

ISBN-13: 978-0240809595

http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Storytelling-Second-interactive-entertainment/dp/0240809599/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1218266397&sr=1-1

THROUGH THE RABBIT HOLE - Dave Szulborski

ISBN: 978-1-4116-4828-9

http://www.lulu.com/content/162754

Assignments & Academic Calendar

WK1 (8-21) - Quick and Dirty Intro

WK2 (8-28) - Intro to ARG

WK3 (9-04) - Social Networks

WK4 (9-11) - Real World Elements

WK5 (9-18) - Interactive Storytelling (Chaotic Fiction)

WK6 (9-25) - TINAG – textbook / BR – textbook

WK7 (10-2) - Pregame – Presentations

WK8 (10-9) - Mainstream ARG – Presentations

WK9 (10-16) - Grassroots ARG - Presentation

WK10 (10-23) - Extended TV - Presentation

WK11 (10-30) – New Media / Future of ARG

WK 12 (11-6) – Current games – Presentations

WK 13 (11-13) – Current games – Presentations

WK 14 (11-20) – Current games – Presentations

WK 15 (11-27) - THANKSGIVING (NO CLASS)

WK 16 (12-4) – Current games – Presentations

WK 17 (12-11) - Final Class (if needed)

DELIVERABLES:

Regular weekly HW assignments (email to me / bring to class)

Weekly contribution to internal class discussion blog (http://argclass.blogspot.com/)

Regular Contribution to ARG community (email regular “monthly” status updates)

The ARGology.org project

unforums.com game forums

despoiler.org site

other sites?

presentation to class about chosen “historical” ARG (10/2-10/23)

3-5 page paper about chosen historical ARG (due your presentation day)

presentation to class about chosen “current” ARG (11/6-12/4) from ARGn or UF “What’s Hot” lists about an ongoing game

3-5 page paper about chosen current ARG (due your presentation day)

Course, Grading, & Instructor Policies

This class relies heavily on discussion and class participation. Students will be expected to attend ALL classes unless you have a special circumstance in which case you MUST contact me in advance by phone or email! A student who misses more than one class session or misses without approval will be required to do an additional project or have their grade dropped by one letter for the course. Late work will be dropped by one letter grade for each week it is late. No Exceptions.

The five deliverables for the course will be weighted equally and averaged (20% of course grade). A student who attends all classes, completes all coursework on time, and whose five deliverables all meet the high standard expected of a University student will receive an A in this course.

Technical Support

If you experience any problems with your UTD account you may send an email to: assist@utdallas.edu or call the UTD Helpdesk at 972 883-2911.