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.