Alternate Reality Gaming

[Edvard]

So I was checking up on Admit-One.net and checked out a site called Red-Monday. It opened a flash window with a prompt for me to enter a code.
I followed the directions on Admit-one and peeked at the page source code. There I found this cryptic bit:

[Select]

<!--
The code is gabriel
---
Never Ever Read Everthing Under Saturn
TSRIFEHT
-->

So I entered the code and I saw a bash script go by and then...

A counter of sorts counting back from 24 days and some hours....
Basically November 26 at midnight.
Then it asked if I wanted to be notified of the event.
No way, I thought. Nobody's getting my email without a fight.
So I entered "no" and it said:

[Select]

>> Your loss. Godspeed
CONNECTION TERMINATED

To make a long story short, I googled red-monday thinking it was either just a strange website, a movie or game promotional thing, or...
I found a reference to a term handed down from McCarthyism, and caught a suggestion from a blog post and a forum post that it may be a rabbithole for a new ARG.
 
I googled ARG and was introduced to a whole new world:

Alternate Reality Gaming is, according to CNET, "...an obsession-inspiring genre that blends real-life treasure hunting, interactive storytelling, video games and online community...

"These games are an intensely complicated series of puzzles involving coded Web sites, real-world clues like the newspaper advertisements, phone calls in the middle of the night from game characters and more. That blend of real-world activities and a dramatic storyline has proven irresistible to many."

http://en.wikipedia....ternate_reality_game
http://www.unfiction.com/welcome/
http://www.argn.com/

I am continually amazed at what an overwhelming communications system like the internet is capable of spawning, and this is the latest thing that has got me saying "Well, looky there... that's very interesting..."
As I'm a sucker for the conspiracy/story/mystery type of thing, I knew then that I should either walk away now or get immersed in something bigger than I have room in my life for.
But some other folks I know might be intrigued...

[Deozaan]

Many movies/games/events have used similar websites for similar purposes. I think there was one called ILoveBees or ILikeBees back for Halo or Halo 2. It was probably one of the more popular ones.

Not sure if this is the same kind of thing, but it could be. I suppose we'll find out on Nov 26th.

What would be really cool would be to do something that leaves people guessing for more than just a few weeks. You know, like a countdown timer to October 3rd, 2015 at 4:23pm EST.

It would have to be more than a timer, and more content and mysteries would have to come about between now and then, but it would be quite interesting. Like a book or movie trilogy that tells you bits of the story gradually over time.

[Edvard]

I suppose a longer-running game would offer more opportunity for action, but you also run the danger of stagnation.
Like in high school when a D&D campaign that ran WAY too long, we started losing players pretty quick.
Given a ticking clock and the allure of an exciting end-game would keep folks interested, as well as allowing room for new games to start up, and new players opportunity to get in early.

After reading a bit, it seems to me that if Red-Monday is an ARG, it's playing out like this is the pre-game heat, which will set the stage for the actual game, which is set to start Nov. 26.
A very novel twist, I'd say.

Here's an even better write-up of what it's all about, written by a former PuppetMaster.
http://www.giantmice.com/arg-defined/
http://www.giantmice.com/arg-quickstart/

[Lashiec]

Viral marketing, then? Or something like Ars Technica reviewed some time ago?

I admit that either way, those things are mysteriously attractive

[Darwin]

Holy carp! Nice detective work, Edvard. Very interesting. So, are you going to check out the action on November 26th?

OK, guess not:

knew then that I should either walk away now or get immersed in something bigger than I have room in my life for.

[Edvard]

Holy carp! Nice detective work, Edvard.

YOU SEEE!?!?! I just do a little googling, and I'm already in over my head.
Yes, I will probably be watching for November 26 just because it is intriguing, even if I probably won't get involved.
Y'know these things resemble a real-life, real-time Samorost game.

Here's some more links I dug up for those interested...
A tutorial and Ten Commandments of ARG's:
http://www.unfiction.com/dev/tutorial/
and a walkthrough of some of the kinds of puzzle clues you may encounter:
http://www.unfiction...ial/deconstruct.html

[Darwin]

Not even going there (to your links). The LAST thing I need at the moment is the temptation of something else to distract me from the myriad things that I'm already procrastinating on...

[PuppetMaster]

We know when you are sleeping. We know when you're awake.

We know when you've been googling, so be good for google's sake.



Welcome to the insanity! ARGs are a blast. If you have any questions feel free to give me a shout

[Darwin]

We know when you are sleeping. We know when you're awake.

We know when you've been googling, so be good for google's sake.

-PuppetMaster (November 06, 2007, 06:53 AM)

  Catchy and sinister! Hidden message is a cool touch.

[Edvard]

I was waiting for that...

shame on me for immediately peeking at PuppetMaster's profile to check for clues...

EDIT: AND almost missing the hidden message...



(dag!! How am I supposed to see the forest with all these trees in the way!?!?)

[Darwin]

Heh, heh - I almost missed it too - only reason I saw it was because I hit "quote" to reply 

[tinjaw]

Great. Not only are you people STILL POSTING, but now I have to do a CTRL + A on every frikin page to look for hidden messages. I curse you all!!  Don't make me start posting in white font with the text in Russian that I have ROT13ed!

[Darwin]

Great. Not only are you people STILL POSTING, but now I have to do a CTRL + A on every frikin page to look for hidden messages. I curse you all!!  Don't make me start posting in white font with the text in Russian that I have ROT13ed!

-tinjaw (November 07, 2007, 08:08 AM)

The gates are open, but the beast is asleep

[Deozaan]

The gates are open, but the beast is asleep

-Darwin (November 07, 2007, 08:34 AM)

Don't wake the Shamurai!

[Edvard]

OK, Today's the day, and here's what's up:
Apparently it was all a work-up for this guy's sci-fi audio drama (just like the good ol' days!!) about a nuke hitting LA. Sound interestin'




Read up on the Unfiction forum how it all played out... (68 pages, wheew!!)