I arrived in town late yesterday having survived (but exhausted from) my first 10k in Atlanta. My arrival was greeted by two very happy sights. The first was a healthy dose of Advil. Also awaiting my arrival were the class books, ordered from Amazon. Thank you for awaiting this update – I’m a bit behind, but am now caught up.
This post answers prompts 2 and 3. I’ve sectioned it accordingly. Because my example is closely aligned with initial thoughts about a class proposal, it just seems to work!
An example of information remediation…
Little did they know…
As a new form of viral marketing in anticipation of the motion picture A.I., Lead Designers Elan Lee Sean Stewart of Microsoft created the interactive web game The Beast. A “web of clues” was scattered throughout the Internet in this virtual murder mystery. One group of dedicated enthusiasts, dubbed the “Cloudmakers,” formed a discussion group to collaborate. According to their website http://www.cloudmakers.org/, they “…brought together diverse skills ranging from cutting edge spectral analysis to a unique and unrivaled knowledge of historical events and world literature…” (index para. 2). The Cloudmakers official solved the game on July 24th, 2001 (index para. 1).
However, the game did more than market the film. Unfiction.com credits The Beast as the first “true” Alternative Reality Game (aka: ARG or unfiction). The story unfolded over 30 sites, and required players to: “decode messages encrypted with a World War II Enigma machine cipher; translated German, Japanese, and Chinese text; and created a nightmare database to trap an insane AI named Loki, who was ‘hacking’ a swath through the in-game websites.” (http://www.unfiction.com/history/the-beast/ para. 3). A new game genre was born, and replicated several times over.
The Beast was designed with several assumptions in mind, as outlined on http://www.seanstewart.org/beast/intro/. These include fragmented narration (requiring player reassembly), a fundamental need for collaboration, strict secrecy and use of multiple modalities (e.g. coming at you from as many directions as possible, including email, cell texting, etc.). ARG’s still maintain several of the characteristics, according to ARGN (http://www.argn.com/what.html). Also, ARG’s now include missions to the “real world” to obtain information or interact with the environment.
As of 7/5/09, ARGNet is tracking 14 “live” ARGs (http://www.argn.com/now_playing/). From a new a novel attempt to virally market a motion picture, a new genre of game design and form of remediation was born.
In what ways is remediation present in ARGs?
A matter of definition…Bolter and Grusin argue that remediation contains a double logic. This logic consists of a desire both to multiply and erases signs of the medium’s presence (5). The multiplication is dubbed “hypermediacy,” and erasure is termed “immediacy.” These two concepts, as Bolter and Grusin acknowledge, are alter egos capable of co-existence (34).
Remediation is a term for representation of one medium in another medium, with the acknowledgement that ALL messages are remediated (45 & 55). A new medium must remediate in way which “replaces or supplements” existing mediums for survival (68). Further, remediation is of both material and social practice simultaneously (69).
As an example, I offer The Beast as a case study. The purpose of gameplay in The Beast was to solve a murder mystery. It was derived from traditional language scripting then adapted to a new mixed-modality delivery. Players were introduced to gameplay through several “teasers,” including cryptic clues on movie posters (http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=8684) and placement of Jeanine Salla in assorted places (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0972095/bio). This in turn became a “rabbit’s hole” through which players were introduced to the game.
What I find interesting here is the level of “self determination present.” At no point was this listed as a work of fiction…and the story unfolded to become quite intricate. The game is decentralized and, in part, controlled by the game player community. With the passage of time, new variants and twists are introduced. For instance, an error on one site required the writers to introduce a new character intent on using technology destructively called “Loki.” This is a rather interesting and complicated form of “live” play.
Immediacy and transparency are both present. The story…the game…as a whole depends on the remediation of each component as a part as well as the system of components. Sub-sites of the whole each contain a block of information which must adhere to a larger script. This provides remediation on multiple levels.
Taken from the perspective of gaze, the audience-player is an agent of the game. Their function is to assemble the clues into a form of larger understanding. He or she must piece together a virtual puzzle. And it cannot be done alone. Clues, once assembled, must be shared with the group of players. The agents are collaborators responsible both for advancing the story by finding the next step and removing obstacles/confusion.
The Beast encompassed a complicated remediation of website design, game play, and literary fiction.
A matter of gains and losses
The Beast is now viewed as a new type of video game. Previous games, largely, were centralized locations requiring special software. This new ARG was free, available to anyone with a mind to play, and required no software (other than basic internet access).
Players were cast as members of the game. They were virtual detectives working collaboratively. Taken from the perspective of agency, this is a first-person perspective. There was no avatar or intermediary. Players did not control a Mario or Donkey Kong, they themselves were immersed in play.
A free, interactive, virtual, disbursed first-person experience resulted.
What does this mean? We gained an experience where the line between game and reality is blurred. For instance, the Enigma Machines exist and are grounded in history…languages required translation…this was not easy to do for players. They themselves (or with their collaborators) needed to find the skills for play. If they didn’t possess them, they had to learn them.
It would be like playing The Davinci Code…as someone trying to solve the mystery by following clues.
This promotes transparency and immediacy. One is “firsthand” doing the actions which constitute game play…and receiving the rewards for participating. It is a “realer” game from the experiential standpoint than even first-person “shooter” style games.
Little is lost. As an ARG can select any medium, no medium limitations are present by definition. Except, perhaps, if a selection of some particular medium or mediums is too hypermediated to maintain the illusion of “non-fiction.”
Which leads me to…
ARGs are used for marketing…they are used for pure fun. Why can’t one be designed and implemented for cultural and historic appreciation?
I mentioned previously an interest in something I’ve called the Pennyroyal Project. The Project is dedicated to:
“…digital documentary and community. The Berkshires of MA are a magical place. From this humble beginning, I hope to share the culture, history and stories of the region. However, I hope to do so inclusively. One may say - accurately - that I hope to combine new media and open source (aka: "grassroots") community in a way that tells the Berkshire story in a way it hasn't been told before.” (http://friendsofberkshires.blogspot.com/, a note of welcome para. 2).
Inspiration struck. I’d like to create an ARG for the Pennyroyal Project.
Players could technically be from anywhere. However, I’d like to link players to history and culture. Books, museums, events, etc. can all be used to this end.
I suspect this will require the use of social media sites to include Facebook, Twitter and youtube. At least 10 HTML websites (including a product launch site), and the cooperation of several cultural and historical locations is also needed.
Technologically, I’d need a secured database for private information…and ability to send texts to multiple cell phone users. I’d also want to establish a “registration required” discussion board for players to begin their discussions.
My next step is to begin the process of developing a story…and more extensive project plan.
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