Where Reality and Fiction Overlap: Alternate Reality Games as a Space of Real

VirtualityMobile Life Presentation

Mela KocherApril 20th 2011

Alternate Reality Games (ARGs)

Multi-platform games / Transmedia storytelling Games traditionally form a “magic circle” with

boundaries to the ordinary life; are defined in space and time; participation is voluntary (Huizinga)

Fictional constructs usually show signs of fictionality (enactment, dramatic elements, language, perspectives, genre attribution)

Both concepts emphasize the “as-if”: people can immerse, pretend, dispense their disbelief

Alternate Reality Games and the Blurring of Reality and Fiction

ARGs deliberately attempt to blur the lines by their aesthetics of TINAG: This Is Not A Game.

Transmedia storytelling, multi-platform game, variety of technologies and game spaces:

– interaction with fictional characters and among players

– online, via E-Mail, chat & mobile phones, in physical spaces

– tie-in of movies, books, websites...

Alternate Reality Games and the Blurring of Reality and Fiction

“A pervasive game is a game that has one or more salient features that expand the contractual magic circle of play socially, spatially or temporally.” (Pervasive Games. Theory and Design. Montola, Stenros, Waern 2009)

Alternate Reality Games attempt all three dimensions of temporal, spatial and social pervasion.

ARGs attempt to create a 360º illusion where there is no outside (seamless).

Research questions

Interpretation of players along the lines of reality and fiction

ARG design: how to successfully implement the reality-fiction blurring?

How could this ARG analysis be useful for understanding similar developments in media culture? → Real Virtuality

Player Interpretation

Need for distinction between fictional/fabricated and non-fictional/”real” content – how to?

Despite the TINAG and attempt of 360º illusion, an ARG is still a game, constructs a space of “as if” and is at least partly fabricated, even if it does incorporate elements of “reality”.

Interpretation by detecting and discussing sign posts that point towards a game.

Fictional markers

Semantic: content is improbable, impossible or unreal

Formal: aesthetic principles of composition (Webpage Design), style (messages from fictional characters), orchestration (events in physical spaces)

Para-textual: genre conventions: codes (page source, anagrams), mentioning of PM, disclaimers like TINAG tag, link to wikipedia article on ARG on websites...

Importance of individual knowledge and media/game literacy for successful interpretation

Fictional and reality markers: Game Design

Fine line between a marker being too obvious (possible immersion obstacle) or not perceptible

There will always be someone who doesn´t get (part of) it (Example: Krobler Fone). Not possible to prevent, but how to react?

Viral distribution: you can even mark one piece of content but it can be ripped out of context and be distributed all over the internet → cannot be avoided! Be careful with using ambiguous material.

Different production and staging contexts (corporate, institutional or grassroot-games // advertising, education or entertainment) need different kinds and modes of fictional markers, in respect to legal and ethical matters.

In Game vs. Out Of Game

Distinction between what´s part of the game (IG) and what´s not part of the game (OOG)

Transformations: former OOG elements can be turned IG as well

Indicators: unclear, procedural, temporal Example: “Charlotte is becoming real” (fone call)

IG vs. OOG: Game Design

Either you use clear fictional markers or: Leave it ontologically uncertain but give an

In Game feedback after a certain amount of time.

Problematic: how long to wait to confirm IG or lead players back when they drift into OOG?

Confirmation possibly in a intradiegetic way, IG, not to break the 360º illusion.

ARGs as multi-user games / participatory dramas

The players play together and use their individual skills to contribute to riddles, character interaction, events in physical spaces etc. - “hive mind”

The same applies to reality-fiction-interpretation where ideally all knowledge on semantic, formal and paratextual markers comes together.

Examples: Krobler Fon (volunteer), Charlotte is becoming real: roadside grave

importance of peers

Participatory Community: Game Design

Community Design: How to structure an ARG (knowledge) community, how to improve the player interaction, how to deal with experienced vs. new, more careful vs. experimental, strictly ARG vs. RPG-players

Design a meta-space, a safe zone (Example: unfiction), if specific ARG forum: specify if IG or OOG.

Flat hierarchies, no secrecies among player (groups), open structures, incentives for sharing and posting, moderators.

Player Interpretation

Other media with reality-fiction-blurring

Flash mobs Reality TV shows Street performances and street art Nigeria letters Mockumentaries TV news

Spatial Pervasion

Huizinga´s game concept: magic circle which is spatially defined

ARGs spatially pervade our ordinary life, may this be online or in physical spaces.

Distinctions on real/fabricated and IG/OOG are difficult to make, confusion at least for a certain amount of time

Very obvious in physical spaces where the game interface overlaps the RL interface.

Real Virtuality

Example: Trip to Berlin in “Charlotte is becoming real”

Real Virtuality: fully immersed experience, encompassing all senses, same interface as RL, being part of a fiction/game in the “real world”

Virtuality not confined/defined by being online or digital but having a much more real quality.

Real Virtuality: Inception App

This app is a dream machine that transforms the world around you into a dreamworld. It uses augmented sound to induce dreams through the headset of your iPhone or iPod Touch. It will change your perception of reality.

“Warning: Don't play this app with the touchscreen, play this app with your life.”

mp3-Experiment (ImprovEverywhere)

Thank you!

Semantic markers

TINAG

Unfiction: Trailhead Discussion

Krobler Fone

Charlotte is becoming real:Rabbit Hole

Dana King´s Blog

Charlotte is (becoming) real

Robot Speed Dating at ARG Festococon 2009

unfiction TOS: forum is “Out Of Game”