MeiGeist

Abba, Tom; Grain, Hazel

Abstract

The Alternate Reality Game funded by this AHRC Knowledge Catalyst Award presented a science-fiction narrative, set in the present day, in which the audience plays a key role in progressing and participating in the story. The audience or 'players' connect with the story sequence through a wide range of media, and in turn the players connect with each other and work as a worldwide group using on-line ARG Network forums. With 30,000 participants world-wide, the game involved the development and deployment of 10 bespoke websites, 40 puzzles, hundreds of emails, letters and phone calls, all with a high level of personal interaction between the players and the story characters. The project was intended to become a model for game development outside of the established route of studio sponsorship, demonstrating the potential of this form as a model for developing interactive narratives.

• Other Type: Other
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2008
• Peer Reviewed: Not Peer Reviewed
• Keywords: media, ARG, game, interactive
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1015429
• Publisher URL: http://www.dshed.net/meigeist
• Related Public URLs: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/publications/3572.aspx