7 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ARGS
Educause Learning Initiative
Abstract Exerpt:

Alternate reality games (ARGs) weave together real-world artifacts with clues and puzzles hidden virtually any place, such as websites, libraries, museums, stores, signs, recorded telephone messages, movies, television programs, or printed materials. ARGs are not computer or video games, but electronic devices are frequently used to access clues. Players can meet and talk with characters in the narrative and use resources like postal mail, e-mail, the web, or the public library to find hints, clues, and various pieces of the puzzle. ARGs open doors into the future of students’ professional lives, where they will be expected to solve complex problems by taking necessary raw materials from multiple resources, thinking critically and analytically, and putting their individual skills, interests, and abilities at the disposal of a group dedicated to a common goal.

The “7 Things You Should Know About…” series from the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI) provides concise information on emerging learning technologies. Each brief focuses on a single technology and describes what it is, where it is going, and why it matters to teaching and learning. Use these briefs for a no-jargon, quick overview of a topic and share them with time-pressed colleagues.

( abstract @ Educause / PDF, 2 pages )

EVERYTHING YOU KNOW ABOUT ARGS IS WRONG
By Dan Hon, SixToStart
Exerpt:

This is a re-version of a talk I gave at the Let’s Change the Game conference held on Friday 5 December 2008. It was a very casual, irreverent talk, but one that I hoped would bring some light relief to the day as well as (possibly in a rather confrontational manner) highlight some of the current problems – as I perceive them – with this whole “alternate reality game” business.
(…)
When Adrian kicked off today, he told a nice story about one of the speakers who was excited about presenting today – this was going to be the first talk he’d done where he wouldn’t have to “explain what an ARG was”. This being a conference about ARGs, you’d be pleased to know that no one was going to have to do the whole “this is what an ARG is” thing.

Well, tough luck. I’m going to define an ARG and tell you what one is. I’m going to make this easy and break the phrase “alternate reality game” into smaller chunks so everyone can follow me.

( full presentation @ sixtostart )

WTF IS AN ARG? 2009 EDITION
By Andrea Phillips
Exerpt:

It’s about that time again, boys and girls. The seasonal “What is an ARG?” discussion has flared up on the ARG SIG mailing list. This is the variant strain: What was the first ARG? Which of course leads to a lot of semantic acrobatics as people try to work out what it is we’re describing when we say A-R-G, and then work out whether it’s the same thing anybody else is talking about.

There’s a lot of sense in these discussions, if not a lot of consensus;
(…)
But if all of these clever people can agree so broadly on so many things, why does the topic keep coming up at all? Why can’t we reach a consensus on what an ARG is, and what an ARG isn’t? Why do we return home, like swallows to Capistrano, to that question: What IS an ARG?

( full article @ deusexmachinatio )

THE SERIOUS NEED FOR PLAY
By Melinda Wenner, Scientific American
Exerpt:

Most psychologists agree that play affords benefits that last through adulthood, but they do not always agree on the extent to which a lack of play harms kids—particularly because, in the past, few children grew up without ample frolicking time. But today free play may be losing its standing as a staple of youth. According to a paper published in 2005 in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, children’s free-play time dropped by a quarter between 1981 and 1997. Concerned about getting their kids into the right colleges, parents are sacrificing playtime for more structured activities. As early as preschool, youngsters’ after-school hours are now being filled with music lessons and sports—reducing time for the type of imaginative and rambunctious cavorting that fosters creativity and cooperation.

A handful of studies support Brown’s conviction that a play-deprived childhood disrupts normal social, emotional and cognitive development in humans and animals. He and other psychologists worry that limiting free play in kids may result in a generation of anxious, unhappy and socially maladjusted adults. “The consequence of a life that is seriously play-deprived is serious stuff,” Brown says. But it is never too late to start: play also promotes the continued mental and physical well-being of adults.

( full article @ Scientific American )

POACHING LG15: ARG-STYLE…
By Burcu S. Bakioglu
Exerpt:

As a community-based show partially influenced by its audience, one which elicited many stories that emerged as grassroots initiatives that complemented the primary storyline and encouraged collaboration among its fan base, LG15 gave birth to several fan-created Alternate Reality Games(ARGs), a gaming genre that surfaced as an alternative advertising endeavor in 2001 with the appearance of Steven Spielberg’s movie AI. This gaming genre and its effects on story-telling will be discussed in greater detail in the next chapter. However, since ARG-like elements became an integral component of LG15, delivering the much-desired interactive experience to the fans, but more importantly, becoming a tool with which the main story of LG15 is poached, this section will discuss the role of the fan-created ARGs on LG15 and discuss why it should be considered as an interactive show, rather than an ARG. Because ARG creators, or puppetmasters, and players were not concerned about generating YouTube views for their spinoffs to get into the LG15 canon, they had the liberty to poach the main plot in unexpected ways and even introduce new characters into the Breeniverse. Being somewhat outside of the control of the LG15 franchise, fan-created ARGs posed a destabilizing threat that needed to be neutralized in some fashion.

( full chapter @ palefirer.com )

ARGS AT MIMA SUMMIT 2008
By Dan Grigsby

( full speech video @ unpossible.com – 1hr presentation )

LITTLE BROTHER (online novel)
By Cory Doctorow, 2007
Blurb:

Marcus, aka “w1n5t0n”, is only seventeen years old, but he figures he already knows how the system works – and how to work the system. Smart, fast, and wise to the ways of the networked world, he has no trouble outwitting his high school’s intrusive but clumsy surveillance systems.

But his whole world changes when, having skipped school, he and his friends find themselves caught in the aftermath of a major terrorist attack on San Francisco. In the wrong place at the wrong time, Marcus and his crew are apprehended by the Department of Homeland Security and whisked away to a secret prison, where they’re mercilessly interrogated for days.

When the DHS finally releases them, Marcus discovers that his city has become a police state, where every citizen is treated like a potential terrorist. He knows that no one will believe his story, which leaves him only one option: to take down the DHS himself.

Can one teenage hacker fight back against a government out of control? Maybe, but only if he’s really careful … and very, very smart.

( novel outline / free download sources / hardcover @ Amazon )

Tags: discussion, media, meta

Categories: ARGs General

Jericho was a relatively short-lived (2 season) TV show, a cult hit from CBS which underwent a controversial period of cancellation after its first season due to poor ratings. After a convincing peanut-filled campaign from its fan community to revive the show, CBS appeased them by giving the closure in its second season.

CBS had even partnered with Mstrmnd in 2007 to create an ARG named “Tom Tooman” to run parallel with the TV show.

Well, the Jericho fan community still lives.  A grassroots team is now working on another Jericho experience, and they’re looking for someone to help. You can read the announcement from redsox1986 on the Universal HD forum (posted Jan.17).

Now, with Jericho now being aired Sunday nights on the CW, strange things are afoot.  The CW has been putting different morse code into their commercials than originally aired.  A fan has begun tracking the recent turn of events, and The CW episode commercials can be reviewed here.

Below is a fan-made video compilation overview of the entire Jericho/ARG situation…

Is there more to this CW revival of the Jericho series?

A few days ago, IF Magazine reported an interview with John Turteltaub, who revealed a big announcement for Jericho fans:

“We’re developing a feature for JERICHO,” says Turteltaub. “It would not require you to have seen the TV show, but it get into life after an event like this on a national scale. It would be the bigger, full on American version of what’s going on beyond the town in Jericho.”

Take that as you may, but with The CW taking on the Jericho series, it’s now being hailed as “the TV show that won’t die”.

Keep your eyes peeled for more viral Jericho ARG happenings… it’s not done yet!

Tags: jericho

Categories: ARGs General, TV Series

The IBBC is still up to no good.  Last week, stoptheinternational.com got a sizeable makeover.  Drop points – money caches – appeared splattered all over the United States and Europe, with specific dates and times.  Seven US locations were intercepted, their packages retrieved in the limited 3 hour time alloted for them. Only one location wasn’t retrieved – in New York City.

No worries!  The map still lists a truck-load of drop locations coming up, scheduled for times through January 21-22, and January 28-29 in the US and Europe.  Check the list below to find out if there’s a money cache drop planned near you – and if you’re in a city within range, be sure to ‘drop in’ and find the cache!  Reports of money totals, in various domestic and foreign currencies, have ranged from $80 through over $500 USD.

Be sure to visit stoptheinternational.com to get fully up to speed on the money being tracked, and the case against the IBBC.  Get a login, and join in the adventure.   You may also have a chance to win a car.  (Note: the car contest is only open to residents of the US, UK, Spain, Italy, France and Germany; but the money can be found by anyone!)

Remaining locations listed chronologically (note timezones), bold means the drop is live!:

(update: a report indicates that while the drop info is made live early, the locks themselves may not appear until the original scheduled time)

(Update 2: drop times may change at any time – Last updated  12:00amE, Jan 29)

USA (Wed Jan 21st)
(collected) – Tempe
(collected) – Miami
(collected) – Detroit
(collected) – Atlanta
(collected) – Ann Arbor
(collected) – Mesa
(collected) – El Paso
(collected) – Scottsdale
(collected) – Oakland
(collected) – Phoenix
(collected) – San Francisco
(collected) – Seattle

Europe (Thu Jan 22nd)
(collected) – Paris
(collected) – Barcelona
(collected) – Berlin
(collected) – Rome
(collected) – London

USA (Wed Jan 28th)
(collected) – New Orleans
(collected) – Pittsburgh
(canceled) – Oxford
(collected) – Washington, DC
(collected) – Tampa
(collected) – Kansas City
(collected) – Columbus
(collected) – Salt Lake City
(collected) – Tucson
(collected) – Denver
(collected) – Baltimore
(canceled) – Dayton
(collected) – Newport
(collected) – New York
(collected) – Detroit
(collected) – Atlanta
(failed) – Ashville
(collected) – Raleigh
(collected) – Gainesville
(collected) – Miami
(collected) – Boston
(collected) – Philadelphia
(canceled) – Cincinnati
(collected) – Chicago
(collected) – Minneapolis
(collected) – Mesa
(collected) – Boulder
(collected) – Durham
(failed) – College Station
(collected) – Madison
(collected) – Milwaukee
(collected) – El Paso
(collected) – Seattle
(collected) – Portland
(collected) – Providence
(collected) – Austin
(collected) – Houston
(collected) – Phoenix
(collected) – San Francisco
(collected) – Las Vegas
(collected) – San Diego
(collected) – Los Angeles

Europe (Thu Jan 29th)
1pm GMT – Paris
1pm GMT – Madrid
1pm GMT – Berlin
1pm GMT – Rome
2pm GMT – London

DON’T FORGET! – if you plan to intercept a money drop:
1) Make sure you check the website to find out the exact location of the money cache in your city when its counter hits zero!
2) Make sure you check the website to make note of the combination lock code so you can open the money cache!
3) Play nice!  You may not be the only one to get to the money cache at the appointed time. People like when people share ;)

• Join in the ongoing discussion and tracking at Unfiction
• Bookmark StopTheInternational.com
• Go see The International, starring Clive Owen, opening February 13

Tags: 42E, the international

Categories: ARGs General, Movies

Wikibruce recently received a special exclusive clue into the Legacy of Julian Teng. This comes after previously receiving this exclusive clue:

To read the entire extensive text of the document entitled “The Effects of the Tunguska Blast on an Eyewitness”, please continue and read the full article below.

• Go and visit the Julian Teng Wiki to get caught up
• Head over the GamerDNA’s ARG Community forum to connect with other players!

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: gamerdna, julian teng, wow

Categories: ARGs General, Video games

On Saturday, January 17th, a number of New Yorkers gathered at a predetermined location in Central Park, not knowing what for or who might show up. On arrival, they met with Joey from the Milwaukee Tourism Commission, who disseminated some conspiratorial information about the status of Milwaukee and recent events.

• TheRyuujinMike’s full report is here: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4
• Relia’s full report is here: part 1, part 2

The climax of the event came when Worker Power showed up and interrupted their meeting in the park. Power came running at the group in his ‘Power run’ form as seen in the promotional video, and a battle ensued… It has to be seen to be fully understood. (Well, not fully understood – it probably won’t help make anything more understood at all; but it is quite entertaining!)

On collecting the reward for defeating Worker Power, the bystanders uncovered a hidden message from Mars Madison by sorting out 100 one-dollar bills by serial number, with one letter on each (strangely, bill #42 was missing) which read:

I MADE A MISTAKE WORKING HERE, BUT I’M TOO DEEP TO QuIT 888 @ 8 AV FOR BUSINESS AND EVEN SOME PLEASURE PHASE TWO NOW BEGINS <3 MM

This led the group to an ice cream shop where they ran into the Businesswomen trio, giggling to themselves and enjoying life while sharing a milkshake. They handed over the diary of Mars Madison, which contained a number of hand-written, encoded pages. More footage of this livedrop follows:

All this to say, there’s something afoot in Milwaukee!

The full series of raw footage from the event is available in 5 parts, thanks to BigT.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

• Join in the “This Is My Milwaukee” discussion at Unfiction
• Catch up on the game wiki at mymilwaukee.wikibruce.com

Tags: thisismymilwaukee

Categories: ARGs General, Viral General

Now here is a great, and frankly a bit spooky, use of real-world media:

Tags: fringe

Categories: ARGs General, TV Series

These days, it seems the frontier fields of bio-technology and genetic research are the popular subjects to explore in most every science-fiction medium. Not to be left behind, the UK’s Channel 4 has commissioned Oil Productions Inc. (working with Mind’s Eye Media) to produce an educational ARG directed towards teenagers (but has age focus ever deterred anyone from playing?).

This one, however, is boldly purported to be “underpinned by credible, cutting edge science”, to the point of receiving support from The Wellcome Trust.

Oil’s website says about “Routes”:

Routes is not a passive viewing experience; it is a story that participants can reach out and touch, where all telephone numbers work, where the fictional bio-tech company websites are indistinguishable from their real counterparts and where characters may turn up on your doorstep asking for help. The participant is not just a fan of the game and the accompanying narrative; instead they are a tangible part of its universe with their actions shaping the events that unfold in the story.

Routes differs from most ARGs produced to date in that the narrative is underpinned by credible, cutting edge science; so much so that the format has gained recognition and investment in the form of sponsorship from The Wellcome Trust.

Channel 4 Education says:

Embedded in the game, award-winning comedian Katherine Ryan explores her own genetic make-up, and tests her DNA to find out whether it is her genes or her environment that define who she is. Can genes make you fat? Do they hide critical information about disease? Can Katherine blame her genetic make-up for the fact that she gets drunk on two beers?

As players delve deeper they are forced to explore these questions by solving puzzles, playing mini games, trading tips and collaborating on challenges, and as the broader game unravels the players will uncover a compelling mystery that lies at the heart of Routes itself. Who owns your genes? What are the pros and cons of exploring your genetic make-up? Do your genes determine who you are, or does our environment play a greater role?

Read Channel 4 Education’s official press release, and watch for more details at the official site www.routesgame.com and the game launch itself in upcoming weeks.

Tags: channel 4, routes

Categories: ARGs General, Educational

In 2006, ARGNet published a year-in-review article in which the idea was raised of running ARGs in virtual worlds such as Second Life and World of Warcraft.  As a twist, Rez Nation even broadcast a podcast from within Second Life.

Today, Wikibruce received a trailhead, to which I’m obliged to respond: OMGKLOO!

A new ARG is underway incorporating the alternate reality of World of Warcraft – but not exclusively.  Developed for GamerDNA, it’s called “The Legend of Julian Teng”, and is set to incorporate the WoW MMORPG, puzzles and mysteries, and likely a number of real-world (or, non-WoW) events, locations, and interactions.

The story behind “The Legacy of Julian Teng”
Brian Morgan and his friends started playing World of Warcraft to stay in touch last summer, but Brian’s research into the mysterious Tunguska event and the life of Julian Teng has caused them to grow further apart than they could have imagined. The last time anyone saw Brian Morgan he was playing a Tauren called Tunguska on Korialstrasz in World of Warcraft in mid-November. Nobody has heard from him since.

Wikibruce had already been asked by a community member to set up a wiki, which is now live at JulianTeng.Wikibruce.com.  To catch up on events, visit Brian’s friends’ guild website buds.gamerdna.com.  Here’s the video of Brian’s friends as they discover him strangely missing:

And now, I present two exclusive Julian Teng clues – two of a few that have apparently been sent to various websites.  This clue came with the filename “3.jpg”

The second clue – that’s a special one. To encourage community involvement, gamerDNA is allowing community members to ‘vote’ for their favourite sites and clues. Wikibruce’s clue is below – so if you want to support Wikibruce, and help this site win a “very exclusive clue indeed”, follow the image to gamerDNA and give it up a thumbs up!  You can also take a look at other clues sent to other websites.

• Go and visit the Julian Teng Wiki to get caught up
• Head over the GamerDNA’s ARG Community forum to connect with other players!
• Remember, this isn’t just for players of World of Warcraft – anyone can be involved!  After all, Brian’s real, and he’s gone missing…!
• (O Unfiction, where art thou?)

Tags: gamerdna, julian teng, wow

Categories: ARGs General, Rabbit Hole, Video games

(Click for large versions)

Reports of a disturbing email today…

from: Stranger and Stranger
to: Stranger and Stranger
date: Fri, Dec 12, 2008 at 10:49 AM
subject: spread the truth
mailed-by: googlemail.com

they say they have her body.

 

on display tonight in portland, they say.
saturday in sacramento.
monday in san francisco.
tuesday in los angeles.

 

do you believe them?

 

well, of the two of us, i know the truth.

 

i say they’re lying.

 

but people will show up. they will believe.
will you help me convince them otherwise?

 

wkapfm.com/evidence_message.zip

 

print these photos out.
pass them out to who you can.
tape them to the walls.
leave them where people will find them.

 

and most importantly:
tell them how to contact me.

 

people need to know.

 

if you won’t be there,
spread the word where you can.

 

take pictures.
send me proof
and i will reward you for your diligence.

 

ever
watching,
ts

• Download the images to share from wkapfm.com/evidence_message.zip and help spread the word.
• Catch up on what’s happened by visiting WhoKilledAmandaPalmer.com
• Then join the discussion over at Unfiction

Tags: amanda palmer

Categories: ARGs General, Rabbit Hole

PRESS RELEASE: Hall Industries to take Gaming to the Next Level with ‘Hero Rising’

Hall Industries, one of the world’s leading technology and entertainment companies, is inviting all gamers (both casual and serious) to join the free beta test of HERO RISING at HeroRising.com. Players can test their gaming skills in areas of logic, combat, observation, agility, accuracy, strategy and reflexes and compete against other gamers from around the world for a chance to become the best.

Utilizing state-of-the-art behavioral interpretation, statistical analysis and artificial intelligence software, Hall Industries will be able to gather gameplay data during the beta test at an unprecedented level of detail. Based on this information, we hope to make the complete HERO RISING experience the most entertaining and groundbreaking game the world has ever seen.

Visit HeroRising.com for more information.

***

Since it’s founding, Hall Industries has been a leader in its fields, working with both government and private sector organizations to stay on the leading edge of modern technology. Our Game Development Studio boasts the best and most creative minds in computer animation, motion capture, 3D rendering and experiential programming and continues to provide industry-leading products to our high-expectations gaming audience.

 Visit HeroRising.com, and you’ll find that Disney has enlisted the help of ‘Hall Industries’ to create this web-based video game called Hero Rising.

Here’s where it gets interesting… (if you weren’t already, that is)

A little more digging reveals some hidden nuggets.  For an extended period of the intro, the message seems to ‘break’ and strange programming code scrolls up along the screen…

Flashing occasionally during the mysterious transmission is a set of numbers…

02 13 09 (Feb 13, 2009?)

What’s special about that date?

Is there more to this “BETA TEST” than meets the eye?  And who are Hall Industries, and why does this gaming system they’ve created seem suspicious?

Tags: disney, herorising

Categories: ARGs General

Ways to make your brain asplode:

1. Go to thisismymilwaukee.com and watch the tourism video.
2. If and only if your brain hasn’t yet asploded, spend some time reviewing it for any semblance of meaning.

That should be sufficient to lead to imminent brain asplosion or breakage.  If however, you successfully survive the ordeal, you’ll quickly find that the video actually does begin to make some sense. In its own, warped, alternate reality, of course.

Meet Terry Nanny. He will be your guide.

TERRY NANNY

The video itself is a mishmash of strange visuals. At the very least it seems as though it could just be a humorous film school project.  So what is the video really trying to say?

The website displays contact information for the Milwaukee Tourism Commission – a phone number and email.  The phone number 414-688-7035 is live, and since people have been calling, two other numbers have been revealed. Each with a real destination.  The MTC has real people who answer, most of the time (Todd and Joey – but Joey hates his job), and answer questions for those who are considering moving to Milwaukee.  Another number 414-688-8914 is the personal contact number for an MTC member, Mike Russo, who also answers questions.  A third number, 414-688-8471, was discovered hidden in a book at the New York Public Library…

TIMM.com led people to a youtube account for the user 14251612181818198HD, who had one video posted – another strage video, containing a string of letters – a code at the end of the video: *R-RMRR AI3 .A23  This was determined to be the call number for a book in the Rose Main Reading Room at the NYPL. The name 14251612181818198HD was decoded to alphanumerically represent NYPLRRRSH84 — SH84 meaning South Hall, 1984 edition.  This led community member BigT to the book and the discovery of the last phone number, jotted on a note inserted in the book’s pages. The number led to a voicemail message asking the caller to leave a fax number.

The live people interacting on the other end of the phone numbers seem very well-immersed in this “Milwaukee”, and the videos discovered thus far appear to have a very quality creative touch.

So… what does it all mean?
Is it a new viral marketing campaign for something? Will it be a vast, immersive alternate reality game about aliens or genetic engineering gone wrong?  Is Milwaukee changing its tourist advertising tactics?

It gets more confusing once the creators of video are brought in for consideration.  Synydyne and its crew have created other videos, some containing the very same elements used in this one (like tinfoil man). Are all the people credited in the video real, or fictional?  Does Synydyne’s Hoopeston trailer have anything to do with it?  What about Nim Projects? Why was the entire Milwaukee video filmed in New York? What in God’s name is “Go.D.S.E.E.D.“, and these Godseed ‘fragments’, said to be the result of Blackstar?

In the end, which certainly isn’t the end, all these questions point either to an intricately design story and plot that will be revealed in some way or another, or one brain twisting hoax project. Either way, one may walk away with a strange craving for a hamBURger.

• Discussion at Unfiction
• Discussion at Somethingawful
• Wikibruce wiki
• PBWiki

If your brain hasn’t asploded even yet, I’ll leave you with the lyrics to the video’s theme song, shown at the end of the video captioned over the credits (don’t get it stuck in your head!).  Enjoy!

Download
(724kb mp3)

I keep on the side of the heart of your dream
And the light of the Go.D.S.E.E.D.
will show me the thesis
Spirit no Sanctuary
Now we look dimly,
I never forget,
and the will to improve.
Charming yasai
Exquisite ankoku
The flax seed blossom
Its oils rich and milky.
Bubblegum Millennium
Slow Jazz Millennium
Do you want this nightlife?
Bubblegum Millennium
Slow Jazz Millennium (Champion Dynasty?)
Do you dream this nightlife?

Next week, on ‘Blackstar no Blackstar’!
“Glad you found me Terry, I thought I was toast”
“Here’s your ball back, kid. Now for a slam dunk of my own!”

Tags: thisismymilwaukee

Categories: ARGs General, Viral General

(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)

November 18 – agents in Los Angeles intercepted an evidence package containing details incriminating a large banking corporation, the International Bank of Business and Credit.  Within the evidence package was a pile of marked blood money, and a CD labeled with the code Rgy5H4Jt8saw, with scanned documents of communications between the IBBC and Global Eyes Development Fund, and two audio recordings.  This evidence package and its contents are documented here.

Yesterday, the mail system had delivered to me a package containing an archive of surveillance carried out for the agents who retrieved the Los Angeles drop.  An official video debrief is available here, containing these assets.

(1) The package was shipped by Fed Ex, and arrived Monday November 24, 2008.

(2) Inside was a worn, sealed envelope labeled CLASSIFIED

(3) It contained an opaque black bag, with a blank Evidence label, having “STOP THE INTERNATIONAL” scrawled across its face.

(4) Inside the black bag was a letter from Louis Salinger, Chief Inspector of Scotland Yard, Division S07, and his portrait. The letter described the package and its purpose, pointing us to stoptheinternational.com where we’re encouraged to help find the necessary pieces of evidence to stop “the international”.  Attached to the letter was a USB key, containing the two audio files available here, and the video debrief available here.

(5) Also inside the black bag was a sealed evidence bag, “control number S 2010382”.  It was labeled: “Surveillance photographs of Los Angeles operation. Objective: Retrieve currency and evidence drop. Mission status: Successful.”

(6) Inside the evidence bag were five surveillance photos from the Los Angeles operation, and a photo of Welhelm Dexler of Global Eyes Development Fund, on which was written: “NOT what he seems!!”.

(7) Additionally, the evidence bag contained a folded up map marked with four drop locations – Los Angeles, New York, London, and Berlin. It included a hand-written note saying: “Our informant has hidden vital evidence around the world!”   Also bundled with the map was a set of three marked bills– blood money, the serial IDs of which must be entered at stoptheinternational.com.

1. USD: L21557562A
2. Italian Lira: T8877069H
3. Hong Kong Dollar: GR105373

To date, blood money bills have been discovered placed at numerous locations across the country and world to be retrieved and reported by those who are dedicated to helping stop the international.

Upcoming evidence drops:

• New York, November 25, 1:00pm EST  (completed)
• London, Date TBA
• More to come?

Help Louis Salinger stop The International.  Help retrieve the necessary evidence to take down the IBBC and its illegal international business practices.

Then go see the movie!

• Previous article: Blood money incriminates international bank
• Join in the community at Unfiction and find out the details of the conspiracy and the working of the IBBC.

Tags: 42E, the international

Categories: ARGs General, Movies

Not long ago, a report came in from Germany about a mysterious letter received from “Louis Salinger”.  Patrick Möller reported the mail, and the steps he was prompted to then carry out.

Pointing the browser to folgedemgeld.de (‘follow the money’), he was greeted by Louis Salinger, chief inspector of Scotland Yard. After being given information about an investigation into the “International Bank of Business and Credit“, he was told to travel to Treptower Park in Berlin to meet a contact who would give them more information.  At the park, however, they discovered a CD with the words “STOP THE INTERNATIONAL” scrawled on its face (appropriately, a website bearing the same phrase is where ‘folgedemgeld.de’ leads), and containing a wealth of information.  (see his photos here, UPDATE: or the very nicely composed official mission de-brief)

Earlier this week, another recipient came forward – gupfee, from ARGNet – who reports having received a very similar package as to that which Patrick was led.  Inside the package were a number of items, including a USB key with photos and a message from “Colin Newbrink”.

Download– Colin Newbrink’s Message

You’ve never heard of me, but my name is Colin Newbrink, and I’m in a bloody mess. Please, listen, I need your help. I don’t know how all this happened – I’m in hiding, my family’s in danger.  Somehow, I’ve stumbled upon a conspiracy so big and terrible.

But let me tell you how all this started.  I work with the London branch of a good works organization, called Global Eyes Development Fund. We fight poverty, remove land mines, bring aid and education to developing nations, in a continued quest to transform, to right wrongs, and help the needy.  At least, that’s what I thought for the five years I ran the office… until I went to Africa in September.

I saw something I wasn’t supposed to see. This “coordinator” from headquarters – Harriet Matar – I thought she was there to arrange travel plans. But… I still can’t believe it… I saw her give this suitcase of cash to some very bad guys. I mean bad. A group known to be seeking the overthrow of a democratically elected government.

I start digging.  Turns out Global Eyes is a front.  The real power behind it is the IBBC.  So I go to my mentor and friend in Berlin, a man named Wilhelm Wexlar, who’s on the globalized board. I told him everything – what I saw, what I discovered. He listened. He was shocked as I was. He told me he’d make some phone calls, try to get to the bottom of this. So, I have an ally.  But who knows who else is listening.

Ever since I left that office, I’ve been followed and tracked – I see eyes everywhere. Even my wife told me that strange men have been showing up around the flat in London. So I panicked. I know it sounds paranoid, but I know this is happening.  I’ve taken my wife and two children to a secure location and returned to Berlin, stashing evidence against The International to make sure I have some leverage.

If you find this disc, I pleas with you to get it to the proper authorities. I am told that Louis Salinger of Scotland Yard has been investigating this IBBC. I think he’s your man.

Since reporting these packages, people have discovered StopTheInternational.com.  On this website is a field where serial numbers of money flagged in their database can be entered.  There’s also a map showing specific drop locations of evidence against the IBBC – the first location being Berlin, retrieved by Patrick.  Other locations flagged for drop events are Los Angeles, New York, and London.

Los Angeles‘ drop is scheduled to occur, according to its countdown, at 1:00pm PST on November 19.

Other websites found so far to be related are TheIBBC.com, and GlobalEyesDevelopmentFund.org.

Suffice to say, this may well turn into a worldwide hunt for blood money, plus much more!  Others have since reported finding blood money conspicuously located near them.

Here’s the juicy bit:  There is substantial rumour this is the next project to come from the minds at 42 Entertainment (who also brought us alternate reality games and campaigns promoting properties such as The Dark Knight’s “Why So Serious”, Resistance 2, Gun’s “Last Call Poker”, and Halo 2’s “I Love Bees”)

It’s also fairly clear that this is a new campaign for the upcoming movie The International, starring Clive Owen (IMDB). The movie is scheduled for a February 13, 2009 release.

• Join in the discussion unfolding over at Unfiction!

Some other recipients of blood money reported online include: Movieweb, Firstshowing, Despoiler, Patmo, ARGN

UPDATE (11/19): The Los Angeles cache has been recovered (read the first hand report).  Much like the Berlin cache, new files and images have been revealed, including the answer to the mission: find a login to the IBBC secret archive, and report it to Salinger.

Tags: 42E, the international

Categories: ARGs General, Movies, Rabbit Hole

Early this morning, November 19 2008, recruits of the Dharma Initiative were sent an email from Hans Van Eeghan with some disheartening news. Here you can read it for yourself, and make of it what you will. (emphasis added)

Namaste.

I am pleased to announce that registered recruits can now log in and download your personalized Volunteer Assessment Dossier outlining your full test results as well as your position within the Dharma Initiative.

I want to personally congratulate you on behalf of everyone at the Dharma Initiative for your hard work and diligence during our testing process.

We hope that you are happy with your results. We certainly are. The tests were extremely challenging and the aptitude and excellence displayed far exceeded our expectations.

Now that you are in possession of your results I am sure you are asking the obvious question: what’s next?

Our plan was that together we would commence a glorious adventure: the revival of the Dharma Initiative using the myriad talents of all our amazing new recruits. We imagined not just fulfilling long abandoned goals but taking the Dharma Initiative to a new level of greatness as an organization promoting the peaceful social and technological advancement of all humankind.

Then the financial crisis struck.

Sadly, our benefactors were not immune to this crisis. In fact, unconfirmed reports suggest that much of the money designated for the work of the new Dharma Initiative was tied up in highly leveraged mortgage derivatives. This, however, cannot be confirmed because, I am sorry to report, the principals representing the benefactors – my employers – have gone missing. Based on bills still coming into our office we believe they are somewhere in South America.

This stunning reversal of fortune has forced us to abandon our ambitious plans. In fact, absent this funding, the Dharma Initiative was forced to make the only sensible decision we had available: we sold the Dharma Initiative to the television show LOST.

While this might strike some of you as a shock, the reason for this was not simply that they were the only bidder. As the only remaining Dharma Initiative employee who had not fled the country, I felt that at the very least the show would be able to keep the spirit of the Dharma Initiative alive and in the public consciousness until such time as a reversal of the reversal of our economic fortunes occurs.

It is with a heavy heart that I must bid you farewell. Despite my fervent commitment to the mission of the Dharma Initiative, the realities of a broken marriage, heavy casino debt and some unfounded police charges have required that I change my present circumstances. It is with great excitement that I can inform you of my pending senior sales management job at a large multi-brand auto dealership in Dubai. I have enjoyed our brief association more than I can ever express, and if you are ever in the Middle East and need a car, please e-mail me for a special “Dharma rate”.

In the meantime, you will hear shortly from LOST showrunners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse. They will explain to you their future plans for the Dharma Initiative and how these plans might affect you.

Thank you again, personally, for your unflagging commitment and support. I hope our paths will one day cross again. In the meantime may the spirit of the island guide you.

Namaste.

Hans Van Eeghen
Head of Recruiting
The Dharma Initiative

Could this be spelling the end of DharmaWantsYou.com as an extended reality component of LOST?  Or is this ‘all part of the plan’…?

Watch for Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse to address the community shortly, as I’m sure they’ll have some answers.

As a parting gift, however, be sure to log back into DharmaWantsYou.com and download your personalized Dossier certificate, indicating your position within the Dharma Initiative.  What’s your role in the Initiative?

And tune in to ABC (or CTV in Canada) in January when Lost’s new season begins.

UPDATE:  Hidden in the HTML source code of the email is the string “DSAqandaatgmaildotcom” – or: DSAqanda@gmail.com

If you email that address, you’ll receive an autoresponse about sending questions to the creators of lost (“DSA Q & A”).

Dharma Special Access with Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse.

Got a question for the creators of LOST?  Submit your question along with your name and hometown, and if selected, Damon and Carlton will answer it in a DSA announcement… that is, if you haven’t been a bad Black Swan.

Now’s your chance!

Tags: lost

Categories: ARGs General, TV Series

Songwraith returns.
Earlier this year in April, the Unfiction community stumbled on a trailhead they called “What If The Game Is A Coverup?“. I’d helped out by getting to a “live drop” in Toronto to retrieve an artifact for the story. Later there was another ‘meet’ in Galt, closer to home. It stalled at this point, but it’s recently returned with renewed vigour, now coined “The Game Is A Coverup“.

Once again, its activities seemed centered around south-western Ontario. Once again, a deaddrop appeared at the location of the last one. Only this time, the context was a little less ‘shady’.  So, mustering up some determination, I headed out, again, to the same location, this time guided by GPS coordinates to retrieve, what is effectively a geocache (but for an ARG, and just a pickup – a ‘deaddrop’)

dead drop – noun
A drop used for the clandestine exchange of intelligence information

In the ARG world, deaddrops are a small bite of heaven — It’s a hunt. An excursion. A task. A Quest. Gold of virtual story-telling.

Below is my tale of the Coverup deaddrop – the first likely of a few others to come for other lucky ARGers at other locations.

(As a side note, another recent campaign that made heavy use of ‘deaddrops’ is the Gears of War 2 promotion, though it wasn’t for ‘information’, but rather for limited unique GOW memorabilia which also unlocked special content online – see more in the article Gearing Up)
Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: coverup, deaddrop

Categories: ARGs General

It has a pulse… Is Project Abraham back?  Is the AAA alive and kicking?

The Alliance for American Autonomy left us over a month and a half ago, having gone underground after being discovered by the government.  But there was also a fax-like machine left where the ‘Tip Box’ used to be.  Now… the “waiting” light has a pulse.

So now, we wait…

• Join the discussion at Unfiction
• Catch up at the wiki

UPDATE! (Oct 20) – The website has been updated with a list of cities, and a countdown to Monday October 27 at 3pm Eastern (noon Pacific).

Tags: 42E, resistance, sony

Categories: ARGs General, Video games

Well, you know, we all want to change the world. But this revolution is within crisis having been forced underground, and will be untelevised.

An email was received the other day (seriously, email is like an emergency help-me hotline) from revolution8308@aol.com containing a strange strings of ones and zeros secret binary message, that decrypts to:

I hope you get this meSsage. I’ve been floating for weeks without an anchor, and I finally had To make my own home on Jesse’s old webpage, therevolutionuntelevised.blogspot.com. I fear that AnarchY follows you where ever you go, but that Is far beyoNd the point.
Please tell my SIster, Do not worry about mE. I can TrutHfully fEnd for mYself. These ARE hard times, my faithful COMpanIoN.
I need to Go. Please respond quickly.

An astute obsserver would notice the capitals, which eerily spell out: “STAY INSIDE THEY ARE COMING”.  Spooky…

From here, we’re led two directions – the link in the message is to a blog, therevolutionuntelevised, containing (at the time of writing) a single entry transmission by “J.A.”, expressing hope that it’s being read.  That is all.  Well, actually he commented after posting, saying:

If you want to help, Try finding eitHEr Finn or AllY. Those two ARE probably your best bet. But Don’t even try Arguing with AllisoN, she’ll GEt youR brain in a knOt. Her and Us UndergrounderS, we like codes.

Codes, like messages in capitals… hey speaking of capitals, there’s a bunch here, once again spelling out “THEY ARE DANGEROUS”.  …Who is “They”?  They are coming, and They are dangerous!  I seem to recall a documentary in theatres recently on these “They” people.

Second, a quick google of the email address also leads to another top secret public blog – revolutionwthincrisis, containing another transmssion #1, but this is from the U.N.D.E.R.G.R.O.U.N.D., labeled S.T.A.G.E. 1:

EMERGENCY TRANSMISSION 1:
 
Havenwood is collapsing around us. We’ve been forced underground by Stephen and his allies. If you’re recieving this, assistance is required. Repeat, this is a distress call. Assistance is required.

Well, after responding to revolutions8308, Esteed received another transmission:

Oh, thank goodness for human contact, even if it’s not Finn. You can call me J. I was…how should I say this…separated from my sister Hana and my host body (who we’ll call A.) about a week ago. I’ve been wandering in confusion ever since, trying to make contact without the other side knowing. I can’t tell you everything about them now, but be wary of a man called Stephen. HE IS DANGEROUS. FIND FINN AND ALLISON IF YOU CAN. THEY CAN HELP.

This message will self-destruct in 30 seconds. Not really.  But it should. That would be cool for an email.

Find Finn!  Find Allison!  Help J, and A, and stay away from They!

• Join the search and discussion at Unfiction

Tags: finn

Categories: ARGs General, Rabbit Hole

Tags: iamblind

Categories: ARGs General, Movies

The Alternate Reality Gaming genre has remained virtually untouched by mainstream / contemporary Christianity, it seems.  This doesn’t include, however, the trendy use of Bible verses that show up almost commonplace for poetic purposes, spiritual themes, emphasis of good vs evil, etc.  It’s a time-honoured tradition found in movies, tv, video games, books, and virtually any creative medium in use today, wihout necessarily being religious in nature.  So to have a Christian ARG – not a mock piece, not satirical (as opposed to religion, that is) – but an ARG built/sponsored by Christians, in an overwhelmingly secular entertainment/marketing genre, is rare.

Recently, Christian author Ted Dekker promoted his book series the Lost Books of History with a well-produced ARG. It attracted flocks of Dekker fans to the in-game forums and to Ted’s own forums, gained some new fans (such as yours truly, who ended up purchasing the books) and in the end a final gathering was enjoyed by many fans.

Another campaign for a youth event got off to a rocky start – “Everything is going to change” was the catch phrase, and their attempt to gain attention for their website via youtube videos tagged with popular ARG phrases and names, earned it a fairly bad reputation from the start in the ARG community, as if it were attempting to ‘piggy-back’ off the popularity of other games.

Today, a new controversy has opened to the public.  But this one’s a bit different…after a little digging.

When the trailhead was first posted at Unfiction, I was very, very skeptical. Citizens of Virtue claims to be a Christian organization that is beginning a campaign to “educate the world on God-sanctioned morality”, based on the “classic seven virtues”: Temperance, Patience, Chastity, Kindness, Humility, Diligence, and Charity.  That’s not too bad given the context.  But after reading more detail on the website, such as their convictions, written letters, their accomplishments, etc, the organization comes off more and more as a ‘right wing’ conservative organization – one that isn’t typically viewed very highly in the public’s eyes, with some shady goings-on behind the scenes.

“CoV” is also the maker of a drug they’ve named “Passionix” – “the innovative new solution to the passions that can override the judgment of our youth and lead them into temptation.”  (a product eerily reminiscent of another recent local ‘drug’ campaign called “Obay“).

CoV also runs a camp called Camp Francis.  All seems well and good, if it weren’t for some worrisome / possibly satirical letters and content from past campers.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: christian, citizens of virtue, loneshark, rob bell

Categories: ARGs General, Books