New Media - The ARG

The Alternate Reality Game is a new art form for storytelling. Like video games it is lauded for interactivity but is set apart by alternating degrees of player agency. ARG's are difficult to define because they are so diverse. The format can vary from posts on Facebook, YouTube channels to individually owned websites.

Fun in an ARG can come in many forms. I find the most common to be in solving puzzles and enjoying the atmosphere the game masters are building. Where things get very interesting is when the audience can interact with the characters. Interactivity takes on a whole new meaning when you can talk to and advise the characters in a story. I'm using my first ARG experience as my prime example, Marble Hornets.

Centered around a film student trying to figure out why is friend dropped a project after months of work, marble hornets drops us in en media rez.(Hey guys I know Latin!)
After a few videos we get the sense that something isn't right about these tapes. Originally the videos were released weeks apart creating tension as we worried about Jay, the student watching his friend's tapes.

This style of ARG interests me for its delivery of story. We get movies allowing for more traditional forms of character recognition, empathy and similar forms of engaging in the story. However, through the twitter account we get interactivity with Jay. We got to advise and ask of Jay to bring us closer to the character and further into the story. This was effective because speaking with Jay gave a sense of reality to the events on the tapes.

Marble Hornets succeeded in bringing players in through interaction with the characters. Cause an ARG can take any form on any site I also applaud the game masters for using only YouTube and Twitter. The smaller range allowed for greater focus.

 ************************************************************

SPOILER ALERT

I'm about to talk about the end game. If you have any interest in looking over the videos come back later.

It is a great experience I don't want to rob you of it!

You have been warned. Now I am wrapping up so I won't be saying too much. The fear brought on by their camera techniques was both frugal and effective. Between that and the video responses of totheArk I was petrified during some junctions of the game. Though we are left on a cliff hanger with no real resolution I eagerly await the next installment. After all, Jay never said he was done.