eRA

an ARG project pitch and Interactive Prototype by Natalie Whelan n8279829

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Reflection (THE UNIT)

Myself:

My roles within in the project were to create the audio message from Spencer, the Probull Flyer, edit some of the experiment photographs, Annie's Tumblr and the coded messages within that Tumblr. During the actual game play I was in charge of filming the event. For the documentation It was logical for me to write the Game Overview and Game Nodes & Interactions because I had filmed the actual event. I also edited the Game Play video. I felt the roles were shared equally and we all took on roles that our skills were best suited to.

My Team:

I am overall extremely happy with the outcome of the project. As a team we all worked very well together and each took on equal roles. We always met our goals of finishing certain tasks on the allocated dates. We regularly had team meetings and posted our work and progress on our group tumblr.

Our team never experienced and conflicts.

The ARG:

I felt the ARG was very successful. It flowed really nicely and I think the players were challenged. It helped that we had team members working behind the scenes to make sure all the object were in place. I updated the other team member and let them know what stages the players were up to (because I was following them with the camera) and that allowed them time to make sure the next activity was ready (For example Anja had to be outside kebab O'Clock, if she was there too early or too late it could have had a bad turn on the game.)

During the game the Audio for the Phone message was unclear. The players spent a long time trying to hear what it was saying. This was the only real negative aspect.

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Agency and Immersion in eRA

My narrative:

- good vs evil! - a journey (has a start and a finish) - urgency** Immersion and Agency: Immersive world:

eRA creates a world where players can become fully immersed within in the game, both online and off. The Participant is the hero and apart of a secret group. They are relied upon to participant and contribute. Their actions unfold the narrative. Agency:

Navigation (of space)/Orienteering: User if left to find information and move through the websites, forums, social networks and online puzzles. Players make an impact on the story. If they did not participant the story would not unfold. Problem Solving: Players solve a series of online and real world puzzles, riddles and surveys. They can play games to hack enemy websites and find hidden clues.

Performing Actions: - Thy canTeam up with other players. - Hiding from enemies. - Finding clues and sharing them on the forums. - They are competing against evil. - Using a mobile phone app to reveal clues. - following twitters Dealing with objects: - using mobile technology to find clues. - finding physical objects.

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Anonymous is a group initiating active civil disobedience through the internet while staying hidden.  Anonymous collective has become increasingly associated with collaborative, international hacktivism, undertaking protests and other actions, often with the goal of promoting internet freedom and freedom of speech.

Site: http://www.whyweprotest.net/

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Mockup design for Contro poster/notice. Links to website.

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Mockup design for the passworded eRA site. (flash based website)

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Mockup design for the Contro Technology website. Player can explore the website at own leisure.

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Mockup design for the interactive online game - "Hack machine." Players can move the Robot and explore various rooms and click on objects to get the robot to interact with it.

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Logo Sketches

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Media List!

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Equal Rights

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The Use Case Scenario

Step by Step:

1. Trailer is played in QUT lectures. If players are interested they will look up the URL given. (http://thisisnotajoke.com.au - not yet made)

2. Players will find a under maintenance site with an email address and a QR code. Participants must email the address provided.

3. They will be sent an email with a location code and a password.

4. The location code is of a book in the QUT Library. They are also given a page number. They must decipher the page to find the URL for the eRA's secret website.

5. The players then find the eRA's website but it appears they need a password. They use the one provided in the email and gain access.

6. The site opens up and they are greeted by a video message from the leader of eRA. Participants must then register to become an eRA member (recruitment.)

7. The user is left to explore the site. They can participate in the online training (game) and contribute to the forum.

8. After the eRA has received enough members a message will be posted on the website informing players of their first mission. There mission is to find Contro's website and go undercover.

9. Suspicious posters are beginning to appear around the QUT campus with a QR code. Players with the QR code reader can find the website and can post the link to the forum for those who don't.

10. Participants must sign up to the website and complete a online survey. They must complete the survey as if they are a Contro follower.

11. If they are successful they are granted access to the site. If not they can repeat.

12. The website contains all the information of Contro's new technology however there is no evidence to prove it is dangerous.

13. Players can also find Contro Technology's twitter through the website.

14. After players have explored the Contro site they must make their way back to the eRA's website where eRA thanks the players for successfully finding the site. Because of this, eRA where able to utilize their future technology to build a hack machine and implant one of their small robot devices into the building of Contro Technology.

15. This unlocks a new game for players where they control the small robot and view Contro's lab through the security cameras. They can move the small robot around the screen to open up contro's journal and interact with other objects. The player finishes the small mini game by finding a USB which contains evidence to take Contro down.

16. Just as they click on the USB a hand quickly snatches it away. Contro moves in front of the camera and directly talks to the player. He squishes the small robot device. He laughs and places the USB in the safe. The hack machine switches off. 

17. A new video message from eRA appears on the forum. They reassure to the player that hope isn't lost. They have a undercover eRA working within Contro Technology and because of their help now knows where the USB is hidden. However, the undercover member is highly paranoid and can not reveal his identity as Contro could be watching. So he places QR codes all around QUT leading to his location. Players must form teams and wear red t-shirts to identify each other. The first team of players to successfully find the undercover eRA and ask the right question, will receive the USB.

18. Shortly after players have formed their teams and begun the hunt, they receive text messages from Contro. He is on to them and has sent security out looking for the players. Players must dodge security.

19. As stated, the first team of players to find the undercover eRA will receive the USB and a map to where to take it.

20. All teams will receive a card with an address and a dress code. - Celebration Time!

21. The last video will be posted on the forum and/or played at the celebration event. It will show Dr Contro being arrested and eRA leaders (future and present) thanking the players and encouraging them to continue their fight for equality and freedom!

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The Use Case Scenario flow chart.

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Found a website which generates QR codes (http://qrcode.kaywa.com/)

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3 Things an ARG Should Do.

Be Narrative Driven The most important element of an ARG is it’s plot/storyline. This needs to be engaging, and go beyond the actions/events that the ARG Involves. 

Involve Player’s Problem Solving Skills  An ARG needs to involve puzzles/clues/documents that either need to be solved or put together to move the storyline forward. They should also, where possible, allow the storyline to be altered by the player’s actions in solving these puzzles to increase the sense of interactivity and ‘realism’ in the ARG.

Engage Player’s Across Multiple Mediums  To further the sense of realism and to blur the lines between reality and fiction, a success ARG needs to use multiple mediums in its delivery of content to it’s players. Some examples of possible mediums are:  

- Websites - Blogs/Twitter feeds/Online News Stories  - Viral Videos - Phone Conversations - Billboards/Posters - Real Life Interactions with Actors 

3 Things an ARG Should Avoid

Linear Plot or Lack of Interactivity As ARGs happen in the real world as well as virtual worlds, the players should have a deciding factor in how the story pans out. An ARG should be dynamic. 

No Sense of Urgency There needs to be a sense of urgency to spur the players on through the ARG, or else the ARG will feel sluggish, and quickly the player will lose interest. 

Appropriate Level of Difficulty This is perhaps the hardest factor to judge. Make a game too hard or challenging and players will lose interest after repetitively failing at a task. However, if it is too easy there is no sense of reward in accomplishing the tasks the ARG requires.

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Interface Mockup design for fake 'under maintenance' website, where players must email the address provided (QR code.)

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Style Inspiration

A few images which inspire the style for the logo and overall design aesthetics for eRA. Red is a strong colour used for movement (the fight for freedom.)

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Mockup of a poster. Minimal information is included as to promote the audience to question it and decipher it. They must figure out what 5181 means and/or links to.