ARGs in Education

Looks like I finally have the opportunity to create an ARG(lite anyway) for Tate Kids, and it’s going to be so beyond awesome. So far, I’ve got Max on the writing team, and we’re working on bashing out the storyline for it as I type. I can’t say too much at this stage, but will fill you in with snippets.

Seriously exciting stuff.

Check this out, friends. This was the not-for-profit game Adrian was cryptically talking about when he emailed me all those months ago. If you are simply too lazy to click the link, basically it’s a competition to create a game that helps the work of Cancer Research. If you win, you get funding to design your game and Hon et al will support you.

 How freaking wicked is this – arrgh, simply too cool.

 Who wants to help me come up with an idea…I will obviously share the kudos – and I need a team of three people…

My course buddy (and sometime colleague) Sai very helpfully sent me the link this article today from Futurelab about the potential of ARGs in an educational context. How very apt, I here you all cry. I concur. Especially as I have firmly decided to do it for my dissertation. Actually, its not a dissertation any more, it’s a report of between 9,000 – 10,000 words. In case you are interested this academic year I’m also doing Children’s Media Culture and Learning in Galleries: Engaging with Visual Culture.  Should be a good way to end the MA methinks.

It looks like I might have an ARG to study for my dissertation afterall!

There is a group of Facebook called Transmedia, where Transmediums (!) like myself discuss the finer points of cross-medianess. It’s an open group, so join in if you are interested.

Through the group I have got in touch with Alexa from Belgium who is willing to show me their intial research etc.

She blogs here.

Very kindly, she sent me a number of links to get me started, which I am happy to share with you. Once I have had a detailed read, I will post a response up here.

Her pilot in Poland

The eMappps project

An Introduction to ARGS is a simple presentation I put together for my employers, so it may be useful for the uninitiated. Comments, as always, welcomed.

I was supposed to wait for my week off, but I couldn’t help it, I’ve started Cathy’s book, and by start, I mean I’ve finshed the narrative, without partaking in any of the ARG as yet, but ready to go. Whoo. I don’t want to spoil the story, for anyone that plans to read it but it ROCKS. I was a bit WTF, but it was just so good. It’s a book for teen girls, but I guess that’s what I still am, at heart *cue violins*.

Initial points of note:
1. There is, now obvious, thinking about it, an English version of the game (which save us in the UK calling US phone numbers). To kick off, you had to email cathy@cathysbook.co.uk. Although I have the US version, I sent and email and I see I have an email already. Coolness. That’s something to thinking about – if you were doing and E-ARG, UK wide, you would need the numbers to be cheap so Eire and others could get involved with limited expense to the users. Local rate or freephone numbers it is then. Or Skype. Whoo. I nearly forgot about Skype.

2. There is definately some CoverGirl cosemetics product placement going on, and there is a business card from a company called BeingGirl.com, the ‘nice, caring face’ of P&G, who make and sell Tampax and Always Ultra Plus with Wings and a swimming float or whatever the latest super-asborbant add-on is. EdComs used to work with them, coincidentally.

3. There are forums.

4. 42 Enertainment are the writers. Note to self: Email Sean Stewart for dissertation.

**UPDATE**

Re 1: It’s not an English version per se – you just use the Double Talk Wireless site to listen to the voicemail, which is what the other users should do to save some cash.

Aleks Krotoski rocks. She used to present the show Bits about games, which although on late, was good stuff. Luckily got to see her at the Dana Centre last month when I went to thier web 2.0 event. Anyhows – she writes a games blog for the guardian and has a number of posts on ARGs. Coolness. I see she’s mentioned a company called Blast Theory, who make ARGs and are also based in Brighton. Awesome. Will check them out and keep you updated.

Yay! I got a reply from Ken Bautista from Hotrocket. I’m hoping to study their E-ARG, CIE. Trouble is, it’s in Canada, and I’m poor. Might need to get some funding.

Anyway, here’s what he says:

My apologies for the delay in getting back to you on this. Thanks for
your interest in our project – we’re excited about it as well!

I can’t say much more than what’s already on the site, but we are on
track to launch in October 2007. It’ll be open to kids across North
America, but we’re starting it out fairly grassroots initially and
expect the audience to build over the first 8-10 months (as they’re
given missions/tasks by the Agency). My degree is in elementary
education and instructional technology… but never did go into the
classroom. I started the company to address the need for more
compelling interactive content for kids that was both highly
entertaining and educational. With the C.I.E. we’re attempting to
create an experience that actively implicates kids to foster critical
thinking, problem solving, etc. and set the experience against a
backdrop of natural and human history. Adding to the mix is the
notion of mixed media storytelling, using web, mobile, and real
locations, to immerse kids in the experience. My fingers are crossed
that it’ll be successful!

So, as soon I as we have more information that we can distribute, I
will be sure to forward those on to you. We’ll also be putting up
more on our site as we get closer to our launch date. Until then!

Ken

Whoop! Some inside knowledge coming my way.

…brought to my attention by Richard Sebastian. Many thanks, Richard.

“I do know of a very interesting educational ARG being developed here
in the US–near Baltimore– one that I attempted to study for my
dissertation but its development schedule was so uncertain I decided
not to wait around for it to be finished. I signed an NDA so I can’t
talk about the game itself, but I could put you in touch with one of
the designers if you are interested. I also have been in touch with a
teacher in TX who is developing an ARG for his high school class.”

This is great news for me, as I can see that people are actively developing E-ARGS, but it is dissapointing to see that none of these are from the UK (or great for me, maybe, once mine is developed…).

I have been speaking to Adrian Hon of Mind Candy who does know of one UK E-ARG that is in the pipe line, but I can’t say any more than that. Because I don’t know more than that. But once I do, I will post it here.

This time from Canada, to start 2008. First impressions=cool. Will keep an eye on this one.

Be nice to see England doing something similiar! Come on, let’s do it!