Alternate Reality Game (ARG)

[wishingstar]

You guys are awesome...I have said that so many times.  Yes, Joey Skaggs, how I remember learning about that....just blew me away!!!! 
That whole list of hoaxes.....The Cardiff Giant....now I am actually wondering what exactly was all true.  Ever think that maybe "old" news articles
have been put into place for us to "find"?  I know it sounds over-paranoid, or over done...but really?  I think at least some news articles, current and past were all fictional accounts of things to make us think outside that box.   Our brains have indeed been stretched...perhaps that's why we were told Michael's brain was removed in the autopsy....almost a foretelling of what is about to happen to us believers.  Or what should happen in order for us to learn all we can about things.  Take your brain out and use it! 
And btw, BTC....that link you posted about S.T.U.D.Y. this one:

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Take a good look at the name of the person who posted that Ninanina .... just sayin'  :icon_lol:

Sometimes I feel like we are truly on display here....like a percentage of MJ fans knew about this, took an oath of silence and let the show begin.  TII said, "For the Fans" ..bec, what's that little pill thing called again, lol......my mind is totally shot, twisted, bent and contorted in ways that I never thought possible! Michael.....I don't know if I'd hug you, or run from you!!!!!   :smiley-vault-misc-150:

Blessings....we need them. 

PS> just saw curls note...yes, I totally understand! Right now I am drinking coffee from a gas station mug....the same gas station where I was told Michael Jackson died that day back on June 25, 2009.  I have it as a reminder of what a journey this has been, and will continue to be.  Sort of ironic I learned of his, "death" at a gas station, lol.  I am certain that even going forward, after bam or whatever it might be.....Michael will have something up his sleeve for the future.....that's what scares me   :affraid: :icon_lol:

[paula-c]

About the NIN Year Zero ARG...TS wrote the following as to the purpose behind the redirect:

This redirect was chosen for several reasons.  It [Year Zero] is an ARG, and yet not an ARG that is simply a game for entertainment; it is an ARG with a very important message, and one that goes along quite well with the TIAI message—in fact, the TIAI redirects were actually one form of ARG.

And like the “2012” film: the specifics of this Year Zero ARG are imaginary, but the concepts are very real. 

I believe this describes 'our' ARG closely.

Man, I hope not. That would suck a whole bunch. Not again... please, not again... Happy New Year! Here's a prozac cuz you're gonna need one to face the world this year...

x7

With L.O.V.E. always.

Remembering, Year Zero is an ARG that shows us a concept and a story quite interesting: some years in the future a series of bioterrorist in America attacks created panic and chaos among the population and the world as we know it will change with the arrival of the third world war. At the end of this the Church and the State will join to create a Government dictator and totalitarian, where the right to freedom of expression and the right to information will be deleted, and any act of rebellion will be severe (and deadly) punished. "But there are many who are tired of this and through various acts of rebellion (peaceful and not so peaceful) have decided to raise the voice and tell the world that this is wrong and we are going to do something" therefore have created a many of websites where you can express your ideas and opinions about the Government and show the world that there still a hope.

Las paginas Web en realidad existen;   


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at some point in the future be discovered the way to send information to the past, our present, and so warn mankind of the risk that runs if you continue his self-destructive career, but something went wrong, and the pages reached our time "corrupt" so to speak so. As they begin to discover the webpages related to the year Zero, the player see not only a form of expression against the Government, if not a story that involves many secrets. The most important of them is perhaps 'The presence' (see photo) a strange manifestation of which do not have an exact notion that or who is, only knows that it is a kind of dark, and giant hand of four fingers, which descends from the overcast skies and "attacking" the people who are to your aroundshow apocalyptic visions and causing a feeling of "massive repentance and psychological pain", going round the edge of viewers even to commit suicide.

































It is only a hallucination? A UFO phenomenon "It is the hand of God" suggests a spectator who now resides in a psychiatric hospital. "He is tired of our arrogance and our stupid wars, told me that it is time to clean this planet and start all again..."

This ARG shows us a metaphor of what could happen if do not do something to avoid that Governments make decisions each more mad and senseless and above all that we will let it.

[bec]

Some brilliant posts here - thanks everyone!

All this talk takes me back to my simple gut feelings when I first became open to the idea of MJ faking his death - you know, before those endless journeys into rabbit holes that not only opened eyes but also significantly muddied the waters!  He is an entertainer first and foremost, always with a message of love and concern for mankind and the earth, but a performer/artist nonetheless, constantly trying to do bigger and better.  A death hoax is SO Michael Jackson! I know that's oversimplifying things somewhat, but you get the gist of those early feelings that I return to now with a sense of them not being too far off the mark!

Yup! We were right all along but lacked the self confidence to fully embrace it. What a journey, what a game!

Listen to  Behind the Mask again. He's singing to his fans. He's questioning whether they love HIM, as they say, because from where he stands, they love the portrayal they have been fed, right up to the end. By loving that emaciated, drug addicted, washed up old has-been pop star depicted in this death hoax, they seriously insult him!! They also insult themselves that they cannot see the forest for the trees. They know HIM! Come on! They need to stop believing the bullshit!! It's offensive, it really is.

This IS a fan Sting as much as it is a media sting! They are going to get a much deserved slap across the face into reality!

Dead drug addict?? Come ON!!

[BeTheChange]

@Wish...yes, very interesting username. Maybe coincidence...maybe not lol.  I often wonder just how many 'usernames' were used in the production of this and how many are STILL being used.  IF this is an ARG, in whole or in part (and all signs point to us being in one)....then that is a real possibility, perhaps even necessary.  Even if not necessary, the use of 'fake' usernames adds another layer of truth vs. fiction....while 'moving' the game along or in a certain direction.

@Paula, thanks for the Year Zero info.  TS specifically drew our attention to this ARG, I believe, because of the many parallels.

...a spectator who now resides in a psychiatric hospital

I think I may end up with the same fate  :icon_lol:

With L.O.V.E. always.

[onthewingsoflove]

  I am certain that even going forward, after bam or whatever it might be.....Michael will have something up his sleeve for the future...

Double BAM!!!

[flory24]

Just found a good example:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58KPeTW2YME&lr=1[/youtube]

I noticed the following similarities:
- the idea of 33 keys
- the “unifos” (la croix vert police) are exactly like the guys that delivered the TII single.
- the press being involved (it makes me think of TMZ)
- the key-bloggers being involved
 
But, you can tell is a game, though. In our case, it's a much more serious situation...we are talking about people's feelings and sanity...


One idea came to my mind today just out of the blue: what if the "Dome Project" that MJ was supposed to work on, is actually "this" project. When I looked back of what have been happening after his death, and more importantly before, I believe that this whole strange circumstances' stuff reality started with O2 Arena concert announcements.... and believe or not... the O2 Arena place was initially built as Millennium Dome....

[everlastinglove_MJ]

One idea came to my mind today just out of the blue: what if the "Dome Project" that MJ was supposed to work on, is actually "this" project. When I looked back of what have been happening after his death, and more importantly before, I believe that this whole strange circumstances' stuff reality started with O2 Arena concert announcements.... and believe or not... the O2 Arena place was initially built as Millennium Dome....

Very interesting thought Flory. The Dome Project has always intrigued me and it seems, according to some reports, that MJ was VERY busy with the Dome Project You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login during the rehearsals. A project related to O2 concerts, Thriller etc. though in particular to hoax purposes, probably started years before MJ´s ´death´ and where plans for the BIGGEST SHOW ON EARTH were developed with the ultimate goal to find justice and to reveal the truth to the whole world. And in order to get the best impact to the public this show wil be jawdropping, innovative and groundbreaking. Think about the interesting hologram developments with a link to Lightman in This Is It "Piece by piece by piece by piece Michael will reveal himself"

Wish, great that you started this interesting thread. All posts with different points of view are a great contribution to this ARG investigation!

LOVE

[sweetsunsetwithMJ]

Now I'm totally confused!!! I thought TS said in one of his quotes that the hoax is not for entertaining reasons and that we should take it seriously. Could someone please post the quote? > confused, so confused, very confused.....

Yes I believe this hoax is something serious of course but I think Michael is trying to disguise his grief and suffering with entertainment with this ARG, he had never wanted us to suffer with the true reasons of faking his death so the only way to cope and make this hoax more bearable is keeping us entertained but it doesn't mean that this hoax is a game or something not serious but I understand your point of view. 

[diggyon]

Agree with you about TS bec.  The levels were never finished (as TS promised he would) because a few of us got ahead of ourselves.  TS was supposed to debunk (in theory) the various theories of what happened on June 25th, starting with Live-MJ-was-there but his arguments weren't strong enough and we called him on it.  That was the only time I can recall TS having a real sort of tone in his posts.  My belief about that is that we were too close to the truth and why TS wanted to debunk that one right away.  I could be wrong of course but why did he just stop after that?

TS is definitely part of the ARG, he was basically our main player for the first 2 years.  The re-directs kept us guessing and speculating.  He would be serious but could joke around and have fun with us.  What we are seeing from him now with the Signs threw a lot of people off initially back in January but he had been hinting at all the religious aspects since 2009, even mentioning back then that he would go into much more detail about the Ark of the Covenant, which he did this past January.  It all seemed to be leading up to these signs and TS had already established his cred by then.  He tells many irrefutable truths but is slippery.  I wish he was still active on the forum here.

If we agree that TS is from Michael's side, since Michael is the "Puppetmaster" who has all this ARG in control, then we can simply come to the conclusion that Michael is the one who stopped TS from continuing the "levels" as TS is/ was only an informer taking orders from the "Puppetmaster".
I do agree that many usernames were used to help this ARG go forward, but not only usernames, I guess some photoshopped avatars too!!! JMHO   :icon_e_wink:

[everlastinglove_MJ]

Sometimes during these 3 years I have been wondering if some things/news/events were part of the hoax or reality, are we part of it or not?  :computer-losy-smiley:
I did some research in ARG movies and ARG in connecion to the media and I've read that ARG and Transmedia storytelling share the same criteria. The movie "I'm Still Here" about a hoax crossed my mind and this movie is considered to be a transmedia storytelling.

In Transmedia storytelling, content becomes invasive and fully permeates the audience's lifestyle. A transmedia project develops storytelling across multiple forms of media in order to have different "entry points" in the story; entry-points with a unique and independent lifespan but with a definite role in the big narrative scheme

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More about Transmedia:

Transmedia Storytelling, Fan Culture and the Future of Marketing
Published: July 03, 2012 in Knowledge@Wharton


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The rise of each new medium -- print, motion pictures, radio, television -- introduces new forms of communication and entertainment. Often, the new medium initially replicates what came before: Many early movies were filmed stage plays, and early television programs were based on their radio antecedents. Eventually, however, each new medium evolves into its own form.

Our current multi-channel, multi-screen, "always on" world is giving rise to a new form of storytelling, dubbed "transmedia," that unfolds a narrative across multiple media channels. A single story may present some elements through a television series or a motion picture with additional narrative threads explored in comic books, video games or a collection of websites and Twitter feeds. Depending on their level of interest, fans can engage in selection of these story elements or follow all of them to fully immerse themselves in the world of the story.

Andrea Phillips first encountered transmedia storytelling back in 2001 when a friend told her about a baffling website by the Anti-Robot Militia, a group opposed to the advance of cybernetic humans. On further investigation, she found other online clues that expanded the mystery, and she even participated in real-world events related to the story, such as an Anti-Robot Militia rally in New York. Phillips later discovered these elements were part of an elaborate marketing campaign -- later known as "The Beast" -- created by a team at Microsoft to promote Steven Spielberg's forthcoming film, A.I. Artificial Intelligence.

Her adventure exploring the world portrayed in "The Beast" had a profound impact on Phillips, who decided that this was the type of work she wanted to do. She went on to become a full-time free-lance transmedia author, working on the interactive treasure hunt "Perplex City," the immersive online sensory experience "The Maester's Path" in conjunction with HBO's "Game of Thrones," and the Facebook-based human rights game "America 2049." Her new book, A Creator's Guide to Transmedia Storytelling: How to Captivate and Engage Audiences across Multiple Platforms, offers advice and guidelines for authors interested in exploring this emerging field.

Knowledge@Wharton recently sat down with Phillips in New York City to discuss the evolution of transmedia storytelling and how these narrative techniques are being used to engage consumers and find new ways to market everything from movies to consumer products.

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I found this vid "Bard 5.0, The Evolution  of Storytelling":

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4qMBhr5Oq4 [/youtube]

"Bard 5.0: The Evolution of Storytelling" - Influential pioneer who defined the alternate reality entertainment genre worldwide. Sean Stewart is Co-Founder and lead writer for Fourth Wall Studios. Sean is an award-winning science fiction novelist, a groundbreaking figure in transmedia storytelling, and the most experienced and influential writer of Alternate Reality Games (ARGs) in the world. A graduate of the University of Alberta in Edmonton and currently based in California, Sean has founded four genre defining companies including 42 Entertainment and Fourth Wall Studios, behind ARG campaigns including The Beast, I Love Bees, Year Zero, and Vanishing Point (Microsoft). In publishing, he has continued to push the envelope of the traditional novel with the transmedia Cathys Book, a New York Times and international bestseller currently published in twenty countries and a dozen languages around the world.

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LOVE

[ellyd]

Lovely.

"The art of storytelling at this point is not about dictating to an audience.
It's a dance.
It's a 'hold out your hand' and ask if the other person would like to play too."

Hope you enjoy dancing with us this far, Michael, as much as we do.

[wishingstar]

@everlastinglove_MJ.....awesome, awesome, awesome......storytelling at a whole new level.....brilliant!  Great stuff for sure....
*btw...my laptop is horrible can't write much...just to let u know

Love & Blessings

[paula-c]

The curtain - The curtain is usually a metaphor to separate the puppetmasters of the player. You can be under complete secrecy as to the identity of the puppeteer and his involvement in the production, or only cite the fact that the puppetmasters cannot communicate directly with players during the game, interacting with the characters and participating in the design. (Front, TS,.. TMZ, Larry King, …) :suspect:

[Australian MJ BeLIEver]

I cant believe I only just saw this thread. Feel sorta lame now making that ARG post in the front thread yesterday, when everyone is in here talking about it already LOL


Paula, I think this is really interesting re the curtain separating puppetmaster. As we know preparations for this hoax started way back in bad era. (which is crazy huh, as ARG is more of a current concept) However, I kind of think that the 02 announcement was the start of the hoax. Telling the public that there were going to be concerts (we know they were never going to happen)

Interesting that this was the event where MJ stepped out from behind the red curtain and the puppetmaster was distinguished in the ARG and it commenced from there. "people buying into the ARG" or preparing to see MJ in concert, 02 announcement gets everyone's attention and ARG commences, the rest is HIStory and the hoax just snowballs from there.


I am really loving the ARG theory right now. I think that it not just the only reason for hoax, but in addition to being a partial reason for the hoax its the platform / medium for it or the way it was rolled out. I believe there are other reasons too, I cant decide amongst all of the theories, been going in circles too long, so am just trusting that it will reveal itself in time.

Or perhaps the different 'theories of why' (media sting, medical, media prank, biblical enlightenment, movie, etc etc) are there to keep us all tuned, as we all have different interests and perhaps need different carrots.


Anyways, I'm rambling. Sorry

[Australian MJ BeLIEver]

As explained above, I'm a late arrival to this thread and the wiki stuff has already been discussed, anyhow at the risk of being 'Lame to the power of 7' I will just dump yesterdays post I made in the front thread, LOL.[/size]


This information is nothing new, I am sure many similar posts exist in the old forum and other archived forums. (hope I don't bore you old timers!) However just posting it up here for some of the newer members or other members that aren't sold on ARG. Just food for thought, not saying this is what we have on our hands conclusive.


The information I am posting is taken from Wiki: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login


What is ARG?

An alternate reality game (ARG) is an interactive narrative that uses the real world as a platform and uses transmedia storytelling to deliver a story that may be altered by participants' ideas or actions.

The form is defined by intense player involvement with a story that takes place in real-time and evolves according to participants' responses. Subsequently, it is shaped by characters that are actively controlled by the game's designers, as opposed to being controlled by artificial intelligence as in a computer or console video game. Players interact directly with characters in the game, solve plot-based challenges and puzzles, and collaborate as a community to analyze the story and coordinate real-life and online activities. ARGs generally use multimedia, such as telephones, email and mail but rely on the Internet as the central binding medium.


Similarities to and differences from other forms of entertainment

Computer/console/video games. While ARGs generally use the internet as a central binding medium, they are not played exclusively on a computer and usually do not require the use of special software or interfaces. Non-player characters in ARGs are controlled in real-time by the puppetmasters, not computer AI.

Role-playing games (RPGs) and Live action role-playing games (LARPs). The role of the puppetmaster in creating ARG narratives and the puppetmaster's relationship with an ARG's players bears a great deal of similarity to the role of a game master, gamemaster or referee in a role-playing game. However, the role of the players is quite different. Most ARGs do not have any fixed rules—players discover the rules and the boundaries of the game through trial and error—and do not require players to assume fictional identities or roleplay beyond feigning belief in the reality of the characters they interact with (even if games where players play 'themselves' are a long standing variant on the genre).[6] Also, the This Is Not A Game aesthetic is distinctive to ARGs, not being present in the RPGs or LARPs.

Massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs). As outlined above with computer games and traditional role-playing games, non-player characters in ARGs are controlled by real people in real time, not by computer AI; ARGs do not generally require special software or interfaces to play; the games do not require players to roleplay or create characters or avatars; and ARGs generally use multiple media and real life in addition to the internet to distribute their narratives.

Viral marketing/internet hoaxes. While ARGs are often used as a type of viral marketing, they diverge sharply from the philosophy behind "sponsored consumers" or other viral marketing practices that attempt to trick consumers into believing that planted shills for a product are other independent consumers. Similarly, they also diverge from sites or narratives that genuinely try to convince visitors that they are what they claim to be. Puppetmasters generally leave both subtle and overt clues to the game's fictional nature and boundaries where players can find them (e.g. through clearly fictional names on site registrations) and many ARGs openly flaunt obviously fictional plots. The puppetmasters of the genre's seminal example, the Beast,(see below)[7] made it a point of pride never to pretend to be players in order to solicit publicity or nudge players along, and the Terms of Service of Unfiction, the central community site for the ARG genre, strictly prohibit individuals involved in creating games from posting about them without disclosing their involvement.[8]


It gets more interesting...



Unique terminology

Among the terms essential to understand discussions about ARGs are:

Puppetmaster – A puppetmaster or "PM" is an individual involved in designing and/or running an ARG. Puppetmasters are simultaneously allies and adversaries to the player base, creating obstacles and providing resources for overcoming them in the course of telling the game's story. Puppetmasters generally remain behind the curtain while a game is running.[3] The real identity of puppet masters may or may not be known ahead of time.

The Curtain – The curtain, drawing from the phrase, “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain,” is generally a metaphor for the separation between the puppetmasters and the players.[3] This can take the traditional form of absolute secrecy regarding the puppetmasters' identities and involvement with the production, or refer merely to the convention that puppetmasters do not communicate directly with players through the game, interacting instead through the characters and the game's design.

Rabbithole/Trailhead – A rabbithole, or trailhead, marks the first media artifact, be it a website, contact, or puzzle, that draws in players. Most ARGs employ a number of trailheads in several media to maximize the probability of people discovering the game. Typically, the rabbithole is a website, the most easily updated, cost-effective option.[4]

This Is Not A Game (TINAG) – Setting the ARG form apart from other games is the This Is Not A Game sentiment popularized by the players themselves. It is the belief that “one of the main goals of the ARG is to deny and disguise the fact that it is even a game at all.”[5]



Puppetmaster.... Curtain.... Rabbit Hole..... This is not a game (staying in role)


Remind you of....



hmm, nice red 'Curtains' MJ...


Rabbits. A reoccurring theme.








THIS IS NOT A GAME.... aka, THIS IS NOT IT... Jermaine's message.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-My8PJO3qTs[/youtube]


Damn I L.O.V.E this hoax!