It's been a while since I've just typed and shared thoughts and whatnot... it's easy just to go linking to 'cool stuff' on the web, but that gets too impersonal. I've left LJ in the dust for the past while, due to the twitter effect.
Just a recap - I'm not just on LJ, I'm spread out for various purposes on Flickr (photos), Twitter (general updates, networking, social), Wikibruce (ARGish blogging), and Facebook (find me if you know me)... and yeah that pretty much covers my active sites.
Anyway, so I've been thinking much more on ARGs lately, in the general sense (that means, inclusive of all the possible various names people are using now to describe the genre as a whole, if it can even be 'described' per se)... if you take a gander at recent articles I've posted at wikibruce, there's so much variation in the 'games' being produced now, it's nuts. And the moment anyone tries to create a name they feel best describes..whatever it is they're describing... someone else comes along asking "well what about this game, or that ad, or...?"
So I guess the question is - what am I currently personally interested in, or intrigued by?
1) First, I'm not 'playing' these things (games, for lack of a better term) as much as I used to, but I am watching and observing a lot, and moreso learning from those who are heading up these challenges. No small tasks, they are, whatever the medium or their purpose.
2) I'm greatly impressed and encouraged to see the genre taking on positive goals, 'games for good', considering social/societal needs or beneficial outcomes that essentially focus more on helping others than just pure entertainment value.
3) I think given my full time desk job, I'm more inclined though to watch games closely that do have entertainment value... it's better, I think, if they also have some constructive content (see #1), but usually games that are more 'social' centered require more input and time and dedication. But I think with so much going on, I feel sometimes spread thin, so it's hard to focus on one or two campaigns, let alone games that require active or constant input to be engaging. It's great seeing Jane McGonigal going crazy with the social games though :) like the TSDO (top secret dance-off) competition... More intriguing though is her work with IFTF (Institute for the Future); the motivations they have about 'forecast' games, where a situation is presented, and during a short period of time people are asked to respond to the evolving environment taking place over years to decades, effectively predicting and attempting to 'solve' these questions. World Without Oil is a past project that got a lot of attention. Their most recent project is called Signtific - exploring the future of science and technology. The latest game endeavor launching around Feb 18th is Free Space - the idea that in the (near?) future, occupation of space will be as common, cheap and important as owning a website is today for business. I'm very tempted to get involved with this one :)
4) Occasionally some great discussion threads are posted at Unfiction in which some good debates may ensue at times :). Topics such as politics and ARGs, dead-drops and privacy, controversial commentaries about "ARG"s, and more...
5) I was at an event in toronto recently discussing 'Game Theory' - "Game On! Can Game Theory predict reality in politics, economics and dating strategies?" - I recorded the entire enlightening discussion, an event hosted by the Science Center's Cafe Scientifique. I intend to get the contents of that panel discussion with Tony Walsh, Tom Mitchell, and Star Spider online soon... again, time is the problem :P
More recently though I've been contemplating a story for an ARG that would take a closer look at exploration of the arts, appreciation of the creative aspect of our humanity, and how it can help us in a strive for happiness and belonging... I feel out of my league though seeing some of the depth and immense quality of writing that's coming out of some independent minds in the community, let alone what dedicated organizations and teams are producing :)
Now of course the other problem is ... with a growing desire to explore "alternate realities" as it were, one can't lose focus on "reality" :) whether it's from playing games, or creating them, if it's not your primary focus in life (aka: full time job) then it can't be your primary focus in life. Priorities! :)
Anyway, this turned into an ARG/game centric post, so I'll leave it at that for now...
Just a recap - I'm not just on LJ, I'm spread out for various purposes on Flickr (photos), Twitter (general updates, networking, social), Wikibruce (ARGish blogging), and Facebook (find me if you know me)... and yeah that pretty much covers my active sites.
Anyway, so I've been thinking much more on ARGs lately, in the general sense (that means, inclusive of all the possible various names people are using now to describe the genre as a whole, if it can even be 'described' per se)... if you take a gander at recent articles I've posted at wikibruce, there's so much variation in the 'games' being produced now, it's nuts. And the moment anyone tries to create a name they feel best describes..whatever it is they're describing... someone else comes along asking "well what about this game, or that ad, or...?"
So I guess the question is - what am I currently personally interested in, or intrigued by?
1) First, I'm not 'playing' these things (games, for lack of a better term) as much as I used to, but I am watching and observing a lot, and moreso learning from those who are heading up these challenges. No small tasks, they are, whatever the medium or their purpose.
2) I'm greatly impressed and encouraged to see the genre taking on positive goals, 'games for good', considering social/societal needs or beneficial outcomes that essentially focus more on helping others than just pure entertainment value.
3) I think given my full time desk job, I'm more inclined though to watch games closely that do have entertainment value... it's better, I think, if they also have some constructive content (see #1), but usually games that are more 'social' centered require more input and time and dedication. But I think with so much going on, I feel sometimes spread thin, so it's hard to focus on one or two campaigns, let alone games that require active or constant input to be engaging. It's great seeing Jane McGonigal going crazy with the social games though :) like the TSDO (top secret dance-off) competition... More intriguing though is her work with IFTF (Institute for the Future); the motivations they have about 'forecast' games, where a situation is presented, and during a short period of time people are asked to respond to the evolving environment taking place over years to decades, effectively predicting and attempting to 'solve' these questions. World Without Oil is a past project that got a lot of attention. Their most recent project is called Signtific - exploring the future of science and technology. The latest game endeavor launching around Feb 18th is Free Space - the idea that in the (near?) future, occupation of space will be as common, cheap and important as owning a website is today for business. I'm very tempted to get involved with this one :)
4) Occasionally some great discussion threads are posted at Unfiction in which some good debates may ensue at times :). Topics such as politics and ARGs, dead-drops and privacy, controversial commentaries about "ARG"s, and more...
5) I was at an event in toronto recently discussing 'Game Theory' - "Game On! Can Game Theory predict reality in politics, economics and dating strategies?" - I recorded the entire enlightening discussion, an event hosted by the Science Center's Cafe Scientifique. I intend to get the contents of that panel discussion with Tony Walsh, Tom Mitchell, and Star Spider online soon... again, time is the problem :P
More recently though I've been contemplating a story for an ARG that would take a closer look at exploration of the arts, appreciation of the creative aspect of our humanity, and how it can help us in a strive for happiness and belonging... I feel out of my league though seeing some of the depth and immense quality of writing that's coming out of some independent minds in the community, let alone what dedicated organizations and teams are producing :)
Now of course the other problem is ... with a growing desire to explore "alternate realities" as it were, one can't lose focus on "reality" :) whether it's from playing games, or creating them, if it's not your primary focus in life (aka: full time job) then it can't be your primary focus in life. Priorities! :)
Anyway, this turned into an ARG/game centric post, so I'll leave it at that for now...
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