Alternate Reality Games and Psychology.

Hello everyone. This is a question I have been dying to ask. I am also trying to gauge how many of you are familiar with and/or are interested in Alternate Reality Games.
For sake of reading time I will not describe the very basics of ARG's, if you are not familiar I suggest you Wiki

I am very intrigued by ARG's for many reasons but the trait that interests me most is their ability to distort and change reality.

I strongly believe in the ability of a group consciousness to alter reality.

Take Reclaim The Streets for example. When you are a participant in an event like this you enter into a reality tunnel that is held in common with every individual involved in the action. While you are involved in the reclaim the streets party the reality IS that the streets belong to the party, not cars, not the cops, not anyone but those involved in that reality tunnel. Bystanders gazing from outside might look and think "what are those people doing in the middle of the street, blocking traffic?" but, for the people in the party they are not blocking traffic, they ARE the traffic, this truly is your reality.

Sort of like in the situation of a protest where you experience an intense 'battle' with the police. During that moment you are fighting the revolution. It may not turn out that way but thats how you are experiencing it, it is exactly the same. Are the means any less valid than the ends?

This is my perspective on ARG's. While you are participating in the experience, it IS your reality, you are actually manipulating your material reality to your (or someone else's) liking. Due to the transmedia nature of ARG's they can become engulfing enough to really invade your normal reality tunnel.

No longer do people just stare at a screen or some other rectangular device for their entertainment, the entertainment invades their life.

You may receive phone calls, faxes at work, packages in the mail, photographs of yourself in some cases. The experience hits you on all fronts. People are even sent on real life 'missions'.

I have dabbled in a few ARG's and I must say that when I as paying attention to them I was totally a part of them, I became the detective, a spy, a code breaker, what ever the task at the time was, I was fully engulfed, fully in character. I feel like just about everyone else experiences ARG's with the same level of submersion. People become a part of the experience.

Is anyone else out there interested in ARG's? Anyone else noticed their ability and potential to mold reality?

What do you think is the potential of ARG's? Honestly, I think in 7 years they will be a very large genre with lots of people involved even though they are still fairly low key now. We have had the same old entertainment routines for decades now, people are craving something more.

What do you think?

Oh come on, I cant be the only one on these forums interested in ARG's and their potential....

Is their really nobody else?

reply to post by Brahmanite


My friend you have uncovered what it means to be enlightened. The ability to alter reality consciously and for your own benefit. You are probably focusing on this as some physical experience but I tell you what you just wrote; whether you knew it or not is what a lot of people are referring to when mentioning they have become enlightened. Now if only the people involved in these alternative reality games would alter our current reality with their imagination we might actually make some movement. Or maybe we should all just play a game called...let's make this world a better place.

reply to post by Brahmanite


While I think the idea of this sort of thing, while not for me, can be fun for some people, it could open up a new sort of mental disorder.

Say a person is SO into this ARG about a serial murderer. They are the detective, and through a series of events, the detective is fooled over and over again. He gets so into it he eats breathes and sleeps this ARG. Maybe he commits real crimes in the process.

I know this is an extreme, but it, to me, is no different then when highschool kids get into their different "Scenes" yea, they are by and large harmless, but there are those goth kids that take it a little to far ya know? I remember seeing one of those TV news magazines about this goth/vampire kid that kidnapped his girlfriend and committed a murder as well. I'll try to find a source on it.

I've seen people play this sort of thing in real life, and it is quite weird from the outside. But I think as long as everyone is mentally kept in check, it's all good...no different then video games by and large.

Or maybe we should all just play a game called...let's make this world a better place.

There you go, now you are starting to get the idea.

I am absolutely aware of the 'enlightenment' aspect of ARG's, it was one of the driving intrigues that led me to post this. In fact, the Occult/esoteric are much more deeply intertwined with ARG's than just that aspect.

There are many people that are and have been involved in the development of the genre that are very familiar with esoteric philosophy of reality manipulation. I would even suggest that many people interested in esoteric studies become interested in ARG's because they recognize the 'power' of them..

The power of the Myth is an incredible one indeed. Myth can be much more profound than truth and sometimes even more relevant.

To consider alternate realities a 'game' limits my ability of an intelligent discussion on the matter. Virtual realities is a more appropriate name for them.

The discussion can range from cybertronics, simulation, magic interpretation, optimization, utilizations, virtualization, ubiquitousness, and the render engines. Take your pick.

At least consider the monitor in front of is real and the colors do really change in front of you, so that is no game. That is an example and more obvious manipulation of reality.

reply to post by iamsupermanv2

I know this is an extreme, but it, to me, is no different then when highschool kids get into their different "Scenes" yea, they are by and large harmless, but there are those goth kids that take it a little to far ya know? I remember seeing one of those TV news magazines about this goth/vampire kid that kidnapped his girlfriend and committed a murder as well. I'll try to find a source on it.

How many "TV news magazines" do you read that talk about other murders committed by completely normal looking individuals, old people, women, priests, veterans etc., etc.? Do you make such generalizations with people like that as you do with 'goth' people?

Some of 'everybody' take things too far, not just "those goth kids".

You also mentioned the fear of a detective character becoming way too 'in character' and committing crimes but my argument about this is based on the same principle mentioned above. When criminal offences are perpetrated we must focus on the individual....Do you want to ban movies books and video games? They all certainly have provocative themes and are undeniably enthralling or captivating. It was Mark David Chapman that was found by police holding The Catcher in The Rye immediately after shooting John Lennon.

How many people have murdered in the name of the Bible?


dzonatas,

I feel that 'Alternate Reality' is a proper term. First, one must note that the officially accepted definition of Virtual Reality is

a realistic simulation of an environment, including three-dimensional graphics, by a computer system using interactive software and hardware.

Lets just go with an accepted conception of virtual reality, the conception that you seem to imply. Even if we are not dealing specifically with just a computer based 'virtual reality', I still do feel that Alternate is more applicable than 'virtual'.

Virtual reality is an immersive environment by generally implies a fairly limited range of 'media' employed in the experience. In addition to this, Virtual reality maintains the same 'player to game' relationship that all other standard form of gaming employ. You sit down for a period of time and whilst in that period of time you are completely engulfed in the game it is all you are thinking about. After a certain period of time though, you are done and the experience is over.

ARG's break all the standard rules of the gaming world. Instead of just a few forms of media employed everything is used in the gaming. Books, email, television, movies, billboards, video games, phones, fax machines, photographs, clothing, everything.
Also, the player to game relationship is totally different. Once you become a part of the experience and have 'signed up' you are always in game. You can expect a phone call, email or new mission at any time. Some 'games' have even done a good job of breaking the barrier of the in game experience and out of game in the sense that you might never really be able to tell if anything you experience is in game or not...

ARG's have also been referred to as Living Fiction.

Because of the awesomely immersive nature of ARG's, the ability to create an environment where the level of 'fiction' of any given experience is very ambiguous and the fact that you never know when, where or how the next in game 'item' will arrive is very good reason to call them Alternate Reality Games and not Virtual.

Originally posted by Brahmanite

 

I feel that 'Alternate Reality' is a proper term. First, one must note that the officially accepted definition of Virtual Reality is

a realistic simulation of an environment, including three-dimensional graphics, by a computer system using interactive software and hardware.

Virtual reality, to me, actually encompasses reality, and not the other way around. For example, the universe is a reality in the multiverse, which is could be considered virtual reality in one viewpoint.

ARG's break all the standard rules of the gaming world. Instead of just a few forms of media employed everything is used in the gaming. Books, email, television, movies, billboards, video games, phones, fax machines, photographs, clothing, everything.

We call this ubiquitousness.

ARG's have also been referred to as Living Fiction.

Then, it appears you wanted to draw a line between fact and fiction... or. simply, magical. There usually is some distinction between white magic and black magic, yet that might distract from current trends of fact and fiction.


[edit on 17-2-2010 by dzonatas]

reply to post by dzonatas


I was actually the one the posted what you were replying to instead of iamsupermanv2.

I do understand your logic on the use of the term 'Virtual'. Thank you for that.

Then, it appears you wanted to draw a line between fact and fiction... or. simply, magical. There usually is some distinction between white magic and black magic, yet that might distract from current trends of fact and fiction.

I was certainly wanting to make the thin line between fact and fiction apparent but, that is not my main intention.

I want to draw on that point and discuss peoples past experiences with alternate reality games, their reasons for being interested in them and most importantly; their potential.

What I do not understand at this point is your reference to white and black magick and its relativity to ARG's. Are you suggesting that use of ARG's as 'magickal' reality manipulation would be that of the 'left hand path'?

reply to post by Brahmanite


When you think about it...belief systems are all ARG's. Professions, jobs, social relationships, all are mini ARG's. You go to church and follow the church way you have become involved in that ARG. You meet that girl, you must treat her that certain way, its the rules of the game. A tragic situation occurs and people play a game responding how appropriate for those set of facts. Our society sometimes wonders how people develop. Well just ask them what game they are playing.

The issue within our society currently is people say they are playing one game, but have altered the rules in their favor and still claim they are playing the game. When we all learn to play games the better all of our games then we will move forward together.

Thank you to the OP for sharing these alternate reality games. I'm a fan already and can see great potential in them. There are too many people that are not able to do the things in life they want to because they can't afford it or have otherwise no opportunity. When I was younger my imagination was stirred by some native Americans that believed in visualizing in your head. They guided me through many cool places, describing in detail what I felt, touched, and saw. Then one day I could see these places. I could see them feel and touch them like I was there. This thread has added a realm of possibility to helping others attain enlightment in whichever direction suits their soul.

Originally posted by Brahmanite
reply to post by dzonatas

 

I want to draw on that point and discuss peoples past experiences with alternate reality games, their reasons for being interested in them and most importantly; their potential.

Something happened with the term 'roleplaying' with the teenage groups, and kids now seem to mock and laugh at it. Others seem like it is some entirely new thing. Sometimes, it's *like* nobody has ever opened a book and read.

What I do not understand at this point is your reference to white and black magick and its relativity to ARG's. Are you suggesting that use of ARG's as 'magickal' reality manipulation would be that of the 'left hand path'?

Merely as abstraction layers, yet I understand how you further see it as a separation of powers.

ExPostFacto, I could not agree with you more about almost every aspect of our 'reality' being nothing but a conglomeration of a bunch of different ARG's. If we only then turn this around and create ARG's that have this in mind.

Dzonatas, I meant to mention dungeons and dragons (I may have actually, I am not sure) in one of my earlier posts. I wanted to suggest D&D as an example of a virtual reality and ARG's essentially taking D&D a step further..I do think ARG's are still kind of at the level of D&D, what D&D as in the 70's though.

Is anyone familiar with Ong's Hat?