4. Consider The Timeline
The ARG story needs to have a beginning, middle, and end that occurs along a story timeline. But, the ARG will also have a real-time timeline. Consider the number of days, weeks, months, or years that it will take players to complete the ARG.
A longer ARG timeline may require a more elaborate ARG story and deeper character development. A shorter ARG can be supported by a simpler story. In fact, it’s important that a one, two, or three day ARG have a simple story. When there is only a short amount of time for players to complete the ARG gameplay, an elaborate story can get in the way of players completing tasks in the game. They will spend more time trying to determine and understand the motivation and objectives defined in the story than completing gameplay and achieving learning and performance objectives.
5. Create The Rabbit Hole
As we’ve mentioned in earlier articles, the Rabbit Hole is the entry into the ARG for the players. It may be explicit and easily discovered and accessed or implicit and disguised.
An example of an explicit Rabbit Hole is an email sent to all new hires asking them to watch a video from the President of the company that describes the story, gameplay, and expectations of players. Or, the Rabbit Hole can be implicit and disguised among the everyday environment of the potential player. An example of an implicit Rabbit Hole is an anonymous post-it note left on each new hire's desk announcing a meeting in the conference room at 1 PM.
ARGs for business often require 100% participation. So, an explicit Rabbit Hole is preferred for onboarding, training, and performance improvement ARGs. The Rabbit Hole introduces the gameplay, but it should also introduce the plot, theme, and characters of the story.
6. Create A Backstory
The ARG backstory can serve several purposes. Depending on how you introduce the Rabbit Hole, the backstory can provide a prelude to the Rabbit Hole, giving players some context regarding how the current state came to be when they enter the game. The backstory can also be a way to address the interests of players who are primarily the Explorer player-type.
Remember that the backstory of characters, the environment, and the current state are important to Explorers. It gives them context from which to plan their own exploration during gameplay. The backstory can also be a source of interests for Achievers as well. As Explorers and Achievers review the backstory there can be opportunities to find hidden treasures and/or gateways to move forward in the game without having to take the normal path.
Read the previous article about story and player types.
7. Tell The Story Across Multiple Mediums
Alternate Reality Games are “transmedia storytelling.” Take advantage of the opportunity that multiple mediums presents. Tell the story on paper, with sidewalk chalk, and with signs. Tell the story with video, graphics, and animation. Tell the story with Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Sharepoint, and Pinterest. It’s not an ARG if there aren’t multiple forms and formats as the player experiences and participates in the story.
8. Incorporate Collaborative Storytelling
A well-designed ARG provides opportunities for players to interact with and even impact the story individually, in groups, or based on cumulative play. Consequently, the puppet master, who observes the overall gameplay, must be available to make edits or create additions to the story and gameplay based on the cumulative actions being observed. Opportunities for players to impact the story through individual or group gameplay should be identified and taken advantage of. Observation of gameplay and subsequent changes to story and interactions should also be considered when creating the initial ARG story.
9. Simple Is Better Than Complex
The story should not be too complex. Err on the side of simplicity for an ARG that is focused on improving knowledge, skills, and attitudes. A complex story can confuse players and bring the gameplay to a halt. When players are participating in the ARG as part of their job, they need to balance ARG gameplay with getting their work done and balancing their lives. Also remember that you’re most likely targeting 100% audience participation in an ARG for business. A complex story can turn players off right from the very beginning and jeopardize reaching 100% participation.
A complex story can also jeopardize completion within the targeted timeframe. If it takes players a few hours in a day-long ARG to understand the story and what they should be doing, it’s likely they’ll be rushing through (or skipping) later gameplay elements in order to complete the gameplay on time.
10. The Story And Gameplay Should Be Intertwined
It seems reasonable, but creating game mechanics that are linked to learning objectives and support a storyline can be complex. It’s easy to lose sight of the story and characters as you focus on incorporating learning objectives, practice activities, and learning collaboration into the game. At the same time, it’s easy to lose track of the performance objectives as the creative juices begin flowing and you get immersed in writing a story and developing characters.
1. Start With A Plot, Setting, And Subject The plot can be very basic, to begin
Start from the beginning
