gdc serious games summit: picture the impossible
TRANSCRIPT
Picture the Impossible:Creating a city-wide ARG on a shoestring budget
Liz LawleyRIT Lab for Social Computing
lawley.rit.edu
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Let’s get some programmers together and put on a game!Let’s get some kids together and put on a show!
Starting
Flickr: mtsofan
Budget: $0
Flickr: laughingsquid
LearnExplore
Give
Socialize
Arts and Crafts
Local Food & Drink
Rochester Firsts
Performing Arts
Imaging & Optics
Famous Figures
Social Justice
Celebration!
September-October 2009
Newspaper RIT
Plan A: Content & Marketing
Plan A: Game Design & Technology
Plan B:• Drupal-based website• Server space• Newspaper puzzles• News coverage• Photo content
Plan B:• Flash games• Achievements database• Geo-local activities• Fundraising• Gala Party
Location Games
2000+Players
6500 posts
907 threads
0 trolls/flames
66%Female
150Photosynths
~300SCVNGRplayers/week
Learn Explore
GiveSocialize
✔
✔
✔
✔
Good Bad
Flash Games Flash Interface
Linking to phone +/or Facebook Requiring registration to browse
Working with news people Working with ad people
Deep player engagement Intimidating commitment
Multi-generational &gender balanced
Rhetoric focused on “young professionals”
Collaboration Lack of focus
Flickr: mtsofan
Final Budget• Consulting: $4,000 (Newspaper)• Supplies: $5,000 (Bing)• Gala Party: $8,000 (Bing)• Summer Student Pay: $10,000 (RIT)• Individual Prizes: $5,000 (Kodak)• Donations: $17,000 (2 local
foundations)
TOTAL: $49,000
