Hey,
Sorry about the little delay. I need some time to do some research and
look for some clues.
After toying with the idea for the past three days, I realized I need
some more clue about what you want to put in the game. So here are
some leads mixed with some questions.
First and foremost, about the story: the more I thought about it, the
trickier it got. Because if we want to keep things as open as
possible, we can't have something too well planned. I mean for
instance, in World of Warcraft, you have quests but there is no real
ending.
So do we want an ending to the game or not?
Second, after reading the wikipedia notice on ARG, there is something
called serious ARG. Do we want to get close to something like that?
Because if the strategy in the game involves serious issues, it is
tempting.
Third, I don't think we want to go into something too sci-fi, so we
have to leave behind all the "this is the future and this is the
situation" type of scenarii.
The beginning of the game could/should take place during our day and
age. And the AI part should be something that enhances the gameplay,
not necessarily the whole point of the game.
But that also depends when the game starts, for real I mean. When do
you think it is going to be ready? And when should it finish? Or
should it finish altogether?
So here is the lead I was excited by: 2012.
Not the end of the world theory (although it always something tempting
to put into the equation).
But that same year, several major presidential elections will take
place: France, US, Russia, Mexico, Angola, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Mali,
Sénégal (and I might forget one or two).
In 2012, the two biggest computers, Pleiades by Intel and Sequoia by
IBM, are going to be launched.
And of course, there is all the buzz around a shift in consciousness,
the new age reading of the end of the world theory.
So I'm thinking, hoping that the game can be launched before 2012,
keeping in mind the quote that Xavier sent the other day about new
corporations and what they're going to be like, nobody knows, the game
will start with one mission, more or less the same, no matter what
avatar you choose:
it's your first day at this new company. Everything is very secure but
nothing too suspicious: you have a badge that enables you to open
doors, etc. Depending on your avatar, you are shown how to do your
work and when you start doing it by yourself, an AI contacts you. You
play with it for a little while but all of a sudden, it gets scared
and disappears. Some security guys get into your office and start to
treat you like a terrorist. They accuse you of being a spy and of
smuggling the AI in intentionally. Things start to get really nasty
when they receive an order to leave you breathe. It's actually the AI
that created the order and then, when the place is empty, it helps you
escape and find out the truth. The idea is that everybody in that
company is controlled and watched by computers. Your pale the AI works
as a digital bodyguard. As long as it is not taken down, it has the
capacity to destroy everything in the system if "they" arm you.
Then you start creating influence with the hacking part of the game.
And we could have "quests" or "missions" following every election,
every event planned during 2012 (Olympics, Europe Football Cup...).
There are conspiracies but it's not like everything is determine. Also
one side can win one election but it doesn't mean they won the the
whole game. Let's say that there is no murder or enigma to solve. It's
more the idea of playing a part to tip a scale and trying to act for
what you believe in - according to the informations you got and
sometimes what you're going to sacrify for it.
I don't know if you've seen the Angel (buffy-spinoff) series but
during the last season, Angel and his friends are basically working
for his enemy (a big lawyer corporation), trying to dominate it but
not really knowing who dominates who. Also something to explore in the
relationship between the player and the corporation he/she is working
for.
The general idea would be to learn how to elude all the security
systems of the network running/ruling the corporation in order to
regain some freedom and some privacy (the google video was also very
good food for thoughts).
Maybe the whole plot (I'm actually thinking as I am writing) could be
a modern version of The Prisoner (the TV show from the 60's). A player
is working for a corporation and will try to get away from it, always
to be led back to it. The AI will (could) provide help and deception.
This way, a part of the website-hacking/strategy part of the game
could start with single player missions. And then, we could switch to
multiplayers scenarii. And the idea that the player has to stay within
the company to "work the system from the inside". Is it possible or
not (to work the system from the inside)? That could be an interesting
question for the player to answer...
Alright, here is the result of the brainstorming of the past three
days. Can't wait to get your feedback.
And below, a few comments to Xavier's e-mail.
Le 22 août 10 à 16:54, Xavier Antoviaque a écrit :
On Fri, 2010-08-20 at 21:21 +0200, Michael wrote:
- by "mise en abyme", I mean the idea that I was drawn to is the fact
that you'd be playing online a game about being online.
In both cases you have it - "playing online a game about being online"
is a core concept of what we're trying to do, the blurring between
reality and fiction. For this, it doesn't matter if we are talking
about
Gaia or AIs - the mechanism remains the same, you're behind your
computer, and you play the role of an Internet user.
------------------- Of course. What I meant is that it feels more
powerful to me if the whole plot is about the Internet and nothing
outside, or as little as possible. To me, there is a difference if you
include Gaia in the equation (as opposed to including AIs).
Okay, let me refine that: the Gaia concept is a bit too stretched for
my tastes (and here I realize it is also a matter of taste, what we
are drawn to, etc).
What do you mean by too stretched? Remember that it's still missing an
important component: the story.
------------------ By stretched, I mean a little too far fetched. As I
wrote before, the Gaia idea seems to me a little too remote from the
Internet, it doesn't feel very natural, very immediate to link the two.
With the AI thing, you're on your computer, you start a game, you
choose an avatar (not complexed at all - but then we can change
that),
it is contacted by an AI - first there would be some classic "meeting
of two different cultures" fun, and some simulation time.
I won't say anything bad about what you've said about the potential of
AIs, because I like the AI theme, personally. : ) Or even the original
Hacker game. I could play both games, and have a lot of pleasure
developing them too.
However, discussions have shown that there was an important flaw to
those approaches - the fact that the potential demographics for those
games is hardcore players, and we need to have a concept that appeal
to
a larger audience.
So, let's forget about the AI theme for now (unless, of course, if you
find new arguments that question the marketing objection!). If you
really don't like the Gaia theme, please feel free to suggest new
themes
though - there isn't only Gaia and AIs ;p
--------------------- I partially answered that in the e-mail I sent
last sunday. The thing is we all like the AI concept so before
dropping it and starting to think about a new idea, I'd rather explore
all the possibilities. And today, I feel it's getting closer than ever
to be possible to exploit the AI idea (but maybe it's just me ;)))) )
- ARG means Aleternate Reality Game. Cf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternate_reality_game
--------------------- I can't thank you enough for giving me this
link. Great inspirational material!
Cheers!
Michael
_______________________________________________
Hackit Bar mailing list - [email protected]
Wiki: http://community.hackit.cx/
List: http://community.hackit.cx/ml/
Forum: http://community.hackit.cx/forum/
Ideas: http://community.hackit.cx/ideas/
IRC: irc://irc.freenode.net/#politis
