Roleplay Alternate Reality Game

[rlp10]

I'm trying to combine some of the concepts of RPG and ARG to create a modern day, global, immersive game.

I propose to run a (mainly) online RPG, drawing from the immersive and real-time style of ARGs and the suspension of reality of LARPS. Play will take place in realtime with several keepers and players roleplaying whenever they are available. The theme will contain some similar elements to DG (modern era, cthulhu mythos, conspiracy theory, etc) but will certainly be no copy so as to provide mystery for the players.

The Keeper-equivalents will operate in a team. They will create characters, documents, websites and other plot lines which will directly interact with the players. For example through email, IM, phone calls, postal mail, websites etc. There will also be the possibility of some players (only if they want to) participating in live action (for example, meeting another player/keeper in a bar to discuss something or picking something up from a drop).

Players will at all times act in character, and will sometimes be unsure of whether or not they are interacting with a keeper or another player. There will be no traditional 'storytelling' where the Keeper openly addresses the players (except perhaps for character creation for new players, and of course if the players have questions that need answering). As the game expands, the players may split into smaller groups with specific Keepers running different parts of the game.

I'm emailing for two purposes:

(1) What do you think of the idea and its potential? Do you think that it is viable? What problems/advantages do you see?

(2) Would you like to participate - as a Keeper or as a Player? If so, either email me direct (georgecage1979@yahoo.co.uk) or reply to this message. I'd like to get something up and running as soon as possible!

If you're unclear of the kind of thing that I mean, perhaps I can give an example: A player (roleplaying a police detective) might get a voicemail from a friend who's a Doctor (another player) asking for a callback. The Detective calls back when he is available, and the two discuss a disturbing autopsy report that the Doctor has been emailed by a University friend (a Keeper, though the players don't know this).

Googling the name of the victim on the autopsy report leads to a blog that the victim used to write before he passed away. It's pretty paranoid, but he's convinced that there's some 'experiment' being performed on him. There's another email address on one of the blog comments, which one of the Players emails... and gets a reply...

I look forward to hearing from you.

Be seeing you,
Dr Cage

[Laraqua]

Yeah, this sounds fun. I don't have time to be a Keeper but I'd be more than happy to be a player.

[rlp10]

Glad to hear it. I've sent you a PM with more details.

Anyone else? Any questions or thoughts?

George