Fresh, Hot Wastes of Time

A stalker’s image from the notorious ARGTalk ARG. I did the scrawl and the poem in the lower right. The ARG itself got a lot of bad press for two reasons – one deserved and one not. First, people felt duped when the supposedly legit news site was actually a rabbithole into a game. That was to be expected, and ties in well with many things that people say today about being honest about what is game space and what is not. Back in 2005, however, the water was a lot muddier and people did not want to see anything that took them out of the game, so this was an experiment down that kind of road.

The second reason people dissed the game (and the undeserved one) was the poor production value in the trailhead talk show. That was by design, which people would have realized had they stuck around to figure out how the story worked out in the end. Instead, they left at that point and ridiculed the “Attack by bubblewrap.”

This was a little too edgy for the Battle Over Promicin campaign, but it was fun to write.

[IMAGE: An aerial view of a huge crowd in St. Peter’s Square overlaid with a syringe full of promicin]

 

The Vatican announced yesterday that it was suspending its canonization process due to increasing worries about the effects of promicin. Canonization, or the method by which people are declared saints, requires proof that the subject performed at least one miracle. Church officials say that the abilities granted by the neurotransmitter promicin are indistinguishable from actual, divinely-inspired miracles.

 

Although the announcement had been expected for some time, the global Roman Catholic community reacted to yesterday’s statement with reactions ranging from relief to anger. Many Catholics appear to be falling into two opposing camps regarding the promicin issue.

 

One faction agrees with the Vatican’s decision on both practical and theological grounds. “It says right in Matthew that false prophets will perform great signs and miracles to deceive the elect,” said Fr. Pepe Rivera from Mexico. “How can we tell if these promicin abilities should be considered sacred or profane? We cannot.”

 

Another faction disagrees with the dismissal of promicin by the church. “They have conveniently overlooked the fact that Jordan Collier died and came back to life,” says Fr. Giovanni Vanici of Italy. “Instead, they focus on this promicin. I am ashamed to say that I think the Holy Mother Church is afraid of what this could all mean.”

 

While debate rages, tens of thousands have gathered at Saint Peter’s Square at the Vatican to pray, protest, or get answers. The Swiss Guard, traditional protectors of Vatican City, has been hard-pressed to quell the occasional outbreaks of violence between the pro-promicin and anti-promicin Catholics.

 

The Pope issued a very brief statement this morning asking for “the Catholic flock to reflect and pray in this troubled time,” but no further announcements are expected. Two highly-placed Cardinals, on condition of anonymity, told the press that they feared a schism over the promicin issue was imminent.

 

Services in many local churches have been disrupted or canceled. While bishops attempt to work with their area churches to restore functionality, they ask that those planning to attend mass call ahead to verify there has been no schedule change.

• Trivia for today: "Making the beast with two backs" was first used in English (that we know of) by Shakespeare. http://bit.ly/rdpsJP #
• Second degree burns on 40% of your body… from sunbathing? We has it in Austin: http://bit.ly/nZu76N #
• Tactical bleeding zombie pistol targets? Yes, please! http://bit.ly/nwIdvi #
• School hasn't even started yet and already I'm getting crap from parents using the directory to spam their business. FTC complaint time. #
• I have decided to quit letting my blog languish away. We'll see how long that lasts. #
• Those flying into IND for ARGFest: The password is "I opt out." http://bit.ly/qx1xsd #
• 180 squats, lunges, and presses later, I'm like a new person. A weak, kitten-like person. #
• Hovering art directors: http://t.co/4EZcUua #
• There's a transmedia campaign for the YA author Michael Grant's upcoming novel, BZRK: http://gobzrk.com/ #transmedia #
• Holy crap I think my legs have fired me. #
• I am simultaneously elated and terrified by the fact that I'm shopping for clothes in the normal sizes now. So many choices! #
• An AR-15 wielding Combat Garden Gnome to watch over your premises when you can't: http://t.co/XuMQpqF #

A puzzle I made for the campaign for Christopher Paolini’s Brisingr, part of the Eragon series.

A proposal for a game leading up to a live event that Dave and I made. It never happened, although I hope someday they decide to do some sort of a transmedia campaign. Which is why I hacked all the names and identifying graphics out of there and it looks so ugly!

Cryptid Love

A song by Jan Owen and Nick Braccia, written for the Monster Hunters Club ARG.

I was contacted by someone wanting to buy the domain TheUnraveling.com.

Here’s the thing: When Dave Szulborski died in 2009, I inherited all his domains except for his own personal one. My plan was to start populating them with backups of the game sites I had from when we were running the games. But I kept putting it off, because it was painful.

That email spurred me into action, and I already had all the pieces to put the puzzle trail back into place, so I set it up. And it was nice to do. Spurred on by that, I went through my backups to see what other sites I had available.

http://deadpoems.com/
http://dreadhouse.com/
http://goldminehotel.com/
http://iaminvisible.com
http://puzzlecards.net
http://ronsworld.org/
http://strangerthanfictionmagazine.com/
http://theseventhsons.com/
http://theunraveling.com/
http://urbanmythology.net/

Probably things are broken in them, but they’re semi-functional. Enjoy them. Maybe someday I can get more up and running. I’ve got a lot of the CTW2 domains tucked away for a rainy day…