An Alternate Reality Game (ARG) is an interactive story that blends fictional events with real world elements. The document provides guidance on designing an ARG, including brainstorming story ideas tied to existing TV shows or networks, researching popular social networks and their users, and creating a basic social network concept with limited features to engage a target audience over 3 months through a narrative distributed across multiple media.

1. Designing an Alternate Reality Game Six to Start

2. What’s an ARG? A game that pretends it’s real Happens over websites, mobile phones, newspapers, live events Thousands of people playing together... ...following a story all at the same time

3. Some ARGs The Lost Experience Heroes 360 The Lost Ring Perplex City Batman (The Dark Knight Returns)

4. How to Brainstorm!

5. Make an ARG for TV How would it tie in? Would it involve any people from the show? Who is it aimed at? How would you play it? On websites, mobiles?

6. Channel 4 and Social Networks Who watches Channel 4 Education? Who uses social networks? Social networks are completely new - adults don’t understand them We want your advice

7. Research Social Networks Compare the big social networks - who uses them? What different features do they have?

8. Design your own social network But it can only do six different things... How is yours different from other networks? Who uses it? Why do people use it?

9. I Love Bees Promotes Halo 2 But not about selling the game - about pulling people in Live events in phone booths Story split up as audio drama No puzzles (sort of)

10. Design an ARG! 3 months long Takes place in the UK Appeals to...