GROUPTHINK IS NOT A 4-LETTER WORD Alternate Reality Games &
Collective Intelligence Craig McKenney Texas Tech University IPCC
2008
Slide 3
PROBLEM: ENGAGING GENY Despite a lasting surge in media,
business, and academic interest, proven mechanisms via which to
harness the wisdom of crowds remain in short supply. The chief
obstacle is and always has been: how to properly incentivize the
participants in a system, such that they generate meaningful,
unbiased input. James Surowiecki, The Wisdom of Crowds Craig
McKenney Texas Tech University
Slide 4
CONTENTS Definitions Case Study: The World Needs Heroes
Collective Intelligence Problems & Implications Craig McKenney
Texas Tech University
Slide 5
WHAT IS AN ALTERNATE REALITY GAME? a player community working
together to analyze the story and coordinate real-life and online
activities. Craig McKenney Texas Tech University interactive
narrative that takes place in real-time and evolves according to
participants' responses. characters that are actively controlled by
the game's designers, as opposed to being controlled by artificial
intelligence as in a computer or console video game, and that are
directly interacted with by the player. Collaborative Narrative/
Hyperfiction
Slide 6
WHAT IS AN ALTERNATE REALITY GAME? uses the real world as a
platform. often involves multimedia, such as telephones (texting,
cell cams, Jott.com, etc), email, and mail, but relies on the
Internet (free + ubiquitous) as the central binding medium Craig
McKenney Texas Tech University Multi-modality
Slide 7
WHAT IS AN ALTERNATE REALITY GAME? provides intense player
immersion/ involvement Craig McKenney Texas Tech University Virtual
Reality/ Digital Rhetoric
Slide 8
WHAT IS COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE? the members of a thinking
community search, inscribe, connect, consult, exploreNot only does
the cosmopedia [the online space, the ARG, etc] make available to
the collective intellect all of the pertinent knowledge available
to it at a given moment, but it also serves as a site of collective
discussion, negotiation, and development. Unanswered questions will
create tension within cosmopedic space, indicating regions where
invention and innovation are required Pierre Levy, Collective
Intelligence: Mankind's Emerging World in Cyberspace 217. Craig
McKenney Texas Tech University
Slide 9
WHAT IS COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE? On-line fan communities might
well be some of the most fully realized versions of Levy's
cosmopedia, expansive self-organizing groups focused around the
collective production, debate, and circulation of meanings,
interpretations, and fantasies in response to various artifacts of
contemporary popular culture. Henry Jenkins, Interactive Audiences?
The 'Collective Intelligence' of Media Fans Craig McKenney Texas
Tech University
Slide 10
THE WORLD NEEDS HEROES Craig McKenney Texas Tech University
http://threshold.monomyth.org/images/MonoMythex.jpg LARP Social
Justice
Slide 11
THE WORLD NEEDS HEROES Summary of Narrative The King of Dust
has incapacitated the Community Crusaders and stolen the Bible of
Dreams. The leader of the Community Crusaders, The Professor, has
called the students into action to save the Bible of Dreams. Game
Structure Letter via USPS Videos Live Action Role Play Community
Service Narrative Building/ Reflection Craig McKenney Texas Tech
University
Slide 12
http://www.heromachine.com/
Slide 13
Craig McKenney Texas Tech University
Slide 14
Slide 15
NARRATIVE AS COSMOPEDIA Developing/ Flexible Narrative
Knowledge Sharing Essential to completion of game Learning as play
Craig McKenney Texas Tech University
Slide 16
PROBLEMS & IMPLICATIONS Craig McKenney Texas Tech
University Level of engagement Teamwork & cohort model Use of
non-GenY platforms Developing Quantitative Measurements for
success
