Picture the Impossible:Creating a city-wide ARG on a shoestring budget

Liz LawleyRIT Lab for Social Computing

lawley.rit.edu

+

Let’s get some programmers together and put on a game!Let’s get some kids together and put on a show!

Starting

Flickr: mtsofan

Budget: $0

Flickr: laughingsquid

LearnExplore

Give

Socialize

Arts and Crafts

Local Food & Drink

Rochester Firsts

Performing Arts

Imaging & Optics

Famous Figures

Social Justice

Celebration!

September-October 2009

Newspaper RIT

Plan A: Content & Marketing

Plan A: Game Design & Technology

Plan B:• Drupal-based website• Server space• Newspaper puzzles• News coverage• Photo content

Plan B:• Flash games• Achievements database• Geo-local activities• Fundraising• Gala Party

Location Games

http://picturetheimpossible.com/gears

2000+Players

6500 posts

907 threads

0 trolls/flames

66%Female

150Photosynths

~300SCVNGRplayers/week

Learn Explore

GiveSocialize

✔

✔

✔

✔

Good Bad

Flash Games Flash Interface

Linking to phone +/or Facebook Requiring registration to browse

Working with news people Working with ad people

Deep player engagement Intimidating commitment

Multi-generational &gender balanced

Rhetoric focused on “young professionals”

Collaboration Lack of focus

Flickr: mtsofan

Final Budget• Consulting: $4,000 (Newspaper)• Supplies: $5,000 (Bing)• Gala Party: $8,000 (Bing)• Summer Student Pay: $10,000 (RIT)• Individual Prizes: $5,000 (Kodak)• Donations: $17,000 (2 local

foundations)

TOTAL: $49,000