Tomorrow Sage

Last evening (April 2, 2010), the ARG¹ for the upcoming film Tron Legacy conducted an in-game “Encom press conference” in San Francisco’s Justin Herman Plaza. This particular ARG has been going for about a year² and — watching from the sidelines — I continue to be impressed with the game designers’ creativity and efforts to expand traditional ARG limits.³

Yesterday’s Encom press conference event involved actors from the film playing out complex scenes in character, while allowing the fans in attendance to literally become part of the story — several hundred of the fans playing the ARG were “coached” to conduct a protest at the press conference. Live events typically have been among the most effective ways for ARGs to fully immerse players in a game, and in this case Bruce Boxleitner’s in-character involvement further heightened the “reality” of the Encom press conference.⁴ And the press conference event and other elements of the Tron Legacy ARG continue to provide more layers to the upcoming film’s story.⁵

Kudos to the folks behind this particular experience. It will be fun to see what the next six months of the Tron Legacy ARG have in store for players and fans.

1. Alternate Reality Game [↩]
2. Tron Legacy doesn’t open until December 2010, meaning this ARG is designed to promote the film and build excitement for 18 months or more before the film’s actual release. [↩]
3. Based on all available evidence, the Tron Legacy ARG is from 42 Entertainment. [↩]
4. It’s unfortunate — based on what little we know of the film’s plot — that Jeff Bridges’ character from Tron Legacy can’t make an appearance before the film’s release, given Bridges recent Oscar win for Best Actor. [↩]
5. While it’s unlikely that this Encom press conference will in any way end up as part of the actual film, it would be nice to see the event video, as well other elements of this ARG, included as extras on the Tron Legacy DVD when it eventually is released. [↩]

An event that looks to be the social affair of the year (1872 that is)¹ will take place on Thursday, August 20 when the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre hosts Steampunk Night in conjunction with that evening’s performance of “Around the World in 80 Days”.

Photo Source: Milwaukee Chamber Theatre

In Which Steampunk Comes to Milwaukee²
Steampunk Night promises to impart the very latest in 19th century music, theater and entertainment.³ (more…)

1. Yes, this post is being written entirely in character, so hang on to your goggles and top hat! The footnotes, however, will pull you out of your suspension of disbelief and provide 21st Century perspective and details. [↩]
2. If you are familiar with the original Jules Verne novel, you’ll recognize this as the terminology Verne used for his novel’s chapter titles. [↩]
3. Given that I read — and occasionally write — Steampunk fiction, I was pleasantly surprised to learn of a Steampunk event right here in Milwaukee. [↩]