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.

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 The evening commences at 6:00 pm with pre-show activities hosted by Steam Century. At 7:30 pm the Chamber Theatre will present Mark Brown’s stage version of Jules Verne’s recent (1863) novel “Around the World in 80 Days”. And following the show, Eli August — a Steampunk band from the American frontier town of Madison, Wisconsin — will perform using the very latest 19th century musical instruments.

In Which A Visitor From East India Joins Our Author
My companion for the evening will be one Priyadarshini Sengupta Barnes, recently returned from Calcutta, British capital of colonial India.⁴ Priyadarshini (or Priya, as she is know in the more distinguished social circles) will entrance other guests with her stories of Bengal tigers, the effort to construct a memorial to Queen Victoria in central Calcutta and other wonders of the subcontinent.

In Which Phileas Fogg Bursts Onstage
“Around the World in 80 Days” proffers the tale of wealthy adventurer Phileas Fogg and his manservant Passepartout who — pressed into action by a gentleman’s wager — set out to circle the world in the amazing brief span of just 80 days. In the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre’s dramatization of Fogg’s adventure, 5 actors portray 39 characters scattered across 7 continents.

So if you are seeking an adventure of a most sophisticated yet humorous kind, employ any means of conveyance — steamers, railways, carriages, yachts, trading-vessels, sledges, airships or elephants⁵ — and journey to Milwaukee for Steampunk Night on August 20.

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.
4. At the time of this post, Priya is still in India visiting her family. Ironically over the course of her trip to India and return to Milwaukee, Priya actually will have traveled around the world. Her total travel time for that circumnavigation will be somewhat less than 80 hours … and far less than 80 days. Phileas Fogg would be astounded.
5. With the exception of airships, all of these modes are transportation appear in Verne’s original “Around the World in 80 Days”.