A message from Betty Etiquette

Discussion of anything and everything that happens within the Iris Alternate Reality Game.

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ii otnemem ii
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Re: A message from Betty Etiquette

Unread post by ii otnemem ii »

rpepper wrote:
ii otnemem ii wrote: And I disagree about the social aspect of the ARG being the main focus. There are puzzles, you solve them, you get a prize. That isn't social, that is a contest. The Halo storyline, the speculation; that is social, and I agree is interesting, but for me personally, Iris wouldn't be as interesting if I didn't get something out of it. We've already seen that Bungie isn't giving us specifics, but broad strokes with plenty of room for speculation and which can be interpreted hundreds of ways still. But all of this can be re-capped at the end, no social aspect needed.
Ok, let me rephrase it because I think you missed my point. The "prize" that you typically get is the next chapter in the story. People are flipping out because they want a t-shirt, book, etc. "That isn't social, that is a contest." You're right...THIS is a contest, not an ARG. No hard feelings, but I just thought that most of what I'd seen from ABO was friendly and helpful, but some members today have started to make me question that. I'm sure that it's a minority of members, and overall from what I've seen that's a correct assumption. The majority of people on here are friendly, helpful and interested in the story/experience more than the swag.
And if the next chapter of the story were more concrete story and less speculative story, I could consider it a prize, too. But that isn't how they are telling this story. I have always seen that this is a VMC, not so much an ARG. So, to those treating it like an ARG, to those only wanting the story, to you I say, "Stop entering keys, stop posting links to the BPC, stop trying to make this the ARG that it is obviously not." You'll get your next chapter, those who want material rewards (not SWAG: Stuff We All Get) get their reward, everyone is happy. You get your speculation and story points, and play in speculation-land; we glean our clues and story points, and add it to the story being told, not one that we are telling or trying to help tell.
If you really believed that this ARG is only a social story-telling game, you would stand back while those participating in the contest aspect of it did their thing, so that you can get to your prize, while they earn theirs; you would solve the puzzles, get as far as the BPC page and stop there.
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The Se7enth Prophet
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Re: A message from Betty Etiquette

Unread post by The Se7enth Prophet »

Menelven wrote:Plus it saves us time.
Quoted for truth.


/lmao, and here I am, kicking myself for saying I'd never use that phrase.../
MulletedOne
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Re: A message from Betty Etiquette

Unread post by MulletedOne »

I'm here because I love the Halo story. I only got the Sever 2 key because I just wanted something to remember this fun time by.

Now, let's wait for the next clue and get ourselves the closure to the Servers that we have so long awaited. (I will kindly hang back once BPC has been found, as I already got a key in Server 2, please if you got a key in previous servers let others get a key for this last server, they'd very much appreciate it.)
rpepper
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Re: A message from Betty Etiquette

Unread post by rpepper »

ii otnemem ii wrote:
rpepper wrote:
ii otnemem ii wrote: And I disagree about the social aspect of the ARG being the main focus. There are puzzles, you solve them, you get a prize. That isn't social, that is a contest. The Halo storyline, the speculation; that is social, and I agree is interesting, but for me personally, Iris wouldn't be as interesting if I didn't get something out of it. We've already seen that Bungie isn't giving us specifics, but broad strokes with plenty of room for speculation and which can be interpreted hundreds of ways still. But all of this can be re-capped at the end, no social aspect needed.
Ok, let me rephrase it because I think you missed my point. The "prize" that you typically get is the next chapter in the story. People are flipping out because they want a t-shirt, book, etc. "That isn't social, that is a contest." You're right...THIS is a contest, not an ARG. No hard feelings, but I just thought that most of what I'd seen from ABO was friendly and helpful, but some members today have started to make me question that. I'm sure that it's a minority of members, and overall from what I've seen that's a correct assumption. The majority of people on here are friendly, helpful and interested in the story/experience more than the swag.
And if the next chapter of the story were more concrete story and less speculative story, I could consider it a prize, too. But that isn't how they are telling this story. I have always seen that this is a VMC, not so much an ARG. So, to those treating it like an ARG, to those only wanting the story, to you I say, "Stop entering keys, stop posting links to the BPC, stop trying to make this the ARG that it is obviously not." You'll get your next chapter, those who want material rewards (not SWAG: Stuff We All Get) get their reward, everyone is happy. You get your speculation and story points, and play in speculation-land; we glean our clues and story points, and add it to the story being told, not one that we are telling or trying to help tell.
If you really believed that this ARG is only a social story-telling game, you would stand back while those participating in the contest aspect of it did their thing, so that you can get to your prize, while they earn theirs; you would solve the puzzles, get as far as the BPC page and stop there.
For the record, I have yet to even attempt the unlocking phase of this game and have absolutely no interest whatsoever in trying for Server 5. I see your points and hope you weren't insinuating that I was trying to defend the "snipers" that only show up to take the rewards.
ii otnemem ii
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Re: A message from Betty Etiquette

Unread post by ii otnemem ii »

@Mullet and rpepper: It is good to hear that there are actually people who have the self-control to not snipe the keys (love the term, rpepper, gonna use it) if they don't want them. I just want to go further and disarm the snipers by taking away their precious BPC link, which is their only weapon. By thinking it is OK for one to be posted (even if it does save us time), you are condoning the sniping. It was very disheartening when the main mod over at CI posted the BPC link to Server 4 for all the loafers to go to, especially after he agreed with my post of a similar nature on a similar topic.

I am not saying that those who have entered a key shouldn't enter another -- they should, but they should earn them. I landed Server 2 and have tried my damnedest to unlock 3 and 4 (and will try again with 5), but once someone posted the BPC link, all those actually working on the puzzles themselves got screwed (this guy right here), while those who had given up long ago and were just waiting for a link posting "Where iz it?!" over and over again.
I'm Not Afraid
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Re: A message from Betty Etiquette

Unread post by I'm Not Afraid »

rpepper wrote:No hard feelings, but I just thought that most of what I'd seen from ABO was friendly and helpful, but some members today have started to make me question that. I'm sure that it's a minority of members, and overall from what I've seen that's a correct assumption. The majority of people on here are friendly, helpful and interested in the story/experience more than the swag.
What do you mean today? lol

..I was going to post some other stuff, but my mom always told me if I didn't have anything nice to say..
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