EVOKE and INVOKE got some competition! Check out Conspiracy for Good for “new kind of storytelling that allows for greater audience participation”, which claims to try to change the world for the better.
The credits list says Tim Kring, of Heroes and Heroes Evolutions, The Company P, of Momentum and Sanningen om Marika, with Nokia as their “preferred partner”.
They write:
By playing with the idea of a good secret society, we want to create it. Your actions will benefit real causes and people. By taking this seriously, you will make a difference now!
And under the causes, there is stuff like Street Child of Sierra Leone. I look forward to seeing how far P’s play it as if it was real philosophy takes them in this endeavor.
/discuss!
(I’m currently employed by Nokia Research Center.)
Pervasive Games: Theory and Design 
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Christy Dena, Steve Peters. Steve Peters said: More info about Conspiracy for Good here, including video by Kring http://is.gd/ceiPV #arg #transmedia #pervasivegaming […]
By: Tweets that mention Conspiracy for Good « Pervasive Games: Theory and Design -- Topsy.com on May 18, 2010
at 08:09
I’m having trouble seeing the game element – as it relates to supporting good causes. I mean, I can say “I want to do XXX for the world”, and then go out and do it – but it doesn’t seem to have any sort of in-game effect. Perhaps it only shows up after you actually do things?
I’m following this with interest, to see how it works out. Will the ARG format which usually motivates internet-loving puzzle-solvers manage to motivate real-world-focused do-gooders?
By: Matthijs on May 18, 2010
at 09:59
Yeah, Matthijs, I guess that’s a challenge: When you do something entirely new, like this thing is or World Without Oil was, the audience doesn’t initially have the literacy to participate fully. Interestingly, I think that might help EVOKE garner bigger numbers: If someone wonders how it’ll work, it’s easy enough to point to WWO and Superstruct.
But I think Kring’s video gives a good take on how to pick up Conspiracy for Good and get involved.
– M
By: Montola on May 18, 2010
at 10:03
I am also waiting what still will happen… Sounds interesting though. There must be more to come!
By: Max on May 18, 2010
at 22:26
Unfiction thread on this.
By: Montola on May 20, 2010
at 06:35
Game elements are becoming apparent – but so far, they seem unrelated to the participants’ real-world actions. At the moment, the “do good things in the real world” part seems more like a front for the “real” game, which is about fighting the (fictional) Evil Corp and finding the (real) Girl who’s gone (fictionally?) Missing. But who knows where things will go?
By: Matthijs on May 22, 2010
at 17:02
I am concerned that people might end up doing gamerelated stuff instead of changing the actual world. But I guess, this movement is more funny and interesting than most, so there might be more than a few hundred thousand that joins in the end, and then it gets interesting.
The game-element can be lots of different stuff. I guess cred for doing good is a gamesystem of status within a community already.
By: Erlend Eidsem Hansen on May 26, 2010
at 11:16
That’s a valid point, Erlend, I’ve voiced the same in connection with EVOKE for instance.
I guess it depends on where the time comes from. It’s bad if it comes from actual dogoodery, and good if it comes from non-critical play. Even if they only solve puzzles, I’d rather see people engage in CfG than in Medal of Honor, but indeed, I also rather see people doing direct charity to Sierra Leone than play CfG.
– Markus
By: Montola on May 27, 2010
at 12:40
You really ought to read the This is Not a Game – from Walter Jon Williams. In his ARG company -novel he kinda describes few of these good doing events of the “Group Mind” aka. player base. :-)
it is kinda non surprising at times, but still worth an example of what it could be like.
-S-
By: Sarrig on May 30, 2010
at 21:08
If you feel like writing a review for us, we’d love it. :-) One page tops, though.
– Markus
By: Montola on May 30, 2010
at 21:34
[…] have always been popular, as have our commentaries of ongoing controversies (Anna Odell, Invoke, Conspiracy for Good). The ones I’m particularly happy made the top ten are my additional notes on the history of […]
By: Year in Review « Pervasive Games: Theory and Design on June 7, 2010
at 11:45