Exclusive In-game Footage

I voted yes, but I'm hesitant because it doesn't show any collaboration. I understand that is a tutorial mission, but it would have been nice to see a chat area or something to make it feel like the rest of the community is really there. I saw the wall of monitors and cringed a bit because I felt alone.

 

I say "yes", conditionally. It alone would not cause me to pledge but combined with the other information available, it all becomes even more convincing. This video shows me there is an interface, some tools and some guidance which will help me work through the puzzles.

As a new-to-ARGs player only since coming late to Rosenberg, the games were intimidating because I was basically on my own to try to figure out 1) recognizing what the puzzles were, 2) how to approach the puzzles, and 3) solving the puzzles. And because I 1) didn't have a clue, 2) didn't have a clue, or 3) didn't have the skills - I came to rely on the community which already had the answers. I'm not saying the community is irrelevant to my needs (they're a real kickass bunch) but it is more satisfying being able to do more of the easy stuff myself with only a little bit of guidance.

 

I'm personally more inclined to encourage showing more - other kinds of puzzles, how classes impact how you participate, and so on - rather than going in to too much detail on a specific area, and risk focusing too narrowly. I'd definitely make it a priority to at least show the presence of the community in later trailers, as ignoring it entirely might possibly frustrate players further down the line, when they find they are no longer capable of solving the puzzles themselves, even with every tool and option at their disposal.

I certainly agree ARGs are very much a community thing, yet I do have a 'but', at least when it comes to advertising the game:
- It's likely more interesting for players to know how they themselves will be playing the game, than how the community of the game works.
- There have, to my knowledge, been a relatively large group of "silent" agents in the past. People who opt out of actively participating in the community, but who draw on the progress made by the community.

Considering the above - while I, to reiterate, do consider the community of ARGs, and this community in particular, to be of great importance to the quality of the game - I personally think that those aspects naturally evolve for players.

Speaking on a personal note, I've never "Joined a game for the community", but I have more than once "stayed for the community".
Right now, I see the challenge as getting people to join us, and if that succeeds, they will either naturally gravitate towards co-operation with the community, or become a "Silent Agent".
Making sure they do gravitate towards co-operation with the community is, in my opinion, ultimately our "job".

 

For me it looks amazing. Love the clean interface, having the tools needed ingame and the overall attidude. So: YES!

 

I am voting yes. However, it might have been nice when the call from the bridge said "Agent get ready...." if there had been the question distinctly vocalized : "You are that agent on the other end of the communication. What would you do?" and then followed up with "Mobilize all forces, deploy all personnel and alert your contacts.". Give them the order to reach out to the community (now better scripted of course but to invoke that community, its not a solo endeavor. And its not always a sprint but it is a group performed marathon.)

Its hard to explain an ARG to someone unfamiliar. Hard to say you are jumping into something 'pseudo' real and you are part of a network that has to work together. You need to hit on the fact that the 'YOU' are the agent and you are not 'ALONE'. Need to emphasize things are about to get real. Its not one super agent but levels upon levels of agents working in tandem to achieve the goal. It is not a avatar running about but it is your version of an agent thinking, proposing and supposing. Its the player's view of themselves living and breathing within the ranks of the Black Watchmen. And you should try to seize upon the players imaginations. Draw them in with that this is really happening to 'them'. Something that lets them see this is you, really you, in a very bad situation. And that thrill should generate the funding! Did it for me

Now video wise, loved it. Showed how the game works. How people play it so to speak. Applaud it.

And I am not sure I am communicating well but its late and I have not slept in a while.

Agent Rowyne now going idle to worry about things that go bump in the night and why her dogs are whimpering at the garage door.

(*stares at the door wondering what lurks beyond the heavy wards*)

 

Oh and forgot to say....delightfully creepy! Love it.

 

The sensation I get is that if you continue connecting blows like this it will be alright.
The game trailer is the first blow, no one saw it comming and took them by surprise.
This video could be the second blow. It's connected to the first and adds something more, poking their curiosity.
The following blows should make them throw their money at the screen (hopefully) at the end of the day.
This, along with the other updates, AMAs and feedback from the community should make a great combi (or that's the sensation I get )

 

Nuff said

 

Not only would this probably make some people pledge who asked to see more gameplay, it also makes me want this to succeed even more. So that works.

 

if i was previously unsure, then yes, this probably would. i like that it shows what the missions' storyline will look like, as well as the missions themselves, and makes it a lot clearer what we will be doing. (my only criticism is that some of the dialogue felt a little condescending, but i have to say that's probably just me). apologies if this is the wrong place, but for future gameplay-esque videos if there are some, i would also like to see some of the community interaction, as a way of showing what community puzzle solving (which personally is something i really like, and something i mention to people a lot) is like. i also like the idea of perhaps a video of shorter segments showing how different classes might approach a mission, which i think would help some people who are apprehensive about joining because, say, they're good at hacking/computery things (idk, not my class!) but bad at research, or whatever.

tl;dr: yes.

(sorry, i'm not exactly 100% lucid rn)

 

I think it does exactly what it says: tutorial mission. You can talk with MMORPG about community and real life in the next feature, or write a blog post style update and send it out to backers and steam. Make a big press release in the last week and send it to major gaming sites to see if they pick it up

 

Blakc Watchmen...
.. Typo intended? If not than it should be fixed asap ;-)

 

Good Catch, Zodiac. Completely missed that.