Getting Started
From ARG Guide/Trail Wiki
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How do I register to play?
There appears to be more than one way to register:
- To become an Ideltech employee and have access to Ideltech email and IntellIM, a player should apply at employment (http://www.ideltech.com/employment.htm).
- To join The Restorers, by contacting them at thadtidwell@therestorers.org
- To become affiliated with Omniscient Eyes, you'll need to solve a puzzle to get in. Omniscient Eyes (http://www.omniscienteyes.com)
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How do I figure out what is happening?
- Start at the trailhead (http://www.ruaware.org/intro.htm). Look around but you should at least read the brief Amboy Monthly article about Ideltech, TOBI and the war on terror here (http://www.amboymonthly.com/20040202.htm). And also check out this information page (http://www.ruaware.org/what.htm).
- Read this guide starting with the Background Info then read the Chronology. The guide will be updated frequently and the links should take you where you need to go to get the background information you need.
- Read the AWARE forums found at unfiction. These are always current and also contain player speculation on characters, puzzles and plot. And, the racontuers in the group will keep you amused. Note: there is a very useful feature on unfiction which allows you to search for the most recent posts. You can search messages posted within a certain time period byt clicking on the dropdown. It will ease your site navigation.
- Chat in the IRC channel created for AWARE or for unfiction or both. Ask questions and people will help you.
- A new site is being setup at immersionunlimited (http://www.immersionunlimited.com/) which will be a forum for posting as well as chats. Be advised that anything posted here will be considered as "in-game" for use by other players and the characters.
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General Tips and Hints
- Before you register, you should consider creating at least one, if not two email accounts to be used just for game purposes. Use these accounts for game registration and for all character interaction. This helps you protect your anonymity in the game and also helps keep game information organized. Yahoo and Hotmail accounts are free. Yahoo has the advantage of YIM which is sometimes used to interact with characters. (As for anonimity, note that your IP is recorded when you post to unfiction and that neither Yahoo or Hotmail is truly anonymous. A reference on anonymous remailers can be found [here]).
- Learn to use IRC if you want to participate in chats. And IM as well. In particular, log interactions with characters so you can post them and save them for your records.(It's not difficult.)
- For ease of navigation, use the aware sidebar (http://home.graffiti.net/ruaware/index.html) (created for us by Lysithea) or at least bookmark the game websites.
- Understand a bit about how an ARG works. The Puppet Master and the Behind the Scenes people are telling a story in a non-linear way. Listen very carefully to all information coming from them, if the players are lost or off-track, they will receive a hint or a nudge to get them back on the correct path. That said, the players have to do the work to uncover the pieces of the story and put them into a coherent narrative. Often the plot is advanced through solving puzzles that lead the players to new information, sites or characters.
- Characters have an agenda and the players usually can not be certain what the character is seeking to achieve. Players need to evaluate whether a character is trustworthy and whether information can be trusted. Just because a character is honest about some things, does not mean they can be expected to always be truthful. Understanding a character is crucial in determining how to approach him or her and in evaluating the character's part in the story.
- When given contact information for a character, use it, but not abusively. If a character is on-line or in a chat room, try to talk to them if you can. And don't be afraid to interact with characters, if you are so inclined, they want to talk to you or they wouldn't be there. You can always email characters, generally they will respond , but do not be disappointed if they do not or if the response is delayed. A character's response time depends on a variety of factors.
- Puzzles come in all varieties. Assume that you may be able to assist in some way in the solving of each one. The only way to learn how to solve puzzles is to try, and to watch what other players do. Many puzzles need a group effort to be solved, so join in.
- Be careful about giving information to characters about other characters. The characters only know what the players tell them and certain other publicly available information. In general, it is foolish to give away information without getting something back from the character. Information is the currency of an ARG and it should be treated carefully.
- Never give information to a character about another player without that player's permission, if only to keep people from being annoyed with you.