for what it's worth

this is not a game

Right. So we all know Neurocam is not an ARG.

(We, uh, all do know that, right?)

*casts doubtful eye at n00bs on unfiction board...*

Nevertheless, I found this recent editorial over at the ARGN blog to be irresistibly germane to current (and past) doings in the house of Cam. Here's a snip:

By far the most prevalent theory is that by splitting the player base into factions, the game, and therefore the genre, suffers. People in this camp tend to believe that one of the major unspoken laws of ARG are that community is the thing -- that only through cooperation, can the game progress as intended....

The vocal minority's point (and one that I, personally, tend to side on more than others) is that an adversarial role can only be good for gaming in general for many reasons. Primarily, in the form of added depth and realism. How often in real life, do we see a group of people, all attacking a major problem from the same angle, all lined up in unity and harmony, with a single purpose? While it may happen from time to time, there are often people who "side with the enemy" or those who "aren't sure someone is bad". People of this mind tend to believe that the added realism added by playing adversarial roles (intended by the Puppetmasters or not) only adds a dimension to the gaming experience that could not exist with an idyllic "purely hive mind" situation. Another strong argument is that the challenges to the Puppetmaster can create entirely different plot and puzzle scenarios that would not otherwise occur. (However, one must feel some pity on the poor, scrambling PM that did not anticipate the actions of a rogue set of players, who all of a sudden destroy a major plot point, by revealing the motives and actions of the player base to a malevolent character, who was really not intended to know the information.)

While Neurocam was never meant to be about a group of people working together to solve puzzles (far as I can tell, anyway), I think it's fair to say the masked ones didn't anticipate (or intend) such strong adversarial elements to manifest in their world. And it's been interesting to watch the reaction (from the community as well) when those adversaries strike.

I've no opinion on what these challenges mean for the Cam (at least no opinion I'm willing to state publicly  -- especially since things are still shaking out from the latest incident). But I find the whole debate to be interesting, and I thought you might too.

That is all.

where are you going, where have you been

Hello there. I haven't been posting much over here, and that's the point of this post.

I've noticed (and I'm sure you have too) a trend amongst the Neuroblogs. Those that deal specifically with the Cam have been gathering dust for the past month or so, and some have been taken offline completely. Others have been declared defunct by their authors, but left online (which, as an archivist, I wholeheartedly support). And some Cam blogs, like mine, have suffered a slow death through increasingly sporadic posting.

The Cam blogs that have flourished, on the other hand, are the ones that have been diverse in topic from the beginning, or that have evolved to such a state. Certain blogs among those are more entertaining than others, and have developed a loyal following. I like that. Even when there's not a whiff of Cam in the room, the esprit de corps persists in its absence. Or, as Tript says:

I think I'm more interested in seeing cool bars and cooler nights out from around the world than reading about the cam, this is what we should all be doing.
Using the community for good, not evil.

Here, here. Because, and it's taken me an absurd amount of time to realize this, Neurocam can't exist in a vacuum. If we're going to derive any value from an online component of this experience, our output is going to have to consist of more than just assignment updates and wild speculation about upper management. We have as much to learn from each other as we do from the Cam, about both the pure and the profane in life. So I guess I'm simply encouraging all of you to keep talking about yourselves, and the things that interest you. Because I dig it. And I'll be at [edit: my personal blog] from now on.

If we're going to derive any value from an online component of this experience, our output is going to have to consist of more than just assignment updates and wild speculation about upper management.

Uh, that said ... When's the last time anybody heard from old Charlie? I think I'm officially concerned.

twisp

Does weird shit ever happen to you? Like you’re reading Poker Without Cards, you get to page 52, and “Roll the Bones” comes up on shuffle? There's been a lot of that in my life lately.

In other news, hello Alex. Boo-yeah for more estrogen in the House of Cam!

(Also, Toby has deleted his blog, so I removed him from the list. And metacam is gone. It was really only ever there for Xul. Sigh. Dear Xul...)

the bridge to dimension zed

That entrances assignment? Pshhh. I get the feeling these guys would have smoked us all.

(And I so totally fricken dig the Goonies reference, considering they're actually like, you know, doing that kind of shit.)

(ETA: I can only imagine how much asbestos these guys have inhaled...)

this is the part where i slit my wrists and ask that my ashes be scattered in the tropics

(Realize this is the fifth straight week of wind and torrential rain)

Nowcast as of 9:50 PM EDT on May 23, 2005 Now expect strong winds to continue for a few more hours... An area of low pressure moving west from the Gulf of Maine will move inland in the next few hours. Once the low moves inland winds should begin to subside. In the meantime expect winds to 20 to 30 mph with higher gusts to bring down some tree limbs resulting in scattered power outages.   Forecast for Coastal Cumberland County Updated: 10:10 PM EDT on May 23, 2005 Coastal Flood Warning in effect from 10 PM EDT this evening to 2 am EDT Tuesday... Tonight Windy periods of rain. Lows in the mid 40s. Northeast winds 20 to 30 mph with higher gusts. Tuesday Rain likely. Breezy with highs around 50. Northeast winds 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 60 percent. Detail Tuesday Night Showers likely. Lows in the mid 40s. Northeast winds 15 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent. Wednesday Showers likely. Breezy with highs around 50. Northeast winds 20 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent. Detail Wednesday Night Showers likely. Breezy with lows in the mid 40s. Northeast winds 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent. Thursday and Thursday Night Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Highs in the upper 50s. Lows in the mid 40s. Chance of rain 50 percent. Friday Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Highs around 60. Chance of rain 40 percent. Friday Night and Saturday Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Lows in the upper 40s. Highs in the lower 60s. Chance of rain 50 percent. Saturday Night Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Lows in the upper 40s. Chance of rain 40 percent. Sunday Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Highs in the mid 60s. Chance of rain 30 percent. Sunday Night Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Lows in the upper 40s. Chance of rain 40 percent. Memorial Day Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Highs in the mid 60s. Chance of rain 50 percent. Scientific forecaster discussion (NWS)

And now, I promise, I'll stop bitching about the weather.

/goes off to book cheap flight to Mexico...

nobody's xul

The inimitable xulsolar23 has shuttered shop. I'll miss your sublime style of story, Mr (?) Solar. Take care.

Meanwhile, in another part of the galaxy,  AO's blog has become my #1 guilty pleasure. Most likely because it reminds me of the self I once actively was, and will always passively be.

I'll skip the psychoanalysis, both for my benefit and AO's.

twisted sisters

Hey CP, you apper to have a kindred tights-wearing soul in operative deadsoybean.

Love the boots, Nada.

the cam and the restless

Jojo says it best.

true dat

filed, stamped, indexed

Lady J is the online operative community's resident librarian and unofficial den-mother.

I guess I'll have to save those dominatrix aspirations for my next life...

(You join a secret society, full of intrigue and deception, and you're still a nerd .... Go, Velma, go. Hopeless.)

And oh yeah --  there's a new Cam wiki, created by Dev (is that you, Simon?) on the Neuroboard.  Go contribute, try not to be a wise-ass and mess it all up.

(What?! What else do you expect me to say? Shhhhhhh, this is a quiet room!? Don't mess with me or I'll break out my fucken whip...)