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.

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.

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...)

gone fishin

Assed, like ole Neville.

No, wait. He "resigned" to MK's luxury retirement village. It's a charming little place in Wales, absolutely captivating.

(Anybody who gets that reference, prize of some sort.)

( Neither sexual nor monetary, so don't think too hard.)

check yer email

But don't open it.

You might get assed.

and i knew there was something I was forgetting to post last night...

Midnight has apparently returned to the blogging fold, with a post speculating on the relative merits of his sabbatical.

more op blogs, and WTF Avery?!

Right, so first the mundane (no offense to the bloggers in question). New ops for the sidebar: Ricin in Michigan; An American in Melbourne in, duh; Peluchio in Panama; Adren of Life, blogging in Spanish from points unknown; and deadsoybean in Paterson, NJ. (Dylan in my head for the rest of the night now ...)

And Xul's new nightlight is a beard of stars.

Now the big news, which by the time most of you read this will be old news: Avery is headed to fricken New Zealand, and "points thereafter." Not only, but he's apparently The New Number 2.

Ave: Send me a postcard, will ya?

dangerous bedfellows

Neurocam romance and flirtation seems to be the topic of the day. (Warning: Shem's site seems to be infected with a nasty little MIDI virus. Please, Shem, make it go away.)

While CP offers us a round-up of known Neurocam couplings (which is, ahem, fleshed out in the comments section), Shem waxes philosophical on the subject. I won't rehash too much of his musings; my interest lies primarily in his parting shot:

Has there been an assumed trust developing amongst the Operatives - a by-product of our digital familiarity. An invitation to a Neurocam gathering no longer generates the suspicion, the unsurety, the gastrointestinal butterfly's that once lurked as a result of that famous piece of Tarantino inspired footage many of us were first exposed to.

Are you too comfortable?

Are you too trusting?

Are you too complacent?

Are you too revealing?

In light of the heritage behind the name of our newest executive, Ms Gertrude Zelle; and the recently revealed Fischer-Hastings Affair (I'd link to the exact post, but Blogger's archives, like everything else about the service, appear to be currently fux0rd), I can only wonder what the Cam has up its sleeve for us operatives. When do they start playing us against each other? (Or have they already begun?) Will they take advantage of publicly revealed friendships and relationships amongst us, and attempt to exploit those relationships? Will they succeed? How many layers of deception would they have to employ to trick an operative into lying to or betraying an ally? Or would you willingly go along with certain lies of omission (or outright lies) in order to further the "experience"? Would you be more willing to "play" a friend you only know online? It is, after all, so much easier to type a lie than to say it.

What does Neurocam mean to you?