(Person) Percentage - Sabanci University Research Database

The Asian Media & Mass Communication Conference 2010 Osaka, Japan
Worlds radio play in 1938. While todays diverse media environment and relatively stable
international affairs contrast dramatically with the prewar tension and monopoly of radio in the
mid 1930s in which the CBS broadcast took place, it would be foolish for any broadcaster not to
have learnt from this precedent.
Furthermore, while set in an Alternate Reality, BluebirdsAR's narrative mirrored the actual world
very closely. Based in the present, taking place live and real time over a six week period and
using up-to-date and accurate scientific research, it was indeed, a believable reality. Therefore,
and to ensure against any ontological uncertainty, however unlikely, the decision was made to
openly disclose Bluebird AR's fictionality and gamic nature – at least within the ABC hosted
areas. Social networking sites in contrast would not disclaim the fictionality – but would direct
users to ABC sites where the fictionality was revealed. Editorially the ABC had to do this to
minimise the risk of being seen as deceptive or misleading. While a dramatic compromise, it was
a necessary one, but it also allowed the ABC to operate safely and ethically.
Interaction – How and where to distribute the narrative online so that it could be discovered and
pieced together by players, allowing them to contribute their own thoughts along the way?
When planning interactive narratives, audience engagement is often divided into three types.
The broadest audience is anticipated as being the least engaged, typically watching the drama
unfold without participating. A smaller number are expected to both watch and participate in
some, but not all, of the tasks and activities. Finally, it's expected that the smallest percentage of
the audience will watch, interact and play intensely. With limited production resources, and as a
first effort at establishing an Alternate Reality drama production, the producers made a
conscious decision to focus on the latter two parts of the audience, which was to some extent at
the expense of a purely viewing audience. However, for those with the time resources and
inclination, the project offered a deep level of engagement and educational experience.
During the planning stage, it was impossible to anticipate the ideal quantity and delivery of
game events and activities. The audiences interest, how quickly they would solve particular
clues and therefore how much content would be required overall, could only be guessed at.
Therefore, additional tasks were created in anticipation of users solving too much too quickly.
Likewise shortcuts and extra clues were devised to hurry the game along should it drag and loose
pace. Varying degrees of difficulty and game play were implemented to cater to different kinds
of players. Predicting that, for example, some players would savour visual puzzles, others would
prefer hunting for password clues, yet others would enjoy researching issues raised in the story,
and many would wait for clues to be unlocked so they could try and piece the story together, the
producers created multifarious tasks and challenges for a varied player base.
Although the game was to be presented across multiple online spaces, to ensure a unity of
playership and to afford the producers the ability to observe, steer and cater to player interaction,
the primary area of play activity would be the Dashboard Collective. This ABC constructed
virtual space presented multiple opportunities for users to contribute content, solve puzzles and
communicate with fellow players and game characters alike. It was a central location for
collating clues, tasks and story information for the audience. The Dashboard Collective was
ostensibly managed by in-game character and journalist filmmaker Juanita Monte, but was
actually managed by Innovation producers and ABC moderation staff.
Moderation – How to ensure that all content submitted by players across the greater web was
suitable and appropriate and a broader ABC audience?
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