When this post goes live, the new 1.5 version of my ARG Tools iPhone app should also be live. What is ARG Tools, you ask? It is a collection of tools and reference material for people who routinely solve puzzles: alternate reality games (ARGs), puzzle trails, The Game, and whatnot. The app (or, rather, my … Continue reading ARG/Puzzle Tools: The Next Generation
Category: ARGs
Dictionary files: are they all created equal? [updated]
Over the weekend, some friends and I got to apply for playing WarTron. You can read more about this in the previous blog post. This particular blog post is about research into Unix dictionary files. It is related to the WarTron application puzzles, in that it is the result of a postmortem conversation, but is … Continue reading Dictionary files: are they all created equal? [updated]
How I failed the WarTron application and the fun I had in so doing [Updated x 2]
It looks as if WarTron will be the next incarnation of “The Game.” If you are not familiar with The Game – no, not that movie with Michael Douglas – it is, in brief, a weekend-long road trip in which you solve puzzles to reach particular destinations. “Race” is probably a little more apt than … Continue reading How I failed the WarTron application and the fun I had in so doing [Updated x 2]
ARG Tools for iPhone
As a few readers of this blog may know, I have been tinkering with iPhone development for about a year. Technically, a bit longer than that — since the first jailbreaks and community SDKs — but realistically, with all seriousness, about a year of what I’d consider above “tinkering” but below “professional.” In recent months, … Continue reading ARG Tools for iPhone
Last weekend’s DASH puzzle hunt
Something that I mentioned to a number of people in real life, but I do not think I blogged or tweeted about much was the DASH puzzle hunt that I attended last weekend. DASH stands for “Different Area, Same Hunt.” As the name somewhat implies, a number of different cities around the country participated in … Continue reading Last weekend’s DASH puzzle hunt
ARGfest-o-con 2009
ARGfest was a few weekends ago. For those not in the know, this is a convention for people who design (both professionally and as a hobby) and play Alternate Reality Games (ARGs). The most notable ARGs are marketing campaigns for video games, movies, and TV shows and are played out over mediums like websites, telephones, … Continue reading ARGfest-o-con 2009
My Portland Event Calendar
Here are a few things I am interested in around Portland: Thursday July 16: Ignite Portland 6 – “If you had five minutes on stage what would you say? What if you only got 20 slides and they rotated automatically after 15 seconds? Around the world geeks have been putting together Ignite nights to show … Continue reading My Portland Event Calendar
Gunnerkrigg Court
I think I have come to the conclusion that any recommendation by Andrea Phillips is going to be something I like. This conclusion is wildly drawn from exactly two datapoints, but I stand by it for now. Several months back, she mentioned Escape Pod, a podcast of science fiction short stories, and I have been … Continue reading Gunnerkrigg Court
Dharma Wants You! Yes, you–over there, with the hidden video camera.
For those that may have missed out, there seems to be a new game for the LOST television show! Those that saw the season finale may remember the commercial for Octagon Global Recruiting. This hinted at something-or-other happening at Comicon. If you signed up to be on the mailing list, one of the emails you … Continue reading Dharma Wants You! Yes, you–over there, with the hidden video camera.
Non-ARG, Bellydance Weekend!
As I’ve lamented in various other places, this weekend was not ARGfest for me (despite conflicting photographic “evidence”.) In fact, until recently, I was expecting to follow it from home and help out where I could with FestQuest puzzles and/or other tasks that might pop up. Unfortunately, Kim’s help at her event this previous weekend … Continue reading Non-ARG, Bellydance Weekend!