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The Secret World's new ARG opens signups for loyalists [Updated]

Brianna Royce — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Horror, Real-Life, Trailers, Video, Business Models, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, News Items, The Secret World, Miscellaneous, Crowdfunding

A newsletter sent yesterday to current and former players of The Secret World invites them to sign up for the game's upcoming Black Watchmen alternate reality game, which is due to officially kick off in September. Here's the hard pill to swallow for those of you used to the B2P nature of TSW: The ARG isn't free. Players who sign up will be funding the game's previously announced Crowdtilt crowdfunding campaign and will receive a year's worth of ARG gameplay and missions and a special in-game outfit for $20 ($10 off the normal fee).

Massively's MJ explored the ARG in detail just a few weeks ago. Enjoy the trailer below!

[Thanks to Dengar for the tip.]

[Update: It turns out that if you're a lifetime member of TSW, this deal is even sweeter: Not only do you pick up the in-game goodies, but you get a free sub to the ARG for a year.]

Continue reading The Secret World's new ARG opens signups for loyalists [Updated]

The Secret World's new ARG opens signups for loyalists [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Apr 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chaos Theory: Grand plans for The Secret World's Black Watchmen ARG

MJ Guthrie — Thu, 27 Mar 2014 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Horror, Real-Life, Events (Real-World), Interviews, The Secret World, Miscellaneous, Chaos Theory

Last week we revealed that a new persistent alternate reality game is in the works from Human Equation, the studio that brought us the pre-launch and End of Days ARGs for The Secret World. But that little introduction is just a drop in the bucket compared to what the company has planned for the community. Human Equation has bought the license to operate the Black Watchmen IP from Funcom, and that means TSW players, fans, and puzzle-enthusiasts have much more in store for them than they realize.

Although a major premise behind an ARG is figuring out clues and discovering information over time, I sat down and chatted with Andrea Doyon, the chief innovation officer (aka puppet master) for the ARG to bring you the scoop on those very plans. Check out all the details in this exclusive interview, including future job possibilities, and get a peek at two never-before-seen pieces of concept art.

Continue reading Chaos Theory: Grand plans for The Secret World's Black Watchmen ARG

Chaos Theory: Grand plans for The Secret World's Black Watchmen ARG originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Mar 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Secret World fans get a persistent ARG

MJ Guthrie — Wed, 19 Mar 2014 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Horror, Real-Life, Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, News Items, The Secret World, Buy-to-Play

If you've wanted to get in on the ground floor of an Alternate Reality Game tied to The Secret World, the time is now! A brand-new ARG developed by Human Equation has just entered the scene.

Focusing on the Black Watchmen, this ARG differs in that it will be a persistent, complete game with features (such as a class system and NPCs) designed in partnership with Funcom. However, players will have plenty of real-world and online puzzles to work through as well. Check out the official site now to start on the first mission; the second mission unlocks tomorrow, March 20th. Then stay tuned to Chaos Theory for an upcoming interview with the creators for even more details about this new game and what they have in store for this IP.

[Source: Human Equation press release]

The Secret World fans get a persistent ARG originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Mar 2014 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Secret World mysterious box stumps community [updated]

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Horror, Sci-Fi, Culture, The Secret World, Post-Apocalyptic, Buy-to-Play

A series of mysterious forum posts might be a new alternate reality game for The Secret World.

The posts show a honeycomb cylinder with a note and SD cards inside that was sent by a fan to Funcom. The note reads, "To unlock the truths of the void, one must offset themselfs [sic] from the tenements [sic] of known reality." On the SD cards were very small files with a few letters and numbers in each.

The studio made the files public, and the players have responded by investigating what appears to be a community-led ARG. If a Massively reader can crack the code, make sure to share with the entire class!

[Update: This was sent in by a fan, not the developers. Made changes to the story accordingly.]

[Thanks to Ehra for the tip!]

The Secret World mysterious box stumps community [updated] originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Oct 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google's Ingress adopts achievement system, awards badges

MJ Guthrie — Mon, 16 Sep 2013 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Real-Life, Patches, News Items, Mobile

It's been a while since we have heard any news about Google's mobile alternate-reality MMO Ingress. But that silence has broken: A new update is rolling out and should be available to all players in the course of a few days. This update includes scanner performance updates as well as a new system of badges that players can earn to show off their achievements. This new achievement system -- not unlike the famous merit badges earned by scouts -- awards players for such things as exploring, building, and hacking. Ingress also recognizes players for more unique achievements with such badges as Mind Controller and Seer.

[Thanks to SpaceCobra for the tip!]

Google's Ingress adopts achievement system, awards badges originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Sep 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chaos Theory: Player projects enhance The Secret World experience

MJ Guthrie — Mon, 06 May 2013 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Horror, Real-Life, Video, Interviews, Opinion, The Secret World, Chaos Theory, Player-Generated Content, Buy-to-Play

One of The Secret World's most unique elements makes it ripe for producing immersive experiences, even outside of the game. Set in the modern real world (as opposed to the fantasy or even sci-fi themes prevalent in our MMOverse), a game can more easily blur the line between logged in and logged out. Players can, and do, generate ways to be a part of the game while still out and about in the real world. Today, I'm going to shine a spotlight on two of these projects that use very different methods to continue immersion beyond actual gameplay.

In January, one TSW fan ran an Alternate-Reality Game (ARG) for fellow players. Using Twitter, the forums, email, and even in-game characters, this player orchestrated a full-on investigation for participants to work through. And just recently, a new site offering to immerse players more deeply into the game through imagery was beta-launched. Both projects further player involvement in the world of the game -- the stories, the conspiracies, the histories, and the surroundings -- beyond the actual game. Both received support from Funcom in their efforts to expand the fans' experiences. And both are definitely worth checking out, so I sat down with the creators to get the scoop on the why, the how, and the what's next.

Continue reading Chaos Theory: Player projects enhance The Secret World experience

Chaos Theory: Player projects enhance The Secret World experience originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 May 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Join Bungie's ARG and work toward possible Destiny reveal

MJ Guthrie — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items

Not a lot of concrete information is floating around about Destiny, an upcoming game by Bungie. We do know more will be revealed at GDC next month, but a new ARG on the Halo creator's website hints that more may be revealed even sooner. How soon? Possibly next Monday: A row of numbers splayed across the top counts down from seven, and clicking on the next descending number each day changes the displayed weekday.

After the first task, the ARG appears to require the efforts of multiple players to solve; the second puzzle spells out "alone will not be enough." So if you want to get in on unlocking the mysteries of the ARG, study the second puzzle's clue after the break and head over to Bungie to add your contributions to the mix.

Continue reading Join Bungie's ARG and work toward possible Destiny reveal

Join Bungie's ARG and work toward possible Destiny reveal originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Feb 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Game Archaeologist: EA's Majestic

Justin Olivetti — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Puzzle, Real-Life, Sci-Fi, Culture, Browser, The Game Archaeologist, Miscellaneous

"This is not a game. Or is it?"

Conspiracy theories and paranoia were hot with pop culture in the 1990s, largely thanks to movies like The Net and TV shows like the X-Files, which had the tagline of "I want to believe." With the rise of the internet during the decade and the fantastic leaps and bounds technology had been making, people were not only experiencing new ways to play games but also growing suspicious that these tools could have a sinister side.

It was into this niche that EA stepped to create an ambitious $20 million project that would fuse massively multiplayer interactivity, the growing variety of technological mediums, and conspiracy theories together. The project was Majestic, an alternate reality game (ARG) that would be the most expensive and highest profile attempt to date. It generated great amounts of interest and publicity, had a promising start, and then flared out hard by the end of 2001.

Considering how ARGs and MMOs have crossed paths since, most recently with The Secret World, I wanted to take a closer look at an attempt to develop a game that would run parallel in many ways with the industry that we love today.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist: EA's Majestic

The Game Archaeologist: EA's Majestic originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 26 Jan 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chaos Theory: ARG expands The Secret World

MJ Guthrie — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Horror, Real-Life, Events (Real-World), Opinion, Free-to-Play, The Secret World, Chaos Theory

If there is one thing that many MMOs have in common, it's in-game events. Just about every title has a least one event, often centered around holidays, where players do special tasks in-game and receive special gifts. The Secret World is no different, most recently running an apocalyptic event with Mayan zombies for players to trip over. But who says all events have to actually be in-game? Certainly not Funcom.

Among the other hooplah over the supposed end of the world last month, The Secret World fans were participating in the game's latest Alternate Reality Game (ARG). Set out in the real world, the ARG let anyone -- player or not -- experience the ambiance of TSW investigation missions by solving a set of conspiracy-laden tasks and receiving in-game rewards. While the first ARG was via Facebook, this one utilized email, a special website, and even text messages and tweets. Some missions were solo events, while others required the world-wide community to band together to complete. And there's nothing like a common goal to bring folks together (even in some unexpected ways!).

Didn't have a chance to play all the way through? It's not too late; the situation room is still open. Go ahead and put your thinking cap on and prepare to be drawn into a world of conspiracies, whether you play TSW or not.

Continue reading Chaos Theory: ARG expands The Secret World

Chaos Theory: ARG expands The Secret World originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Jan 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Secret World ARG heralds the end of days

Justin Olivetti — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Sci-Fi, Events (Real-World), Events (In-Game), The Secret World

With the end of the world almost here (it's December 21st, don't you know), who else would be on top of the apocalypse than The Secret World? Funcom's conspiracy MMO is preparing to launch another alternate reality game (ARG) themed around the end of days and TSW itself.

Players and visitors alike are invited to sign up for the upcoming game. At the very least, you'll need to surrender your email address, although Funcom would like your Twitter handle and cell phone number as well. While you're on the website, check out the creepy whispering going on. Could this be the first clue?

While we don't have specifics about what the ARG will entail, we do know that there are several in-game rewards for participants. These rewards include a monk outfit, XP potions, a survival outfit, and an invitation to a special celebration event with the devs.

The Secret World ARG heralds the end of days originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Dec 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Introducing Ingress: The MMO by Google

Elisabeth Cardy — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 10:45:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Real-Life, Trailers, Video, Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items

Google has joined the MMO scene. The company revealed its new massively multiplayer online alternate reality game, Ingress, yesterday. Players of this new game will be able to capture and defend virtual control points known as portals, but they have to actually get themselves to the proper meatspace location in order to do so. According to the game's trailer, which you can check out just below the cut, scientists have unleashed havoc on the world in the form of a mysterious energy source that gathers around certain locations -- and it's up to players to choose a faction and try to set things straight.

Ingress is currently in closed beta and available only to Android users at the moment. There are plans for an iOS version to come. You can sign up for a beta invite and get more details at the official site.

Continue reading Introducing Ingress: The MMO by Google

Introducing Ingress: The MMO by Google originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Nov 2012 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Funcom kicks off new Secret World ARG with strange video

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Horror, Sci-Fi, Lore, The Secret World

Everybody loves an Alice in Wonderland metaphor, and Funcom is no exception. The studio kicked off a new alternate reality game for its upcoming MMO, The Secret World, and it's littered with White Rabbit references.

The game starts with a very short video in which a woman on a cell phone talks about a six-year-old case. This is followed up with the instructions to go to Funcom's website, click on the background, and type in "33" to start the ARG. Just... be prepared for anything if you do. We don't want to spoil it, so we'll leave it at that and encourage you to watch the video after the jump.

[Thanks to Kaitlyn for the tip!]

Continue reading Funcom kicks off new Secret World ARG with strange video

Funcom kicks off new Secret World ARG with strange video originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Secret World ARG launches as social experience winds down

Elisabeth Cardy — Thu, 24 May 2012 20:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Video, Events (Real-World), News Items, The Secret World

The Secret World's Secret War social experience has run its course and come to a close after an exciting five weeks. More than 250,000 people participated in the war, rallying to the cause of their chosen secret society, filling forums with discussion and theories and welcoming each new War Challenge as it was rolled out. Along the way, players have been unlocking items for use in TSW, with a special few winning the opportunity to have their name in-game and an even more special few winning a trip to visit the dev team.

But that's the past, and now the glorious present awaits you. Three new videos have made their way onto The Secret War's page and each one holds a clue. The clues lead to different puzzles (one for each secret society) for players to solve. That's about all there is to know about these puzzles so far, but we're promised that they are "the start of a very exciting adventure" for participants -- so pull out your tinfoil hats and get crackin'!

[Source: Funcom press release]

The Secret World ARG launches as social experience winds down originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 May 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Trion dev posts ARG messages on RIFT forums

Jef Reahard — Fri, 11 May 2012 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, MMO Industry, News Items, RIFT

Trion is taking a page out of The Secret World's ARG book if a new dev post on the RIFT forums is any indication.

A company representative has taken to posting poetry, cryptic messages, and even a numeric user handle on the title's official boards. Thus far, RIFT fans believe that the user name 3 3228466 787 is code for three-faction PvP (or possibly three-faction RvR). Is this a herald for a third RIFT faction, factional changes, more races, or something to do with the mercenary system? We're not sure.

We are sure it's entirely coincidental that Trion is doing this on the same day that Funcom has lifted part of its press embargo for The Secret World, a three-faction MMO that has been marketed via similar ARGs since 2007. We'll update the post as more info becomes available.

[Thanks to Jeff for the tip!]

Trion dev posts ARG messages on RIFT forums originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 May 2012 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PAX 2011: Funcom discusses The Secret World's PvP, ARG, and more

Matt Daniel — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Events (Real-World), Game Mechanics, Interviews, Previews, PvP, News Items, PvE, The Secret World

Funcom had an impressive presence at PAX Prime 2011, and along with that presence came a wealth of information about its upcoming horror MMORPG, The Secret World. In addition to showing off the Polaris five-man instance, the team also highlighted a new solo mission demo and revealed some new information about the title.

From missions to PvP to character progression, the team had a lot to say. For the full details on both small- and large-scale PvP, skill progression, and the game's ARG and puzzle elements, head on past the cut.

Continue reading PAX 2011: Funcom discusses The Secret World's PvP, ARG, and more

PAX 2011: Funcom discusses The Secret World's PvP, ARG, and more originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 31 Aug 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Secret World offering players beta access via the Secret War

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Horror, Real-Life, Sci-Fi, Events (Real-World), New Titles, News Items, The Secret World

In spring of next year, players will get to enter The Secret World and start facing off against all of the horrors lurking just beneath the surface of modern life. But if you're intent on delving into the game as soon as possible, you probably want to be in the beta more or less yesterday. Funcom is giving players a chance to do just that after they sign up for the beta via the Secret War ARG, which will let players explore the factions and start to rise in ranks... and, of course, secure a beta spot.

Following the registration process, players will be taken to a portal that offers a personality test to determine which of the three major factions fit their outlooks. (Or said players can pick outright.) From there, the game is on... but in the shadows, as always. You don't need to do anything else, but you can start taking part in your society's efforts to recruit others, and players who reach the highest rank in the chosen society will be granted automatic access to the beta when it goes live. Sounds mysterious and underhanded -- just the sort of thing you'd expect from a game about the dark days ahead.

The Secret World offering players beta access via the Secret War originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 25 Aug 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Blow your minds': The Secret World dreams of large-scale PvP

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Horror, Sci-Fi, Interviews, PvP, The Secret World

While the big news from The Secret World out of Gamescom was its April 2012 launch window, that's not all the developers had to say about this creeptastic title. Ragnar Tornquist opened up to Ten Ton Hammer about the game's epic large-scale PvP fights between the three factions of the Dragons, the Illuminati, and the Templars.

Unlike The Secret World's smaller PvP battlefields, the warzones are persistent with a much larger population. So instead of waiting for a match, experienced players can hop right into a warzone for the glory and honor of their faction. In the warzones, players can capture respawn points to help out their faction and work on their secret society ranking while doing it. Tornquist said that the first warzone is in a Chinese city, although it doesn't have a name yet.

Tornquist stated that the game should provide players with "several hundred hours" of PvE experience, not to mention the title's PvP and optional internet quests that will have the dedicated hunting through websites for arcane clues.

Funcom's project lead thinks the total sum of The Secret World will be unlike anything we've ever seen before: "When the story and the respective events are ready to show off, we are going to blow your minds."

'Blow your minds': The Secret World dreams of large-scale PvP originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 23 Aug 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ragnar Tørnquist discusses The Secret World's history, factions, puzzles, and more

Matt Daniel — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Interviews, News Items, The Secret World

Funcom's Ragnar Tørnquist, project lead of the upcoming The Secret World, sat down with John Walker over at Rock, Paper, Shotgun to chat about everything TSW. The interview is delightfully in-depth, and is actually only the first part of the entire interview, so TSW fans have something to look forward to as well.

In part one, Mr. Walker talks with Tørnquist about the history of The Secret World and how it arrived at the point it's at today. They also spend a bit of time discussing the game's three factions -- particularly the enigmatic Dragons -- and their potential motivations and interactions. And lastly, of course, they talk about the game's ARG-esque puzzles, which blur the line between game and reality for a more immersive experience. For the whole first part of the interview (which is really a must-read for fans of TSW), head on over to Rock, Paper, Shotgun.

Ragnar Tørnquist discusses The Secret World's history, factions, puzzles, and more originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Jul 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rock, Paper, Shotgun gets an inside look at The Secret World

Matt Daniel — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Previews, News Items, Hands-On, The Secret World

Illuminati, Templars, and Dragons alike, sit down and listen up. The ever-so-entertaining and informative John Walker over at Rock, Paper, Shotgun has an exclusive inside look at Funcom's upcoming MMORPG The Secret World. The title, which is being headed up by adventure game visionary Ragnar Tørnquist, is set in the real world, though with a few dark and dangerous twists.

Mr. Walker spends a good deal of time talking about the much-talked-about ARG-esque connection between The Secret World and our reality. He goes into detail about a particular puzzle offered by the game which requires players to do a good deal of real-world research in order to reach their in-game goal, which sounds absolutely fascinating. Combat is also touched on, with Mr. Walker noting that "while its delivery is relatively traditional... there's enough that's different here to be interesting." For the full, fascinating read, head on over to Rock, Paper, Shotgun!

Rock, Paper, Shotgun gets an inside look at The Secret World originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 05 Jul 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Leaked memo says Pottermore is an online game

Justin Olivetti — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events (Real-World), Rumors

We've been on mystical pins and needles for the past week as the countdown continues to tomorrow's full reveal of Pottermore, a mysterious website bearing J.K. Rowling's name. The Atlantic reports that a leaked memo making the rounds spells out the truth: Pottermore will be an online game of sorts.

The memo "suggests that [Pottermore.com] is a sophisticated online game that contains clues to prizes that are hidden in the real world. These are an unstated number of magic wands secreted in Britain and America, and possibly other countries."

This sounds more like an ARG -- alternate reality game -- than an MMO, although we're not prepared to rule out the possibility until all is said and revealed. The article mentions that this could be a marketing tool tied into Pottermore instead of Pottermore proper.

Fans who'd love to see a Harry Potter MMO still have hope that this could be the real deal, but we won't know for sure until tomorrow's announcement.

Leaked memo says Pottermore is an online game originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 Jun 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shadow Cities launches on iOS App Store

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 31 May 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Launches, New Titles, Free-to-Play, Mobile, Post-Apocalyptic

Technomages, today is your day! Rise up and cast off the fetters of boring society to claim your kingdom! All it takes is one free download of Shadow Cities, which has finally arrived at the Apple App Store.

Taking the best parts of real world alternate reality games (ARGs) and MMOs, Shadow Cities casts you in the role of a mage who is fighting dark forces while simultaneously striving to control chunks of territory. Instead of staying home, players are tasked with traveling physically to different places around their neighborhoods to cast spells against other players and NPCs. Players can join one of two factions that struggle for ultimate domination amid an unsuspecting populace.

Shadow Cities hit the top of the charts in Finland when it was released there, and Grey Area hopes that it will do the same worldwide. If you'd like to learn more about this immersive title, make sure to read up on our Shadow Cities tour from GDC!

Shadow Cities launches on iOS App Store originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 May 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MMObility: Fleck highlights the possibilities of ARGs

Beau Hindman — Tue, 10 May 2011 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Real-Life, New Titles, Previews, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Browser, Casual, MMObility

Earlier in the week, Massively posted some news about a new alternate reality game called Fleck. Being the ever-curious roving gaming reporter that I am, I immediately checked it out. I found a game -- sort of -- that reminded me of FarmVille with a hefty dash of Parallel Kingdoms and a smidge of the whimsical Glitch. None of those is a bad thing, which is the good news. The bad news is that Fleck does not go as far as I would like... yet.

This means that as more and more games like Fleck come out (and they will), we will continue to see improvements on the genre. Could alternate reality games really become successful? Is it realistic to assume that one day we will see ARGs become the most popular type of massive gaming?

I think it's possible. Very possible. But let's talk about it past the cut.

Continue reading MMObility: Fleck highlights the possibilities of ARGs

MMObility: Fleck highlights the possibilities of ARGs originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 May 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ragnar Tornquist talks of The Secret World's progression, power and purpose

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Sci-Fi, Interviews, The Secret World

"It's simply true freedom of progression!" Ragnar Tornquist exclaims in a new interview with Gaming Nexus. After giving a broad overview of The Secret World's structure, Tornquist spends time discussing just what will make this upcoming MMO so appealing.

According to him, just because TSW is lacking levels doesn't mean that you'll soon run out of ways to advance your character: "Collecting powers and building these decks of seven actives, seven passives, is a large part of that, and it'll take players hundreds and hundreds of hours to create enough decks to tackle most of the content in the game -- and that doesn't even take into account PvP."

Because players will be locked into a faction, Funcom is working hard to keep the balance of skills similar between all three secret societies. Even so, there will be abilities unique to each side.

Interested in Funcom's use of alternate reality games (ARGs) as part of The Secret World's experience? It looks as though these will be a bigger part of the game than we previously thought: "In fact, with our investigation missions, players will have to go outside the game in order to solve intriguing puzzles based on real history, myth, legends, conspiracy theories, and they'll also need to cooperate with other players via forums or chat in order to basically solve these really deep and complex ARG style problems. Some missions are designed to take weeks to crack, even with the help of the entire community."

Ragnar Tornquist talks of The Secret World's progression, power and purpose originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 19 Apr 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC 2011: Funcom talks The Secret World's PvE, PvP, and ARG

Jef Reahard — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, New Titles, Previews, News Items, The Secret World, Miscellaneous

Many of you are no doubt as anxious as we are to get your hands on Funcom's new The Secret World MMORPG (with a new website!). The skill-based end-of-the-world riff has been shrouded in a good bit of mystery for a good long while, but we've finally managed to snag a few minutes of face time with the title. This year's GDC marked the first opportunity for anyone outside of Funcom's alpha team to lay eyes on the game, and we've got some pretty juicy details to pass on.

Join us after the cut for the new trailer as well as a recap of Funcom's presentation, which was spearheaded by Ragnar Tornquist and featured designers Martin Bruusgaard and Joel Bylos. Discussion topics include PvP, PvE missions, and character progression.

Gallery: The Secret World: GDC 2011

Continue reading GDC 2011: Funcom talks The Secret World's PvE, PvP, and ARG

GDC 2011: Funcom talks The Secret World's PvE, PvP, and ARG originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Mar 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How online gaming can change the world

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Culture, Academic, Education

Jane McGonigal (a 10-year game designer of projects such as the I Love Bees ARG for Halo 2) has a self-professed "crazy idea" -- that gamers have the potential to change the world for the better by doing what they're already doing. At her speech, people chuckle when she first says this, but twenty minutes later they're giving her a standing ovation.

She begins by stating the obvious: we are a gaming culture that flees the "broken" world to a virtual one that offers a better and more rewarding collaborative environment. "When we're in game worlds I believe that many of us become the best versions of ourselves," she said. "The most likely to help at a moment's notice, most likely to stick with a problem as long as it takes, to get up after failure and try again."

Continue reading How online gaming can change the world

How online gaming can change the world originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ARG! The Secret World community uncovers hidden 'Monster Blog'

Kyle Horner — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Horror, New Titles, News Items, The Secret World

Let us never say that Funcom doesn't know how to run a good Alternate Reality Game, or ARG. The community surrounding the upcoming modern-day MMO has discovered a personal blog named Monsters of Maine. How, you might be wondering? Through the oft-maligned Twitter, that's how. If you're willing to sift through a 50+ page thread over on The Secret World's official forums, you'll find a transcript of a the Twitter conversations between the fictional people of Kingsmouth. Yep, this community pretty much rocks.

So what's the blog all about? Well, it's run by a user named Cryptoinvestigator -- who's revealed via that Twitter convo as Tyler Freeborn, a "crazy" who believes all sorts of evil things are taking place. One of his more ominous blog posts reads, "The Pale Men will return. Not today, not tomorrow - but soon. I can FEEL them. I can smell them." Several of his other posts contain some really awesome peeks into what we can only assume are pieces of game lore and screenshots cloaked in ARG craziness.

The most recent post by Freeborn says he's got evidence to prove his claims, so we'll be keeping an eye out for that. Hmm, we can feel ourselves becoming more obsessed with this by the minute.

ARG! The Secret World community uncovers hidden 'Monster Blog' originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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All hail the Kingsmouth Horror: The Secret World pays homage to Lovecraft

Seraphina Brennan — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Horror, Culture, News Items, The Secret World

For a while now, the community over at The Secret World has noticed things in the game that are distinctly influenced by the writings of horror master H.P. Lovecraft. From the original poster that revealed a beast that reminded many of Cthulhu to the whole idea of secret societies and monsters that exist beyond time and space. So when The Secret World community members stumbled upon a website for the fictional town of Kingsmouth, many weren't surprised.

Kingsmouth, a mash-up of Lovecraft's Kingsport and Innsmouth (and, to an unnamed extent, Arkham), is the typical New England town that Lovecraft so loved to talk about. It's sleepy, it's quiet, it's community is entrenched, and there are probably more monsters than people. Lovecraftian references are abound from the aptly named Miskatonic River (see Miskatonic University) to the town's presence as a port on the coastline.

Of course, with the addition of a brand new website, new puzzles are bound to pop up. The Secret World community is already pouring over the website, so jump into the discussion if you think you found something. Of course, for those of you who aren't into the whole conspiracy angle, we got the screenshots of Kingsmouth for you below. Beware though, the originals are small, as apparently the Kingsmouth locals don't know how to upload quality pictures.

Gallery: The Secret World

All hail the Kingsmouth Horror: The Secret World pays homage to Lovecraft originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fall into the conspiracy of The Secret World, again

Seraphina Brennan — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Events (Real-World), Launches, Lore, MMO Industry, News Items, The Secret World, Consoles

Last time The Secret World was announced, a conspiracy swept through the alternate reality gaming community. One telling of secrets and sanctuaries, of dark days and demons. The conspiracy was quelled after a period, and the puzzles fell into depths of time.

But now, with the latest unveiling, the conspiracy returns. "A Friend" is back to stalking The Secret World forums, removing answers and doing his best to "protect" the community while odd videos and websites are beginning to come up.

While the MMORPG may not be done, the viral marketing "conspiracy" is beginning to start up again for all of the new people intrigued by the story behind TSW. What lies as a reward for those who crack the puzzles and get to the depths of the sanctuary? Well, we're not at liberty to say. Too many eyes are on us already, and we already risk our lives getting you this information. We've embedded the video after the break, but that's all we can do! They're watching us!

Continue reading Fall into the conspiracy of The Secret World, again

Fall into the conspiracy of The Secret World, again originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 Apr 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Futurist Jamais Cascio discusses Superstruct

James Egan — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Real-Life, Sci-Fi, Culture, Events (Real-World), Events (In-Game), Interviews, MMO Industry, New Titles, Politics, Roleplaying

Superstruct is the world's first massively multiplayer forecasting game. What does this mean? As a player of this alternate reality game, you envision your life as it would be in 2019 and collaborate with other players to come up with innovative solutions to global 'superthreats'. These superthreats may bring us to a tipping point that determines whether the human race either solves its looming problems and continues existence, or society collapses under the weight of its troubles.

The excellent sci-fi centric io9 has an interview with futurist Jamais Cascio, a member of the Superstruct game design team. Cascio discusses his work on "21st Century Ideas" (essentially a toolkit of solutions to the game's superthreats), the influence of Children of Men on the game and its setting, and some of the innovative creations he's seen from players in the relatively short time since the game launched. It's definitely worth a read if you're interested in a game grounded in futurist speculation. If this piques your interest in Superstruct, don't wait to find out more -- the game will only run for another 5 weeks. Be sure to check out Massively's primer on Superstruct to help you get started, as well as Jane McGonigal's Avant Game blog for more info about the game.

Futurist Jamais Cascio discusses Superstruct originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 18 Oct 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Terminator 'MMO' comes to iPhone

James Egan — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Launches, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Mobile

Sci-fi fans of the revamped Terminator IP may have something else to be happy about: a Terminator iPhone MMO called "Ambush." Based off Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Ambush is a game played either online or through an iPhone. Gameplay is centered on predicting the movement of enemies through a virtual city, setting traps to eliminate the opposing side while evading their attempts to find you. iPhone 3G users can use their device's GPS to avoid such traps while racking up points.

The game was developed by 65 Media, a marketing firm known for its past work on interactive and alternate reality games (ARGs). Ambush may not be a true MMO in the client/leveling/loot sense, but has a system of points gained through employing traps and counter-traps. It's perhaps more akin to Aurora Feint's debatable label as an MMO title, which has already proven to be very popular. Such titles are the earliest forays into that grey area of 'MMOs' for the iPhone, and more are certainly on the way. Ambush is free-to-play and available for iPhones with the 2.0 Software Update, downloadable at the Apple App Store. More information about the game, and how to play it on both the iPhone and online, can be found in the Ambush FAQ.

[Via Spoiler TV]

Terminator 'MMO' comes to iPhone originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Superthreats: Quarantine, Ravenous, and Power Struggle

James Egan — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Culture, Economy, Events (Real-World), Events (In-Game), Launches, MMO Industry, New Titles, Politics, Roleplaying

Quarantine Superthreat

"In 2019, Respiratory Distress Syndrome, or ReDS, is here, and it's not going anywhere."

Outbreaks of ReDS have become commonplace, initially in tropical and sub-tropical regions, then spreading to other cities such as Stockholm where over 15,000 citizens are living with ReDS and its chronic, severe symptoms. Relief organizations struggle to handle the situation as it is presently, yet ReDS is spreading to other regions of the world while remaining incurable.

Superstruct Challenge: What can we do in our own communities to provide ReDS relief and support?

Continue reading Superthreats: Quarantine, Ravenous, and Power Struggle

Superthreats: Quarantine, Ravenous, and Power Struggle originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Superstruct: The world's first massively multiplayer forecasting game

James Egan — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Real-Life, Sci-Fi, Video, Culture, Economy, Events (Real-World), Events (In-Game), Launches, MMO Industry, New Titles, Politics, Roleplaying

Forget what you typically expect from your average client-based MMO. In fact, the title you're going to read about here differs markedly from the type of game we normally cover at Massively, but that makes it no less interesting. Superstruct is truly something different -- a futuristic alternate reality game that launches today (October 6) and lasts only 6 weeks, developed by a team at The Institute for the Future (IFTF) -- a not-for-profit think tank based in Palo Alto, California. For lack of a better, and less inflammatory, description, Superstruct is a thinking person's MMO, and is in many respects a social experiment; the game is an attempt to harness the collective intelligence and problem-solving abilities of its playerbase to make forecasts about the world's future and its escalating problems.

In fact, Superstruct bills itself as the world's first massively multiplayer forecasting game, with the tagline: Play the game. Invent the future. Despite being set in 2019 and looking forward to world issues that will become crises 20 years beyond that, Superstruct's genre is more futurist than sci-fi. Superstruct doesn't feature the traditional game elements we've come to expect from a massively multiplayer title. Instead, it fosters new ways for players to work together, testing out their ideas and strategies in a creative, collaborative brainstorming experiment that spans different mediums. Plausible future scenarios will be posited to the player base, challenging them to really think and produce compelling responses to the events in the game.

Continue reading Superstruct: The world's first massively multiplayer forecasting game

Superstruct: The world's first massively multiplayer forecasting game originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Superthreats: Outlaw Planet and Generation Exile

James Egan — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Real-Life, Sci-Fi, Video, Culture, Economy, Events (Real-World), Events (In-Game), MMO Industry, New Titles, Roleplaying

Outlaw Planet Superthreat

"In 2019, the mobile internet and sensor networks we rely on to hold our societies together are being hacked, griefed, and gamed."

The effects of technology turned against us impacts the democratic process, social networks, and every institution connected to the internet. Sophisticated criminal groups employ 'transparency bombs' in online banking attacks (and "World of Starcraft" players no less). The target financial institutions are major players in the virtual currency market, but the issues resulting from this undermined security affect private citizens as well as the banks.

Superstruct Challenge: How can we come together to secure our assets, both real and virtual?

Continue reading Superthreats: Outlaw Planet and Generation Exile

Superthreats: Outlaw Planet and Generation Exile originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tokyo content developer offers a mobile future for MMOs

Michael Zenke — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business Models, Culture, Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, Mobile

Gamasutra just recently put up notes from a unique lecture given at this year's Game Developer's Conference. David Collier, president of the Japanese group Pikkle KK, offered up a Tokyo-focused vision of the future of MMOs. For millions of players in Asia, a series of casual flash games played mutliplayer via cellphones are all the MMO they need or want. Collier explained the sheer appeal of these titles, which cross age- and gender-boundaries; some 40% of male teens are playing one of these titles, called Mobile Game Town.

The Flash Lite format is part of the reason behind these services' success. Quick, simple downloads allow for instant action, and the portability of the Flash experience ensures there is minimal need to tweak titles for specific platforms. These games are also very lucrative, offering easy access to customers for advertisers. Collier's comments on the future of the medium are fascinating, as bigger players and high-profile developers step into the ring.

Continue reading Tokyo content developer offers a mobile future for MMOs

Tokyo content developer offers a mobile future for MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 19 Apr 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GuildCafe calls out for DIY event planners [UPDATED]

Akela Talamasca — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Guild Wars, Contests, Culture, Events (Real-World), Events (In-Game), News Items, Free-to-Play

The true strength of any successful MMO is its player community -- they're the folks who create mods, organize events, cheer/protest loudly whenever something changes that they like/dislike. In that vein, GuildCafe has sent out a call for players who already are, or would like to create and run Guild Wars events events for any and all MMOs, like tournaments, contests, or even (most ambitiously) an ARG.

GuildCafe promises to support this endeavor by providing experienced staffers to help plan and effect events, as well as to publicize and sponsor said events. This is a great way to both maintain and strengthen the GW community, and at the same time promote GuildCafe's brand recognition. Everybody wins!

[UPDATED: changed 'Guild Wars events' to reflect that this offer is open to any and all MMOs -- Thanks, Sam!]

GuildCafe calls out for DIY event planners [UPDATED] originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cinemassively: Sand, Episode 3.5

Moo Money — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Video, Second Life, Cinemassively, Machinima

At last, we have a conclusion to the Sand series. Episode 3.5, also directed by PG Provenzano, while short, answers all the questions from earlier episodes.

While two of the Colonists are struggling for control of the weapon that was previously aimed at Gwen, the third works on releasing her. As she is freed from her sleep state, the weapon goes off, killing one of the explorers. With another knocked out, the third searches for something on his body.

Read on for more about the story conclusion ...

Continue reading Cinemassively: Sand, Episode 3.5

Cinemassively: Sand, Episode 3.5 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 20 Jan 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cinemassively: Sand, Episode 3

Moo Money — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Video, Second Life, Cinemassively, Machinima

We're down to the last two episodes of the Sand saga. In Episode 3, directed by PG Provenzano, we learn that the mysterious lady's name is Gwen. The Colonists find her in a sleep chamber, but she communicates with them through a video screen nearby. She explains that the war for sunlight saw many victims, including her family.

As a scientist, she knew how to solve the problem, but she misjudged. Scion City's water crystallized and turned to sand. When one of the Colonists decides to avenge the death of the citizens, the others attempt to take him down. Tune in tomorrow for the exciting conclusion to the story!

Read on for more tidbits about the filming of the series ...

Continue reading Cinemassively: Sand, Episode 3

Cinemassively: Sand, Episode 3 originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 19 Jan 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cinemassively: Sand, Episode 2

Moo Money — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Video, Second Life, Cinemassively, Machinima

The plot thickens as Episode 2, directed by Trace Sanderson, of the series sheds more light on the downfall of Scion City. The citizens relied on the sun for power, but when a great darkness came over the island, they only had one hour of it per day. Some colonists fled to the outer asteroids, which is where the group of explorers, whom we now know to be part of the founding Interstellar Colonists, came from.

This led to two factions being formed in order to horde the energy. The Augmentationists, or Auggies, converted their cars into armor, and the Immersionists, or Mershers, became human machines that merged their bodies with SciTek. However, neither side won, as they lost all sunlight.

One of the colonists is still having a sense of deja vu and is determined to rescue the mysterious lady. With their vehicle destroyed, the only thing they can do is go further down ...

Read on for more facts about the series ...

Continue reading Cinemassively: Sand, Episode 2

Cinemassively: Sand, Episode 2 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Jan 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cinemassively: Sand, Episode 1.5

Moo Money — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Video, Second Life, Cinemassively, Machinima

Episode 1.5, also directed by Michael Verdi, was originally part of Episode 1, but they broke it up in order to keep them short. So far, the story has taken us to a hatch, which they've attempted to open with the vehicle that they found.

As they peer down the now open hatch, another transmission from the mysterious lady comes through. She is apparently the last remaining citizen and is in some kind of sleep state. One of the explorers believes that he has seen her before, but he can't place her face. After some contemplation, they decide to go down ...

What's in the hatch? Will Scion City be waiting for them if they go down there? Have you found any clues yet?

Cinemassively: Sand, Episode 1.5 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Jan 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cinemassively: What is Scion City?

Moo Money — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Video, Second Life, Cinemassively, Machinima

It looks like Millions of Us has some kind of Alternate Reality Game (ARG) going on in Scion City. They are encouraging user submissions in order to uncover clues about what went on in the fictional Second Life city. The first video release is a promotional commercial about the origins of Scion City.

In the clip, the island is portrayed as a place to escape from troubled times and explore a new way of life. The people are always on the move and have visions of tomorrow. This is made possible by SciTek, a nanotechnology bioalloy that is powered by the sun. What could this mean for the future of the people?

Over the next week, we'll be exploring the strange events that have occurred. Each video will hopefully lead us closer to the answer that they're seeking. In the meantime, explore their website and see what you can come up with!

Cinemassively: What is Scion City? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Jan 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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