Reality Ends Here
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Reality Ends Here is a pervasive game developed and run by students and faculty at the USC School of Cinematic Arts incorporating elements of environmental games, card games, and alternate reality games. Taking place over the course of the fall semester, it aims to foster creativity and collaboration amongst incoming students to the School of Cinematic Arts. [1]
Overview
Reality Ends Here incorporates elements of alternate-reality games for use in an educational context and uses game mechanics to foster collaboration within first-semester Freshmen at the School of Cinematic Arts.
Players are drawn in during the pre-semester welcome week by a series of mysterious communications from the "Reality Committee". After solving a series of environmental puzzles, players discover a secret office where they are initiated by swearing an oath of DIY-media making and receive a pack of collectible game cards.
By combining sets of cards, players generate creative prompts for media-making projects known as Deals. Players must then create a film, game, image-set, live-event, or any other piece of artwork that satisfies the cards used in the Deal, submit it to the Reality Committee and justify it for points, which are tallied up on an online leaderboard.
Development
Reality Ends Here was originally developed a team of Ph.D students and faculty comprised of Jeff Watson, Simon Wiscombe, and Tracy Fullerton. [1]
History
Season 1 of Reality Ends Here included 150 participants who submitted a total of 120 projects. Though there were instances of "severe competitiveness" [2], the game was ultimately deemed a success, leading to a second season being run the following year. [2] The game's second season, run in 2012, generated over 190 projects created by over 170 participants.
The winners of the first season were Will Merrick, Will Cherry, Margaret Admire and Dylan Visvikis. The winners of the second season were Amy Suto, Ilan Benjamin, Alex Tranquada, Ryan Lee and Austin Kilgore. [3]
Reception
Reality Ends Here was the recipient of the 2012 IndieCade Impact Award. [4]
References
- ^ a b Maton, Nathan; Thomas, Rebecca. "USC Film Students Practice Artistic Craft Through Games", Wired (magazine), Los Angeles, 30 December 2011. Retrieved on 16 March 2013.
- ^ a b Maton, Nathan; Thomas, Rebecca. "A Week in Game Mechanics", Los Angeles, 14 February 2012. Retrieved on 16 March 2013.
- ^ Watson, Jeff. "Secret Leaderboard", Los Angeles, 2013. Retrieved on 16 March 2013.
- ^ "IndieCade 2012 Award Winners". Retrieved on 16 March 2013.