Thursday, May 2, 2013

ARG Concept: The AudioFeed

Intro

People don't usually like to try new things. Be it video games, books, or a topping on a pizza, the risk from trying something different than the norm is thought to be too high for one to even attempt it. This can even apply to different genres of music. We're looking to make that a little less risky and a lot more fun through our game, known as The AudioFeed.

Goals

The goal of this ARG is two-fold, and beneficial to both players and music artists alike. For the players, we intend for them to expose themselves to as much music as possible, especially ones that individual players are more unfamiliar with. For artists, they will be promoted through the game, bringing them new fans as well as getting the word out on events, even for up-and-coming musicians.

Rules

Playing The AudioFeed is extremely simple. After registering with the game, players can link The AudioFeed with any music software (Spotify, Zune, iTunes, etc.), allowing the game to track their music history and determine what music the player commonly listens to. Players can then suggest music to other players, and if others like the music that was suggested, that player gets points as a result. Additional points can be awarded for being the first player to suggest a song, other players liking a song suggestion that exceeds seven minutes, or just simply listening to music that is new to the player. Points will be tracked on multiple leaderboards, which include Local, National, Regional, and Global.

Badges

To reward players for listening to music as well as suggesting, players will be awarded badges for listening to music in certain genres. These badges will level up as you listen to more music in said genre, with the points you gain for listening and suggesting music counting as experience for that badge. Badge levels range from Basic (the initial badge obtained for each genre), to an Ultimate Rank badge with a unique name depending on the genre (e.g. BrĂ¼tal for the Metal genre, Jukebox Hero for Rock, Rhinestone Cowboy for Country). In addition, other badges will be awarded for special situations, such as playing holiday music either in or out of season, or not listening to holiday music during the holiday season.

Examples of some of the Basic badges offered in the game


In conclusion

When playing The AudioFeed, you're bound to find something you may unexpectedly like.