Submit Response is a weblog by Jack Mottram, a We Tell Stories
The first installment of Penguin’s We Tell Stories series launched yesterday. It’s a pacy short story by Charles Cumming that unfolds through a Google Maps interface:
As well as being six stories by six Penguin authors, We Tell Stories is an ARG, designed by Six To Start, set to be launched once the six interactive fictions have all been published over the coming weeks. There are, though, already some little ARGish clues peppered through the map text of the first story: the addresses of container companies, prominent mentions of easily-visited places (various rooms in the Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh for example), and a ‘phone number: 020 8133 8141.
I rang, and heard this:
Hello, Alice?
I’ve made a terrible mistake. I need your help.
I have a story to tell you, but it will only make sense in the right place.
If you stand face to face with the statue of John Betjeman in St. Pancras station, ring this number: 020 7193 3154.
Then I’ll be able to explain more.
As luck would have it, I’ll be in St. Pancras Station tomorrow morning…
Hi Jack - glad to hear you’re following along. Do drop me a line if there’s anything more you’d like to find out about We Tell Stories, in the meantime, have fun at St. Pancras!
Posted by Dan Hon at 10pm on 19.03.08
Hi Dan - will do. I’m almost gutted that I’m going on holiday just as this gets going!
Posted by Jack Mottram at 9am on 20.03.08
This is brilliant stuff, I’m just researching fictional gaming and virtual reality and how they interact so this type of writing and story is evry interesting indeed! Has anyone solved the riddle in the 3rd story? Driving me mad!
Posted by Dan B at 3pm on 01.04.08