[DISCUSSION] Choosing Sides

[Cassie_xx]

Hello everyone! ^^
I've been lurking about the fourms, reading and whatnot, and I have some questions I can't seem to find any clear answers for.
The whole "choosing sides thing." Thinking this is a game, what are the sides for? And people mention they "await further orders". If you choose a side do you get orders?
I'm sorry if I seem a bit slow//stupid, but I'd really like to know.

-Cassie

[covedweller]

So far it doesn't seem to effect the story or game. I am thinking it is maybe more a philosophical thing. If Opaphid is religion and Tachyon is government law, maybe that is the side each of us are supposed to choose to agree with as being more important?

We all seem to get access to the same information, either way. But everyone has their preferences.

[romanceismusic]

The two clear sides according to OpAphid are
1. OpAphid's side
2. Everyone Else

Don't know if that helps or not.

[Absynth]

So far it doesn't seem to effect the story or game. I am thinking it is maybe more a philosophical thing. If Opaphid is religion and Tachyon is government law, maybe that is the side each of us are supposed to choose to agree with as being more important?

We all seem to get access to the same information, either way. But everyone has their preferences.

but you have to think about the I, Tachyon and the i, Tachyon. one is her government law self, the other self is something different entirely. judging by the way brother isnt getting very far, id say there may be a part of her that may not want him to succeed.

[Cassie_xx]

Hmmm...

Thanks alot, guys! ^^

[deagol]

So far it doesn't seem to effect the story or game....
We all seem to get access to the same information, either way....

I've heard of a private IRC room for Tachyon's team. If true, it means not everyone gets access to the same info, and it would obviously affect the game.

[rachelalexis]

So far it doesn't seem to effect the story or game....
We all seem to get access to the same information, either way....

I've heard of a private IRC room for Tachyon's team. If true, it means not everyone gets access to the same info, and it would obviously affect the game.

Except chat room conversation has to be logged somewhere, so your work doesn't get lost. And you want to share it with the people on the forums who can't get IRC to work for whatever reason. So this has been the arena for sharing.

[ixlr8]

So far it doesn't seem to effect the story or game....
We all seem to get access to the same information, either way....

I've heard of a private IRC room for Tachyon's team. If true, it means not everyone gets access to the same info, and it would obviously affect the game.

You know, it seems to me that there is a growing gap among the people involved in this. There is a private chat room for Tachyon's elite followers. In my opinion, making this chat private, defeats one of the directives of this game- to openly share information. Prior to this, there have been, at least, two sects of people- those on the forums, and those in IRC. A lot of people have complained that the IRC chat was "elitist" and doesn't share information. This is not, nor has it ever been, true. The IRC chat has always been an open means of communication and information sharing. In short, everything that people figure out in the chat, comes out in the forums.

It may take a little while, especially when there are long puzzles to solve, and people tend to focus on the work that they're doing. But no puzzle ever gets started without a public announcement of some sort (ie. a change in profile, etc). The reason that the IRC people tend to get a jump on the puzzles, is because we're insane and refresh profile pages every couple of minutes.

I'm going to digress for a moment here to discuss two main types of communication. There's synchronous, and asynchronous. Synchronous, or "real time" communication is like the IRC chat. It means that people can discuss and share ideas instantaneously. Asynchronous communication takes a little longer as the word suggests, because it is "not real time." Likewise forums are a "pull" method of communcation- where each side has to "pull" information from a central source. IRC is a "push" method- where information just shows up on your screen, whether you like it or not.

Now why is this important? There are a number of different "types" of puzzles that we have seen thus far. The components that make up each puzzle can also be classified in many ways. I'm not going to get into a whole taxonomical structure for these, as there really is no point, becaues it doesn't affect how the puzzles are solved, and I'll be sure to miss something anyway.

Some of the puzzle types are geared towards real time communication. Examples of these, would be linear puzzles, where there is a series of "relatively" easy problems (ie the profile updates that were blatent codes, that translate to redirects for craigslist sites, or the contents of the SD card on the first drop). It's sometimes just quicker to solve something like that if you have real time communication. However, asynchronous communication is far superior in tougher problems (ie. CiW's massive anagram). There is no way that could be solved in "real time." A forums is a much more effective means of communication for this puzzle type. Everyone sees the puzzle, goes off with their own little piece, and comes back when they've figured something out.

Op has given us puzzles of both types, and I really don't think that Op would want to limit the number of people who are working on their puzzles. It just seems counterproductive to me. I'm also fairly certain that the puzzle types will be varied enough so that everyone gets a chance to play.

Now, why did I go on this little tirade? Where does this tie in with the private Tachyon chat room? There are two publically accessible Op rooms: #OpAphid and #OperationAphid. Anyone who can get into an IRC chat room, can go to these rooms to share information, or just come to hang out. Once again, these rooms are publically accessible, and allow for real time communication. However, the #Tachyon room is private and "invite only." I feel that this is completlely counterproductive and a blashphemy of what the PMs want. I don't feel that it's my place to say that they "can't" have a private room, but I do feel justtified in saying that they "shouldn't" have a private room, because THAT is the elitest attitude that we are all trying to avoid. The Tachyon Elite, as I like to call them, are bastardizing what this should be, and I feel that it is morally wrong to EXCLUDE the fresh blood and sparkling insights of new players who are trying to prove themselves.

Michael

[horcruxes]

i second what ix just said....

[blessedsophia]

However, the #Tachyon room is private and "invite only." I feel that this is completlely counterproductive and a blashphemy of what the PMs want. I don't feel that it's my place to say that they "can't" have a private room, but I do feel justtified in saying that they "shouldn't" have a private room, because THAT is the elitest attitude that we are all trying to avoid. The Tachyon Elite, as I like to call them, are bastardizing what this should be, and I feel that it is morally wrong to EXCLUDE the fresh blood and sparkling insights of new players who are trying to prove themselves.

Michael

OpAphid as a game has a really strange tradition, which I'm not sure isn't intentional. The Tachyon chat as a concept isn't a new thing; Op's maintained a constant practice of feeding information selectively, pulling players in, and manipulating players into positions against one another. She warned us there would be a time to choose sides, and this entire game has been structured until now to force us into a decision; anyone who does not decide is going to be left in the dark, with no new source of information.

The polarizing here serves a purpose. It's just not typical of an ARG, and I think that's what's so startling.

[Luv2Luvem]

I wouldn't worry about this, when I asked about the separate chat Op had this to say about it:


Tachyon's gang is no threat to us. We welcome their presence. We allow their mistakes...

[tigerlilylynn]

However, the #Tachyon room is private and "invite only." I feel that this is completlely counterproductive and a blashphemy of what the PMs want. I don't feel that it's my place to say that they "can't" have a private room, but I do feel justtified in saying that they "shouldn't" have a private room, because THAT is the elitest attitude that we are all trying to avoid. The Tachyon Elite, as I like to call them, are bastardizing what this should be, and I feel that it is morally wrong to EXCLUDE the fresh blood and sparkling insights of new players who are trying to prove themselves.

Michael

OpAphid as a game has a really strange tradition, which I'm not sure isn't intentional. The Tachyon chat as a concept isn't a new thing; Op's maintained a constant practice of feeding information selectively, pulling players in, and manipulating players into positions against one another. She warned us there would be a time to choose sides, and this entire game has been structured until now to force us into a decision; anyone who does not decide is going to be left in the dark, with no new source of information.

The polarizing here serves a purpose. It's just not typical of an ARG, and I think that's what's so startling.

If it is the intention that we be in locked rooms then here's the proposal.

Hey PMs!!! Hear this! If Tachyon's group should be locked away then so should Ops side. If that's the case then have Aphid tell us to lock our room. If not, let's get another message of spread the knowledge.

[sphinx]

OpAphid as a game has a really strange tradition, which I'm not sure isn't intentional. The Tachyon chat as a concept isn't a new thing; Op's maintained a constant practice of feeding information selectively, pulling players in, and manipulating players into positions against one another. She warned us there would be a time to choose sides, and this entire game has been structured until now to force us into a decision; anyone who does not decide is going to be left in the dark, with no new source of information.

The polarizing here serves a purpose. It's just not typical of an ARG, and I think that's what's so startling.

True. But there are players who have chosen Tachyon's side that are unable to "join the team".

[ixlr8]

OpAphid as a game has a really strange tradition, which I'm not sure isn't intentional. The Tachyon chat as a concept isn't a new thing; Op's maintained a constant practice of feeding information selectively, pulling players in, and manipulating players into positions against one another. She warned us there would be a time to choose sides, and this entire game has been structured until now to force us into a decision; anyone who does not decide is going to be left in the dark, with no new source of information.

The polarizing here serves a purpose. It's just not typical of an ARG, and I think that's what's so startling.

True. But there are players who have chosen Tachyon's side that are unable to "join the team".

That is my point exactly. The Op rooms have always allowed the opportunity for anyone who wishes to come in to do so. This lockdown of information from Tachyon's side is going to ruin the game. Therefore, this is a call to whoever is in that room to unlock the doors, allow people to enter and stop being the elists that you're acting like. You're ruining it for the rest of us!

Michael

[katz31]

Tbis is going to turn into 3 sides:

1. OpAphid's followers
2. Tachyon's followers
3. Tachyon's followers who are allowed in the secret chat