The Ultimate Guide to Creating an ARG

(Put this here 'cause this is where a lot of the questions about making an ARG go)

HEY GUYS! Since a lot of people on here seem to be asking questions about making an ARG, I thought I could create a complete guide, using all the tips, tricks, and advice scattered around the site and in your minds.
This would make it a lot easier for aspiring bloggers, directors, and writers of ARGs to find their way in the crazy world of vlogs and blogs. It would also provide us fans with more well-thought-out and well-delivered series!

The thing is, I really need your help to do this. Since I don't know that much about this stuff, I'm coming to you guys for the advice. This advice could be anything, like how to make a Slenderman costume, how to make your series known, a list of helpful computer programs/sites, or just some helpful tips!  So if you have any advice you think should be included in this book, post below!

But that's not all we need! If you, yourself, happen to be one the aspiring bloggers, directors, writers mentioned previously, I need your help, too! Ask questions by commenting below, so that we know what you guys need answered!

I'd like to open this up for suggestions as to things I should include in the guide, or just wanting to help out with writing it! However, if you have stuff like that, please don't post it here! If possible, please message or email me.

My Email:

Make the topic "Ultimate Guide" so that I know what the message is about.

Just so you guys know, I will be crediting you guys when I finish the guide. Both you curious questioners and you knowledgeable advisers will have your username listed in either the front or back of the book, and the top three posters (with each post containing either a question or an answer/advice) will have their username included under a special Thank You section, and have their ARG mentioned specifically, if they have one.

So, get adviser-ing and such!

On editing software I would suggest Song Vegas pro or adobe premiere. Freesound is a good site for getting static sound effects and monster sounds and Audacity can help you to edit them.

Some advice: Don't gamejack(forcing your story into another slenderman series without permisson or discussion from the creator of that series)

I didn't make this one but I agree with some of the advice from Adam Rosner(The creator of TribeTwelve)
Only make a slenderman series if you have fun doing it.

Don't rush and plan out the story rather then make up stuff at the last minute.

As a creator myself, I'd suggest videopad as a free and simple-to-use video/audio editor. It's free even though it says you should buy it for non-personal use. Even still, it's a great product.

In return, I'd like to know how to make my slenderman taller (my series, MyBlog1, has so far used only camera angles, really), so as to make it more realistic. Thanks in advance, Jack.

I'm not sure if you mean Slender Man specifically or just any ARG, so I'll give advice for both.

In any Slender Man story, you need to consider that you're writing about... well, the Slender Man. This is a monster with inconsistent traits, but ideally a consistent atmosphere, so in order to use him effectively you should analyze why he is effective and write a story he fits into... or else you might as well be writing any other monster. Use themes that fit the interpretation of the Slender Man you consider scariest or most intriguing; create your own unique take on common Slender Man traits instead of using them gratuitously. Be vague enough that your Slender Man is unpredictable, but nuanced enough that nothing is random or pointless. Pace everything so that scary moments are well-founded and gradually worsen, and set the tone of the story subtly from the beginning for it to progress naturally without stagnation. And when doing it as a proper ARG (requiring audience participation) immersion is paramount towards the Slender Man's effectiveness as a monster; use the format to your advantage as a horror writer.

In any ARG, the first thing you should know is of course clues, codes, puzzles, etc and usage of resources. Other people could explain that better than I, but I can give advice on making an ARG with an actual story. You must know your purpose; what parts of the story happen no matter what, and what parts are determined based on participation in the game. When creating the latter, you must carefully consider the possible outcomes and progress your story accordingly, making sure not to write yourself into a corner. Slender Man series especially have taught me that the difficulty of a code should be relative to how important the message is... and if you want to use code, remember that anything that someone would feel the need to hide has to be important. Whatever kind of clues you use should be a natural add-on to the story; for instance, the documents in Everyman HYBRID give everything a completely new perspective. And finally, use the format to your advantage. Make it into a new way to tell a story; one that will catch the audience's attention enough that you can rely on their participation. Only make threats/promises you can deliver on and don't do anything, y'know, illegal. Except out-of-bounds geocaching, urban exploration, and graffiti if the outcome is just awesome enough.

All of this based on my personal assumptions as a viewer, of course, since I've never actually made one. I intend to elaborate on the Slender Man section on a later date.