Online Reality Games

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Online Reality Games (ORGs) are social internet games based on popular reality television programs, such as Survivor and Big Brother. These games a run by other enthusiasts who try to create and environment similar to the television show by presenting challenges and tasks to player who compete much like the players in televisions shows to be the last person standing. The first known index of games, eGame-Central, was created in the summer of 2001 and since then has closed and many other indexes have opened and closed. These games had a large following for many years but due to the decline not only in reality television in general but also its aging fanbase and several closures of the main indexes. Currently only three major websites are left, Virtual Eyes, Fantasy Games Central, and Reality Fans.

The name Online Reality Games (ORGs) is not to be confused with the index of the same name Online Reality Games (ORG).

Contents

[edit] History

With the popularity of Survivor many fans of the shows went online to message boards in order to create their own version of the show. However a man named Steve decided to unite that community together and create the eGame Central. This first known index was opened in late summer of 2001. eGame Central which was owned and mainly operated by the site administrator Steve. Steve managed a weekly top twenty countdown and eventually acquired a staff to perform such tasks as awards, interviews, newsletters, and moderating the board used for advertisements. While on top of its popularity, another index named Online Reality Games opened and was run by site administrator Robert and his staff. Slight controversy surrounded the dueling indexes as some of the sites traffic preferred one or the other or simply never visited one index over the other. However Steve encouraged Robert to continue his index. Other controversy's at eGame-Central occurred one summer when Steve left the community for work and the staff wondered whether to make their own index or wait until Steve's return. Another controversy at eGame-Central included several site members to accuse Steve to favor the staff in the Weekly Top 20 and the awards. eGame-Central closed over one year later on March 22, 2003 leaving the web site and forums static. Many members abandoned the community, switched to the Online Reality Games index, and several created little known indexes themselves. The only slightly successful new community was eSquared Gaming. This index was run by some of the old staff members of eGame Central. The new site worked so that all the staff members could update the site, unlike eGame Central where only Steve could actually update the main site. eSquared Gaming was not without its own problems with its ever changing staff and had a hard time updating. eSquared Gaming ran from March 31, 2003, days after eGame-Central closed, to November 7, 2004 after a failed attempt to merge with the Online Reality Games index. Online Reality Games, or ORG was subject to attacks like site hacking, identity theft, etc. but still managed to stay online for three years after several re-openings and site overhauls. However, a few days after its third year, Online Reality Games closed once and for all. With another index closing the Online Reality Gaming community took a huge hit. Many disappeared and the remaining members fled to smaller indexes or the pre-existing Fantasy Games Central (which focuses more on posting games rather than the traditional Online Reality Games). The most successful community since the close of ORG is Virtual Eyes, which is owned by a person named Fiona, became the new index where games and most of the online community transferred. Many other smaller indexes were created between the closing of eGame-Central and the opening of Virtual Eyes but none have been successful and closed after a few weeks or months due to inactivity. Many veteran players insist how weak and quiet the community is today.

Another site such as Survivor Sucks has the host find trusted players on the forum and gives them aliases as Survivors in order to play in a cutthroat version of Survivor

[edit] Format

[edit] Indexes

Indexes are web sites that serve as directories to Online Reality Games. After creating a website or a message board a player either enters their website in a form to the site administrator or advertises it on the message board of that index.

[edit] The Host

The host of their own game creates their own website to showcase the players and give updates on the games process. These sites also contain links for the players so that they can access a message board where the host of the game can contact them and have them give their thoughts on how they are playing. Hosting ones own game requires the host to make an application and create all of their games challenges before the game even begins. The host is then supposed to run a fair game and keep the players up to date with challenges and voting.

While most Online Reality Games are based on TV shows many hosts make their own twists to keep the veteran players on their toes and more creative hosts make up their own game all together. Survivor, Big Brother, the Mixed Game, and the Mole are the most popular games that are played and created.

[edit] The Players

Hosts do their best in order to find a group of players who will be active in their game. These players are generally required to talk with the other players, compete in all of the challenges, and vote if they are required to. Many hosts go out of their way in order to get a group of active players and it is the player’s job to remain active without the game crashing due to inactivity.

[edit] Gameplay

These online versions of reality TV shows work in the same format as their source show would, with minor adaptations to suffice for the lack of physical presence in the game. Seeing as most Reality TV shows involve some sort of challenge or physical competition, ORGs usually have puzzles or tasks that can be completed online and either are required to complete before another team or teammate does or do not require one person or team to finish before someone else, but rather finish with a higher scoring than someone else. Examples of such a competition include online versions of an arcade game and trivia-based knowledge games. More creative hosts make up their own challenges and require the player to work as a team to finish a puzzle they created or even use statistics and themed based challenges in order to make the games more cutthroat.

Players in the game usually use some form of instant messaging like AOL Instant Messenger or Yahoo Instant Messenger to maintain contact during the game, making alliances and manipulating relationships, parallel to the methods used in Reality TV Shows.

Most ORGs create their own website to showcase the players and give updates on the games process. These sites also contain links for the players so that they can access a message board where the host of the game can contact them and have them give their thoughts on how they are playing.

Some sites such as TV NAIE have incorporated a money system to reward players for winning in their various ORGs and Game Shows. Players may use the money to buy things for their profile and do other things to add uniqueness to their profiles.

[edit] After the Game

In some instances, ORGs are held privately on websites where only the players have access, so that written episodes can be formulated afterwards, making the experience of the game even more parallel to the actual shows. As time progressed writing episodes became less popular since mostly the players wanted to know what happened and others outside of the game could care less. A new approach was developed by Rob, host of Survivor Webcam (surivor-webcam.com)that allowed webcam's to add a new element to the game... The hosts did a big reveal at the end of the game giving up confessionals and instant message conversations to give the players a fair look at what people did and how they were thought of. At this time the winner is announced and the host announces his or her next game.

If a site also promised a cash prize they get in contact with the winner of the game in order to figure out how to transfer them the money.

[edit] Causes for Decline

One of the leading causes of the decline of ORG players is the closing indexes however there have been several instances where certain ORG indexes have been attacked, causing some of the community to be driven away. Some may conclude that these "attacks" are a driving force to why ORGs have declined in popularity. The most major of these attacks caused an outbreak of panic during January of 2005 when a group of ORGers attacked the Online Reality Games forum. They had deleted every single post and deleted every moderator. After a week the site was back up but it was greatly damaged. Another case, as yet unproven, is the hack of the Virtual Eyes index. A popular theory is a former staff member allegedly gained access to another administrative account and deleted all posts and accounts. "Atom" and "Fiona", the other administrators, linked the IP number with that of the hacker, however it is not concrete proof decidedly either way. All allegations have been denied by all person(s) allegedly involved.

[edit] Criticism and Common Practice

Though many indexes are criticised for favoring the hosts own games in awards and rankings many actual games are criticised themselves. The games cannot be sanctioned at all for fairness and no moral guidelines exist for hosts so players sometimes put their fate in the hands of the hosts hoping that the host gives them a fair and just game.

However hosts are criticised for playing as someone in the game, cheating for another player, giving up confessionals and private conversations, or making up the game on the fly in order to twist things up. As a common practice hosts are supposed to create all twists and challenges before the game even begins but are often accused of making them up as the game progresses.

Other problems include players with pre-existing relationships (including relationships outside of the online world) from other games either helping them (with pre-made alliances) or hurting them (a player from another game wanting revenge) and caused several games to require everyone to play under aliases or players themselves change their name in order to give them a fresh start.

Many sites also required an age limit for their game in order to make sure they had a mature cast. Usually 13 and under were given a hard time in the community and disliked for their attitude. However players older then 30 were also criticized due to their being older then the average member of the community.

[edit] Real Contestants

Players from actual reality television shows have appeared in Online Reality Games and some have played a few even afterward. Rafe Judkins, 3rd place in Survivor's eleventh season, Guatemala, played in Survivor: Sri Lanka. However the episodes were not released or finished after episode 2, so there is no way in knowing how far Rafe got.

Coby, from the season of SURVIVOR: Palau appeared in foulmouthedleon's game of SURVIVOR: Japan in December. He played as himself, and was an early merge boot.

Darci, Cealey, and Lilly from Endurance: High Sierras have played several online Endurance games before. Cealey and Darci played Endurance Athens: Extended Stay together, and Darci played Endurance Senegal with Lilly. Darci also played in Endurance: Anguilla. Darci has played many games and is one of the most well known fans (and now contestants) in the Endurance online community.

[edit] Known Active Indexes

[edit] References

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