:: MEMO FROM JACOB TRASKY    Winter '07

Happy Holidays ARG Community!

It has been a very busy fall and winter for the VQC staff. Although no public ARGs or events have transpired, we have been busy with several corporate activities and several VQC “Puzzle Hunts”. For those of you not familiar with Puzzle Hunts, they are a little less interactive than ARGs, but can be equally as challenging and exciting.

To answer our must popular email subject, “When is the next VQC ARG”, I can only say we have many ideas, plans and intentions. However, schedules and time are at a premium. We would very much like to offer the general open public something for the coming year. Currently, we have settled on a possible “VirtuCube-Like” event for the 2008 calendar year, complete with a nice financial prize. If any of you participated in the VirtuCube activity, we would love to see you take a crack at our next…contraption.

I would also like to remind web-sters that our VQC Gallery is available if you are interested in looking at some of our past activities, puzzles and conundrums.

Happy Holidays and Good ARG'ing to All


Sincerely,


abcjo

 

:: MEMO FROM JACOB TRASKY    Summer '07
Happy summer to all,

We have been busy this past spring finishing up our large scale corporate ARG Saving Socrates. Originally planned for a summer '07 open ARG, we were approached by a private group to provide an exciting experience, which fit nicely with Saving Socrates.

Over the years VirtuQuest has provided a wide array of online multimedia entertainment. Large scale puzzles, Alternate Realities, and Short Run Games. All have been well received with a few mixed reviews, but nonetheless we have enjoyed bringing them to you.

We have also broadened our scope into general web design and marketing. All these different entertainment and marketing endeavors have really stretched our resources. So, we have decided to take another hiatus this summer, which will last hopefully a few months. We will still provide the web design support that our faithful customers have come to rely on as well as individually brainstorm future projects.

A little peek into what is next for VQC…? We have recently decided to continue a program started about 4 years ago, Individual Recreation Service, (IRS). This program grew out of a request from a player of our 2003 “Digital Video Memories” Alternative Reality to have an Alternate Reality experience for another individual.

So what exactly is an IRS? It is an Alternate Reality Game specifically designed for an individual. With the help of a sponsor (Person who arranges and pays for the development) VQC creates a tailor made Alternate Reality for that person, which they alone unfold. Of' course the sponsor has the ability to help along the way, but the actual playing takes place through the single individual.

If interested about information regarding an IRS, feel free to email VQC. But remember, we are on Hiatus…

Enjoy

abcjo


:: MEMO FROM JACOB TRASKY    Spring '07

Good Spring to you!

Well it has been a busy and exciting spring for VQC. After our successful, yet controversial open ARG 6.5 Township Heights concluded, I have been flooded with emails regarding ARG 6.5 and what VirtuQuest has scheduled for the future.

ARG 6.5 emails ranged from all out enjoyment and thanks to extreme dissatisfaction. Many players enjoyed the fast paced short run game as compared to the many long running, sluggish ARGs usually offered. Players also enjoyed the in game bonus prizes which included cash and T-Shirts. However, some players were expecting a longer game and did not like the “cliff-hanger” ending of several characters. We have also received requests to Re-Run 6.5 for players that did not get to sign-up the first time. Currently VQC is thinking about this possibility as a free open game, if interested please feel free to contact VirtuQuest.

Right now, we are in the final stages of launching our Corporate Edition 7.0 “Saving Socrates” ARG . This ARG is a virtual cornucopia of excitement, interaction and twists for the participants. Inside this Alternate Reality, participants will be introduced to protagonists and antagonists, as well as real world internet sites that may or may not be an integral part of the experience. All in all, VQC is excited to get this one off the ground. If you are wondering, yes this is a closed client based adventure…for the most part…

We are also slowly putting together our next Virtual Online Puzzle Element, similar to the very popular VirtuCube. This one is still several months off, but is coming along nicely. The main restriction to our development is time. Recently, the VQC team has picked up several new traditional online marketing accounts which have been more demanding than our ARG players. (Yes that is possible) So the team is splitting up duties and working cooperatively at the same time.

Ok, back to work!

abcJo

:: MEMO FROM JACOB TRASKY    Winter '06/'07

Happy New Year!
Here we are again in full swing of another Open ARG. Of' course I am speaking of 6.5, AKA "Township Heights". I am happy to report we have filled up pretty much all of our open player spots and are ready for the official launch on Jan 14th, 2007.

We are always pleasantly surprised at the communities willingness to take a leap of faith into our realities and actively participate. I can say we have already had some very active players and amazing communications. That is why we do what we do, for the players.

On another note, as I reflect on 2006, I can say Virtuquest did some interesting things. We uploaded the new VQC web site including the new VQC Gallery, took on several web development clients, took a mandatory summer hiatus and all the long talked, planned and designed 6.5. It was a busy, yet fairly quiet year. Not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes in the ARG world quiet is nice.

I would like to take a moment and answer some of the most commonly asked questions we receive in our email.

Q. Will the City of Domes ARG ever start up again?

A. This is a project I would definitely like to see completed. Several of us have invested many hours in development on this one. However, currently VQC does not have any plans to re-start this adventure.

Q. When will VQC do another" VirtuCube Puzzle" .

A. Well the "VirtuCube" was a one time event. But, we do have preliminary plans on another large scale "Puzzle" entity which we would like to offer to the open community. It would not be a cube, but something else with incredibly hard puzzle elements and yes... there most likely will be a prize!.

Q. Is the Ray Gatin Saga ever going to continue?

A. Ray Gatin for those of you who did not play some of our first games was a character from the Quantum Network Department. He was helped by players around the world in several situations. Ray is currently filed in our "future" games folder because we at VQC would love to have him make another ARG appearance.

Well, that is it. The 3 most asked questions in recent months.

Good luck to all the new players joining us this winter, we look forward to more adventures in the future.

Keep Warm!

:: MEMO FROM JACOB TRASKY    Fall '06

Hope you are having an enjoyable fall season. As the group here at VQC begins to prepare for a new session of ARGing, you can be sure we are excited and well rested from our summer hiatus.

VQC is planning to have an ARG event later this quarter. We hope our trusted and faithful players come out in force, as well as new players. Although I am not at liberty to release specifics about the event, I can say VQC has been very busy planning and developing this escape from reality. We are excited and we truly hope you are too.

You may have also noticed that VQC is doing traditional web development. This actually is a result of our Alternative Reality roots. After several requests from multiple individuals, we finally gave in and have developed some traditional real reality websites. Although it is not our number one priority, we do find it a nice way to supplement the ARGing lifestyle.

If you are new to ARGs or a new visitor to VQC, please take a moment and look through the Gallery were you will find some archived ARGs for you to review. I wouldn't be surprised if ol'e Ray Gatin makes an appearance in the distant future.

Have a great fall!

abcJo

:: MEMO FROM JACOB TRASKY    Summer '06

“All quite on the western front”, that has been the motto for VirtuQuest this summer. After completing two private ARGs this past spring, the core VirtuQuest group decided to go on hiatus for the summer. I have stayed behind (figuratively) answering emails and doing some general development off and on throughout the summer.

This year has brought an amazing amount of ARG-like entities into the mainstream, such as, movies like National Treasure and The Da Vinci Code . The NBC show Treasure Hunters and ABC's Lost internet component. To say the least, ciphers, codes, and puzzles have become quite the in thing in the last couple of years. This has been great for VirtuQuest's ability to market simple ARG games and adventures. However, just like grandma always said, “too much of a good thing is not good” (usually referring to chocolate and fresh fruit) So, we at VQC decided to take a little break from the ARG onslaught and retreat into our normal lives for the summer.

So to answer the most common email question received to date; “Is VirtuQuest going to have an ARG soon for the general public” the answer is most likely … yes! VQC is planning to offer an open ARG sometime this fall after our summer of fun is over. However, we do receive requests for private adventures, which could delay launch, but VQC is still committed to developing ARGs for the open public when we can.

With that, I will retreat to the hot summer sun and a nice cool pool. Enjoy the summer!

abcJo



:: MEMO FROM JACOB TRASKY     Spring '06

Over the last 5ive years VirtuQuest has been in the business of developing, producing and managing internet experiences. We have had many exciting events and countless participants from around the world. To those willing to struggle through the madness, VirtuQuest has awarded prize money, theater and airline tickets, T-Shirts, kudos', and even dinner coupons.

We are happy to continue to play a role in this amazing realm of entertainment and marketing. In the year(s) to come, ARG-players and puzzle-solvers around the globe should look forward to new Alternative Realities and our specially designed multi-layered puzzles.

To all of our past and future participants... Thank you and enjoy!


abcJo