About SG Interactive @ Dragon*Con

[Jamie Poff]

SG Interactive is basically a Stargate: Offworld original idea as a fandom track event. Basically, as a volunteer fan panelist, I was asked in Spring 2008 to host a screening of an episode of Stargate: SG-1 and come up with funny ways for the audience to be involved.

From that point, SGI became the brainchild of three main creators: Cali Boyd, a gal who goes by the moniker Wiccy (I know her name, but only use it on official documents), and myself. We worked for about four months on the project, culminating in a track room event with about 70 guests.

Essentially, the creation team met online via live chat a few times, did some forum threads, and eventually developed an edited script of the episode complete with prompts, interactive dialogue, sign cues, and prop interaction cues. Imagine a mix of The Rocky Horror Picture Show crashing into an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000, then the collided mess tumbling through an active wormhole.

We managed to assemble about 50 prop bags complete with toy guns, whiffle balls, baggies of Froot Loops, spoons, file folders with loos leaf paper, and more. These were sold for our convention charity to those who wanted to truly embrace the interactive experience.

I'm certain that it's one of those "niche" events that might frighten any but the purest Stargate fans. We did have an awesome time, though, and we've received some great reviews. In 2009, we are considering the idea of attaching a theme party before/after the screening, related to the episode chosen. Already, we have about fifteen ideas to sift through for a possible episode, based on forum suggestions for what the fans want.

I just wanted to talk a little about the project I spearhead for our fans. It started as a whisper, but is now considered one of the must-have events for our track. And when you aim to please 200+ Stargate fans from diverse backgrounds, it's a nice compliment.

Back to the project desk!

[Liz Cable]

Hi there,

Am a big stargate fan so what you are oding sounds fabulous to me!

Aside from that have written many interactive scenarios around tv series, with a cast made up completely of fans. With Robin of Sherwood one time we even had the fans playing the actors playing the characters, and had audience polls deciding plot outcomes, which both the players, the actors they were playing, and the characters the actors were playing had to react appropriately to.

We always use online collaboration to devise plots, and to brief characters. I've used Skype, writeboard (37signals), wikis, and forums (phpforum) before.

We also run online interactive briefings and follow-ups between events, hindered by the fact that we can't find any forum software that allows you to be logged on as several people at once (if you are running the scenario, you have to play all the chorus roles as well as the big bad.) So any suggestions would be welcome!

Good luck with it!

Liz

[Chandler T.]

An interesting voice talking program that you me able to use is Paltalk. Yes, it is also for video and what not; but it does come in handy. Good read and good job on the event!

[Jamie Poff]

Thanks for the comments, Amy. We actually kind of amazed ourselves with that. We did have some technical issues each time, mainly with Internet speeds on our home computers. We used Skype this year, but wound up having to call a landline phone and use its 3-way calling -- but we made it work for us.

If any of you have suggestions about a voice-chat program, please let me know. This issue might be with our individual technologies, but we're willing to give a few different programs a try. We begin online meetings for next year's project in February.

[Amy Pritchard]

hahaha, "tumbling through an active wormhole". Feels like what I do at work every day.

You know, I find it interesting that you were able to conceive and implement such a wonderfully successful and creative project between the three of you working remotely. I am still defending the collaborative benefits of working remotely and how inspiration is just as possible virtually as when you are brainstorming in a room together.