221b Baker Street
December 3, 2009 4:54 AM Subscribe
Sherlock Holmes first appeared in print form in a novel published in 1887, and cropped up in countless others since - you can read some here. He's been through a lot, has Holmes, but it's anyone's guess how he'll survive being dragged into the 21st Century in the forthcoming movie from Guy Richie.
The movie may or may not end up being any good - it's fair to say Richie's ouvre's been patchy at best since 'Snatch' - but for those interested in getting some background info on the plot and immersing themselves in Holmes and Watson's world the game produced to back the film may well prove popular.
Played through Facebook, players sign up in pairs: one as Holmes, one as Watson. Just as in the stories, they investigate crimes, sift through evidence and solve mysteries.
Developed by AKQA and the brilliant people behind the Hide and Seek Festival, the game takes elements of ARGs, and mixes them up with more traditional elements of adventure games.
What's interesting about this is its link to the broader story about Transmedia and the manner in which web-technology can be integrated into TV, films, games, etc, to deepen the storytelling process; witness some of the great work being done through Twitter by another company, Six To Start, for the very very cool new show on E4 called 'Misfits'.
It's the future, so I am told.
This post was deleted for the following reason: Between requiring facebook for participation and reading like a marketing pitch, I'm not really feeling comfortable with this. -- cortex
Since it requires facebook, you'll need to hand over all your personal information to play. Sounds like fun.
Yes but you get the chance to solve the mystery of your stolen identity
posted by mattoxic at 5:11 AM on December 3, 2009 [3 favorites]
Yes but you get the chance to solve the mystery of your stolen identity
posted by mattoxic at 5:11 AM on December 3, 2009 [3 favorites]
Technically, A Study in Scarlet was first published in 1887 as part of Beeton's Christmas Annual, not as a standalone novel. It wasn't published as a standalone novel until the following year.
posted by cerebus19 at 5:13 AM on December 3, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by cerebus19 at 5:13 AM on December 3, 2009 [1 favorite]
Pretty cool stuff but I can tell you right now the answer is definitely not lupus.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 5:13 AM on December 3, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Potomac Avenue at 5:13 AM on December 3, 2009 [1 favorite]
It not only requires that I sign up with a personal information harvester but ALSO Silverlight?
Flagged. So. Hard.
posted by DU at 5:14 AM on December 3, 2009
Flagged. So. Hard.
posted by DU at 5:14 AM on December 3, 2009
Btw, I can't help wonder if the poster is some 'social marketer'. five of his seven FPPs were about hypey social media marketing things. One was just a single link to buy something, and one was about the Exile coming back online.
And he only has five regular posts, none of which are very substantive. It seems unusual that someone would put so much effort into multi-link FPPs and not bother to post more then a handful of nearly content free posts.
posted by delmoi at 5:25 AM on December 3, 2009
And he only has five regular posts, none of which are very substantive. It seems unusual that someone would put so much effort into multi-link FPPs and not bother to post more then a handful of nearly content free posts.
posted by delmoi at 5:25 AM on December 3, 2009
Hello! Honestly not a 'social marketer' - I do work in PR (full disclosure and all that), but not for any of the things I've posted on here. It just so happens that I am personally and professionally interested in games, storytelling, marketing and stuff. The people at Mefi know that I work in PR - we've discussed this before - and I've promised them that I won't pimp anything that I'm personally involved with. Apologies if this comes across as 'marketing' or whatever else - it's not, beyond me drawing attention to things that I think are cool / interesting in this space.
posted by muggsy1079 at 5:29 AM on December 3, 2009
posted by muggsy1079 at 5:29 AM on December 3, 2009
Well, dunno about muggsy, but I have a (small) personal conflict of interest with this one, so I wouldn't post it. Then again, I never post anything anyway.
But that doesn't stop me from retro-snarking: using FaceBook as the delivery channel and Silverlight for the media were the two biggest things I circled in red and wrote No! No! No! God Please No! beside. Advice had a MetaTalk-level of impact on this one.
"Strategic partnering" often trumps web sense. Just be glad it isn't an Evony tie-in.
posted by rokusan at 5:46 AM on December 3, 2009
But that doesn't stop me from retro-snarking: using FaceBook as the delivery channel and Silverlight for the media were the two biggest things I circled in red and wrote No! No! No! God Please No! beside. Advice had a MetaTalk-level of impact on this one.
"Strategic partnering" often trumps web sense. Just be glad it isn't an Evony tie-in.
posted by rokusan at 5:46 AM on December 3, 2009
The movie may or may not end up being any good
If it's a Guy Richie movie, the smart money's on "may not".
posted by rhymer at 5:52 AM on December 3, 2009
If it's a Guy Richie movie, the smart money's on "may not".
posted by rhymer at 5:52 AM on December 3, 2009
I'm just sorry he hasn't done the siege of Malta movie.
Though I suppose he could make a hash out of that as well.
posted by IndigoJones at 6:00 AM on December 3, 2009
Though I suppose he could make a hash out of that as well.
posted by IndigoJones at 6:00 AM on December 3, 2009
It's crazy that this isn't available on other platforms than Facebook. I love Sherlock Holmes, but not enough to get me using Facebook again.
posted by johnny novak at 6:09 AM on December 3, 2009
posted by johnny novak at 6:09 AM on December 3, 2009
Why not check out a modern Holmes story by none other than Neil Gaiman: A Study In Emerald.
posted by The Whelk at 6:16 AM on December 3, 2009
posted by The Whelk at 6:16 AM on December 3, 2009
The people at Mefi know that I work in PR - we've discussed this before
I'm not sure that "the people at Mefi" means what you think it means.
"Played through Facebook" means what exactly? Is it like Mafia Wars or that farm game? Not that I know what they're like either, but I mean is it a FB app, or does it somehow use FB to work? The "game" link gives me greyed out flash content.
posted by GeckoDundee at 6:18 AM on December 3, 2009
I'm not sure that "the people at Mefi" means what you think it means.
"Played through Facebook" means what exactly? Is it like Mafia Wars or that farm game? Not that I know what they're like either, but I mean is it a FB app, or does it somehow use FB to work? The "game" link gives me greyed out flash content.
posted by GeckoDundee at 6:18 AM on December 3, 2009
Why is it that both Holmes and the Titans need to show their physical badassery?
What's next?
Jery Bruckheimer retelling The Lone Ranger like National Treasure?
Michael Bay retelling The Birds like the Rock?
Peter Jackson turning TinTin into an epic three part trilogy the scale of Lord of the Rings Trilogy?
Tim Burton turning Dark Shadows into something as odd as Charlie in the Chocolate Factory?
Oh wait... these are all things that are actually going to happen... go ahead... imdb em...
posted by Nanukthedog at 6:29 AM on December 3, 2009 [1 favorite]
What's next?
Jery Bruckheimer retelling The Lone Ranger like National Treasure?
Michael Bay retelling The Birds like the Rock?
Peter Jackson turning TinTin into an epic three part trilogy the scale of Lord of the Rings Trilogy?
Tim Burton turning Dark Shadows into something as odd as Charlie in the Chocolate Factory?
Oh wait... these are all things that are actually going to happen... go ahead... imdb em...
posted by Nanukthedog at 6:29 AM on December 3, 2009 [1 favorite]
The problem with doing a facebook app isn't that it needs facebook to work, it's that when you use a facebook app you hand over all your personal information to the people who wrote the app. At the vary least your real name. And of course it will spam all your friends as well.
(One example of how much privacy you give up to facebook apps: A custom app was how they "caught" the wired reporter who was trying to "disappear" for a month)
Facebook is incredibly promiscuous with user data.
And Silverlight is just ridiculous.
posted by delmoi at 6:32 AM on December 3, 2009
(One example of how much privacy you give up to facebook apps: A custom app was how they "caught" the wired reporter who was trying to "disappear" for a month)
Facebook is incredibly promiscuous with user data.
And Silverlight is just ridiculous.
If it's a Guy Richie movie, the smart money's on "may not".Well, he's not married to Madonna anymore.
"Played through Facebook" means what exactly? Is it like Mafia Wars or that farm game? Not that I know what they're like either, but I mean is it a FB app, or does it somehow use FB to work? The "game" link gives me greyed out flash content.It uses "Facebook Connect" which is a single-sign on system similar to OpenID, except it sends god-knows what to the site. You don't actually play through facebook the way you would with a facebook app (like mafia wars or farmvile), you just use your facebook info to sign on. And then (I guess) the site can send updates to your feed, find out about your friends, etc.
Tim Burton turning Dark Shadows into something as odd as Charlie in the Chocolate Factory?Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was already a remake of an old property.
posted by delmoi at 6:32 AM on December 3, 2009
The movie may or may not end up being any good
Holmes: Watson yer facking cant , where's the charlie? (Etc etc etc)
posted by Mocata at 6:34 AM on December 3, 2009
Holmes: Watson yer facking cant , where's the charlie? (Etc etc etc)
posted by Mocata at 6:34 AM on December 3, 2009
A Study in Emerald is fantastic, and the discussion of the story in Fragile Things is pretty keen, too. Heck, the whole of Fragile Things is great. /fanboy
muggsy: one hint for making this seem less personal and less like marketing: stick to objective facts and skip the subjective talk of Richie's ouvre, and what may or may not "prove popular." MeFites (the folks who post and rant and rave, not the mods who are probably "the people at Mefi" you mentioned) are not fond of blog-like posts. If you want to put a personal touch on your FPPs, keep it light, or GYOB.
posted by filthy light thief at 6:37 AM on December 3, 2009
muggsy: one hint for making this seem less personal and less like marketing: stick to objective facts and skip the subjective talk of Richie's ouvre, and what may or may not "prove popular." MeFites (the folks who post and rant and rave, not the mods who are probably "the people at Mefi" you mentioned) are not fond of blog-like posts. If you want to put a personal touch on your FPPs, keep it light, or GYOB.
posted by filthy light thief at 6:37 AM on December 3, 2009
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posted by delmoi at 5:06 AM on December 3, 2009