Idea for Recruitment

[ExternalError]

thats cool i just wanted to get an idea of the overall cost the images were just something i knocked together at work so they are subject to change

[Arawn]

tbh i think we should remove the link on the tshirts... we dont want people to know its us? until they figure out themself.

[JazzyC]

Well my communication with EuroGamer would indicate they're happy for us to hand stuff out, but not to leave stuff lying around at stands and alike.  Not surprising tbh, but it was worth asking.

So, I'm thinking just hand out some business cards with the QR code.  That code would lead to a little hunt online (maybe something at the Expo if they let me) and then finishing with a reveal for a location and time to hand out goodies.

I think the business cards should look as professional as possible, perhaps with the FA logo in a metallic/shiny look.

[Ketamininja]

A shirt is cool, but people who aren't in FA will wear it maybe once and then they'll never wear it again.

Maybe it's just me, but I wear free shirts that I pick up at an event [business] with advertising plastered all over them all the time. I prefer the white T's because they go quite well with most things. If we have a T that has pretty much just our logo and not much else then I think it could be worn quite a lot.

The gaudy T's that I pick up are usually left for when I redecorate the house.

Again, maybe it's just me.
All my free Ts either advertise VMWare, Citrix, McAfee... and they are not usually subtle. I was wearing this T shirt the day this thread was "released":



Yeah, it's not very nice... again - maybe it's just me!

[Ketamininja]

Sorry for spamming this thread.
Gamestop have done things in the past where cryptic clues were left around and codes could be "found" and claimed [once only] to get a t-shirt or usb etc.

http://blackops.digitalwarfare247.com/news/another-viral-with-wallpaper has a little info on what they previosuly did with Black Ops... but unfortunately the Gamestop website is gone now... I only have screenshots to work on so I don't know if it's flash or just an image with clickable areas (which works on smartphones?).

Anyway, just thought this might give some ideas on how to move forward for smartphone "challenges".

[JazzyC]

So, with the limited amount I feel we can do (without feeling the wrath of either the organisers or game devs) at the expo, what is the feeling toward making the challenge online, with smartphone friendly pages.  
I'd say we'd want to keep them entertained for the length of at least one queue (ideally TOR) so I'd say around 1 to 2 hours would be ideal.

I would bring it to the meeting on monday, but my timezone prevents that.  

Would like to get a reasonable consensus on what people want to see done within a couple of weeks, so I can start planning stuff out.

[Tbone]

I don't envision us completing a two hour, smartphone-friendly version of the challenge that will be up to our standards in just one month. The latest version of the challenge took over 6 months, not including all the clean-up time. Granted, we didn't have Revalis around during that time, but I'm not going to be around much to write the script and generate content - pretty busy with work through the end of this month and then planning on going out of town for a few weeks in August.

I think a lot of you have a great ideas, but we should try to come up with something that is manageable in time, cost, and manpower.

[Lithium]

IDK, people should trade in their iPOS phones for an Android handset because the challenge works just wonderful on my phone!

[Ketamininja]

Damn you Lith. My blackcurrent just can't handle it.

Perhaps we can take elements of the current challenge and put them together without taking up too much time... Considering this challenge wouldn't be a recruitment interview process, but rather a "treasure hunt" at the Expo, we might be able to make it more text/image based.

From what I remember:
The first challenge with the cipher is posted in our forums/SW forums, so this works as text based.
The number sequence is text based too.

We can almost put these type of challenges on a static background image, with clikcable areas to "pop up" the messages. Could kinda work like the blackops Gamestop item I mentioned above. This could mean minial work since we are rehashing the same stuff we already have.

The final stage might have some sort of map of the Expo (these things are usually available before hand).

I can lend some time to this, and if it doesn't manage to get "signed off" in time, then at least it's a work in progress for future events of the same ilk.

[JazzyC]

I don't envision us completing a two hour, smartphone-friendly version of the challenge that will be up to our standards in just one month. The latest version of the challenge took over 6 months, not including all the clean-up time. Granted, we didn't have Revalis around during that time, but I'm not going to be around much to write the script and generate content - pretty busy with work through the end of this month and then planning on going out of town for a few weeks in August.

I think a lot of you have a great ideas, but we should try to come up with something that is manageable in time, cost, and manpower.

I don't think we should do a smart-phone version of the challenge.  Not least because, as you say, it would take too long.
I was thinking of a different challenge, more of a bread-crumb trail of puzzles and codes around the web (accessible via smartphones).  That would lead to the final reveal (time and location) for the Expo on Sunday.  
It is there we would give out our branded goodies.  The USB stick sounds fantastic because we can stick a shortcut to the challenge in there.

To make the bread trail last 1-2 hours I just imagine the person having to do legwork.  Perhaps to work out a morse code message, or a ciphered message.  Or finding the hidden code in a picture.  Stuff that would be relatively easy in comparison to coding an entire new challenge.

[Aracher]

Seeing as I will be going to Eurogamer with Kaplin, Wind, External and Odj I'm willing to help anyway I can

[JazzyC]

I did a quick Google for foil print business cards.  Funny thing is, the first link gave me a guy who works down the road (right near where I work) and amazingly used to live in the small village I do.

Anyway, I've asked for a simple, yet professional business card.  Pictured having the FA logo and "Are you and Angel?" on the front typed out in foil.  While the back would be a QR code.
He has currently quoted me around the £290 for 500 business cards.  But that might fluctuate a bit based on our actual requirements.

I just need to know a couple of things.

1.  Could we get that level of funding together?  
2.  Where should we point the QR code?  Should we have a few puzzles and challenges, or just point straight to a meet?
3.  How many cards would we actually want?  Would other people be wanting them to hand out to anything they're going to?

I personally would like to see a couple of puzzles first.  But would appreciate some help in making some, and being able to place them on the web (some stable hosting would be handy).  And I would of course plump up a nice bit of funding too.

[Tbone]

He has currently quoted me around the £290 for 500 business cards.  But that might fluctuate a bit based on our actual requirements.

I think you're getting ripped off. Check out this pricing:

http://www.vistaprint.com/business-cards.aspx?xnav=TsrItem&xnid=aPremiumBusinessCardsBusiness+Cards

[JazzyC]

Heh!  It would seem so.  Btw.  Is there a higher res FA logo anywhere?  Only one I could find is in the website header.  The bigger the better I think.

Then I'll make a card template and get some opinions.

[Ketamininja]

I am making a quick mobile site that might be of interest.. if it gets used, fine, if not fine... gives me something to do when I have a moment (which isn't actually much at the moment). Will give some details when I have something to show. If anyone is doing something similar, then all cool.

I would still recommend again that we get the work done in the US to cut costs, and I'll get them "couriered" to the UK at (end of) August ... I think getting it done in the US will save a LOT of cash.

As for cash, I'm willing to put some towards (could defo get £100 up I think).
Need to get some Paypal details together when we are ready to go.

I think we should still get t-shirts and usb done.
I'd be happy to buy one of each for myself, and other Angels will likely want some merchandise...?