This prank is almost six years old, but we just heard about it and had to share it:

In 2002, Dylan Reiff and Joe Korsmo began tracking the internet activities of Kolin, aka V. Gnome, an 18-year old computer gamer. They monitored and recorded Kolin’s AOL instant messages and gathered information about his friends and family from other sources on the net. Blending this data with scenarios from videogames and sci-fi films, they developed a mythology in which Kolin is “singled out as the savior of the human race.” The story is told in Gem Missile: A Tribute to V. Gnome, a 40-page book that incorporates photographs of Kolin and excerpts from his personal correspondence. In August 2003, Reiff and Korsmo showed up on Kolin’s parent’s doorstep in Chicago. Reiff introduced himself as “Z. Figiam,” Kolin’s “mentor from the future,” presented him with the book, and left without further explanation.

The plot thickened several days later with Kolin posted a detailed description of the encounter to an on-line gaming forum, along with digital photos of every page in the book. Members of the forum quickly added their own theories and responses, which ranged from close readings of the text and speculations about the gender of its authors, to admissions of jealousy and accusations that Kolin had invented the story in order to get a high rating for his thread (which in a few weeks had received over 40,000 hits).

A year passed after this initial contact. In August 2004, Reiff and Korsmo mailed Kolin a package containing a photograph of their meeting a year earlier, along with a note, a certificate, and a plane ticket to Minneapolis. Kolin was met at the airport by a man in a beat up Lincoln Town Car who identified himself as “The Gatekeeper.” For two days, Kolin was lead around the city in search of robots, buried treasure and information needed to save the future. Reiff and Korsmo involved numerous actors and another on-line gamer who, equally baffled, was driven with Kolin to a forest and abandoned there. At some point, Kolin noticed that his new friend had mysteriously disappeared. “I stood there alone in the woods, in Minnesota, with a shovel and a large black locked box, more confused then I have ever been in my life.” Kolin survived the trip and posted a detailed account of his adventure, concluding, “it was a great experience, and I would not hesitate to save the future again, if the chance ever arose.”

It’s an epic tale and one best read from the perspective of Kolin, the “victim” of this awesome prank. It’s a long read, but it’s worth it: Future Shock: A Three Year Cross Country Adventure to Save the World (link is down – see archived version here.)

via Chris Gethard

Remember the Sea of Glass paperweight we mentioned the other week? Well today I got something new in the mail that explains it all. Prototype 161, the new Alternate Reality Game masterminds in New York, are staging their next event on Halloween. Someone from the group sent me a letter announcing the new event. I scanned it and uploaded it here. Also in the envelope was a USB key containing a PDF of the image above. There must be a clue in their somewhere. Fun!

The event costs $40 (someone’s got to pay for all these crazy mailings!) but there’s a discount code in the letter that anyone who reads this blog can use for 20% off. So while not free, it sounds like a really fun Halloween night in NYC if you’re into the whole run around the city on a crazy mission solving puzzles type thing.

The Wall Street Journal put together this profile of SFZero.

SFZero is a Collaborative Production Game. Players build characters by completing tasks for their groups and increasing their Score. The goals of play include meeting new people, exploring the city, and participating in non-consumer leisure activities.

Cool project and a nice video, but we’re not sure why the WSJ scored the video with such annoying music.

We got an interesting letter in our inbox today informing us of an upcoming event in New York City on July 12. We’re not exactly sure *what* it is, but it sure looks like fun.

We went to the group’s website and found this:

Your story begins here. Prototype161 seeks creative, resourceful, and daring individuals to serve as agents in our ongoing investigations.

You will track down clues, solve puzzles, and interrogate suspects. You’ll scour a city to find the answers. You’ll compete against other agents to solve the case first.

Our most resourceful and successful agents will earn rewards and accolades.

New agent recruitment will take place on the evening of Saturday, July 12th in New York City. If you think you have what it takes, click the button below.

Sign Up

Save the date, New Yorkers! Here’s the letter they sent us: