In the wee hours of november 25, 2002, we caught
up with former LockJaw PM and all around nice
person Brooke Thompson. Brooke was a big part
of a small team that put together the stellar
LockJaw ARG game. With that in mind, our very
own Harvey Macklin went online with Brooke in
a groundbreaking and thought provoking interview.
| gg.com:
|
Is there a place in the ARG
community for a game about cats? |
| thompson: |
Well, i think that Fireball would love
to see that happen. |
| gg.com: |
if there was an Alternative Reality game
based on cats, what kind of cat would you
like to see as the evil leader of a corporation? |
| thompson: |
A housecat with pent up aggression. They'd
be ready to take out their frustration on
the world. |
| gg.com |
When you were part of the LockJaw design
team, were there ever any ideas that centered
around cats that didn't make the cut? |
| thompson: |
Unfortunately, our focus was on immortality |
| gg.com: |
Let's change the topic. Would you describe
yourself as a cat person? |
| thompson: |
Absolutely. Cats rule! And no joke about
being a single woman in her 30s with cats...it
gets old ;) |
| gg.com: |
Is there anything in particular that you
would like to see in an upcoming Alternate
Reality game? For instance, I might like to
see some cats get involved somehow. |
| thompson: |
Well, cat fights do seem to get the interest
of the male population. |
| gg.com: |
Let's really change the topic. How did you
end up committing to the LockJaw project? |
| thompson: |
Insanity (smiles). It just all came together.
I almost dropped out at one point, but the
passion for the genre wouldn't let me. |
| gg.com |
And this "insanity" as you call
it, does that involve the sniffing or ingestion
of catnip? |
| thompson: |
No, I learned at an early age that i should
stay as far away from the catnip as possible.
It's an evil drug, I tell ya. |
| gg.com: |
We'll take your word for it. You mentioned
the "passion for the genre." Do
you think that, by involving cats, the genre
might attract other participants, players,
and design teams? |
| thompson: |
As I said before, guys seem to be drawn
to cat fights. |
| gg.com: |
What ARG-style games are you eagerly anticipating
in the near or distant future? |
| thompson: |
Anything put on or involving Yuri is a great
start. How does Yuri feel about cats? |
| gg.com: |
Hey, I'll be asking the questions thanks
very much... guysguise.com has heard about
an upcoming game called "Chasing the
Wish"... What if, and the possibility
is out there, the "wish" that people
are chasing amounts to nothing but a piece
of string, and all those people playing are
actually perceived, by the designer(s) of
the game, to be cats? |
| thompson: |
Interesting concept, yet i don't see that
as a wish. |
| gg.com: |
Many people who feel "passion for the
genre" have been waiting to hear if you
are going to get involved with another ARG
project. Are you currently involved with a
design team? |
| thompson: |
I could tell you. How much is that answer
worth? |
| gg.com: |
(scrounges for change) $13.66, the amount
of change I just found nearby. It's canadian
funds, though, so, like, $2.60, really. |
| thompson: |
Ah, then no answer. (sly smile) |
| gg.com: |
Okay, then. What are your plans for pushdiner.com,
your web site dedicated to the maligned TV
show "Push, Nevada"? |
| thompson: |
I've been going over several different ideas
for repurposing the site. Nothing has really
hit me. One thought was to use it to host
and encourage fan fiction and fan created
puzzles. |
| gg.com: |
A very good idea, Miss Thompson. However,
the investigative research team at guysguise.com
has discovered a shipping order that went
to Push Diner. Do you have any comment about
this discovery or the contents therein? |
| thompson: |
No comment. |
| gg.com: |
And by no comment, are you saying that cats
may be involved? |
| thompson: |
Again, no comment. You know, they do have
sharp claws. You may want to drop this line
of questioning for your own safety. |
| gg.com: |
Well, Miss Thompson, we've enjoyed this
discussion, and we wish you a lot of luck
in the future. We hope that you continue to
be a driving force behind the ARG genre, and
continued success in your endeavors that don't
involve cats. |
| thompson: |
Thank you. And best of luck to guysguise.
I must say that it's one of the best sites
online! |
| gg.com: |
Well, of course it is. |
