So I am seeing lots of posts recently asking either how to make an ARG or mindlessly spamming onto the sub and I thought a post would really help. I get a lot of questions on Discord servers I am on on either how to make an ARG or simply saying how I made my current ARG so well. It really comes down to a few key factors that I will mention here for aspiring creators.

1. You have to start with a good base, a good story preferably. While a story is not a mandatory need I really advise you include one in your ARG because they are attractive and what drives interest in the community now. Try to avoid code and puzzle festing your project because for many people especially long time followers of ARG's the site of binary, hex, or any of the big cipher types will lead to an immediate tab close. You don't know how many ARG's I will find here with awesome hooks only to find it locked behind a cipher that I genuinely don't want to decipher (even though its very easy for me). A story even if simple will drive some players on board. Your first ARG probably won't be a big one (again I didn't go big with my first ARG), but it will give you your first playerbase to test concepts with. It took me 7 ARG's and lots of trial and error to get to where I am today with my current project.

2. You want to get your story out there right? DO NOT spam it on this sub or any other. You will come off as annoying regardless of how good your project may be. This is the BIGGEST no no in the community in my opinion. You come off as desperate and that is not an image you want to have because IT WILL follow you around. I know so many people with such creative minds that literally had to sink into non-existence because of the desperate personality many people associated with them. Your audience will come along naturally, structure your posts well and don't post them an hour after starting an ARG, wait some days and then go ahead. Make it look natural as if someone really did find this ARG randomly one day. It adds a bunch of mystery and gives off a better vibe to potential audience. Get friends on board or hell even ask the few players you may have to help get it out there. Nexpo, Reignbot, or Nightmind won't cover your ARG if you spam their subs or any other ARG related sub or medium. Take it slow take it easy and let it naturally grow.

3. Don't lose hope. You won't be the next Aidan Elliot overnight, especially if you are new to this. You need to take it slow and make sure you put appropriate time and effort in. Even if players don't come along in huge numbers you keep updating that story. If you lose the passion and just quit you may not only disappoint that small audience you have but also just turn them away from any future projects. Also please don't lock things behind member counts. I saw it a few days ago and it irked me. Do NOT say "We need 100 members on this Discord to progress". Just no. Like I said before, natural growth is key. Forced growth will more than likely stagnate even faster than natural growth. Let your story make a name for itself, if it is well made and you structured your trailhead well, trust me the audience will build up really well. Make a goal, NOT A HUGE ONE, but a small one. 10 players, and when you hit that make 20 the next goal. Don't rush it and don't set high expectations. Passion WILL lead to success.

So what did you think? Hopefully the post encouraged you. I love seeing new content on this sub, the GOOD kind. There are tons of underestimated creators everyday on here. You have good bases, and they can grow if you keep working on them. I went through lots of trial and error to get to where I am but didn't really have much of a guide. I was just fortunate enough to talk to some decent creators and get those pointers, so it only feels right to give that back to you the community. Hopefully you found this useful and I will answer any and all questions down below. Ciao~

P.S. EDIT: This is just part one of a weekly series I will be posting here on the sub. If you have any questions you'd like to see as an individual post about I can and will do so.