Alternative Reality close

Team Codegent have been exploring an alternative reality, is this a misguided attempt to ‘meet’ new clients? No, in actual reality we’ve been working on a microsite for the Royal Mail about an Alternative Reality Game (ARG) called Perplex City.

It is a destination point for people responding to the Perplex City competition in the spring edition of Contact, the Royal Mail’s direct marketing magazine. Readers will be able to solve a puzzle on the front cover of the magazine and then visit the site to enter the competition to win a PSP.

So far the feedback for the site has been excellent. Both the Royal Mail and Mind Candy, the company behind Perplex City, are really happy with the design and functionality of the site.

“The site looks absolutely fantastic - the whole office is abuzz with amazement! Your designer's done a really good job.”

Perplex City is one of many ARGs that has seen an unprecedented growth in popularity during recent years. This obsession-inspiring genre blends real-life treasure hunting and interactive storytelling within an online community.

The essence of Perplex City is a series of 256 trading cards providing clues that will lead game players through an interactive world to a treasure worth £100,000. The treasure has actually been buried somewhere in the real world and the money will be awarded to the first player who tracks it down.