Bethany, TX net hunt (for Microsoft)

Client Objective: Microsoft wanted to attract new and repeat visitors to the Windows® 95 launch site and entertain them. The "Bethany, TX" net hunt was held in conjunction with the Windows® 95 launch.

vivid Implementation: vivid created "Bethany, TX", an online mystery that invited players to sleuth around the Web for answers. Played out over a two-week period, "Bethany, TX" was woven tightly around the tale of a computer salesperson who disappeared in a small Texas town, leaving only her journal behind. Players turned to the journal daily for new clues and information, then set off to find answers (many of which were found elsewhere within Microsoft's site). The rich storyline was enhanced by daily editions of the Bethany Observer, everybody's favorite small-town newspaper, which kept players abreast of developments in the game (as well as hints, tips, and lots of small-town color). Many players contributed their own ideas and "Letters to the Editor" of the Observer.

One of the biggest challenges vivid faced was designing an experience that would be rewarding to a very heterogeneous audience -- for some players "Bethany, TX" marked their first excursion onto the Internet. Developing a simple-yet-strong narrative, clues of varying difficulty, a graphically driven site, and an ongoing stream of commentary and feedback from the game administrators (in the Observer) helped give the game broad appeal and offered beginners a comfortable introduction to cyberspace.

vivid was responsible for designing the game, creating all content (text, graphics, audio/video, and clues), and handling all engineering issues (including HTML, scripting, and database design and construction), as well as providing daily game administration. vivid also helped Microsoft promote "Bethany, TX" to the media and on the Internet.

Executive Producer: AnnD Canavan
Producer: David de Andreis
Team: Anita Corona, Ben Lyon, Bondy Bondurant, Brian Ng, Carl Prescott, Drue Miller, Jane Magid, Jeff Davis, Karin Macdonald, Kevin John Black, Lynnly Labovitz, Maurice Tani, Nat Johnson, Nathan Shedroff, Paul Guth, Raoul Rickenberg, Steve de Brun, Todd Kreiger, Ty Shipman, Zachary Smith

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