First contact was in the form of an email sent to former players of Meigeist on February 13, an ARG created and run by the same people who bring you The Sky Remains. This is what the email said:
Dear PlayerName,
Within these frames there's a way to carry on
Step through the doorway to the answer that's beyond
Without the dark my journey has no end
With you my friend there's somewhere to begin.www.theskyremains.com
April 2008
Going to the website, you found an audio file, an intriguing image, and links to an "About" page and a trailer for the game. At that point, there was no indication of how to sign up for the game. The first email was soon followed by another (on February 15):
Dear PlayerName,
I have a little errand for you.
Perhaps you would undertake it for me?
Iíve left you a note with the details you need.Looking forward to meeting you in April when our office opens.
Ms Poliakov.
Upon loading the web site, you found a new sticky note posted there with the following text:
FEB 20-22nd GDC:
6220 North Hall, Moscone Convention Centre,
San Francisco.
Say "Ms Poliakov sent me…"
Unfortunately, none of the players (as far as we know) actually made it to the convention center.
For some time after that, there was no contact from The Sky Remains crew. Emails sent to the address from whence the original note came met with this reply:
Thank you for your enquiry about The Sky Remains 6th Dimension Detective Agency. We are currently having the office redecorated to match our Non-Euclidian Geometric carpet patterns, which is not easy as you can imagine. Please visit us again in April.
Emails sent on or after March 6 received this response:
Dear prospective agent,
Those Non-Euclidian Geometric patterned carpets were too tricky to match so we took them up and varnished the boards instead. Much easier to navigate when balancing a biscuit on a cup of tea. So, we are now almost ready to open the office to new recruits. We are currently putting the final touches to your office cubicles, of course we don't want to open our doors before everything is ready for you. Patience my friend, is a virtue. When our doors are thrown open, you'll know it!
On April 25th, players received this email:
Dear PlayerName,
We at The Sky Remains Agency have been all set to open our doors to you for a wee while now. However, right at the last minute the legal firm of Sledgehammer and Nut, representing the Health Or Relative Safety Emergency Stop Happiness Interminably Team, decided they needed to check every last inch of the office for any possible consequence, whether imaginary or impossible, of Inter-Dimensional Leakage.Meanwhile our intrepid Rookie Agents, Pat and Dave have begun investigating a possible new case. They have put their initial video recordings for The Sky Remains on the Your Tubes inter web channel. Search and you shall find.
They have also discovered a fragment from the 6th Dimension, possibly connected to the new case, which you can find here: http://tinyurl.com/4knwvz
Please amuse yourselves with these tid-bits and we will be back in touch as soon as ever is possible.
Yours with fond anticipation,
The Sky Remains Administration Team.
Director, Poliakov (Ms)
The URL took you to an initial contact from someone named Sam Skinery.
Then on April 25, this email was sent out:
Dear PlayerName,
Dear prospective agent,Those Non-Euclidian Geometric patterned carpets were too tricky too match so we took them up and varnished the boards instead. Much easier to navigate when balancing a biscuit on a cup of tea. So, we are now ready to open the office to new recruits.
PLEASE SIGN UP if you think you have what it takes to become a Sky Remains Sixth Dimension Detective.
www.theskyremains.com
We welcome anyone who is:
Human.
Any kind of sentient being.
Nevertheless considered odd by most "normal" people.
Looking for an adventure in another dimension.
Willing to save the world rather than wax their car.Please DO NOT sign up to the training programme if:
You are a one-dimensional being
You are completely happy with yourself and everything in the world around you.
You have no imagination.
You would rather wax your car.We are waiting.
Yours sincerely,
The Sky Remains administration.
Ms Poliakov, Director.
And thus the game began.
