As I have started to play speculat1on, I find myself rather confused. I’m not entirely sure what I expected, especially considering that I have never played an ARG, but this is certainly not what I thought it would be like. I wasn’t entirely shocked when I came across the page of eight passwords needed, but I certainly had not predicted that. As I started to find my way through the passwords, I became increasingly proud of myself as I solved them. I got sucked into it rather quickly and began to think that I was on a great track. As I came upon the eighth password, however, I got stuck. I downloaded the Audacity audio editor and managed to input the audio file into it, but from there, I couldn’t proceed. I could not figure out how to do anything with the file. I guessed that I needed to either speed the file up or slow it down, but I could do neither. I spent quite a while on it and never made any progress on it.

As I said, I’m not entirely sure what I expected but this was not it. I understood things (such as looking at the source code) that I would not have understood apart from this class, but I (apparently) do not know enough to get through, or even into, this game. I don’t know whether these passwords are even a part of the game. I kept thinking that perhaps this is just how to begin, or enter, the game. I got excited when I began to see connections with our readings and this game, and then I felt utterly lost and aggravated when I couldn’t proceed. I wanted to succeed and talk about different aspects of the game. But here I am: lost and confused. Perhaps that is the point. Tedious, slow progress could be the point of this game. Perhaps this game is supposed to be confusing and something to get lost in. Perhaps I am exactly where I should be.