bill writes "The "Interactive Mystery" is targeted towards teenagers and is based around the search for a missing popstar. Production is underway in London and the game is expected to launch sometime in the first half of 2005. Read on for the full press release.

The official press release:

BBC interactive Drama & Entertainment (iD&E;) has commissioned Jamie Kane, an interactive mystery for teenagers, which uses video, mobile and artificial intelligence to immerse its target audience in the world of a missing pop star.

The project is scheduled to appear on bbc.co.uk in early 2005.

The script has been written by best-selling author, Matt Beaumont (E: A Novel; The Book, The Film, The T-shirt) and centres on the mystery disappearance of fictional pop star, Jamie Kane, played by newcomer, Simon Bailey, currently playing London's West End in Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.

However, Jamie Kane is more complex than an traditional online game and more interactive than any linear drama: only by immersing themselves in the fictional world of Jamie Kane and his fan club will players be able to solve the mystery.

The project exploits the full potential of the web by squirreling away clues on fictional websites and offering artificial intelligence conversations, created by Creative Virtual, specialists in chatbot technology.

Daily updates via email and mobile phone messages, if they choose to sign up for the experience, will help users with the search for their pop idol.

By solving a number of hidden puzzles, commissioned from BIMA-award-winning online games agency, Preloaded, players receive new clues to help them in the search.

Each game is designed to test a player's powers of observation, memory and logic.

Jamie Kane combines artificial intelligence to generate messages from other 'fans' on the trail of the pop star, and video footage to create an authentic fansite, which will include mock performances and media interviews from the fictional performer, amongst them a Top of the Pops one-to-one with presenter Fearne Cotton.

Rob Cooper, Senior Producer, iD&E;, says: "Jamie Kane marks a real step difference in the way bbc.co.uk is approaching content.

"We're moving away from static sites to create a rich audio-visual experience for our users which should keep them on their toes as they search for Jamie Kane.

"We've been working very closely with Preloaded to ensure that the games are not only fun, but test a player's powers of deduction."

Production is currently underway in London.

More info:
Jamie Kane
Matt Beaumont
"

Posted on Sunday, February 20 @ 14:41:51 EST by editor

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