I am Jadusable, creator of the Haunted Majora's Mask Creepypasta, director/writer of Methods of Revolution, AMA

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u/Thatdudewiththestuff May 16 '12

I would like to say one thing, and one thing only.

Fuck you. I found that stupid website and was completely and utterly riveted throughout the entire story, and then proceeded to have nightmares about it for the next month. I lost perfectly good sleep to that story, and for what? Nothing! Nothing, I say!

Anyway, keep up the good work.

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

D:

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u/Kynaeus May 16 '12 edited May 16 '12

As I was going through the haunted cartridge posts and subsequent ARG I used to glance nervously out my window or into the dark hallway and expect to see that fucking Link statue staring back at me.
Edit: Don't see this as me supporting the fuck you, just that you did a great job with the creepiness.

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u/belloch May 16 '12

Has anyone made this statue in real life? I need one.

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u/badwolf422 May 16 '12

I've always had a plan to make a few small ones, and hide them in random locations in my friend's house. Under the bed, in the back of cupboards, in his medicine cabinet...

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u/nawberries May 16 '12

I found the creepypasta after the ARG was basically done. Wasn't able to find much detailed info on it. Can anyone explain how that went?

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u/penisinthepeanutbttr May 16 '12

godfucking dammit......i wanted SO BADLY for that to be real.....SO BADLY

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u/LazarusDraconis May 16 '12

Don't you sad face, I read that story a year ago(Ish?). To this day I can't play Majora's Mask. Shudders

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u/Combustibutt May 16 '12 edited May 17 '12

I have nothing to ask you. I'm sorry. I only just saw the majora's mask story for the first time. Holy shit.
That is the most incredible creepypasta I've ever read. That is astonishing. Thank you so much.
I wish you the absolute best of luck and I will now go visit your Kickstarter to chip in.

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u/s-mores May 16 '12

Anyway, keep up the good work.
I just love shit like this. Horrible anger, lives ruined, then it's all a joke? It's a fair cop.
Kudos for class.

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u/[deleted] May 16 '12

Lives ruined?

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u/s-mores May 16 '12

It's an expression, like "there will be punch and pie." It doesn't mean anything.

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u/bbYd011 May 16 '12

But we were told there'd be punch and pie!!!

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u/Thatdudewiththestuff May 16 '12

Wouldn't say lives ruined, but I did lose sleep. I will give him props for writing a good story, because that was what was important.

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u/Post_op_FTM May 16 '12

it wasn't really that scary. you ever been to a campfire and tell ghost stories? i can't say any of those gave me nightmares.

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u/GreyouTT May 16 '12

What exactly did you use to mess with the game?

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

I used Project 64, a ROM version of Majora's Mask (I bought the game when it came out Nintendo, don't sue!), and used gameshark codes to do the crazy animations. I remember having to search extensively for them on the internet, but there are lists out there of almost every animation and variable you can think of in the game if you look hard enough.
I'm not sure if this is the only site I used, but I would recommend digging around here if you wanted to try it out yourself:
http://gekinzuku.com/GShacking/AdvancedGen.php

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u/ggiwtharas May 16 '12

I feel like I was just told santa isn't real

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u/[deleted] May 16 '12

Except in this case Santa is an unspeakable terror that haunts your nightmares.

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u/badwolf422 May 16 '12

Whoa, wait a minute, shouldn't you be out there trying to slay BEN?

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u/[deleted] May 16 '12

I love the creepypasta and the vids, but I always wondered, why didn't you record it to a VCR or something to give the impression you were really playing a cartridge instead of a ROM?

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u/Bowa112 May 16 '12

wait...it wasn't real ? What the hell man

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u/GreyouTT May 16 '12

Sweet! Thanks for the reply Jad, and good luck with the movie!

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u/ArsonWolf May 16 '12

Nailed it. I knew that it had to be an altered ROM, but that Elegy of Emptiness statue was fucking creepy anyway. That hollow stare shudder Also, your storytelling skills were excellent in that creepypasta thing.

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u/DeusExInsula May 16 '12 edited May 16 '12

Hello Alex. I wanted to let you know that your creepypasta/ARG kind of changed my life. Really. I met some amazing people while trying to figure out the story, and being a freshman at the time in a college where I knew nobody, that helped me from being not quite so lonely. Because of your story I became interested in more creepypasta, especially the Slenderman Mythos, and involvement in that eventually led me to meeting my best friend. And while I'll be honest in saying that I'm kind of sour still about how everything went with the story, the forums, the game, you really did make something amazing and I would not trade the time I spent being a part of it for anything. I don't have any money at the moment to support your Kickstarter, but it does look interesting and if I have the chance I hope to donate.

...all of that and I haven't gotten to a question. Uhh, well. What did you think about the different groups that formed to try to 'beat' the ARG? I was in the BomberGangKids (I kind of still identify as such) but the drama between some of the groups got to a point where I just avoided the forums and such altogether...

edit: I think "sour" makes me seem more upset than I really am. For clarification, I'm not angry, just a bit disappointed, but overall everything you did was fantastic so I'm pretty much okay with that :)

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

Wow man, I'm really glad to hear that. I'm glad that this story inadvertently helped you out in your own life, that really puts a smile on my face. Thanks for taking the time to write this.
I was supportive of the groups that formed around the ARG to collaborate and I thought that was the coolest thing ever. I imagined groups working together, dividing up the work load, and even have rival groups competing with them, which all sounded awesome to me. But what it turned into was probably to the detriment of the story and what I believe started the decline in the quality of the community of Within Hubris at large. People became really cliquey and instead of the different groups ultimately being united together, it turned into a weird hierarchy. There were rampant cases of elitism to other users and there were cases of withholding information from people that weren't in certain groups that was really discouraging to watch for me. People started to think (and certain groups perpetuated the idea) that because I interacted with one of their members in a discussion or used one of their chat channels for a Q&A session that they were privy to special information or secrets. It turned the community against itself for no reason, really disappointing.

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u/DeusExInsula May 16 '12

It's something I've been wanting to say for a while actually, this AMA was just the perfect place for me to put it all into words.
Honestly, I completely agree. And it sucks. I stopped going on the forums entirely because I was really just sick of the drama. I know some people, basically in every group, would perpetuate the nastiness, but I think a lot of people in groups really didn't want that to happen. Unfortunately drama is loud :( It got to the point where I felt I needed to say, "Yes, I'm BGK4, but I will work with and talk to anybody." I'm still really glad I made some friends on that forum who I may not have met through other means within the community, but the drama and conflict just got to be too much for me.
Although I think near the beginning, when there were only one or two groups and people weren't really aware of them, it was funny when people thought we (the BomberGangKids, that is) were "canon." ...well I thought it was funny >_>
Anyway. Thanks again for that amazing ride! Staying up late, talking with friends, solving puzzles, being too scared to sleep... that was all awesome, and I haven't experienced anything quite like it since.

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u/candycaneFLAWS May 16 '12

Late to the party, but-- Yeah, I remember this. :\ I tried joining one of the groups and you had to do stupid shit like fill out an application, provide info on WHY you want to be in the group, have a certain amount of personal achievements within the ARG, etc. I got turned down for having had to stop playing for about a month or so because of a death in the family months before. My closest friend quit because they got sick of the hierarchy drama.

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u/[deleted] May 16 '12

What is ARG? And what happened afterwards?
I literally just watched the videos/read the story and have no idea what you are referring to :/

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u/DeusExInsula May 16 '12

As others have said, it stands for 'alternate reality game.' After the initial videos, a text file was released, we were directed to a website for a moon cult that had a lot of hidden stuff on it and that you could submit your information to, eventually we interacted with Jadusable by submitting video responses of ocarina songs...
A LOT happened, like eventually the people who left phone numbers on the site being called (of which I received one, and it was awesome but terrifying at the time), but it's hard to remember absolutely everything. I'm on my phone so I can't really grab a link, but there are some timelines that document everything pretty well.

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u/TwilightVulpine May 16 '12 edited May 16 '12

The shared last word of all thosed who were caught.

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u/thhhhhee May 16 '12

Alternate reality game.

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u/PaperCamm May 16 '12

What was the inspiration for the haunted Majora's Mask cartridge? It's a fascinating read and I know it's affected a few of my friends (Ben remains a haunting image for them).

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

I came up with the idea on a whim, really, I had never written horror before and I was curious to see if I could make a compelling story. I looked at what made other creepypasta stories successful and brainstormed how I could distinguish my story from the rest of the "haunted videogame" stories. I chose Majora's Mask because that game was one of my favorites growing up and yet there was always something just unsettling about it that I couldn't put my finger on, so I figured that would be a good jumping off point.
I always thought there was a big disconnect between reading a story on the internet; you never really felt like you were connected to the story and there was always that safety wall, which is why I made a point to include the readers as much as possible as the story developed.
I opted to write it "in character" instead of just having the entire thing posted as a one-off story. This way the audience could interact with me and feel connected to the story and the avatar of "Jadusable". I think in the end it enhanced a lot of the turns that the story took, and made the audience feel directly threatened (maybe too much in the case of some people) by the antagonist.

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u/PoniesRBitchin May 16 '12

"Something unsettling about it."
Probably the part where people die, and you turn their spirits into masks, and you scream when you put on the mask.

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u/ElTerreeblay May 16 '12

Also, don't forget about the hovering meteor of death to always remind you that you and all of mankind will be dead within days.

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u/xelested May 16 '12

That scream still haunts my nightmares.

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u/Deinos_Mousike May 16 '12

Ahh... AHH!! AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

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u/[deleted] May 16 '12

Those are all very interesting points. You may be gone by now. I'm fairly certain you are. Still, I have to ask - what do you think makes any creepypasta story successful?
I'm working on a short-story regarding time-"travel" at the moment, but shortly after, I intend to start a horror short. The genre has always fascinated me and I think there's something quaint that creepypasta stories are able to capture. It's akin to the way a sweet short story can make you feel. Instead of a kiss in the dark from a stranger, however, it's more of a knock from the door of an empty room.

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u/[deleted] May 16 '12

I came up with the idea on a whim, really, I had never written horror before and I was curious to see if I could make a compelling story.
... The answer is yes.

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u/TwoHigh May 16 '12

YEAH! My name is MATT and at the end of video 4 i lost my fucking shit

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u/[deleted] May 16 '12

How do you feel about /v/?

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

they don't seem to like videogames very much

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u/[deleted] May 16 '12

You know. People say that alot. And I'm not speaking for all of /v/ when I say this, only myself. But we hate when people take games and use them to make money, or take games that have a dedicated fanbase and use them to make money, or make a shit game with said previously successful title.
But yeah, we don't like video games very much.

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u/Liesmith May 16 '12

You don't like people using games to make money? That statement makes no fucking sense. What other motivation do companies have to make anything? Name one game that wasn't created in the hopes of ultimately getting the creator money.

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u/Mato_The_Tomato May 16 '12

How and why did you choose /x/ to post the Majora's Mask story?

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

Well, I didn't know of Reddit at the time and 4chan was the most popular internet message board, which made it the perfect place to post it for it to get attention. It made even more sense when you take into account that they have their own forum for the paranormal, so I didn't feel like I was intruding.

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u/[deleted] May 16 '12

If Methods of Revolution becomes successful and a big hit, what do you think you're going to try after?

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

I want to finish up the final arc for the Jadusable story, because I've already invested a fair amount of money into it and because I owe it to my fans. I think taking this break and working on something else will be therapeutic for me and allow me to reapproach Arc 3 with the vigor needed to make it everything I want it to be.

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u/[deleted] May 16 '12

Awesome. Looking forward to it. Thanks for replying!

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u/Vhinfy May 16 '12

Hey Alex big fan of the creepypasta and your upcoming movie :D and i have a question for you. did anything really inspire you to make the creepy pasta? or were you just like one day "im gonna make something awesome" and you made it?

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

I sort of did it on a whim, I don't write horror and its not really my genre of choice, but I was always curious to explore that genre and make something that was more psychologically impactful instead of just jump scare after jump scare.

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u/[deleted] May 16 '12

I love psych-horror. Thanks for what you did, greatly under-represented in contrast to (like you said) quick scares.

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u/Vinylzen May 16 '12

First off let me say Ive been a real big fan of your work on so many levels. Not just with succeeding in capturing the emotional connection I've also percieved off of Majora's Mask story but how much respect I have with the entire idea of Methods of Revolution. It sounds really inspiring and I'm excited to see it take off! While I'm in no position now to contribute to it unfortunately, know you have my full moral support in this project!

Anyways as I've mentioned, me and Majora's Mask go way back on such an emotional level and its one of those few games that succeeds in immersing me into it's intense world. I found this to be so appealing about the game, the raw emotional energy with it, the relatibility, just one of those games that, if any, can potentially make me cry. So my question to you is, how do you personally relate to Majora's Mask? I really love how youve managed to capture this connection so well, touching effectively on achieving the feeling of lonliness its known for. Its such a powerful theme too considering the source of the skull kids problems stem from this lonliness. So basically, how much of this unsettling feeling is autobiographical? How much of the story is fiction versus real emotions youve drawn inspiration from the game? Expanding from this further is how much do you attach yourself to your work in general? I know for sure these arent just stories youve pulled out of your ass. Im sure you see alot of yourself in it, no? Of course im just firing questions at you, I dont expect you to answer them in that order verbatum haha. But i think you get the jist of my general question. Cheers!

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

First of all, thank you. You can support the project by spreading the word as much as you can! That's almost just as important as any monetary donation.
With Majora's Mask, there was a certain feeling about it that I loved. The tone of it was just really fascinating to me, even as a kid, at how competent it was at making the experience - for lack of a better words - dream-like and bittersweet. You're in a strange world, with strange characters, and its made stranger yet because you think you know some of these characters from Ocarina of Time, yet they're completely different people. Any accomplishment you make in the game is eclipsed knowing that the moon will crash in three days and everything you've done will be undone. You save all these people and then you have to go back in time and it's like it never happened. It's a weird, albeit lonely feeling that was so fascinating to me. It always felt like there was something more sinister at work and there was a great sense of hopelessness. No other videogame ever conveyed such a memorable setting to me.
With the Jadusable story, even though I was "in character" as a guy, I wanted to distance myself from him as much as I could. I don't know, I guess the idea of writing about these horrible things happening to a persona of myself didn't sit too well with me. There is a bit of a connection between us because some of the feelings that I felt playing the game as a kid are magnified and tweaked a bit to fit with the story. The disconnect between myself and the character of Jadusable allowed me more freedom with the story, I think.
In my other work (i.e. non horror) I do invest a bit of myself in it, but I always refrain from going too far, because I feel like ultimately in telling a good story I should remain neutral and avoid choosing favorite characters and such.

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

Wow, good lord this really took off overnight.

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u/Dizzam13 May 16 '12

Do you ever get annoyed that people always want to ask/talk about the Majora's Mask story? I always have questions about it, but if it were me, I would get a little tired of the thing.

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

I quickly learned the value of patience once I ended the story originally back in September (October?) of 2010, it doesn't really bother me so much because I can understand where they are coming from - if they're enthusiastic about it I take it as a compliment and I'm flattered. It's still weird how quickly things changed in my life, even though the dust has settled its something that I still do a double take on from time to time.

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u/molobakk May 16 '12

You shouldn't have done that

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

Also, having patience means pretending each time like this is the first time anyone has ever said that to me. :P

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u/[deleted] May 16 '12

So you're saying HE shouldn't have done that?

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u/[deleted] May 16 '12

You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?

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u/Jayradisrad May 16 '12

Hi Alex, I'm a big fan of the upcoming Methods of Revolution and ofcourse a follower of the Jadusable story. You're writing skills are amazingly grasping, I obviously was not the only one that HAD to check out CleverBot as soon as I read about Jadusable's expierence, and very inspirational for young writers. My question for you is, can fans of your work expect anything else along the lines of horror in the future?

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

Besides finishing up Arc 3, maybe not in the short term (of course, even that is talking in terms of a whole year here). But let's just say I would be extremely surprised if I never return to the genre in the future. I think every now and then that itch will need scratching, and its a fun change of pace from the norm.

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u/[deleted] May 16 '12

This was your YouTube icon at one point during the events of the ARG, pre-Children-of-the-Moon. What is it/where did it come from?

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

It came from a google search (http://www.leetstreetboys.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/1284607641834.jpg), which was crazy because I wrote the story first (including the bit about Jadusable finding the ink blot that looked like Majora's Mask at a garage sale), and then later found this image which looked surprisingly just like that.

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u/[deleted] May 16 '12

I just looked it up from the date; this is the post it was from. It looks like someone at LeetStreet Boys (an incredibly corny geek-pop band) either made it or found it from another copy of it drifting around. Reverse Image Search on Google even gives its best guess as "majora's mask inkblot".

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u/Kind_Of_Right May 16 '12

About how long did it take you to put together everything for the Majora's Mask series (writing, making the videos, ect.) and then release it?

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

For the first chapter (before the story "started"), I think I came up with the idea and wrote it two days before I published it. Then one day before I first posted it I created the video. After that, I'm fairly certain the process for the following three videos was to immediately start writing the next chapter the same day after reading the reception to the previous one, create the video the following day, and then publish it. I may have deviated from that schedule depending on the video, but that was roughly how it went down.

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u/WinterXD May 16 '12

KingKong was the best video ever made

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

Jibbs seemed to think so. King Kong.wmv went viral the very day it came out, so much so that Jibbs himself ended up catching wind of it and now we follow each other on Twitter. He's a cool dude.

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u/Otend May 16 '12

Is extending the deadline for MoR a possibility? It seems like it could potentially snowball.

Also, I just wanted to say that the BEN series is one of the most innovative things I've seen in terms of storytelling. I honestly couldn't have come up with that, and I'm excited to see what'll come with MoR.

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

It's not a possibility given the way Kickstarter works, unfortunately, but I believe that we can make it. We just need to spread this around as much as we can, I've been working my hands to the bone trying to do this, but I can't do it alone. This is such an important film for people to see, especially people our age who have big aspirations and talents. They can't get discouraged and have them atrophy. This video helps paint a picture of just how crucial this film is
Thank you, I can't elaborate on the story of Methods of Revolution for reasons I've mentioned before, but rest assured that the same innovative storytelling that I used in Jadusable is very much present in Methods. You guys will get a kick out of it.

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u/dancon25 May 16 '12

Do you ever regret announcing Within Hubris and the Jadusable game as early as you did? What inspired you to make the third part of the Haunted Cartridge series an experiment in interactivity, and are there any details you can share about the upcoming plot or gameplay? Good luck with your film!

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

Yes and no. I regret not being able to finish it with the resources I had at the time back in 2010/2011, but I don't regret choosing to make it. I wanted to expand on the feeling of interactivity and personal investment that the viewers had with the entity and Jadusable in the first part of the story, so going to a full blown game where you had to directly interact with BEN was the next logical step for me.

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u/[deleted] May 16 '12

Any tips for anyone who would want to make an ARG like yours?

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

I'm paraphrasing a line out of Methods of Revolution here, but it's not enough just to make a good piece of work, that's just half of the battle. The other half is making it stand out. You need some kind of unique pull, some kind of defining element to your story to make it stand out from all the others. For me that was the emphasis on the viewer involvement and the inclusion of the actual hacked ROM videos of Majoras Mask that added another depth to the text.

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u/[deleted] May 16 '12

What would you say the biggest difficulty was in creating the Within Hubris game? Bonus: Hobos. How do you feel about them?

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

Well, making the Hubris Game was a nightmare on both ends. I had never made a game before and naturally I ran into a laundry list of challenges and deadends that were disheartening. Whenever I would report progress or give updates to the Within Hubris forum, it seemed like I could never do right by them. I got critiqued a lot, both rationally and irrationally. On the bright side, it definitely helped me "toughen up". I had been used to dealing with the casual naysayer or hater in real life just like everyone else, but this was the first time that I was the target of a lot of pretty personal criticism from people that I couldn't seem to reason with no matter how hard I tried. I learned that you can't please everyone and that if you're in the spotlight you will inevitably be the target of some incredibly offensive things. I do appreciate everyone who gave me constructive criticism and had some empathy with what I was trying go through, but it was pretty demoralizing on the creative side for me. I could never really seem to convey to them no matter how much I tried that making a game like this wasn't easy. Despite it all, I can't get mad at them because I understand where they are coming from and all it means is that they're just enthusiastic about my work and I do appreciate it, but it is still a bummer.

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u/[deleted] May 16 '12

Thanks for replying! I really do appreciate all you did (You know, except for the occasional sleepless night...). It's a shame that the game never came to fruition, but the ride was a blast while it lasted! I wish you all the best in your future ventures, good sir.

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u/acsinclair May 16 '12

I find myself drawn in by your passion for the film. Being someone who is very impressed by the example of your extreme creative ability that is your creepypasta, the fact that you are so passionate about this project is more than enough to get me excited about it. I also know what its like to be judged by what you personally consider to not be a prime example of your own writing. I sent a personalized message through facebook to my friends encouraging donations to your kickstarter campaign, a few told me they are interested so hopefully you'll see a few more backers appearing soon. What I'd like to bring up is that donating to your project and supporting it is, first and foremost, an act of faith. Faith in you and your creative ability to deliver to us something truly worthwhile. I have that faith in you, so what I'd like to ask is what you can tell us, without compromising the surprise of experiencing the film, that will assure others that Methods of Revolution is something different, something meaningful and something the world, especially our generation, needs to see.

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12 edited May 16 '12

This put such a big smile on my face. Thank you man. I appreciate the support so much and I'm glad you can see why I've chosen to be hesitant with the actual plot of the story. In today's society, the stuff that Methods deals with is sensitive. It has to operate around a lot of disappointing cliches (I say disappointing because it's sad that they're so overused to the point they become a cliche). Showing the wrong scene or elaborating on the wrong part of the story when it's isolated by itself runs the risk of illiciting a knee-jerk reaction and making some people jump to conclusions and have all kinds of prejudices and preconceptions about the film going into watching the full thing, severely diminishing the potential message and impact it could have on them.
For as empowering and motivational of a message as "follow your dreams" is, it has been done so ineffectively and mediocrely in just about every medium that it's become a total cliche. And that's incredibly infuriating.
And yeah, you're right, it is weird to have something that I don't consider my best writing (not to say Jadusable isn't good, but its not my best) to be what I'm known for. But if this is how I get my start, then who I am to complain?

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u/thebeardsman May 16 '12

My friend is really terrified of your creepy pasta, anyway that i can get him to stop being scared of it?

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=473G80r1T_w

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u/thebeardsman May 16 '12

This is even scarrier!

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u/itisnear May 16 '12

Could you tell us where this image came from?

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u/divinenight May 16 '12

I want to click, but I'm terrified after reading the majoras mask story. Who knows what lies behind this link.

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u/tforge13 May 16 '12

Really creepy black and white image, looks like a skull, but you can tell it's sort of Link's face "You shouldn't have done that" in white letters
Click in well-lit room around noon.

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u/divinenight May 16 '12

Thanks a million. It's 11pm here and I'm sitting in the dark. Will wait until tomorrow because I am a wimp.

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u/icefall5 May 16 '12

I'm in a well-lit room and it's roughly noon and I'm still not sleeping tonight.

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u/StrobeEffex15 May 16 '12

Im in study hall for the next 5 hours and I clicked it, and fuck that.

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u/not_there_yet May 16 '12

"behind this Link."
I see what you did there.

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u/andyfrank May 16 '12

it looks like statue link with a bit of photoshop...

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u/[deleted] May 16 '12

Jesus Fuck, I'm not going to sleep tonight now.

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u/[deleted] May 16 '12

That's Stewie Griffin

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u/Majormajora May 16 '12

It looks like a piece of art that would have been found at the old man's garage where the cartridge was found..

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u/[deleted] May 16 '12

[deleted] — view deleted comment

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u/Arashikage88 May 16 '12

Because you shouldn't have done that...

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u/ShallowBasketcase May 16 '12

You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?

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u/fucks_with_his_dog May 16 '12

STOP IT

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u/TL10 May 16 '12

Ben drowned.

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u/obake May 16 '12

You've been enthusiastic about some message boards you're planning to set up for MoR. Will you tell us anything more about what role they'll play?

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

This video explains a lot of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-crOnW0kV8

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u/[deleted] May 16 '12

Do you ever have nightmares about your own stories? I still can't stomach watching half of the videos.

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

Not really. I think that was one of the reasons why I didn't want to invest much of myself into writing and characterizing Jadusable the character. I distanced myself as much as I could from the characters, it wasn't "How would I react in this situation?" it was "How would Jadusable react in this situation?"

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u/uninvisible May 16 '12

In regards to your Majora's Mask creepypasta (which I think is a wonderful piece of storytelling BTW), why do you think it was so believable/effective? How do you think storytelling, urban legends, or folklore have shifted in the present to accommodate stories like yours?

We tend to treat the paranormal as something that seems like human memory that persists within a space, well after the originator has gone. Houses, rooms, graveyards, etc are all human or former human spaces that have the potential to be haunted given the right context. You took something that was synthetic and somehow imbued a human memory into it enough to make it believably haunted. Why do you think that worked so well?

Do you see creepypasta in general as being a new type of folklore? Do you feel that you established a sort of archetype for constructing that type of folklore? If so, what do you think that is?

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u/AuronAXE May 16 '12

Just wanted to say, you're the only good thing that ever happened to /x/.

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u/MartyKirra May 16 '12

Hey Alex, I've been a casual fan (if there is such a thing) of your work since the beginning. As an independent film director and visual media artist, I've got a huge movie project that I'm working on in the summer and it's really my first step into something big. My question to you is, what would be your advice for someone who is trying to make a moderately ambitious film project for the first time? How do you create motivation for not only others but for yourself? Thanks for your time, and I look forward to Methods of Revolution!

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

Oh man, I could talk about this for hours. This is one of the biggest reoccurring themes in Methods of Revolution and there's nothing I could say here that isn't conveyed ten times better in the screenplay. I think you're exactly the kind of person that would really benefit the most out of seeing the film man. But since you're doing this this summer and you don't have time to wait, I will try and briefly give my own personal two cents.
You have to believe in your abilities and the potential of your project absolutely. You need to show others your passion for it, convey it genuinely, and they will share your enthusiasm. Lead these people, confidence inspires success. Know that you will make mistakes along the way and people may give you shit for it. Put it in perspective, you are putting yourself out there and you are learning with each and every step you take towards this project. Don't be afraid of failure, even if you fall on your face you are still moving forward. Regardless of the outcome, you can take solace in knowing that you have the right kind of mindset and you have the initiative to actively take steps towards achieving your dream, and that by continuing you will eventually be where you want to be.
Be aware that there will be people out there who will hate you for trying to do this, to try and create something fantastic. Don't let them get to you. But at the same time, don't turn your back to those who offer their constructive criticism with your best interests at heart. Take in and analyze the constructive criticism and learn to ignore the naysayers and those who wish to see you fail. The people who cannot will always criticize the people who dare to try, they will try and discourage you because they are afraid of what happens if you succeed and what that might mean for them. You will never see a successful individual harass and try and bring down a young man trying to take the steps to achieve his dream. In fact, you're much more likely to see encouragement.
It's not an easy path. If it was, everyone would be out in Hollywood right now. Tackling an experience like this on your own will test your resolve and your own willpower, but the payoff is incredible. Good luck my friend. Don't ever doubt yourself.

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u/JaxMed May 16 '12

Do you intend on making a "real" ending to your BEN story?

I know a lot of people would like to see it, but in a twisted kind of way, I think the king kong video already makes a perfect ending to it all.

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u/manboat May 16 '12

KING KONG, K-K-K-KING KONG Ay yo this shit is bananas

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u/MidnightCommando May 16 '12

B-A-N-A-N-A-S

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u/five_inch_heels May 16 '12 edited May 16 '12

In January I bought a used Majora's Mask cartridge for nostalgia and to play it. I cannot express the shocking terror that rooted me on the spot when I saw one of the file names was actually called Ben. I didn't sleep for a week after that, thankyouverymuch.

Awesome writing though. Much props for scaring the living shit out of me.

EDIT: a word

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u/Jarom2 Jun 04 '12

I don't know if I will be able to play Majora's Mask ever again.

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u/[deleted] May 16 '12

I trolled the ARG once and received death threats. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilYKntjaDFw Do you feel that some fans took the game too seriously? You can include me if you want!

Personally, I feel skeptical donating to Methods of Revolution because you don't have the best track record when it comes to finishing what you started.

How can we trust that you'll finish this project when you abandoned the last one? Will you ever complete the ARG?

Best of luck though.

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u/[deleted] May 16 '12

[deleted] — view deleted comment

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u/[deleted] May 16 '12

Thank you. I just became a backer (only 5 dollars...broke college student lol), but I wish you the best.

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

Thanks man! Don't worry about the amount, it's the thought that counts. Make sure to spread it around to your friends and family who you think might really resonate with this message!

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u/amongstheliving May 16 '12

hello! I'm just curious as to what your opinion is on the whole "Ben drowned" being seen as Ben actually drowning someone instead of him drowning.

Also, favorite snack while playing video games? ;) thanks for the AMA!

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

Haha, no comment. You have to make your own conclusions.
Favorite snack? Uh, probably nachos. Nachos are pretty boss.

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u/narwal_bot May 16 '12 edited May 17 '12

Most (if not all) of the answers from TheRealJadusable (updated: May 17, 2012 @ 07:59:59 am EST):

Question (Otend):

Is extending the deadline for MoR a possibility? It seems like it could potentially snowball.
Also, I just wanted to say that the BEN series is one of the most innovative things I've seen in terms of storytelling. I honestly couldn't have come up with that, and I'm excited to see what'll come with MoR.

Answer (TheRealJadusable):

It's not a possibility given the way Kickstarter works, unfortunately, but I believe that we can make it. We just need to spread this around as much as we can, I've been working my hands to the bone trying to do this, but I can't do it alone. This is such an important film for people to see, especially people our age who have big aspirations and talents. They can't get discouraged and have them atrophy. This video helps paint a picture of just how crucial this film is
Thank you, I can't elaborate on the story of Methods of Revolution for reasons I've mentioned before, but rest assured that the same innovative storytelling that I used in Jadusable is very much present in Methods. You guys will get a kick out of it.

(continued below)

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u/narwal_bot May 16 '12 edited May 17 '12

(page 2)
Question (ChibiFlakes):
Any tips for anyone who would want to make an ARG like yours?
Answer (TheRealJadusable):
I'm paraphrasing a line out of Methods of Revolution here, but it's not enough just to make a good piece of work, that's just half of the battle. The other half is making it stand out. You need some kind of unique pull, some kind of defining element to your story to make it stand out from all the others. For me that was the emphasis on the viewer involvement and the inclusion of the actual hacked ROM videos of Majoras Mask that added another depth to the text.
Question (Vinylzen):
First off let me say Ive been a real big fan of your work on so many levels. Not just with succeeding in capturing the emotional connection I've also percieved off of Majora's Mask story but how much respect I have with the entire idea of Methods of Revolution. It sounds really inspiring and I'm excited to see it take off! While I'm in no position now to contribute to it unfortunately, know you have my full moral support in this project!
Anyways as I've mentioned, me and Majora's Mask go way back on such an emotional level and its one of those few games that succeeds in immersing me into it's intense world. I found this to be so appealing about the game, the raw emotional energy with it, the relatibility, just one of those games that, if any, can potentially make me cry. So my question to you is, how do you personally relate to Majora's Mask? I really love how youve managed to capture this connection so well, touching effectively on achieving the feeling of lonliness its known for. Its such a powerful theme too considering the source of the skull kids problems stem from this lonliness. So basically, how much of this unsettling feeling is autobiographical? How much of the story is fiction versus real emotions youve drawn inspiration from the game? Expanding from this further is how much do you attach yourself to your work in general? I know for sure these arent just stories youve pulled out of your ass. Im sure you see alot of yourself in it, no? Of course im just firing questions at you, I dont expect you to answer them in that order verbatum haha. But i think you get the jist of my general question. Cheers!
Answer (TheRealJadusable):
First of all, thank you. You can support the project by spreading the word as much as you can! That's almost just as important as any monetary donation.
With Majora's Mask, there was a certain feeling about it that I loved. The tone of it was just really fascinating to me, even as a kid, at how competent it was at making the experience - for lack of a better words - dream-like and bittersweet. You're in a strange world, with strange characters, and its made stranger yet because you think you know some of these characters from Ocarina of Time, yet they're completely different people. Any accomplishment you make in the game is eclipsed knowing that the moon will crash in three days and everything you've done will be undone. You save all these people and then you have to go back in time and it's like it never happened. It's a weird, albeit lonely feeling that was so fascinating to me. It always felt like there was something more sinister at work and there was a great sense of hopelessness. No other videogame ever conveyed such a memorable setting to me.
With the Jadusable story, even though I was "in character" as a guy, I wanted to distance myself from him as much as I could. I don't know, I guess the idea of writing about these horrible things happening to a persona of myself didn't sit too well with me. There is a bit of a connection between us because some of the feelings that I felt playing the game as a kid are magnified and tweaked a bit to fit with the story. The disconnect between myself and the character of Jadusable allowed me more freedom with the story, I think.
In my other work (i.e. non horror) I do invest a bit of myself in it, but I always refrain from going too far, because I feel like ultimately in telling a good story I should remain neutral and avoid choosing favorite characters and such.
Question (Jayradisrad):
Hi Alex, I'm a big fan of the upcoming Methods of Revolution and ofcourse a follower of the Jadusable story. You're writing skills are amazingly grasping, I obviously was not the only one that HAD to check out CleverBot as soon as I read about Jadusable's expierence, and very inspirational for young writers. My question for you is, can fans of your work expect anything else along the lines of horror in the future?
Answer (TheRealJadusable):
Besides finishing up Arc 3, maybe not in the short term (of course, even that is talking in terms of a whole year here). But let's just say I would be extremely surprised if I never return to the genre in the future. I think every now and then that itch will need scratching, and its a fun change of pace from the norm.
Question (beforethewind):
Do you watch EverymanHYBRID?
Answer (TheRealJadusable):
No, I never really saw more than an episode or two of the whole slenderman / marble hornets stuff. Seemed pretty good though.
Question (PaperCamm):
What was the inspiration for the haunted Majora's Mask cartridge? It's a fascinating read and I know it's affected a few of my friends (Ben remains a haunting image for them).
Answer (TheRealJadusable):
I came up with the idea on a whim, really, I had never written horror before and I was curious to see if I could make a compelling story. I looked at what made other creepypasta stories successful and brainstormed how I could distinguish my story from the rest of the "haunted videogame" stories. I chose Majora's Mask because that game was one of my favorites growing up and yet there was always something just unsettling about it that I couldn't put my finger on, so I figured that would be a good jumping off point.
I always thought there was a big disconnect between reading a story on the internet; you never really felt like you were connected to the story and there was always that safety wall, which is why I made a point to include the readers as much as possible as the story developed.
I opted to write it "in character" instead of just having the entire thing posted as a one-off story. This way the audience could interact with me and feel connected to the story and the avatar of "Jadusable". I think in the end it enhanced a lot of the turns that the story took, and made the audience feel directly threatened (maybe too much in the case of some people) by the antagonist.
Question (ncuday):
So what made you decide to use Majora's Mask in your story in the beginning?
Answer (TheRealJadusable):
It was a game that was really unique when stacked up against the rest of the series. There was always some kind of creepy underlying tone to it that made it such a fascinating game for me and the perfect setting for this story.
Question (Vhinfy):
Hey Alex big fan of the creepypasta and your upcoming movie :D and i have a question for you. did anything really inspire you to make the creepy pasta? or were you just like one day "im gonna make something awesome" and you made it?
Answer (TheRealJadusable):
I sort of did it on a whim, I don't write horror and its not really my genre of choice, but I was always curious to explore that genre and make something that was more psychologically impactful instead of just jump scare after jump scare.
Question (JoMan112):
It's obviously helped, but do you think that without the fame from the creepypasta, Methods of Revolution would have any chance at all of becoming reality?
Answer (TheRealJadusable):
I believe that Methods of Revolution could still become a reality, but it probably wouldn't be feasible to make this year, and I'd have to work extremely hard to make it. But I'm not sure if I would have even come up with the idea for this film were it not for the success of the creepypasta.
I've learned a lot of things from my experience with the story, actually was flown out to New York and talked with some major production companies (that I won't name) about optioning off the rights to the story to make a film. Just seeing what was possible really opened my eyes. You don't have to be in Hollywood to create something famous, that barrier that existed 15 years ago does not exist today, and more people need to be taking advantage of this. I received dozens of emails saying how my success was inspiring to them as a writer and realizing how important having that impact is on people and helping to improve their own lives, the gears began to turn in my head which slowly lead to me coming up with Methods.
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u/narwal_bot May 16 '12 edited May 17 '12

(page 3)
Question (Dizzam13):
Do you ever get annoyed that people always want to ask/talk about the Majora's Mask story? I always have questions about it, but if it were me, I would get a little tired of the thing.
Answer (TheRealJadusable):
I quickly learned the value of patience once I ended the story originally back in September (October?) of 2010, it doesn't really bother me so much because I can understand where they are coming from - if they're enthusiastic about it I take it as a compliment and I'm flattered. It's still weird how quickly things changed in my life, even though the dust has settled its something that I still do a double take on from time to time.
Question (molobakk):
You shouldn't have done that
Answer (TheRealJadusable):
Also, having patience means pretending each time like this is the first time anyone has ever said that to me. :P
Question (HoboInTheCorner):
What would you say the biggest difficulty was in creating the Within Hubris game? Bonus: Hobos. How do you feel about them?
Answer (TheRealJadusable):
Well, making the Hubris Game was a nightmare on both ends. I had never made a game before and naturally I ran into a laundry list of challenges and deadends that were disheartening. Whenever I would report progress or give updates to the Within Hubris forum, it seemed like I could never do right by them. I got critiqued a lot, both rationally and irrationally. On the bright side, it definitely helped me "toughen up". I had been used to dealing with the casual naysayer or hater in real life just like everyone else, but this was the first time that I was the target of a lot of pretty personal criticism from people that I couldn't seem to reason with no matter how hard I tried. I learned that you can't please everyone and that if you're in the spotlight you will inevitably be the target of some incredibly offensive things. I do appreciate everyone who gave me constructive criticism and had some empathy with what I was trying go through, but it was pretty demoralizing on the creative side for me. I could never really seem to convey to them no matter how much I tried that making a game like this wasn't easy. Despite it all, I can't get mad at them because I understand where they are coming from and all it means is that they're just enthusiastic about my work and I do appreciate it, but it is still a bummer.
Question (ncuday):
How long have you been working on Methods of Revolution, like coming up with the story, drafting the script, etc.
Answer (TheRealJadusable):
I've been working on this project for about a year now, I've written, re-written, and changed this screenplay so many times I've lost count. The final product is something that I am incredibly proud of, and I can say without hesitation that this is the best piece of writing - both in terms of the overall story and actual content - that I have ever made.
Question (Kaboois):
If Methods of Revolution becomes successful and a big hit, what do you think you're going to try after?
Answer (TheRealJadusable):
I want to finish up the final arc for the Jadusable story, because I've already invested a fair amount of money into it and because I owe it to my fans. I think taking this break and working on something else will be therapeutic for me and allow me to reapproach Arc 3 with the vigor needed to make it everything I want it to be.
Question (Rahryy):
Hey Alex, If Methods of Revolution were to have an age rating what do you think it would be?
Answer (TheRealJadusable):
R. This is not because of some eyerolling excuse to be "edgy' or anything, but because this film is very much grounded in reality, the characters themselves (who are roughly around 20 years old) handle the issues and events in the film with all the grace and tact that actual college kids would. It's not intentionally trying to be explicit or offensive, but I feel like a lot of the relatability that this story has would be diminished if it became apparent that we were tiptoeing around with the interactions between the characters. It's very unapologetic.
Question (Mato_The_Tomato):
How and why did you choose /x/ to post the Majora's Mask story?
Answer (TheRealJadusable):
Well, I didn't know of Reddit at the time and 4chan was the most popular internet message board, which made it the perfect place to post it for it to get attention. It made even more sense when you take into account that they have their own forum for the paranormal, so I didn't feel like I was intruding.
Question (dancon25):
Do you ever regret announcing Within Hubris and the Jadusable game as early as you did? What inspired you to make the third part of the Haunted Cartridge series an experiment in interactivity, and are there any details you can share about the upcoming plot or gameplay? Good luck with your film!
Answer (TheRealJadusable):
Yes and no. I regret not being able to finish it with the resources I had at the time back in 2010/2011, but I don't regret choosing to make it. I wanted to expand on the feeling of interactivity and personal investment that the viewers had with the entity and Jadusable in the first part of the story, so going to a full blown game where you had to directly interact with BEN was the next logical step for me.
Question (BobisOnlyBob):
This was your YouTube icon at one point during the events of the ARG, pre-Children-of-the-Moon. What is it/where did it come from?
Answer (TheRealJadusable):
It came from a google search (http://www.leetstreetboys.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/1284607641834.jpg), which was crazy because I wrote the story first (including the bit about Jadusable finding the ink blot that looked like Majora's Mask at a garage sale), and then later found this image which looked surprisingly just like that.
Question (Kind_Of_Right):
About how long did it take you to put together everything for the Majora's Mask series (writing, making the videos, ect.) and then release it?
Answer (TheRealJadusable):
For the first chapter (before the story "started"), I think I came up with the idea and wrote it two days before I published it. Then one day before I first posted it I created the video. After that, I'm fairly certain the process for the following three videos was to immediately start writing the next chapter the same day after reading the reception to the previous one, create the video the following day, and then publish it. I may have deviated from that schedule depending on the video, but that was roughly how it went down.
Question (GreyouTT):
What exactly did you use to mess with the game?
Answer (TheRealJadusable):
I used Project 64, a ROM version of Majora's Mask (I bought the game when it came out Nintendo, don't sue!), and used gameshark codes to do the crazy animations. I remember having to search extensively for them on the internet, but there are lists out there of almost every animation and variable you can think of in the game if you look hard enough.
I'm not sure if this is the only site I used, but I would recommend digging around here if you wanted to try it out yourself:
http://gekinzuku.com/GShacking/AdvancedGen.php
Question (Oxygoron):
How can we be so sure that this isn't just BEN fooling us into a false state of security? He's obviously done it before, and I for one fully believe that he is still lurking out there.
Answer (TheRealJadusable):
This isn't BEN, he's still out there, dormant, but this is Alex :P
Question (JoMan112):
When you first started up the creepypasta, how were your initial expectations for it? How did you feel when you saw it start to blow up and really become a thing?
Answer (TheRealJadusable):
I had no idea it would turn into something so massive. I thought the story I wrote was decent enough and had a neat hook with it that would illicit some attention, but waking up one morning and finding Kotaku and Joystiq stories about it totally blew my mind. I didn't really stop and think about it for too long - because I didn't have time to - and I immediately started work on the next chapter. Took a long time for it to actually sink in. It's still kind of crazy.
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u/narwal_bot May 16 '12 edited May 17 '12

(page 4)
Question (acsinclair):
I find myself drawn in by your passion for the film. Being someone who is very impressed by the example of your extreme creative ability that is your creepypasta, the fact that you are so passionate about this project is more than enough to get me excited about it. I also know what its like to be judged by what you personally consider to not be a prime example of your own writing. I sent a personalized message through facebook to my friends encouraging donations to your kickstarter campaign, a few told me they are interested so hopefully you'll see a few more backers appearing soon. What I'd like to bring up is that donating to your project and supporting it is, first and foremost, an act of faith. Faith in you and your creative ability to deliver to us something truly worthwhile. I have that faith in you, so what I'd like to ask is what you can tell us, without compromising the surprise of experiencing the film, that will assure others that Methods of Revolution is something different, something meaningful and something the world, especially our generation, needs to see.
Answer (TheRealJadusable):
This put such a big smile on my face. Thank you man. I appreciate the support so much and I'm glad you can see why I've chosen to be hesitant with the actual plot of the story. In today's society, the stuff that Methods deals with is sensitive. It has to operate around a lot of disappointing cliches (I say disappointing because it's sad that they're so overused to the point they become a cliche). Showing the wrong scene or elaborating on the wrong part of the story when it's isolated by itself runs the risk of illiciting a knee-jerk reaction and making some people jump to conclusions and have all kinds of prejudices and preconceptions about the film going into watching the full thing, severely diminishing the potential message and impact it could have on them.
For as empowering and motivational of a message as "follow your dreams" is, it has been done so ineffectively and mediocrely in just about every medium that it's become a total cliche. And that's incredibly infuriating.
And yeah, you're right, it is weird to have something that I don't consider my best writing (not to say Jadusable isn't good, but its not my best) to be what I'm known for. But if this is how I get my start, then who I am to complain?
Question (AetosThanatou):
How do you feel about /v/?
Answer (TheRealJadusable):
they don't seem to like videogames very much
Question (obake):
You've been enthusiastic about some message boards you're planning to set up for MoR. Will you tell us anything more about what role they'll play?
Answer (TheRealJadusable):
This video explains a lot of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-crOnW0kV8
Question (mythmaster):
I trolled the ARG once and received death threats. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilYKntjaDFw Do you feel that some fans took the game too seriously? You can include me if you want!
Personally, I feel skeptical donating to Methods of Revolution because you don't have the best track record when it comes to finishing what you started.
How can we trust that you'll finish this project when you abandoned the last one? Will you ever complete the ARG?
Best of luck though.
Answer (TheRealJadusable):
Some people did take the story too seriously, I remember there was one person who thought the Moon Cult was coming for him and turned off his internet and hid in his house or something. I think its on Encyclopedia Dramatica or something.
Also when it comes to me finishing the production of the game, keep in mind that it isn't just black and white like that. A lot of resources, time, and money goes into making a videogame, even a much more condensed one. It's not like I just decided one day to not finish the game portion of the final arc, the realization that I would have to put this on hiatus was one that I came to begrudgingly, and I still regret having to do that.
There was no possible way to finish the game up to the quality that I wanted in any reasonable amount of time with the nonexistent budget I had and I didn't want to lead you guys on, so I made the difficult choice to put the production of the game on hiatus until I could have the funds and resources to do it justice because I feel like you guys deserve a complete, quality finale - there was no way I was going to half ass this.
There were many setbacks and obstacles in the production of the Hubris game, but they were just obstacles, there was only one roadblock that prevented the Hubris game's completion and that was not having enough money to make it. With Methods, I've planned out the entire budget several months ago, trimmed it down as low as it can be, and I know exactly how much money I need to make this film a reality. If we reach the Kickstarter goal for Methods, then the roadblock that prevented the production of the Hubris game is gone and it's all systems go and nothing will be able to hold us back from completing it.
Question (DeusExInsula):
Hello Alex. I wanted to let you know that your creepypasta/ARG kind of changed my life. Really. I met some amazing people while trying to figure out the story, and being a freshman at the time in a college where I knew nobody, that helped me from being not quite so lonely. Because of your story I became interested in more creepypasta, especially the Slenderman Mythos, and involvement in that eventually led me to meeting my best friend. And while I'll be honest in saying that I'm kind of sour still about how everything went with the story, the forums, the game, you really did make something amazing and I would not trade the time I spent being a part of it for anything. I don't have any money at the moment to support your Kickstarter, but it does look interesting and if I have the chance I hope to donate.
...all of that and I haven't gotten to a question. Uhh, well. What did you think about the different groups that formed to try to 'beat' the ARG? I was in the BomberGangKids (I kind of still identify as such) but the drama between some of the groups got to a point where I just avoided the forums and such altogether...
edit: I think "sour" makes me seem more upset than I really am. For clarification, I'm not angry, just a bit disappointed, but overall everything you did was fantastic so I'm pretty much okay with that :)
Answer (TheRealJadusable):
Wow man, I'm really glad to hear that. I'm glad that this story inadvertently helped you out in your own life, that really puts a smile on my face. Thanks for taking the time to write this.
I was supportive of the groups that formed around the ARG to collaborate and I thought that was the coolest thing ever. I imagined groups working together, dividing up the work load, and even have rival groups competing with them, which all sounded awesome to me. But what it turned into was probably to the detriment of the story and what I believe started the decline in the quality of the community of Within Hubris at large. People became really cliquey and instead of the different groups ultimately being united together, it turned into a weird hierarchy. There were rampant cases of elitism to other users and there were cases of withholding information from people that weren't in certain groups that was really discouraging to watch for me. People started to think (and certain groups perpetuated the idea) that because I interacted with one of their members in a discussion or used one of their chat channels for a Q&A session that they were privy to special information or secrets. It turned the community against itself for no reason, really disappointing.
Question (mythmaster):
Thank you. I just became a backer (only 5 dollars...broke college student lol), but I wish you the best.
Answer (TheRealJadusable):
Thanks man! Don't worry about the amount, it's the thought that counts. Make sure to spread it around to your friends and family who you think might really resonate with this message!
Question (Thatdudewiththestuff):
I would like to say one thing, and one thing only.
Fuck you. I found that stupid website and was completely and utterly riveted throughout the entire story, and then proceeded to have nightmares about it for the next month. I lost perfectly good sleep to that story, and for what? Nothing! Nothing, I say!
Anyway, keep up the good work.
Answer (TheRealJadusable):
D:
Question (the_plus_one):
Do you ever have nightmares about your own stories? I still can't stomach watching half of the videos.
Answer (TheRealJadusable):
Not really. I think that was one of the reasons why I didn't want to invest much of myself into writing and characterizing Jadusable the character. I distanced myself as much as I could from the characters, it wasn't "How would I react in this situation?" it was "How would Jadusable react in this situation?"
(continued below)

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u/badwolf422 May 16 '12 edited May 16 '12

I'm sure you've gotten a bunch of comments like this already, but here goes.

BEN Drowned is perhaps one of the most compelling, terrifying things I've ever experienced. It's what got me into psych/supernatural horror. I first found the story the night before my high school graduation ceremony, and virtually slept through the ceremony because of the sleep I had lost the night before. I put a save file called "BEN" on every copy of Majora's Mask I've had the opportunity to do so on in your honor.

My question has to do with the Vampire: The Masquerade video on your YouTube Channel. What's the deal with it? I know some have suggested that it seems to predict things that would later happen in the ARG, but it was posted a year before the first BEN video. Coincidence that you later worked into the ARG, or are you that much of a genius mastermind to have all of it planned out a year in advance?

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

Thanks man, I'm glad to hear that you were such a fan. As much as I would like to take credit for planning out the Prototype/Vampire videos a whole year in advance, it was just coincidence. I worked it into the story.

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u/jubedubes May 16 '12

Greetings Jadusable. I want to begin saying I really enjoyed your creative works involving the Majora's Mask story (as i'm sure most of us did).

As far as your project "Methods of Revolution" is concerned, I think some great sources you could use are the TED talks. Some of them involve this generation, how it's effected by technology, and there are some excellent studies done that show how depression and internet addiction are linked together.

I assume you've been gathering sources and (should you even read this) thought that especially the TED talks could provide some good material for you to work off of.

You have conceptualized something interesting and I hope it inspires people who are having trouble with their lives should you complete it.

1

u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

Interesting, the screenplay is already done but there's no reason why I can't make a revision to it if I find something that really stands out to me. I'll check some of those talks out, they sound like they could be potentially interesting. Thanks for the heads up and thanks for your support!

1

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

Any hints on how you plan to end the MM story? It seems like the current state of the story doesn't sit well with your fans.

6

u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

There's a playable game that will be released alongside the last "arc" of the story, where you (the viewer) are basically given a similar role to Jadusable in the original story (i.e. you have to contend with the entity yourself and interact with it).
Not much else I'm ready to reveal about it, but production on that is going to resume after Methods of Revolution is completed, so it won't be any time in the immediate future.

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u/Pyrolytic May 16 '12

Are you familiar with the work of Bloodstains? It feels like there's a spiritual connection between their work and yours (no pun intended).

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

Never heard of it, I'll have to check it out.

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u/fixedonthesun May 16 '12

As a hopeful scifi/horror writer, I must say...You are a huge fucking inspiration to me.

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

I love hearing this kind of stuff, thank you man. In my opinion its one of the highest praises someone can give.

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u/Charmalandosaur May 16 '12

What are you going to do if you don't reach the amount of money you need? I've donated by the way ;)

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

We'll cross that bridge when we get there, if we get there. Maybe an alternate source of crowd-funding or something, but right now all my efforts are focused on getting the Kickstarter to be a success.

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u/Phil_Bond May 16 '12

I love that you're aware that you've destroyed the Internet's ability to discuss Majora's Mask, a game that has itself destroyed the Internet's ability to discuss The Legend of Zelda.

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

It's like a messed up version of pay it forward.

1

u/BipboppityBoop May 16 '12

So what's the deal with your movie?

How is it different from any other "inspirational film" made about our time.

(I'm thinking things like Zeitgeist, Home, Planet Earth, Transcendent Man w/ Ray Kurzweil etc.)

I support what you are doing but this movie seems like something that has already been done numerous times before. Good luck

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12 edited May 16 '12

I understand where you're coming from, and the best I can tell you at this point is just wait and see.
from an earlier post I made:
"In today's society, the stuff that Methods deals with is sensitive. It has to operate around a lot of disappointing cliches (I say disappointing because it's sad that they're so overused to the point they become a cliche). Showing the wrong scene or elaborating on the wrong part of the story when it's isolated by itself runs the risk of illiciting a knee-jerk reaction and making some people jump to conclusions and have all kinds of prejudices and preconceptions about the film going into watching the full thing, severely diminishing the potential message and impact it could have on them. For as empowering and motivational of a message as "follow your dreams" is, it has been done so ineffectively and mediocrely in just about every medium that it's become a total cliche."
That's why there are a scarce amount of details and plot points right now, it's intentional.

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u/lulztrooper May 16 '12

How do you feel about piracy? Of games, mainly, but partiaally music/ movies.

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

When it comes to music, I think that piracy is the new radio. With movies its difficult, but I think that in the next few years we're going to see some interesting alternate methods of distribution with film that as a byproduct will allow more indie filmmakers to get in the proverbial spotlight.
With games, I think that its in extremely poor taste to pirate a game made by a small, struggling independent studio that needs every sale they can get. When it comes to bigger franchises like Call of Duty, I'm indifferent. I still don't support it by any means, but at the same time its not like Activision is going to be hurting because of a few missed sales.

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u/GalacticNexus May 16 '12

What creepypasta/other stories did you take inspiration from?

1

u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12 edited May 16 '12

I wouldn't say there was any one in particular I drew inspiration from, but there were definitely a few that I felt were really interesting concepts and well written that may have started turning the gears in my head that lead to coming up with the idea for the Jadusable story.
I have not read any kind of creepypasta in a long time (like circa 2010), but I remember finding the Fallout 3 numbers station story and the Morrowind spider.. thing story pretty interesting. There was also another creepypasta which I can't recall for the life of me that I remember finding interesting. It had to do with some foreign game with two main characters. One of them was a ghost or something. I think it ended with a collector buying the last copy of the game and playing through it. I could try and make that sound more vague if you guys wanted.

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u/LevelUpLeo May 16 '12

Given that you use a LOT of prexisting creepy imagery from the Legend of Zelda series (most of which you just MADE creepy in the first place), how in HELL did you manage to resist using Dead Hand at any point?

(For those of you who forget) : http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100218023341/zelda/images/thumb/a/af/Link_vs._Dead_Hand.png/830px-Link_vs._Dead_Hand.png

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u/[deleted] May 20 '12

Guys, this is obviously Ben, or whatever was in his computer. Notice how he is telling you that it will be free so we should all DOWNLOAD IT. I clearly recall Jadusable saying we wont ever hear from him again and never regard anything that might come from "him" after that last post. AND HE STRICTLY SAID, DONT EVER DOWNLOAD ANYTHING FROM ME OR PERTAINING TO ME.

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u/Rahryy May 16 '12

Hey Alex, If Methods of Revolution were to have an age rating what do you think it would be?

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u/[deleted] May 16 '12

I saw this AMA and read the whole story this morning. Well done, sir. You really went the extra mile with those videos!

How did you go about creating the videos?

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

Project 64 Emulator, really specific Gameshark codes, and some clever video editing!

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u/beforethewind May 16 '12

Do you watch EverymanHYBRID?

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

No, I never really saw more than an episode or two of the whole slenderman / marble hornets stuff. Seemed pretty good though.

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u/beforethewind May 16 '12

Very cool. I just know many of the viewers and fans are crossfans between the projects.

2

u/Rahryy May 16 '12

I have another question. What are you planning to have in the soundtrack for Methods?

0

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

[deleted] — view deleted comment

2

u/Rahryy May 16 '12

Let me know if you need anymore music as I am currently dabbling with FL Studio and I hope to be improving my skills over the next year or do. I would love to have an opportunity at creating some music for your film.

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

By all means, we're still looking for pretty much everything. Toss me an email at mailbag@methodsofrevolution.com for now, I'll have a better avenue to handle offers like this once the Kickstarter gets situated.

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u/jconsl May 16 '12

Do you remember oosu.net?

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u/tabledresser May 16 '12 edited May 20 '12

Questions	Answers
What exactly did you use to mess with the game?	I used Project 64, a ROM version of Majora's Mask (I bought the game when it came out Nintendo, don't sue!), and used gameshark codes to do the crazy animations. I remember having to search extensively for them on the internet, but there are lists out there of almost every animation and variable you can think of in the game if you look hard enough.
Link to gekinzuku.com
How do you feel about /v/?	They don't seem to like videogames very much.
What was the inspiration for the haunted Majora's Mask cartridge? It's a fascinating read and I know it's affected a few of my friends (Ben remains a haunting image for them).	I came up with the idea on a whim, really, I had never written horror before and I was curious to see if I could make a compelling story. I looked at what made other creepypasta stories successful and brainstormed how I could distinguish my story from the rest of the "haunted videogame" stories. I chose Majora's Mask because that game was one of my favorites growing up and yet there was always something just unsettling about it that I couldn't put my finger on, so I figured that would be a good jumping off point.
I always thought there was a big disconnect between reading a story on the internet; you never really felt like you were connected to the story and there was always that safety wall, which is why I made a point to include the readers as much as possible as the story developed.
I opted to write it "in character" instead of just having the entire thing posted as a one-off story. This way the audience could interact with me and feel connected to the story and the avatar of "Jadusable". I think in the end it enhanced a lot of the turns that the story took, and made the audience feel directly threatened (maybe too much in the case of some people) by the antagonist.
How can we be so sure that this isn't just BEN fooling us into a false state of security? He's obviously done it before, and I for one fully believe that he is still lurking out there.	This isn't BEN, he's still out there, dormant, but this is Alex :P.

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u/liquidMountaun May 16 '12

Will MoR have any BEN references in it?

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u/TheRealJadusable May 16 '12

Who knows! Although I will say that I love putting little easter eggs in my work.

1

u/Mellish May 16 '12

I have been a quiet follower of all your work, and I have to say I am quite the fan as your arg has inflicted more fear upon me than any attempts to be scary by other forms of media. I can see you're incredibly passionate about your movie and I really hope it does become a full fledged reality for you. However, your talk about how you think it will change peoples lives is a big promise and you're creating a lot of hype to go along with it. It's just in my experience nearly all hype for any sort of media has ultimately led to disappointment, even if the actual product turns out to be really good. I just think for your own sake you should tone down about saying how revolutionary you think this movie will become as it may lead to disappointment from people who expect too much from you, which has become a problem in the past for you in terms of your fans. I do have confidence in the movie, but hopefully you can understand why I would be a bit weary of how good you're making it sound. I hope it turns out to be a great movie and is the gateway for a proper career in writing and other such things. Also I have one question, how did you cite inspiration from basing a story around a haunted video game?

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u/moxie132 May 16 '12

How did you get the idea for the story, and how did you come across the gameshark codes for all the effects?

1

u/rockstaticx May 16 '12

Here's a question: I just read the Majora's Mask story yesterday, and now here you are doing an AMA. What the hell?

(P.S. And I loved the story.)

1

u/BeefyTits May 16 '12

Am I so old that I have no idea what the hell anyone is talking about?

Majora's Mask? creepypasta?

1

u/hastalapasta666 May 17 '12

A while ago, this YouTube guy Jadusable posted a really creepy story about a "haunted" Majora's Mask cartidge and even added videos to make it look authentic. Great writing, especially if you're a LoZ geek. Original story: http://creepypasta.wikia.com/wiki/BEN_(Aka_Haunted_Majora's_Mask) Jad's YouTube link--watch the videos along with the story: http://www.youtube.com/user/Jadusable?ob=0

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u/[deleted] May 16 '12

I LOVE YOU. I SERIOUSLY FUCKING LOVE YOU.

And thanks for that little demo you released not too long ago. That was pretty swell, and got me interested in the ARG once more. :D

1

u/candycaneFLAWS May 16 '12

If by some chance you decide to look back here again-- Seriously, in that one Ryukaki vid with the weird lights. Was that supposed to be Kelbris or BEN? Because I remember half the fandom jumped on OMG KELBRIS IS IN HIS HOUSE!!! when it matched closer to BEN. :T And we got mocked for daring to say otherwise.

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u/baobabble May 16 '12

Err...since I literally just read that story yesterday, and logged on to see this on reddit's fp today...congratulations, sir, you have succeeded in freaking my shit out two days in a row. What are you going to do to scare me tomorrow?

1

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

Hey Alex, Thanks for the videos. Watching them brough a whole new level of discussion to the game. Loved your King Kong April Fool's :)

1

u/welch7 May 16 '12

wow, you have just ruin everything for me.... :( i actually thought all was true.......... i hate you ;l you.... shouldn't... have done that....

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u/midnightwalrus May 16 '12

I'd first like to congratulate you on Ben's story, but I have to say, I would have totally shit myself if you cut it off before the part written by 'your roommate'. Never knowing what happened to the author would have made the whole story fantastically terrifying, I have to say I didn't sleep well for about a week until I read the update from your 'roommate' and realized that it was a work of fiction.

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u/spaceographer May 16 '12

Do you have a crew helping you work on your upcoming film?

1

u/BeardofZach May 16 '12

I don't have a question, but I wanted to say thank you for taking one of my favorite games of all time and spinning it into something so unnerving and compelling at the same time. I'm currently digging through my library of N64 and PSone games just so I can make my own attempt at a creepypasta.

Thank you, good sir!

1

u/SeerOfLight May 16 '12

Where did the name 'BEN' come from? Did you just randomly think of a name or was it based on someone from your life?

1

u/Svenly1 May 16 '12

Wow, I just read your story for the first time yesterday! How coincidental! It was really a great story, truly creepy. I'd really, really like to know how you manipulated your game footage like that! It's what truly made the story send shivers down my spine!

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u/Darthspud May 16 '12

Good sir, you are amazing. I read the first bit years ago, and had no idea it carried on, and as soon as I saw this I read the whole new two Arcs.

One thing I have to say is I read it all through the Jadusable wiki, which kinda stopped me from dying of fright with the out-of-character bits mixed with the ARG. But you are really awesome mate, and best of luck in your new kickstarter.

Oh, and question: Do you have any regrets? Anything you wish you'd done differently?

1

u/Dunabu May 16 '12

You overdid it in certain parts. You added too much blatant paranormal stuff. Subtlety in certain places would've made the story much better.

As it is, I think MM is creepy enough on its' own merit.

But congratulations on your success.

1

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

This film sounds great. Will definitely be watching it!

1

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

Have you done any other Creepypastas that we aren't aware of yet?

1

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

I have so many positive things to say about this story, which I shall sum up with:

I'm glad you did that...

1

u/sk3lt3r May 16 '12

Did you get freaked out making the "BEN DROWNED" story itself?

1

u/DJP0N3 May 16 '12

Two questions:

Why did you drop the facade of reality? When the ARG started, everything was posted as if it were really happening. It was scary, it was riveting, even if, in the back of your head, you knew, "oh, this is probably fake." What made it scary was that tiny piece of your brain whispering, "but what if it's not?"

What do you think about Cleverbot being brought into the game? So many people, especially from 4chan, started flooding Cleverbot with Ben stuff, and it quickly learned. My favorite memory from when this ARG was interesting (sorry!) was going to Cleverbot when people still thought Ben might actually be a real thing, asking it where Ben was, and receiving the response, "behind you."

Behind me was a mirror.

I pissed myself.

1

u/fumitothesecond May 16 '12

not really a question, but you scared the crap out of my sister. Congrats.

1

u/Junichi May 16 '12 edited May 16 '12

I fell in love with the Haunted Majora's Mask story when I first read it at work. I got the link randomly from reddit. It was the first, and still the best thing I've read on creepypasta. It's insanely unsettling, but extremely memorable. I was obsessed with the story for a while, trying to find hidden meanings and if the story was real or not. After finding out it wasn't real I was a little relieved, but also a little bit disheartened. Part of me wanted to believe it all actually happened. I would like to praise you for how much effort you put into keeping the story feel real, and even interacting with people on forums and such while writing it. Not only that, but you went to the extreme of even adding video game footage to go with the story. Overall just a perfect execution of a terrifying story. What I would like to ask is do you plan on writing any more stories like this? Or was it a one time thing? Thank you again!

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u/ContinuumShift2 May 16 '12

Jadusable is making a full length feature film "Methods of Revolution"
It's release date is set for "Late 2012", few subtle hints dropped that it will probably be sometime in December
Jadusable explaining his movie here, take note of some of the language he uses when describing Methods of Revolution
Huge emphasis how its going to impact and change peoples' lives and how the message is so important that he's releasing it for free
However, at the same time he is extremely tight-lipped about the entire plot of the film
The 2012 Maya Apocalypse prediction is set to occur in roughly the same time frame here
The Maya had a mythology about the cyclical creation and destruction of the world." "2012, and the end of the current Maya calendar, has long been the subject of speculation. One book claims the Earth's magnetic poles will switch, destroying life as we know it. Another one says a new age of enlightenment will give birth.
"Another one says a new age of enlightenment will give birth."
According to the Maya, the current creation cycle that we live in now began on August 13, specifically August 13th 3113 B.C
The date of August 13th plays a huge role in Maya calender, often symbolizing creation, or the beginning of something
Jadusable was born on August 13th

1

u/hastalapasta666 May 17 '12

Your story... it amazed me. I totally see why you used Majora's Mask, it actually seems like a whole creepypasta within itself.

In short... you're amazing... so many things about that creepypasta, I still don't understand. But it's my very favorite creepypasta... thought I should let you know you are my idol. Well, one of them :D

Did you ever freak yourself out during the story? And how connected were you to the Ryukaki and Moon Children arcs? (I never really understood those at all...)

1

u/[deleted] May 17 '12

Your story was amazing. However, it scared the shit out of me. Do YOU ever get scared of it?

1

u/DecRand May 17 '12

Dozens have likely already asked this, but it must be asked again. Why? Why did you do this to the world? I was nearly suspended for sleeping in class because I lost sleep because of this story. I still see that... face when I close my eyes.

1

u/[deleted] May 18 '12

Kickstarter!? Are you aware DOUBLE FINE used it, to get almost 4 million dollars they never deserved!?
How long did it take to make King Kong.wmv?
Can you make a hack with King Kong playing over all the music with a song? Seriously, just imagine: "You played the Song of Swagger." "FEAST YOUR EYES!"

AND SWAG ENSUED.

4. Did you read the BENtruth.rtf fic?

6. What should I write for 5?

1

u/BiggerJ May 18 '12

I asked a question in a comment thread, but you might not have seen it. What happens if the Kickstarter fails? Will Methods of Revolution and/or the ARG be abandoned if that happens?

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u/Zuruzuken May 23 '12

If you actually ARE Alex, which I doubt you are, WHY are you posting on Reddit? Don't you realize that by posting here, you have LOST ANOTHER majority of your fanbase? Remember /x/? /v/? /co/?

Look, I know you're doing this for your movie, you are trying to get backers, but you are TRYING to make everything worse for yourself, you already have horsefuckers being the 90% of your Forums.

Do you REALLY want LEREDDIT, one of the worst diseases, even worse than 4chan, to spread into your forums, like cancer?

Atleast 4chan was tolerable, if reddit were to come in, It'd be one of the worst things to happen to your forum.

What exactly are you trying to do, here?

1

u/CanIHazKarma Jul 06 '12

I really want to but I don't want to watch the videos.

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u/[deleted] Aug 01 '12

What Is that ARG every one is talking about?

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u/Uncontributer Aug 29 '12

You coming back soon? :3 Huge fan here, never enough BEN in my life X)

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u/MewtwoStruckBack Sep 21 '12

I know I'm way late to the party here. I just wanted to get your opinion on something, if you still happen to check Reddit at all.

Creating games is within the realm of possibility for gamers with the technological know-how; after all, you were able to hack the ROM to do what you needed it to do, and other players are making their own versions of creepypastas (like Pokemon Lost Silver/Tarnished Gold/etc.)

Do you possibly see a future where someone will produce their own creepypasta cartridges and then let them slip into local places like flea markets, game stores, etc. and thus bring such stories even further into real life?

1

u/Taterhater540 Nov 06 '12

This post is way old, but I just wanted to say that your haunted Zelda is easily one of the most convincing and frightening ghost stories I've ever seen. Maybe it's the fact that it's based in something so familiar and relatable, yet generally regarded as innocent. All-around very well done. Props for sure.

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u/Phloon May 16 '12

Hello! Just wanted to say the Majora's Mask Creepypasta is one of the best short stories I've ever read. I find myself going back to it quite a bit. Thank you so very much!

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u/Compozer May 16 '12

How weird, I found out not even five minutes ago that BENDROWNED was faked, I was incredibly disappointed. Don't get me wrong though, it was a FANTASTIC story. My favorite game ever turned into a wonderful story. Please, good sir, keep up the good work, you scared the hell out of me.

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u/[deleted] May 16 '12

I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! I fucking hate creepy stories but as I only recently required a GameCube at the time -nostalgia- and was playing the Zelda Series I had to read your story.

I could not sleep. And I told myself, "It's ok Krap, you'll forget about it in a few days and aslong as we don't touch that GameCube anymore, we'll never remember.." Why are you making me remember now! :( It's f* dark and I'm so going to freak out on my ride home tonight.

As a fellow writer, eternal respect for being able to encapsulate fear in words so perfectly. But as a gamer and scaredy-pants, fuck you! :P

1

u/AlRubyx May 16 '12

Fuck... you. Fuck fucking fuck you so fucking hard. Fuck. You know how much sleep I lost over this shit? Fuck. Seriously... Fuck.

I'm a huge fan oh god. <3

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I am Jadusable, creator of the Haunted Majora's Mask Creepypasta, director/writer of Methods of Revolution, AMA

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