Alt-Minds is a 'transmedia fiction' from Amy publishers, coming November 5

Lexis Numérique is setting its sights on its next title: Alt-Minds, a game the publisher claims will feature "a true transmedia fiction." Its first title since launching the less-than illustrious horror game Amy, the European publisher says that Alt-Minds will arrive on both PC and Mac on November 5, along with a companion app.

Alt-Minds follows the story of five young scientists working on a mysterious physics experiment. While the PC/Mac game will tell the core story, players will also be able to use the location-based app to find story clues in the real world, and get (oh so not creepy) texts and phone calls directly from the story's characters.

The experience will take place over eight weeks, with participants being given clues or missions at any time during the period. If you can't be on your computer all of the time, the game will also have a "catch-up mode," to access past missions and re-play live events. To help tell its story, Alt-Minds will have a web series of ten seven-minute episodes, explaining the scientific background of the proceedings as they unfold.

The full experience will be free for everyone for a week. After that, players will need to pay about $5 per episode or around $30 for the entire series.

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INTERACTIVE THRILLER, ALT-MINDS, TO BE LAUNCHED ON PC, MAC, TABLETS, SMARTPHONES AND THE INTERNET ON 5TH NOVEMBER

London, UK - 25th September 2012:- Alt-Minds is the much anticipated convergence of the worlds of TV, video games and the internet. Created on different platforms in a totally unique way, paranormal thriller Alt-Minds offers a modern way to play interactive fiction. Alt-Minds is a true transmedia fiction and undoubtedly will be one of the most groundbreaking in the world to date.

On the trail of missing scientists
Summer 2012: five young scientists working for the Alvinson Foundation disappear without leaving a trace. Manu, Alissa, Hisham, Sofia and Stanko were part of a research team named MHD6, working in the labs of the Belgrade University of Physics. Recent events would suggest a possible abduction.
The foundation decides to carry out its own investigation and radically chooses to request the help of internet users.
With the help of various technical tools, the users will contribute to the investigation, lend their support to the field teams, help save the scientists and possibly become the story's heroes.

The first 'total fiction'
Alt-Minds is a mystery game for PCs/Macs and tablets where you can help to track down missing scientists. It's also a mobile app to help you keep up with the investigation and find secret locations thanks to the geolocalisation option. You can choose how to play – with your tablet or PC/Mac or both. The more different media you use, the more twists to the plot will be revealed to you.

A script going beyond reality
Alt-Minds combines reality and fiction in a totally unique way and was conceived and overseen by one of the big names in Europe for transmedia and video games, Eric Viennot, and Transmedia Lab's Orange teams. Alt-Minds subtly combines fiction and reality in order to immerse you deeply into the plot. On top of emails from some of the characters you can look for clues online, via Google or Facebook, choose whether or not to receive SMS messages or explore your own town in search of secret locations and even try to call one of the characters or even meet them!

Pick and mix interactivity
As the player you can choose your level of engagement and interactivity. For example you can choose to be completely passive and just watch the web fiction. By downloading the app on your tablet or smartphone you can also keep up with developments in the investigation through news feeds and videos. If you do wish to complete the experience you can try and discover thousands of secret locations all over Europe and up to the far reaches of Russia thanks to the geolocalisation option.

A real time experience
Alt-Minds is a real time experience, which starts on 5th November and lasts for 8 weeks. The investigation will happen in real time, hour by hour, minute by minute. The missions you can take part in happen in a limited time frame. The 'real time' option can be disabled at any time and you can make up for lost time if you have been away using a 'catch up mode'.

A mainstream web series
Every week an episode of the web series broaches subjects related to current events and raises exciting issues linked to post humanism. The Alt-Minds web fiction explains scientific and social issues in simple terms, also revealing the unseen and fascinating sides of hidden or unknown stories. Along with the game experience and the web fiction, official newspapers will broach these topics and review scientific advancements.

Business Model
The full Alt-Minds experience will be available completely free of charge for a week. Then, if you wish you can get a subscription for approx £3 a week or a little less than £20 for the whole 8 week season. Some geolocalisation related searches are included in the package but you will need to buy a few additional credits if you want to make more. If you discover Alt-Minds half way through you can immerse yourself in the live action or catch up with the investigation replays starting from the first week.

Alt-Minds key facts
- The project has taken 1 year of research and 4 years of conception and production
- The script unfolds in 5 countries
- Over 4 hours of videos
- A web series of 10 x 7min videos
- Over 50hrs of gaming in 8 weeks
- Numerous analysis and investigation tools
- 12 main characters
- A European launch in four languages
- Numerous editorial partnerships
About transmedia
Transmedia is a new type of storytelling which uses new technology to offer deeper immersion and a more interactive experience. Transmedia combines multiple platforms and entry points so that the story is no longer limited to a single medium: it becomes a journey where each medium helps to build a universe in which you are more than just a spectator.
For more information: www.transmedialab.org

About Orange
France Telecom-Orange is one of the world's leading telecommunications operators with 172,000 employees worldwide, including 105,000 employees in France, and sales of 45.3 billion euros in 2011. Present in 35 countries, the Group had a customer base of 226 million customers at 31 December 2011, including 147 million customers under the Orange brand, the Group's single brand for internet, television and mobile services in the majority of countries where the company operates. At 31 December 2011, the Group had 167 million mobile customers and 14 million broadband internet (ADSL, fibre) customers worldwide. Orange is one of the main European operators for mobile and broadband internet services and, under the brand Orange Business Services, is one of the world leaders in providing telecommunication services to multinational companies.
With its industrial project, "conquests 2015", Orange is simultaneously addressing its employees, customers and shareholders, as well as the society in which the company operates, through a concrete set of action plans. These commitments are expressed through a new vision of human resources for employees; through the deployment of a network infrastructure upon which the Group will build its future growth; through the Group's ambition to offer a superior customer experience thanks in particular to improved quality of service; and through the acceleration of international development France Telecom (NYSE:FTE) is listed on Euronext Paris (compartment A) and on the New York Stock Exchange. For more information (on the internet and on your mobile): www.orange.com, www.orange-business.com, www.orangeinnovation.tv

Orange and any other Orange product or service names included in this material are trade marks of Orange Brand Services Limited, Orange France or France Telecom.

About LEXIS NUMERIQUE
With more than nine million games sold around the world through its prestigious partners, Lexis Numérique is one of Europe's leading independent game design studios. Lexis Numérique, which has repeatedly been the chart-topper for children's games (Uncle Ernest, Alexandra Ledermann, Léa Passion Mode – more than 4 million copies sold around the world), also develops PC/Mac and console games for a wider audience (In Memoriam, Expérience112, Metropolis Crimes, Red Johnson's Chronicles...). In addition Lexis-Numérique has also been working for more than ten years for brands such as Henkel, Disney or McDonald's and advertising agencies such as DDB, Euro RSCG or Duke. www.lexis-games.com