Ong's Hat: The Beginning

Ong's Hat Series

by Joseph Matheny

“…a bizarre Internet phenomenon: an “immersive” online experience—part mystery, part game, part who knows what—known as both the Incunabula Papers and Ong’s Hat. The Incunabula Papers/Ong’s Hat was, or is, a “many-threaded, open-ended interactive narrative” that ”weds an alternate history of chaos science and consciousness studies to conspiracy theories, parallel dimensions, and claims that computer-mediated environments can serve as magical tools…. the documents provoked a widespread “immersive legend-trip” in the late 1990s. Via Web forums, participants investigated the documents—manifestos—which spun up descriptions of brilliant but suppressed discoveries relating to paths that certain scientists had forged into alternate realities. Soon, those haunted dimensions existed in the minds and fantasies of Ong’s Hat’s many participants. That was evident as they responded to the original postings by uploading their own—all manner of reflections and artifacts: personal anecdotes, audio recordings, and videos—to augment what became “a really immersive world, and it was vast”.

Genres: Nonfiction, Conspiracy Theories, Folklore

187 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

As an inventor, creator, product manager, CEO, CTO, writer, and artist, I’ve contributed to establishing and promoting standards and practices like PDF, DVD, podcasting, ARGs, and digital video. I’ve designed apps for iPhone, iPad, and Android platforms [1] [2] [3] and authored screenplays, white papers, and books on technology, sci-fi, marketing, and gaming.

Since the mid-80s, I’ve staged and managed large-scale Alternate Reality Game (ARG)/transmedia projects using diverse media, including print, phone, email, video, film, and digital platforms. My work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, LA Times, CNN, PBS, BBC, Audible Original (named the best of 2024), and many other outlets. (Links to articles available.)

My transmedia project Ong’s Hat is recognized in academia and the gaming industry as the first proto-ARG. It has been profiled in Games(TM), Slate, Thoughty2, Gizmodo, and BBC, among others. The Incunabula Papers CD-ROM is part of the Bibliothèque Nationale de France digital art collection.

I also co-founded the Greylodge Podcasting Company/GLOR, an independent media site covered by Wall Street Journal, MSNBC, Boing-Boing, Dangerous Minds, and more.

Reviews

[Douglas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I happened onto this book by pure chance. I'm not even totally sure why I started reading it, since I had promised myself I would finish Going Clear before starting another book.... Well, I'm glad I broke my promise.

The Incunabula catalog is an amazing piece of media. Similar to the piecemeal catalog in Vandermeer's City of Saints and Madmen, it is a wonderful narrative, a breadcrumb trail, created from the listings of several books and papers. Surprisingly, while reading it, I came upon a discrete, large revelation. I won't go into what it was, but it was a valuable, mind blowing insight for me.

That's not to say that it was perfect. The contributions from Peter Moon are not as well written or finely honed as the rest of the document. You might recognize the name from the Montauk Project books, which are also a bit shoddy. While the Montauk books are great fun, his writing only detracts from this piece.

[Milo BC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very familiar vibe if you're familiar with the origins of the zombies storyline, and also likely inspo for the Terminals in BO1/3

Fun read with a lot of technobabble but some nice inter-genre ideas

4 stars!

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

That which is true about New Jersey is slightly more disturbing than the tall tales about it. Joseph Matheny has threaded that needle expertly with this collection of documents referred to as an ARG, but maybe more of "Ergodic Literature" because the real story emerges from various sources, whether real or imagined. Ong's Hat does appear on maps and has long been connected to folklore, the Pine Barrens are full of strangeness, but you can't always believe what they tell you.

[Rob Conn · Rating 5 out of 5]

In late 1990s I came was told about this cool book, the one recreated here. The Incunabula Papers and a ghost town, or rather a vanished town in my home state New Jersey and I began my Journey into the first Alternate Reality Game ONG'S HAT.

Now 26 years later I rediscovered Ong's Hat by chance, and bought the newly recreated Incunabula Papers. Bringing back happy memories of stories that blend the fictional & factual.

If you like the Esoteric, Loved Shows like XFiles & Fringe, and love to explore new mysterious of Legend, Lore and History. Your love this book

Rob Conn

[Ellenore Clementine Kruger · Rating 5 out of 5]

juicy

There is some “quantum” wisdom in here regarding being better than schroedinger and his cat. The truth is people want you to try harder than destruction. I really appreciated the “ghost buddha temple” in sumatra cuz i saw some pics of the place currently and wow it is spooky like … eek… also there are hints but u may need to know more or assume more from previous texts about montauk but i think swerdlow even makes a cameo