Location-Based Location-Based Mobile GamesMobile Games

Bryon Jones, Joe Garber, Rondey Bryon Jones, Joe Garber, Rondey SmallsSmalls

4.26.20074.26.2007

3 Implementations3 Implementations

►Can You See Me Now? – S. BenfordCan You See Me Now? – S. Benford Players playing tag in the streetPlayers playing tag in the street

►FIASCO – M. ChangFIASCO – M. Chang Street players claim street cornersStreet players claim street corners

►Feeding Yoshi – M. BellFeeding Yoshi – M. Bell Virtual areas with virtual itemsVirtual areas with virtual items

Can You See Me Now?Can You See Me Now?

►CYSMNCYSMN►Game of tag between online players Game of tag between online players

and ‘runners’and ‘runners’ Runners are players equipped with GPS Runners are players equipped with GPS

and WiFi connections within a specially and WiFi connections within a specially made jacketmade jacket

►Objective: The runners move through Objective: The runners move through the city trying to find the locations of the city trying to find the locations of all of the online playersall of the online players

CYSMN Online ViewsCYSMN Online Views

► View as seen by the online playerView as seen by the online player► Everyone seen as avatarsEveryone seen as avatars► Overhead view when moving / Zoomed in view Overhead view when moving / Zoomed in view

of player when stopped or inputting textof player when stopped or inputting text

CYSMN Runner ViewCYSMN Runner View

► Runners see the view of the streetsRunners see the view of the streets► Use HP Jornada to get location of self and Use HP Jornada to get location of self and

other playersother players

Game OverviewsGame Overviews

►Online users can only communicate Online users can only communicate through text messagesthrough text messages

►Runners have walkie-talkiesRunners have walkie-talkies 2 Channels2 Channels

►Prime channel heard by everyone including Prime channel heard by everyone including online usersonline users

►Service channel used to communicate with Service channel used to communicate with technicianstechnicians

Research Purposes:Research Purposes:

►New artistic form of gaming?New artistic form of gaming? Award: 2003 Prix Ars Electronica Golden Award: 2003 Prix Ars Electronica Golden

NicaNica

►Evaluate location based technologyEvaluate location based technology

ResultsResults

►Continual WiFi communication losses Continual WiFi communication losses for the runnersfor the runners 90.6% of losses for 5 seconds to 10 90.6% of losses for 5 seconds to 10

minutesminutes Require runners to either find a better Require runners to either find a better

location for service or call technicianlocation for service or call technician

►Blackouts with the GPS systemsBlackouts with the GPS systems Configured to not connect to low satellitesConfigured to not connect to low satellites Slow connect timeSlow connect time

UncertaintiesUncertainties

►Connected and TrackedConnected and Tracked►Not Connected But TrackedNot Connected But Tracked

No Wi-Fi connectionNo Wi-Fi connection

►Connected But Not TrackedConnected But Not Tracked No GPS connectionNo GPS connection

►Neither Connected nor TrackedNeither Connected nor Tracked No connection on anything = time to call No connection on anything = time to call

techniciantechnician

Strategies to Handle Strategies to Handle UncertaintiesUncertainties

► Remove UncertaintiesRemove Uncertainties Improve technologyImprove technology

►Hide UncertaintiesHide Uncertainties Make it so they are unnoticeableMake it so they are unnoticeable

► Reveal UncertaintiesReveal Uncertainties Let certain players be aware of uncertaintiesLet certain players be aware of uncertainties

►Manage UncertaintiesManage Uncertainties Have a backup planHave a backup plan

► Exploit UncertaintiesExploit Uncertainties Require certain user interactionsRequire certain user interactions

FIASCOFIASCO

►ObjectiveObjective Claim street corners as your own turfClaim street corners as your own turf Inspire creativity and branching out from Inspire creativity and branching out from

people’s local social networkspeople’s local social networks

►Historical InfoHistorical Info Situationists – 1950sSituationists – 1950s

How to Play FIASCOHow to Play FIASCO

►Gamers do crazy things on the street Gamers do crazy things on the street corners and photograph themcorners and photograph them

►Upload photographs to server where Upload photographs to server where other gamers can rate themother gamers can rate them

►Whoever has the highest rated Whoever has the highest rated photograph on a particular street photograph on a particular street corner earns that particular turfcorner earns that particular turf

FIASCO DesignFIASCO Design

►FIASCO does not use any type of FIASCO does not use any type of portable device for connecting to the portable device for connecting to the gamegame

►Only technology used is the central Only technology used is the central server for storing the pictures & the server for storing the pictures & the rating systemrating system

► ‘‘Stunts’ are made up of an object, an Stunts’ are made up of an object, an action & a themeaction & a theme

ResultsResults

► In prototype, players performed more In prototype, players performed more creative stunts than they would have creative stunts than they would have outside the confines of the gameoutside the confines of the game

►Stunts were limited because of the Stunts were limited because of the predetermined objects, actions and predetermined objects, actions and themesthemes

Feeding YoshiFeeding Yoshi

►ObjectiveObjective To obtain the highest score for your team To obtain the highest score for your team

by feeding Yoshies their preferred fruitby feeding Yoshies their preferred fruit To make an entertaining game that can To make an entertaining game that can

be used worldwidebe used worldwide

Feeding Yoshi’s DesignsFeeding Yoshi’s Designs

►Game is played on a customized PDAGame is played on a customized PDA►PDA tracks players location by GPS PDA tracks players location by GPS

and also determines Yoshi and and also determines Yoshi and plantation locations by short range plantation locations by short range WiFi access point detectionWiFi access point detection

►Game encourages trade by auto-Game encourages trade by auto-detecting other PDAs in usedetecting other PDAs in use

Feeding Yoshi Game PlayFeeding Yoshi Game Play► Players travel throughout Players travel throughout

the city finding Yoshiesthe city finding Yoshies► Each Yoshi has 5 Each Yoshi has 5

preferred fruits out of 35 preferred fruits out of 35 available in the gameavailable in the game

► Players must find and Players must find and collect these fruits to feed collect these fruits to feed the Yoshies to gain points the Yoshies to gain points for their teamsfor their teams

► Teams are encouraged Teams are encouraged because trading of fruits because trading of fruits within team members within team members also gains pointsalso gains points

Feeding Yoshi ResultsFeeding Yoshi Results

►Most participants that played actively Most participants that played actively with their teammates found the game with their teammates found the game enjoyableenjoyable

►A small number of participants found the A small number of participants found the game repetitive and without motive once game repetitive and without motive once they were behind the leadthey were behind the lead

►A number of participants said the game A number of participants said the game encouraged them to travel to parts of the encouraged them to travel to parts of the city that they often did not and to explorecity that they often did not and to explore

Feeding Yoshi ProblemsFeeding Yoshi Problems

► The limiting range of the WiFi detection The limiting range of the WiFi detection made it difficult for participants to play the made it difficult for participants to play the game in cars or on trains where the game game in cars or on trains where the game was designed to be most playedwas designed to be most played

►Due to the nature of the game, top scores Due to the nature of the game, top scores were usually a result more of endurance were usually a result more of endurance playing rather than skill or luckplaying rather than skill or luck

► Players in more urbanized cities are given a Players in more urbanized cities are given a more distinct advantage with more WiFi more distinct advantage with more WiFi points which made the game less enjoyable points which made the game less enjoyable for othersfor others

Wrap UpWrap Up

► Used WiFi & GPS = CYSMN & Feeding YoshiUsed WiFi & GPS = CYSMN & Feeding Yoshi Players could keep in touch while playing gamePlayers could keep in touch while playing game

► FIASCO – had to wait until return to FIASCO – had to wait until return to computer to upload informationcomputer to upload information Less technology requirementsLess technology requirements More action centeredMore action centered

► CYSMN had WiFi & GPS issuesCYSMN had WiFi & GPS issues Yoshi didn’t indicating issues with CYSMN Yoshi didn’t indicating issues with CYSMN

equipment or implementationequipment or implementation However, 5 strategies for uncertainties still However, 5 strategies for uncertainties still

appliesapplies