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Augmented Reality MMO games (say, Ingress)

Balor

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Fun stuff, actually.
What you do matters on both local and global scale, and it encourages you to get your arse off your PC and actually go and visit (usually, interesting) places. It also serves as a 'field guide' of sorts, where you can check out local subtractions.

I'm a long-distance cyclist and while its emphasis on controlling densely populated areas is logical, I wanna 'make a mark' on the world by making some huge-ass, hundreds kilometres wide fields (if they would end up spelling ХУЙ - it's a bonus).

I mean, I already cycle hundreds of kilometres for the sheer joy of it, why not add extra layer of meaning?
And if it motives me to lengthen my everyday commute and burn a bit more fat - even better.

It even has a lore and a story, but I'm yet to make heads and tails of it, truth be told.

Microsoft AR lens and other similar advances on VR technology and 'just' technology will make this shit very popular eventually, I bet.
 

Redeye

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Fun stuff, actually.
What you do matters on both local and global scale, and it encourages you to get your arse off your PC and actually go and visit (usually, interesting) places. It also serves as a 'field guide' of sorts, where you can check out local subtractions.

I'm a long-distance cyclist and while its emphasis on controlling densely populated areas is logical, I wanna 'make a mark' on the world by making some huge-ass, hundreds kilometres wide fields (if they would end up spelling ХУЙ - it's a bonus).

I mean, I already cycle hundreds of kilometres for the sheer joy of it, why not add extra layer of meaning?
And if it motives me to lengthen my everyday commute and burn a bit more fat - even better.

It even has a lore and a story, but I'm yet to make heads and tails of it, truth be told.

Microsoft AR lens and other similar advances on VR technology and 'just' technology will make this shit very popular eventually, I bet.

Combine with geocaching for phat lewts (and drug couriering).
 

Ranselknulf

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Just what interesting historical, cultural, and natural sites need. Fetch quests from MMO players.

Achievement unlocked.. Visited Yellowstone Bathroom Stall #7. Visit all 12 bathrooms to unlock next quest.
 

Snorkack

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Just what interesting historical, cultural, and natural sites need. Fetch quests from MMO players.

Achievement unlocked.. Visited Yellowstone Bathroom Stall #7. Visit all 12 bathrooms to unlock next quest.
I guess one can see negativity in everything. I think stuff like Ingress still is way cooler than being in your basement on your own all day and raid in WoW. Plus, you get to breathe some fresh air, plus you get to places you'd normally won't see, plus you might even learn something about the history of the area.
Two weeks ago there was an Ingress anomaly (= event) in a city nearby. 3000 players gathered and from what I witnessed most of them had a great time together, not just looking at their smartphones.
 

Ranselknulf

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I think stuff like Ingress still is way cooler than being in your basement on your own all day and raid in WoW.

I can agree with this sentiment.

The trouble is when these niche hobbies / game styles become popular the experience becomes diluted to the point that you get fetch quests and other such retardedness. It's the inevitable outcome of this technology. Gonna be DLC and p2w features just to visit a national parks now. I bet businessmen are jizzing their pants right now.
 

Snorkack

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That sounds a bit far-fetched. Since ingress is a google product, a company who generates their revenue with ads and not with premium paywall content, I believe the more imminent danger is that the next happening will conveniently take place next to a McDonalds restaurant, or that captured control fields won't generate mind units but doritos instead.
 

Ranselknulf

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That sounds a bit far-fetched. Since ingress is a google product, a company who generates their revenue with ads and not with premium paywall content, I believe the more imminent danger is that the next happening will conveniently take place next to a McDonalds restaurant, or that captured control fields won't generate mind units but doritos instead.

I see that we are operating under different assumptions.

You assume that Google will be the only company to make "augmented reality" games.

I know for a fact other companies will make augmented reality games.
 

Snorkack

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I see too, that we are operating under different assumptions: I talk about the status quo, you talk about what could happen in the worst case.
 

Ranselknulf

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I see too, that we are operating under different assumptions: I talk about the status quo, you talk about what could happen in the worst case.

No, I talk about what will happen.

The idea that VR will become popular and trendy isn't a far fetched idea.
 

Snorkack

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I agree with you that this kind of games will become a big thing, I just don't see how premium content/"DLC" will become one too in AR. Ads and your precious positioning data will do a good job in generating revenue and is - imo - more accepted than p2p content in mobile games. But lets discuss what actually brought us to this point - why is that such a big deal for you? Does that make AR games bad per se? Do you also think PC games are bad per se because DLC became pretty common for many of them?
 

Snorkack

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Yes, I think DLC (the most common implementations of it anyways) and other p2w features fundamentally alter the gameplay experience.
But there are still games whose first and foremost goal is to entertain its player, not to milk the shit out of him with microtransactions. Let's hope this holds true for many AR games to come, too - I'm fairly confident that'll be the case :)
 

Ranselknulf

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Yes, I think DLC (the most common implementations of it anyways) and other p2w features fundamentally alter the gameplay experience.
But there are still games whose first and foremost goal is to entertain its player, not to milk the shit out of him with microtransactions. Let's hope this holds true for many AR games to come, too - I'm fairly confident that'll be the case :)

I think there is a fundamental difference between PC games and MMO's. In PC games you can make exclusive groups and play with just those you want to play with (or go single player mode). In MMO's and augmented reality there is no way to exclude from the "game area" those you do not wish to play with.

An example to bring home the point. Why do you think there are so few roleplaying mmo servers? Do you think it's because people aren't interested in roleplaying? You would be incorrect. It's because there is no way for the roleplayers to keep the undesireables from joining in their shared game experience and thereby diluting the value of the gameplay.
 

Snorkack

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In MMO's and augmented reality there is no way to exclude from the "game area" those you do not wish to play with.
In the latter you actually _can_ do that, beat the living shit out of those guys and take their smartphone away :)
On a serious note - you are right with that and thats one of the main reasons I can't enjoy MMORPGs. But quite a lot people do. Also, what has that to do with monitisation and DLC?
 

Ranselknulf

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Exclusiveness would help AR and MMO's improve the experience greatly. I could see AR being done with a group as a club function in an outdoor setting with only members and people you want to participate. That might be an interesting difference between MMO's and AR. You have greater ability to exclude others.

AR in actual historical sites, national parks, museums, etc would be a horrible experience because of the lack of setting control. Businesses value the massive aspect of these technologies because it allows them to earn more from whatever business model they are using. More customers means more money. Don't take this statement to mean I see anything wrong with them making money either. However, for me, the potential ways they make money through DLC / p2w / advertisement streaming detracts from the gameplay experience.

To get into why these monetization methods are not enjoyable for me would be a lengthy discussion and frankly not worth the effort. It'd be like pissing into a storm. My style isn't popular enough to be the most profitable so it will be ignored. To keep it short, I don't enjoy that style of gameplay so I just don't participate in it.
 

Balor

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Well, so far I've seen nothing of the sort and I doubt I'd be interested in 'premium features' much.
For me it is just adding a 'layer of motivation' on my existing ultramarathon cycling hobby.
Like, bringing 'keys for the city' from each brevet to new places I've not visited yet :).

Btw, there are already fetch quests, lol - missions make by high-level players and approved by Niantic.
Usually they are made to showcase local attractions like 'Churches of city X' by walking you through checkpoints. Kinda like guided tour. All free, of course, and give pretty much nothing except the experience of actually visiting those places and a +1 towards an achievement.

All this seems fun so far, and actually made me cycle to a nearby small city that turned out to be rather rich in history and have some hidden yet scenic local spots I'll sure put to good use :).

Anyway, I've recently read 'Reality is Broken' by Jane McGonigal, agree with pretty much what she wrote (in theory, at least) and see this particular ARG as an excellent implementation of ideas she mentioned.
 

Ranselknulf

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I'd be more interested in the pnp applications of this technology than the MMO aspects of it.

Presumably with some minor props and staging you could use the technology to build dungeons and what not.
 

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