Google Maps "MMO": Ingress

[Futan]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=92rYjlxqypM

Ingress (http://www.ingress.com/)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nianticproject.ingress

It sounds like it's basically it's a combination one of those Augmented Reality apps and that awful FB "MMO" Mafia Wars. Using the app on your phone/tablet/whatever, you'll find portals(I think that's what they call them) near or around landmarks and you can hack them or protect them. Not really sure how it works exactly.

What do you think? To me it sounds kind of stupid. Maybe fun at first with friends but I think it'd get old kind of quickly.

It's in closed Beta now. You can sign up at the first link.

[Heath]

I think you're right that the novelty factor seems like it would wear off pretty quickly, but I think my enjoyment of MMOs has always come from interacting with other people who play it, be they current friends of people you meet as a result of the game. The concept itself looks pretty clever, but I'm not sure I can envisage too many people wandering, say, central Manchester as human Pacmen (?).

I did a little reading about Ingress and it looks that Google are going to incorporate advertising into the game, which I think is a very clever move on their part.

It's the sort of thing that I don't think I'll rush to get involved in the beta of it, but if some of my friends got involved I might consider taking a look myself.