Ingress (video game)
| Ingress | |
|---|---|
 Official Ingress Logo | |
| Developer(s) | NianticLabs@Google |
| Platform(s) | Android OS |
| Release | Closed beta as of January 2013 |
| Genre(s) | Alternate reality massively multiplayer online game |
Ingress is an augmented reality[1] massively multiplayer online video game created by NianticLabs@Google, released for Android devices.[2] The game has been called "a data gold mine" for Google.[3]
Players of the game belong to one of two factions, “Enlightened” (represented in green) and “Resistance” (blue). The game-play allows players to enclose regions of territory on the surface of the earth with virtual links between virtual portals, which are visible in the game software. The top-level goal of the game is for one’s faction to control large numbers of “Mind Units”, the estimated number of humans within the regions of territory controlled by the faction.[4]
Factions
The Enlightened faction is “attempting to help the Shapers infiltrate Earth. Followers believe that the Shapers bring a powerful enlightenment that will lift humankind.” The Resistance faction is “defending the Earth from the Shaper ingression. They are seen by some as being fearful of change or progress, but the Resistance is firm in its belief that it is protecting humanity.” [5]
The screenshot (at right) shows the state of play in and around Seattle on December 2, 2012. Virtual portals (spoked circles) and fields (colored spaces) are overlaid on a map of real space; Green represents the Enlightenment faction, Blue the Resistance. The space controlled by the two factions is fairly evenly matched here.
Gameplay
A player using the mobile app is presented with a map representing the area nearby. The map has a black background; streets and buildings are represented in grey, but not named. Visible on the map are portals, Exotic Matter, links, and control fields.
To interact with objects on the map, a player must be physically nearby their location. The mobile client represents the player as a small triangle, surrounded by a circle which represents the perimeter within which interaction is possible.
Portals
The makers of the game have populated the earth with a large number of “Portals”, visible to those using the game software. They are colored green, blue, or grey, depending on whether they are controlled by the Enlightened, the Resistance, or nobody. They are often associated with landmarks such as public sculptures, libraries, and notable buildings. The density of portals is typically highest in densely-populated regions, especially the central parts of large cities.
Each portal may be equipped with up to eight Resonators and four Mods. An unclaimed portal has no resonators. To claim a portal for a faction, a player deploys a resonator on it.
Players may submit requests for the creation of new portals. [6]
Resonators
A portal may be equipped with up to eight resonators, all from the same faction; that faction owns the portal. Resonators have levels, ranging from L1 to at least L8. A player can deploy resonators only up to the player's own level, and there are rules about how many of each level they can deploy.[7][8]
A portal also has a level, which is a function of the levels of the resonators with which it’s equipped. For example, if all eight are L2, then the portal is also L2. However, a portal with 3 L1’s, 1 L2, and 4 L3’s would also be L2. The level of a portal controls the level of the items that may be obtained by hacking it, its resistance to attacks, and the maximum distance of links that can be constructed between it and other portals. The rules limiting the number of high-level resonators a player can deploy have the effect that players working together can create a higher-level portal than any one can individually.
Resonators, when deployed, are fully charged. The charge level decays spontaneously over time at the rate of approximately 10% per day; when it reaches zero, the resonator is destroyed. Players may recharge resonators. This may also be done remotely, if the player is in possession of the respective portal's key. The effectiveness of a remote recharge depends on the player's level and distance from the portal.
Mods
A portal may be equipped with up to four Mods. In late 2012, the only Mods available are Shields, which increase the portal’s resistance to attacks.
Exotic Matter (XM)
Many interactions with portals require the use of XM; the game software provides a continuous display of the player’s XM reserves. XM is scattered across the map of the world, represented in the mobile client by small bright glowing drifting blobs. If a player’s XM reserves are not full, any XM that comes within the player’s perimeter of interaction is sucked in and added to the reserves. XM is found sparsely on the map, except near portals, where it clusters densely.
Items
A player’s inventory may include Resonators, Xmp Bursters, Mods, Portal Keys, and Media. These are obtained from portals by “hacking”, an operation provided by the mobile client when the player is within the interaction perimeter. This consumes XM, takes a few seconds to complete, and yields zero or more items. A player may hack portals belonging to either faction. There are limits on how frequently a player may hack a portal. The inventory size was unlimited in the early versions of the game, but is capped at 2000 items as of version 1.12.5.
Attacking a portal
To attack a portal owned by the opposing faction, a player deploys an Xmp Burster, using the mobile client. Xmp bursters have levels; a player may deploy a burster up to the player's own level. The success of the attack depends on the relative levels of the Xmp burster and the resonators, whether or not the portal is equipped with shields, and the physical location of the attacker relative to the resonators. Successful attacks reduce the charge levels of the resonators; when they are reduced to zero, the resonator is destroyed. When all eight resonators are destroyed, the portal turns grey, and the attacker may claim it for their faction by deploying resonators.
A portal which is under attack may in turn attack the attacking player; this depletes the player’s XM reserves.
A player may defend a portal that is under attack by recharging resonators and deploying replacements for destroyed resonators. Recharging a portal may be done using the mobile client for any portal for which the player has a key, even if the player is not near the portal at the time.
Linking
A player within the interaction range of a portal may link it to another portal, if the player has a portal key for the destination, if the link would not intersect an existing link, and if the other portal is within the first portal’s linking range, which depends on its level. The portal that the player is standing near is called the origin portal, while the portal being linked to is called the destination portal. Only a portal key for the destination portal is needed; no key for the origin portal is needed. The destination portal key is consumed when a link is created. When three portals are linked in a triangle, this creates a Control Field within the triangle. The space occupied by the field is claimed for the player’s faction, which is rewarded with a number of Mind Units depending on the population density and size.
Leveling
Players begin at Level 1 and progress through levels by accumulating Action Points (AP); the highest known level is L8. Players receive AP for hacking opposing portals, destroying resonators, deploying resonators (with extra points for claiming a portal with the first resonator, and completing its complement with the eighth), breaking links, making links, and breaking and creating control fields. The following APs are acquired for these activities:
| Action | Points Earned |
|---|---|
| Placing a resonator | 125 |
| Destroying a resonator | 75 |
| Creating a link | 313 |
| Destroying a link | 187 |
| Creating a control field | 1250 |
| Destroying a control field | 750 |
| Applying a portal shield | 150 |
| Placing the first resonator on a portal | 500 |
| Placing the eighth resonator on a portal | 250 |
| Hacking an enemy portal | 100 |
Passcodes
One or more times every day, media objects are posted to the Niantic Project Web site, which contain puzzles of various forms. Solving the puzzle yields a Passcode, a short sequence of letters and numbers, for example “ezekiel27w”, which may be entered into the client software to receive bonus XM and AP. Passcodes may also yield items, which are not shown in the bonus notification.\
User Interface
The ingress mobile app and the intel web site each support a common color scheme. The Resistance is Blue, and the Enlightened are Green, and in general the background is black. Selected items are amber, unselected are cyan. Be careful when using the COMMS section to post to your faction only if that is your intention.
The following table details how levels 1-8 each have their own colors:
| Level | Color | Color Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | goldenrod | |
| 2 | tangerine | |
| 3 | orange | |
| 4 | red | |
| 5 | pink | |
| 6 | magenta | |
| 7 | violet | |
| 8 | dark violet |
Release
Ingress was officially launched on November 16, 2012, supported by an online viral marketing campaign. It was noticed as early as November 8 and other earlier efforts have been noted at events such as Comic Con in San Diego on July 12, 2012.[9] Google employees have been testing the game for at least 6 months. It is currently in closed beta and available for download on Google's Play Store[10]
References
- ^ Nathan Ingraham (November 15, 2012). "Google's 'Ingress' augmented reality game puts Android users into a battle against worldwide mind control". The Verge. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
- ^ "Ingress". Niantic Labs. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
- ^ http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21628936.200-why-googles-ingress-game-is-a-data-gold-mine.html
- ^ Gannes, Liz (November 15, 2012). "Google Launches Ingress, a Worldwide Mobile Alternate Reality Game". All Things D. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
- ^ "Faction Choice". Retrieved 7 December 2012.
- ^ "New Portal Submissions". Retrieved 7 December 2012.
- ^ "Sven's Portal Calculator". Retrieved 7 December 2012.
- ^ "Ingress Field Guide's Portal Calculator". Retrieved 7 December 2012.
- ^ Andersen, Michael (November 12, 2012). "Google ARG Hints at Niantic Labs Conspiracy". Wired. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
- ^ "Ingress - Android-apps on Google Play". Play.google.com. Retrieved 2012-11-16.