Wikipedia

Location-based game

Alocation-based game(also calledlocation-enabled game,geolocation-based game,or simplygeo game) is a type ofgamein which thegameplayevolves and progresses via a player's real world location. Location-based games must provide some mechanism to allow the player to report their location, usually withGPS.Many location-based video games arevideo gamesthat run on amobile phone,using its GPS capability.

A map of players' trails in a location-based game

“Urban games” or “street games” are typically multiplayer location-based games played using city streets and built up urban environments. Various mobile devices can be used to play location-based games. These games have been referred to as “location-based mobile games,”[1]merging the concept of location-based games andmobile games.

Games

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See also:List of location-based video games

Location based-games can be digital or physical in nature. For example,Geocachingis an outdoor recreational activity in which participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or mobile device and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers. In contrast, games such asPokémon Goare fully contained in digital devices with very little to no interaction or effect on the physical world.

A Pokestop at Aeon Town Higashi-Osaka, an example of a real-world marking for the location-based gamePokémon GO

Technology

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Some location-based games that arevideo gameshave used embedded mobile technologies such asnear field communication,BluetoothandUWB.Such video games have also commonly usedaugmented realityto create an immersive experience. Games such asPokémon GoandIngressalso use an Image Linked Map (ILM) interface, where approvedgeotaggedlocations appear on a stylized map generated based on GPS data for the user to interact with.[2]

Early location-based video games typically usedSMSas a medium and located players usingcellular network'scontrol plane locatingrequiring no additional capabilities from the user's device.[3]

Learning

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Location-based games may induce learning, with researchers having observed that these activities produce learning that is social, experiential and situated.[4]It supports learning inGeographyand other subjects includingenvironmental education.Learning, however, is related to the objectives of the game designers. In a survey of location-based games, (Avouris & Yiannoutsou, 2012)[5]it was observed that in terms of the main objective, these games may be categorized as ludic (e.g., games that are created for fun), pedagogic, (e.g., games created mainly for learning), and hybrid, (e.g., games with mixed objectives). The ludic group, are to a large extent action oriented, involving either shooting, action or treasure hunt type of activities. These are weakly related to anarrativeand a virtual world.

The role-playing version of these games have a higher learning potential, which has been confirmed by studies on students using location based games for learning.[6]On the other hand, the social interaction that takes place and skills related to strategic decisions, observation, planning and physical activity are the main characteristics of this strand in terms of learning. The pedagogic group of games involve participatory simulators, situated language learning and educational action games. Finally, the hybrid games are mostly museum location-based games and mobile fiction, or city fiction.

Concerns

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In a paper titled "Death byPokémon GO",researchers atPurdue University’sKrannert School of Managementclaim the game caused "a disproportionate increase in vehicular crashes and associated vehicular damage, personal injuries, and fatalities in the vicinity of locations, called PokéStops, where users can play the game while driving."[7]Using data from one municipality, the paper extrapolates what that might mean nationwide and concluded "the increase in crashes attributable to the introduction ofPokémon GOis 145,632 with an associated increase in the number of injuries of 29,370 and an associated increase in the number of fatalities of 256 over the period of 6 July 2016, through 30 November 2016. "The authors extrapolated the cost of those crashes and fatalities at between $2 billion and $7.3bn for the same period.

Legality

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The nature of location-based gaming may mean that certain real-world locations will be visited by higher-than-normal numbers of people who are playing the game, which generally has been received favorably by nearby attractions or local businesses. However, these games may generate activity at locations that are privately-owned or have access limits, or otherwise cause undesirable congestion.

Pokémon Gonotably has several publicized events of players being drawn to inappropriate locations for the game, requiring the developer to manually remove these areas from the game.[8][9][10]In one of the first legal challenges for location-based gaming, a Federal District court ruled that a Wisconsin county ordinance to require game developers of such location-based games to get appropriate permits to allow locations in the county's public park systems was likely unconstitutional. While the county had felt there was noFirst Amendmentrights involved due to how locations were generated in-game, the Federal judge disagreed.[11]

The interaction of location-bound augmented reality withproperty lawis largely undefined.[12][13]Several models have been analysed for how this interaction may be resolved in acommon lawcontext: an extension ofreal propertyrights to also cover augmentations on or near the property with a strong notion oftrespassing,forbidding augmentations unless allowed by the owner; an 'open range' system, where augmentations are allowed unless forbidden by the owner; and a 'freedom to roam' system, where real property owners have no control over non-disruptive augmentations.[14]

One issue experienced during thePokémon Gocraze was the game's players disturbing owners of private property while visiting nearby location-bound augmentations. The terms of service ofPokémon Goexplicitly disclaim responsibility for players' actions, which may limit (but may not totally extinguish) the liability of its producer,Niantic,in the event of a playertrespassingwhile playing the game: by Niantic's argument, the player is the one committing the trespass, while Niantic has merely engaged in permissiblefree speech.A theory advanced in lawsuits brought against Niantic is that their placement of game elements in places that will lead to trespass or an exceptionally large flux of visitors can constitutenuisance,despite each individual trespass or visit only being tenuously caused by Niantic.[15][16][17]

Another claim raised against Niantic is that the placement of profitable game elements on land without permission of the land's owners isunjust enrichment.[18]More hypothetically, a property may be augmented with advertising or disagreeable content against its owner's wishes.[19]Under American law, these situations are unlikely to be seen as a violation ofreal propertyrights by courts without an expansion of those rights to include augmented reality (similarly to howEnglish common lawcame to recogniseair rights).[18]

Some attempts at legislative regulation have been made in the United States.Milwaukee County, Wisconsin,attempted to regulate augmented reality games played in its parks, requiring prior issuance of a permit,[20]but this was criticised onfree speechgrounds by a federal judge;[21]andIllinoisconsidered mandating anotice and take downprocedure for location-bound augmentations.[22]

Consumer countries

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Japan is the world's biggest market for consumer spending on location-based titles like Pokémon Go and Dragon Quest Walk, having generated over $620 million in 2023 which is equal to 50% of the global revenue.[23]By comparison, the United States is the second largest market for this genre spending over $380 million on the top five games. South Korea's spending on its top five came in at less than $16 million.[24]

Notable examples

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For list of geolocation-based video games, seeList of geolocation-based video games.

See also

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References

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  1. ^von Borries, Friedrich; Walz, Steffen P.; Böttger, Matthias, eds. (2007),"BotFighters: A Game That Surrounds You",Space Time Play,Basel, Boston, Berlin: Birkhäuser Verlag AG, pp. 226–227,ISBN978-3-7643-8414-2
  2. ^Borge, Ariel (July 11, 2016)."The story behind 'Pokémon Go's' impressive mapping".Mashable.RetrievedJuly 13,2016.
  3. ^"Have Cell Phone, Will Shoot".Wired.2002-02-08.Retrieved2024-10-08.
  4. ^de Souza e Silva, A; Delacruz, G.C. (July 2006)."Hybrid Reality Games Reframed Potential Uses in Educational Contexts".Games and Culture.1(3): 231–251.doi:10.1177/1555412006290443.S2CID73693281.
  5. ^Avouris, N; Yiannoutsou N. (2012)."A review of mobile location-based games for learning across physical and virtual spaces".Journal of Universal Computer Science.18.
  6. ^Wake, Jo Dugstad (2013)."Mobile, location-based games for learning, Developing, deploying and evaluating mobile game technology in education".research gate.net.
  7. ^Faccio, Mara; McConnell, John J. (2017). "Death by Pokémon GO".doi:10.2139/ssrn.3073723.SSRN3073723.
  8. ^Velloso, Eduardo; Carter, Marcus (July 12, 2016)."Some places should be off limits for games such as Pokémon GO".The Conversation.RetrievedJuly 13,2016.
  9. ^"Holocaust Museum, Auschwitz want Pokémon Go hunts out".USA Today.RetrievedJuly 13,2016.
  10. ^Phillips, Tom (July 12, 2016)."Holocaust museum pleads: stop playing Pokémon Go here".Eurogamer.RetrievedJuly 13,2016.
  11. ^Kravets, David (July 20, 2017)."Augmented reality wins big in 1st Amendment legal flap".Ars Technica.RetrievedJuly 20,2017.
  12. ^McClure 2017,p. 364-366.
  13. ^McEvoy, Fiona J (June 4, 2018)."What Are Your Augmented Reality Property Rights?".Slate.RetrievedMay 31,2022.
  14. ^Mallick 2020,p. 1068-1072.
  15. ^McClure 2017,p. 341-343.
  16. ^McClure 2017,p. 347-351.
  17. ^Conroy 2017,p. 20.
  18. ^abMcClure 2017,p. 351-353.
  19. ^Conroy 2017,p. 21-22.
  20. ^McClure 2017,p. 354-355.
  21. ^"Judge halts Wisconsin county rule for apps like Pokemon Go".Associated Press.July 21, 2017.
  22. ^McClure 2017,p. 356-357.
  23. ^TSUJI, HIDEYUKI."Nhật bổn の vị trí tình báo ゲームの niên gian thâu ích は6 ức ドル dĩ thượng で thế giới の ước 50％, ドラクエウォークは nguyệt gian trệ tại thời gian 10 thời gian dĩ thượng が30％ dĩ thượng".Sensor Tower.RetrievedAugust 18,2024.
  24. ^Batchelor, James (February 13, 2024)."Japan spent more than $620m on location-based games in 2023".Games Industry.RetrievedAugust 18,2024.
  25. ^von Borries, Friedrich; Walz, Steffen P.; Böttger, Matthias, eds. (2007),"BotFighters: A Game That Surrounds You",Space Time Play,Basel, Boston, Berlin: Birkhäuser Verlag AG, pp. 226–227,ISBN978-3-7643-8414-2

Works cited

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