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The availability of consumer GNSS receivers and GNSS enabled mobile devices made possible the use of GNSS for gaming. The oldest and still the most popular GNSS game is Geocaching. Geocaching combines treasure hunt with trekking and outdoor activities<ref>[http://www.geocaching.com/ Geocaching.com]</ref><ref>[[Wikipedia:Location-based game|Location-based game on Wikipedia]]</ref>.
The availability of consumer GNSS receivers and GNSS enabled mobile devices made possible the use of GNSS for gaming. The oldest and still the most popular GNSS game is Geocaching. Geocaching combines treasure hunt with trekking and outdoor activities<ref>[http://www.geocaching.com/ Geocaching.com]</ref><ref name="LBS game">[[Wikipedia:Location-based game|Location-based game on Wikipedia]]</ref>.


More recent GNSS based games rely on mobile devices with richer interfaces and permanent internet connection. Often these games are multiplayer games that take place in urban environments. Common themes are scavenger hunts, role playing and adventure games<ref>[http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn7498-gamers-turn-cities-into-a-battleground.html?full=true Gamers turn cities into a battleground], Duncan Graham-Rowe, June 2005, New Scientist</ref>.
More recent GNSS based games rely on mobile devices with multimedia interfaces and permanent internet connection. Often these games are multiplayer games that take place in urban environments. Common themes are scavenger hunts, role playing and adventure games<ref>[http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn7498-gamers-turn-cities-into-a-battleground.html?full=true Gamers turn cities into a battleground], Duncan Graham-Rowe, June 2005, New Scientist</ref>.




== Application Architecture ==
== Application Architecture ==


Tourist Information Services depend normally on an architecture that includes a multimedia user [[Wikipedia:Mobile device|mobile device]] and a multimedia database of tourist information for a city or a region. In tourist information applications the information is usually stored locally since the multimedia content is far more demanding in terms of bandwidth and normally the user cellular connection is in roaming.
GNSS Games depend normally on an architecture that includes a multimedia user [[Wikipedia:Mobile device|mobile device]] and a game server that collects the different users positions and implements the gameplay.


The user [[Wikipedia:Mobile device|mobile device]] is usually a [[Wikipedia:Personal digital assistant|PDA]], [[Wikipedia:Smartphone|smartphone]] or even a [[Wikipedia:Tablet computer|tablet computer]] with internet access, localization capabilities and a multimedia user interface can display high-resolution graphics.
The user [[Wikipedia:Mobile device|mobile device]] is usually a [[Wikipedia:Mobile phone|mobile phone]] or [[Wikipedia:Smartphone|smartphone]] with internet access, localization capabilities and a multimedia user interface.


The functionalities usually provided by these applications are<ref>[[Wikipedia:Audio tour|Audio tour on Wikipedia]]</ref>:
The process usually followed by these applications is:  


* The user can browse information about the site and about the surrounding landmarks. The information can be provided as text, audio or images.
* A application running in the user [[Wikipedia:Mobile device|mobile device]] send the position of the player to a game server.
* The user can follow guided tours stored in the database. This functionality is a mix of pedestrian navigation and tourist guide where the user is guided through the streets and when in the proximity of a landmark text, audio and/or images provides information about the landmarks.
 
* Functionality similar to the nearest business or service discussed in the article on [[Location based Information Streams]] is normally provided.
* The game server gathers the positions of all the players, implements the gameplay and send to the each player its own status or view of the game.
* Pedestrian navigation to assist the user to go from one site to the other can be provided
 
* Some of these applications support advertising or sponsoring since some are free to the user being financed by local authorities and sponsors. Advertising will be delivered to the user when in certain locations or in certain stages of the guided-tours.
* The player receives in the [[Wikipedia:Mobile device|mobile device]] the current status sent by the game server and the game application render on screen the users view of the gameplay. This view normally includes a map with player positions.
* In some cases weather and local transportation information is also provided by the application.  
 
* In some games there is the possibility of communicating between players.




Variants to this architecture are:
Variants to this architecture are:


* Online servers can be used instead of local databases.
* Game server might not be required for single-player games where the scenarios can be pre-loaded or generated.
 
* Communication can be done through [[Wikipedia:SMS|SMS]].
 
* Positioning can be done with [[Wikipedia:Mobile phone tracking|celular network based localization]].


* The interface can be simple text messages ([[Wikipedia:SMS|SMS]]) exchanged between the game server and the player.


== GNSS guided tours ==


The most interesting aspect of the Tourist Information Applications is the guided tour functionality. The functionality can provide an enhanced touristic experience to the users by both guiding the user to most important and relevant sites and landmarks and at the same time providing context information about the sites. If audio is used to provide the information the time that the user spends going from one landmark to the other can be used to convey additional information instead of the user having to stop to read the information on a paper guide.
== Geochaching ==


Some of these guides are even free to the user since they produced by local authorities eventually with the support of sponsors in exchange for advertising. Some of them use freely available information such as [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia|Wikipedia]] content as basis for landmark description.


In some cities tour operators took the concept one step ahead by renting buggies and segways that have a guided tour application integrated in the vehicle. The guided tour application navigate the users through the tour and provides landmark information during the tours<ref name="gocar">[http://www.gocartours.com/ Go Car Tours]</ref><ref name="redtour">[http://www.redtourgps.com/home.php Red Tour]</ref>.


== Other Game Examples ==


== Application Examples ==
The most common types of GNSS games are<ref name="LBS game">:


Applications and services that fit in this category are:
* '''Scavenger hunts:''' In this games the player or a team of player needs to collect virtual items by reaching geographically defined spots and collecting the items. Geochaching which is oldest a most popular GNSS games can be considered a form of scavenger hunt.
* Audioguidia<ref>[http://audioguidia.com/ Audioguidia]</ref>: Audioguides for your [[Wikipedia:iPhone|iPhone]]/[[Wikipedia:iPod|iPod]]/[[Wikipedia:iPad|iPad]]
* '''Role playing games:''' Dungeons & Dragons like games where the players can interact with each other when in the vincinity of each others.
* toozla<ref>[http://toozla.com/ toozla]</ref>: City and travel audio guides for your [[Wikipedia:Bada (operating system)|Bada (Samsung)]], [[Wikipedia:Android (operating system)|Android]], [[Wikipedia:iPhone|iPhone]]/[[Wikipedia:iPod|iPod]]/[[Wikipedia:iPad|iPad]] and [[Wikipedia:Java Platform, Micro Edition|J2ME]]
* '''Virtual Boardgames:''' Games that uses real locations as gameboards. Player assume the role of a character in the game and move around the location to achieve the game objective.
* Digi-Guide<ref>[http://www.digi-guide.com/Home_uk/ Digi-Guide]</ref>: The Digi-Guide is based on a GNSS-enabled mobile device that allows being guided and being given information on main Points of Interest of a city.
* '''Adventure game:''' Adventure games combine virtual worlds with the surroudings of the player. To move around the virtual worlds player need to move in the real world scenario.
* GoCar Tours<ref name="gocar"/>: GNSS Guided Tours in two-seated buggies.
* Red Tour<ref name="redtour"/>: Lisbon GNSS Guided Tours in electric vehicles (two and four-seated buggies, segways and electric bikes).




Revision as of 11:38, 31 March 2011


ApplicationsApplications
Title Games
Author(s) Rui Barradas Pereira.
Level Basic
Year of Publication 2011
Logo GMV.png


The availability of consumer GNSS receivers and GNSS enabled mobile devices made possible the use of GNSS for gaming. The oldest and still the most popular GNSS game is Geocaching. Geocaching combines treasure hunt with trekking and outdoor activities[1][2].

More recent GNSS based games rely on mobile devices with multimedia interfaces and permanent internet connection. Often these games are multiplayer games that take place in urban environments. Common themes are scavenger hunts, role playing and adventure games[3].


Application Architecture

GNSS Games depend normally on an architecture that includes a multimedia user mobile device and a game server that collects the different users positions and implements the gameplay.

The user mobile device is usually a mobile phone or smartphone with internet access, localization capabilities and a multimedia user interface.

The process usually followed by these applications is:

  • A application running in the user mobile device send the position of the player to a game server.
  • The game server gathers the positions of all the players, implements the gameplay and send to the each player its own status or view of the game.
  • The player receives in the mobile device the current status sent by the game server and the game application render on screen the users view of the gameplay. This view normally includes a map with player positions.
  • In some games there is the possibility of communicating between players.


Variants to this architecture are:

  • Game server might not be required for single-player games where the scenarios can be pre-loaded or generated.
  • Communication can be done through SMS.
  • The interface can be simple text messages (SMS) exchanged between the game server and the player.


Geochaching

Other Game Examples

The most common types of GNSS games are<ref name="LBS game">:

  • Scavenger hunts: In this games the player or a team of player needs to collect virtual items by reaching geographically defined spots and collecting the items. Geochaching which is oldest a most popular GNSS games can be considered a form of scavenger hunt.
  • Role playing games: Dungeons & Dragons like games where the players can interact with each other when in the vincinity of each others.
  • Virtual Boardgames: Games that uses real locations as gameboards. Player assume the role of a character in the game and move around the location to achieve the game objective.
  • Adventure game: Adventure games combine virtual worlds with the surroudings of the player. To move around the virtual worlds player need to move in the real world scenario.


Notes


References

  1. ^ Geocaching.com
  2. ^ Location-based game on Wikipedia
  3. ^ Gamers turn cities into a battleground, Duncan Graham-Rowe, June 2005, New Scientist
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