Well, the google Niantic Project is going strong and seems to have more coming. A lot has happened just in this last month of full on launch. There was a massive shift in the ARG about half way into the month when Google released Ingress - www.ingress.com it made a huge split and created a new wave of "players" many of these however were not interested in the ARG or backstory (some in chat have said that very thing) but just the Ingress video game app - it was fascinating to watch the IRC channel change from the puzzle solving and chatting to the new audience of gamers - there was such a difference... it was, odd and a definite people watching moment to see the shifts and changes.
It looks like this project has no signs of stopping, a second month timeline at www.nianticproject.com looks to be starting tomorrow.
Plus in this article - http://allthingsd.com/20121115/google-launches-ingress-a-worldwide-mobile-alternate-reality-game/ J. Hanke, the head of Niantic Labs - the department seeming to be behind this, or at least the PR face for this, mentions a long event.
I wanted to continue my community and fan based thread and thoughts and, i will get to that, but WOW a number of communities appeared overnight with the advent of the Ingress video game app element - there are dozens of groups. Also, as the IRC and ARG puzzle solvers were overrun by the Ingress gamers, more wikis and google docs and other outlets have appeared, these are more one or two people, but are attempting to continue the puzzle solving.
There is so much going on with this project and event, people have been making art and similar by the 100s and 1000s to try and get invite codes to the Ingress game, have to admit, getting people to do something for the invites and especially creative art and similar is awesome. Also, google is collecting a buttload of map data as people are taking pictures of local art, murals, science places and similar to try and get portals made. plus, they send in a map error when a portal is located wrong - what a way to do free data collection...
And I could go on, I need to, there is a lot to talk about and point out, but I am off to try and hack a portal.
Oh, for the record, for now, I joined the Enlightened side, even if it seems like the Shapers are not so nice.... ;)
Friday, November 30, 2012
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Niantic project - community and info sources
As mentioned, have been following this ARG or more that somehow is Google related and who knows what else. One item that has come up is how all these different people and communities have sprung up working to solve the codes and puzzles and brainstorm. Making for a fierce collective. Some of the in game characters have even been referencing some of the collections and IRC chats and so on). In fact, something the one character said got me to thinking. There are so many communities that have been springing up. Some more active and "fast" than others. It is neat watching the different communities and how they are structured, their pace and so on.
That said, it also made me think how if we all tried to stream to the one IRC chat or the one wiki - would that be a case of putting all our eggs in one basket? What is someone hacks the main wiki or something goes wrong with the IRC? Is all our data and knowledge and solutions lost? Backups, mirrors, and archives are important, especially in this day and age as I fear we are losing so much history as it is all digital (look at how many websites and content from the late 90s and early 2000s websites still exist....)
Plus, the groups are at different levels, so in one you might be frustrated as you never get a chance to solve anything. In fact, that is something important in a "game", the ability to solve and progress. if you get frustrated because everyone else is faster than you, or you are not able to solve things, you tend to tune off, or miss much of the game because you are tuning in and out. Yes, I tend to like to watch the story unfold, but there is a piece of me that likes to help and be involved.
I've tended to be best at the FieldTrip App and map stuff as well as chatting with the characters through g+ and that type of activity in this adventure. Cyphers and codes and puzzles and I do not get along. I like the chatting about theories, events and research as well as cataloging. I am an archiver and a librarian at heart.
So, for today, I am archiving all the different places I can find people are discussing this. If I have missed a spot, please let me know.
last updated 11/17/12 - adding Ingress links as well - seems the game has exploded ;)
Base Niantic Project
That said, it also made me think how if we all tried to stream to the one IRC chat or the one wiki - would that be a case of putting all our eggs in one basket? What is someone hacks the main wiki or something goes wrong with the IRC? Is all our data and knowledge and solutions lost? Backups, mirrors, and archives are important, especially in this day and age as I fear we are losing so much history as it is all digital (look at how many websites and content from the late 90s and early 2000s websites still exist....)
Plus, the groups are at different levels, so in one you might be frustrated as you never get a chance to solve anything. In fact, that is something important in a "game", the ability to solve and progress. if you get frustrated because everyone else is faster than you, or you are not able to solve things, you tend to tune off, or miss much of the game because you are tuning in and out. Yes, I tend to like to watch the story unfold, but there is a piece of me that likes to help and be involved.
I've tended to be best at the FieldTrip App and map stuff as well as chatting with the characters through g+ and that type of activity in this adventure. Cyphers and codes and puzzles and I do not get along. I like the chatting about theories, events and research as well as cataloging. I am an archiver and a librarian at heart.
So, for today, I am archiving all the different places I can find people are discussing this. If I have missed a spot, please let me know.
last updated 11/17/12 - adding Ingress links as well - seems the game has exploded ;)
Base Niantic Project
- http://niantic.schlarp.com - Major wiki and resource to track what is going on -
- - IRC chat hosted by same person as wiki
- irc.irchighway.net #niantic. - IRC chat
- https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1cmV8-PT631wjejfAzz7x64j1AEZSVJWu5P8dxAI050M - shared by +Johnathan Chung - his notes including solves and other resources
- https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oA26tpCwYRTYnRDtCNV3Hqta5GUVXEVI_mN19B0p7Mo/edit - another google doc worked on by general group associated with wiki
- reddit - http://www.reddit.com/r/NIANTIC/ and http://www.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/12u9ih/google_this_is_getting_pretty_weird_the_niantic/
- unforum discussion - http://forums.unfiction.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=36434
- map with some of the locations marked - https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=203685585566952099382.0004cd94033b5f5265661
- http://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1222933
- https://www.facebook.com/NianticProject
- https://twitter.com/search?q=%23nianticproject&src=hash - hashtag nianticproject for twitter
- http://habrahabr.ru/post/158145/ - habrahabr forum thread
- http://www.reddit.com/r/Ingress/ - focused on Ingress
Friday, November 09, 2012
Niantic Project
I am soooooo behind in my blogs and posting and projects (thank you real life and Sandy megastorm and Nor'Easter and...)
But just caught wind of this Niantic Project and you might wanna check it - looks cool - and yes, I am bias as I like Google - http://www.argn.com/2012/11/google_niantic_project_smartphone_portals/ - great article by Michael Anderson
Will explore and report back this weekend - this is a good wiki and resource to track what is going on - http://niantic.schlarp.com/
Other places to check
A downside to any bigger ARG or project is how so many conversations spring up in multiple places. A good side though, is you can pick a group and work through the "game" with the group and thus have an unique experience.
But just caught wind of this Niantic Project and you might wanna check it - looks cool - and yes, I am bias as I like Google - http://www.argn.com/2012/11/google_niantic_project_smartphone_portals/ - great article by Michael Anderson
Will explore and report back this weekend - this is a good wiki and resource to track what is going on - http://niantic.schlarp.com/
Other places to check
- reddit - http://www.reddit.com/r/NIANTIC/ and http://www.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/12u9ih/google_this_is_getting_pretty_weird_the_niantic/
- unforum discussion - http://forums.unfiction.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=36434
- map with some of the locations marked - https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=203685585566952099382.0004cd94033b5f5265661
- http://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1222933
- https://www.facebook.com/NianticProject
A downside to any bigger ARG or project is how so many conversations spring up in multiple places. A good side though, is you can pick a group and work through the "game" with the group and thus have an unique experience.
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