Identidades plurales que cohabitan en la Cordillera

There are not many commercial pervasive games available today. However, we have identified three location based games which are being sold today, as well as one free game which might be noteworthy.

5.3. Other applications of interest 39

5.3.1

Turf Wars

One of the most note worthy are Turf Wars by MeanFreePath. In turfwar you play a Mafia boss who can set up his own “turfs” as well as attack other mobsters and do missions. Missions and attacking other mobsters earn you experience points and money. You also earn money from turfs, in addition to influence. Money is spent on upgrading and adding turfs, buying weapons and regaining health. Turfs can only be placed near your real world location. Users can capture nearby turfs by attacking them. The gameplay distinguishes itself from other mafia style games like iMafia, iMobsters and Mafia Wars by this use of location based technology. The use of location based technology makes the game dependent on having other geographically nearby players, but offers a completely different play style and depth of gameplay. Like other games in the mafia sub genre, Turf Wars is released as a free application where you may purchase in game currency with real world money. The interchangeable in game currency of Turf Wars is Respect points. Respect points may be used to purchase in game $ (for upgrades, weapons etc), henchmen (non player mob members), health, stamina, energy or other in game attributes. Turf Wars is available for the iPhone only.

5.3.2

Parallel Kingdom: Age of Emergence

Another pervasive game for both the iPhone and Android platforms is the fantasy RPG Parallel Kingdom: Age of Emergence. Like Turf Wars, Parallel

Kingdom uses a business model where the game is downloadable for free, but

offers an in game currency which can be bought for real world money. The in game currency of Parallel Kingdom is food. Food can be used to acquire skill points, refine oil, training your hunting dog et cetera. The gameplay centers around your geographical location. When you start the game, you may move around in an area centered on your geographical location. Monsters, items and objects are seeded to different geographical locations. Monsters may also move around in the world. In addition to monsters and game objects, other players and their property can also be seen in the game world. Players are visible only when playing, but their property is stationary, and can be attacked even when they are not online. The object of the game is to slay monsters, level up, and to build your own kingdom by setting up flags and building structures. Structures are made by gathering the required resources, and selecting an empty spot to

build on. Most structures can only be placed inside the players own territory. Territory is captured by planting flags. Planting a flag captures an area around it for the user that planted it. The user can also travel to any flag he has previously set up, and move around in the area around that flag as he would normally do around his geographical location. To see new locations, the user can also use his hunting dog. By using some resources, he can have the dog lead him to new territory, typically an empty area near the geographical location of the user, but outside his are of influence. The user may pick up items, build structures or engage monsters just as he would be able to in his geographical vicinity. It is also possible to craft items using gathered resources.

5.3.3

Traveler’s Quest

Traveler’s Quest by Kitty Code, LCC is a family oriented game resembling geo-

cashing. Unlike geocashing, however, there are no physical objects involved. The gameplay of Traveler’s Quest revolves around creating, selling and pur- chasing treasure maps, and then using them to hunt for treasure. Discovering treasure and creating/selling treasure maps gains the user in game currency he can then use to buy more maps. The in game map shows the users location, as well as the treasure’s location and the users distance from the treasure. The object is then to move around in the real world until the user is near enough to retrieve the treasure. The treasure can then be buried somewhere else, earn- ing the player money while it is buried. The amount of money gained by the treasure depends on how far away from the treasure’s origin you have buried it. Other players may also be able to find the treasure without a map, if they pass close enough to it. The game has a purchase price of 17 NOK, and no purchasable in game currency.

5.3.4

Killer

Killer is an iPhone only game where users hunt each other, and try to “shoot”

each other in a virtual world. To “shoot” another player, the player has to get into bluetooth range of the other player, and initiate a “shot”. The other user would then try to get out of bluetooth range of the initiator and then answer the “shot”. If he cannot get out of bluetooth range, or if he does not answer