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macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Google's mobile-augmented reality game Ingress today launched for iOS devices, coming seven months after the game's general release on Android. The title's product manager confirmed last October that an iOS version of the game was in the works after a closed beta saw over ten thousand active players a month and one million total activations.

The title's story centers around The Enlightened and The Resistance, two factions who compete against each other to unlock clues about a mystical technology. Events in the game progress in real-time as Google delivers new clues each week, while players claim local landmarks in the real-world to earn points for their respective team.

The World is the Game
Move through the real world using your iOS device and the Ingress app to discover and tap sources of this mysterious energy. Acquire objects to aid in your quest, deploy tech to capture territory, and ally with other players to advance the cause of the Enlightened or the Resistance.

Strategy
The struggle is being played out globally. Track the progress of players around the world, plan your next steps, and communicate with others using an Intelligence map.

Form Alliances
The struggle to save the planet spans the entire world. Groups of people acting together can be more effective than individuals acting alone. Cooperation across neighborhoods, cities, and countries will be needed to achieve the ultimate victory.
ingress_ios-800x467.jpg

Ingress is a free app for iOS devices and can be downloaded through the App Store. [Direct Link]

Article Link: Google Launches iOS Version of Multiplayer Augmented Reality Game 'Ingress'
 

coolfactor

macrumors 604
Jul 29, 2002
6,997
9,594
Vancouver, BC
First time that I've heard of it. Looks very cool. I like how it encourages people to get out into the world.

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does this qualify as tracking software?

I would think so, yes. Gold mine of info for Google.

(hey, did you get your Mac Pro super bucket yet?)
 

nagromme

macrumors G5
May 2, 2002
12,546
1,196
These AR games always seem to fall flat, yet there's something promising in the concept--whether this is a winner or not, I hope the experiments continue!

(The most promising that I've see is Seek 'N' Spell, but that doesn't depend on a worldwide playerbase--you set up a local game as desired.)

I'm at least interested to check it out. I'm having a hard time Googling for serious reviews of the game; I can only find "stories" about it existing. I guess app store reviews will have to do. (Or TouchArcade may step up to the task.)

Hopefully you don't need a Google account to play (another way they can associate your real-world movements, habits, and identity with your online searches, relationships, and purchasing). But if you do... it's easy enough to create a new one. (Although I'm sure Google is smart about tying multiple accounts together into one "master dossier" of info. All they'd need is to notice that I play this game from the same IP address as I check my "real" account's GMail from.)
 

usamaah

macrumors regular
Sep 23, 2008
190
287
Chicago
I know a few people who play this game. They enjoy it. There's a community around this game, those that play get to meet new people in the process.

I'm sure there will be most posts re: "OMG Google's tricking people into being tracked by playing a game" but the truth is that Google was always able to track you (on Android). The point here is that this game, which is a sleeper hit among the Android crowd, now is on iOS, which will help expand the game community further. I think that's great.
 

wordup60

macrumors member
Jul 5, 2012
71
60
This isn't about tracking people, it's about ground truthing for Google Maps. A bit like ReCAPTCHA moved on from digitising books to identifying street numbers.
 

larpa

macrumors newbie
Oct 11, 2013
6
0
Where is the augmented reality in this game? Context aware does not automatically mean AR.
 

Deagon

macrumors newbie
Feb 1, 2014
12
0
it's a great game. Makes you really get out and explore. You will learn a lot about ur local areas history and key community places.
Just glad now I don't have to lug around my Nexus 7 everywhere to play.
 

Reason077

macrumors 68040
Aug 14, 2007
3,588
3,532
Unfortunately in this game, iOS users are at a disadvantage due to the weak battery life of our devices :(

It looks pretty graphics intensive, and combined with the location usage I'd be lucky to get 45 minutes out of my iPhone 5's battery playing this.

Another thing: they shouldn't have bothered putting the faction choice in the iOS version. Should have just been "Enlightened" automatically.
 

sully54

macrumors 6502
Sep 15, 2012
371
959
Canada
Impressed up until it told me to walk to a portal. Then I just closed the app and watched cat videos on YouTube. Couldn't be bothered to leave my house today.
 

Craiger

macrumors 6502a
Jul 11, 2007
846
285
Doesn't seem to work in iOS 8 if anyone was wondering. closes immediately for me.
 

Jynto

macrumors 6502
Jan 16, 2012
382
119
Nottingham, UK
Is anyone having trouble running this on a jailbroken device? Every time I launch the app on jailbroken iOS 6, it shows the splash screen for about a second, then crashes to the home screen.

Since there is a jailbreak tweak that allows you to spoof your location (which would give you an unfair advantage), do you think the deliberately disabled it from running on jailbroken devices?
 

Reason077

macrumors 68040
Aug 14, 2007
3,588
3,532
Since there is a jailbreak tweak that allows you to spoof your location (which would give you an unfair advantage), do you think the deliberately disabled it from running on jailbroken devices?

Seems plausible. It runs fine on my non-jailbroken iPhone.
 

sabont

macrumors newbie
Aug 7, 2013
4
0
Doesn't seem to work in iOS 8 if anyone was wondering. closes immediately for me.

Same here, note to other developers using iOS 8 (beta 3) on an AT&T iPhone 5 is crashing immediately after splash screen.
 

jdawgnoonan

macrumors 6502a
Apr 22, 2007
657
905
Jefferson, WI
Unfortunately in this game, iOS users are at a disadvantage due to the weak battery life of our devices :(

It looks pretty graphics intensive, and combined with the location usage I'd be lucky to get 45 minutes out of my iPhone 5's battery playing this.

Another thing: they shouldn't have bothered putting the faction choice in the iOS version. Should have just been "Enlightened" automatically.

It eats a lot of battery on my Nexus 5 as well. Most people who play carry a power brick. A lot of people play.
 

GeneralChang

macrumors 68000
Dec 2, 2013
1,671
1,504
This isn't about tracking people, it's about ground truthing for Google Maps. A bit like ReCAPTCHA moved on from digitising books to identifying street numbers.

When that happened I first noticed it on a blog. I was rather tempted to sit there hitting refresh until my house number showed up. ;)
 

mfram

Contributor
Jan 23, 2010
1,304
341
San Diego, CA USA
This game is the reason I was looking forward to the larger iPhone 6. It will suck if the big new iPhone is really delayed.

I'm a long-time player of the game. What's cool about the game is that it gets you out to see places in your city you probably haven't seen before. Also helps promote exercise since you physically have to go to the locations. I've met lots of new people in my area playing the game.

Give the game a try! If you do, be sure to try and connect with experienced players in your area. They will help introduce you to the community of players in your area.
 
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