Identifying patterns and affordances in location-based games: The practices of Niantic
Resumo
Niantic is a global company pioneering in the immersive gaming industry, with this feature driven by location-based game mechanics. This paper identifies and analyzes affordances and game patterns related to players' locations in Niantic's games—Peridot, Monster Hunter Now, Pikmin Bloom, Pokémon GO, and Ingress—to uncover LBG patterns and perceived affordances. The analysis shows that Search-and-Find and Change-of-Distance are the most stimulated mechanics. The impact of these game dynamics necessitates careful implementation in urban environments for healthy and safe gameplay. Affordances in LBGs frequently use real-world locations, and procedural content generation could enhance user experiences without location-based distortions.
Palavras-chave:
Location-based games, LBG, affordance, LBG Patterns
Referências
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Baldwin, A., Eriksson, J., e Olsson, C. M. (2017). Bus runner: using contextual cues for procedural generation of game content on public transport. In Human-Computer Interaction. Interaction Contexts: 19th International Conference, HCI International 2017, Vancouver, BC, Canada, July 9-14, 2017, Proceedings, Part II 19, pages 21–34. Springer.
Bomström, H., Kelanti, M., Lappalainen, J., Annanperä, E., e Liukkunen, K. (2020). Synchronizing game and ai design in pcg-based game prototypes. In Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games, pages 1–8.
Cardona-Rivera, R. E. e Young, R. M. (2013). A cognitivist theory of affordances for games. In DiGRA Conference.
da Silva, B. C., Maia, J. G. R., e Viana, W. (2024). Procedural content generation in pervasive games: state of affairs, mistakes, and successes. International Journal of Pervasive Computing and Communications (IJPCC).
Davis, J. L. (2023). ‘affordances’ for machine learning. In Proceedings of the 2023 ACM Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency, FAccT ’23, page 324–332, New York, NY, USA. Association for Computing Machinery.
de la Fuente, J., Gustafson, S., Twomey, C., e Bix, L. (2015). An affordance-based methodology for package design. Packaging Technology and Science, 28(2):157–171.
Ferreira, C., Maia, L. F., de Salles, C., Trinta, F., e Viana, W. (2019). Modelling and transposition of location-based games. Entertainment Computing, 30:100295.
Ferreira, C., Maia, L. F., Salles, C., Trinta, F., e Viana, W. (2017). A model-based approach for designing location-based games. In Anais do XVI SBGames. SBC.
Freitas, L. M. e da Silva, B. C. (2020). A narrativa por meio do ambiente. Proceedings of the XIX SBGames, pages 1264–1267.
Hassanin, M., Khan, S., e Tahtali, M. (2021). Visual affordance and function understanding: A survey. ACM Computing Surveys (CSUR), 54(3):1–35.
Jachna, T. (2021). Wiring the Streets, Surfing the Square: Producing Public Space in the Mediated City. Springer International Publishing.
Laato, S., Hyrynsalmi, S., Rauti, S., Islam, A. N., e Laine, T. H. (2020). Location-based games as exergames - from pokémon to the wizarding world. IJSG, 7(1):79–95.
Laato, S., Pietarinen, T., Rauti, S., Paloheimo, M., Inaba, N., e Sutinen, E. (2019). A review of location-based games: Do they all support exercise, social interaction and cartographical training? CSEDU (1), pages 616–627.
Lehmann, L. (2012). Location-based mobile games: State of the art and future challenges for developing location-based games for mobile devices.
Leorke, D. (2019). Location-based gaming: Play in public space. Springer.
Perani, L. e Duarte, A. (2017). Evolução de affordances em jogos clássicos da série pac-man. XVI Simpósio Brasileiro de Jogos e Entretenimento Digital-SBGAMES, 2017.
Sarkar, A., Summerville, A., Snodgrass, S., Bentley, G., e Osborn, J. (2020). Exploring level blending across platformers via paths and affordances. In Proceedings of the AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Interactive Digital Entertainment, volume 16, pages 280–286.
Silva, B., Freitas, L., Maia, J., e Carvalho, W. (2022). Analisando a narrativa de ambiente transumana em jogo. In Anais Estendidos do XXI SBGames, pages 89–98, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil. SBC.
Sukiyama, R. C. F. e e Silva, T. B. P. (2019). A relação de affordances com ambientes virtuais de jogos:um estudo sob a perspectiva da psicologia ambiental. In Anais Estendidos do XVIII SBGames, pages 8–17. SBC.
Sullivan, M. (2022). Niantic positions itself as a capable rival to apple, meta in coming ar wars. [link].
Valente, L., Feijó, B., Leite, J. C. S. d. P., e Clua, E. (2017). A method to assess pervasive qualities in mobile games. Personal and Ubiquitous Computing, 22(4):647–670.
Woodill, G. (2014). Unique affordances of mobile learning.
Baldwin, A., Eriksson, J., e Olsson, C. M. (2017). Bus runner: using contextual cues for procedural generation of game content on public transport. In Human-Computer Interaction. Interaction Contexts: 19th International Conference, HCI International 2017, Vancouver, BC, Canada, July 9-14, 2017, Proceedings, Part II 19, pages 21–34. Springer.
Bomström, H., Kelanti, M., Lappalainen, J., Annanperä, E., e Liukkunen, K. (2020). Synchronizing game and ai design in pcg-based game prototypes. In Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on the Foundations of Digital Games, pages 1–8.
Cardona-Rivera, R. E. e Young, R. M. (2013). A cognitivist theory of affordances for games. In DiGRA Conference.
da Silva, B. C., Maia, J. G. R., e Viana, W. (2024). Procedural content generation in pervasive games: state of affairs, mistakes, and successes. International Journal of Pervasive Computing and Communications (IJPCC).
Davis, J. L. (2023). ‘affordances’ for machine learning. In Proceedings of the 2023 ACM Conference on Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency, FAccT ’23, page 324–332, New York, NY, USA. Association for Computing Machinery.
de la Fuente, J., Gustafson, S., Twomey, C., e Bix, L. (2015). An affordance-based methodology for package design. Packaging Technology and Science, 28(2):157–171.
Ferreira, C., Maia, L. F., de Salles, C., Trinta, F., e Viana, W. (2019). Modelling and transposition of location-based games. Entertainment Computing, 30:100295.
Ferreira, C., Maia, L. F., Salles, C., Trinta, F., e Viana, W. (2017). A model-based approach for designing location-based games. In Anais do XVI SBGames. SBC.
Freitas, L. M. e da Silva, B. C. (2020). A narrativa por meio do ambiente. Proceedings of the XIX SBGames, pages 1264–1267.
Hassanin, M., Khan, S., e Tahtali, M. (2021). Visual affordance and function understanding: A survey. ACM Computing Surveys (CSUR), 54(3):1–35.
Jachna, T. (2021). Wiring the Streets, Surfing the Square: Producing Public Space in the Mediated City. Springer International Publishing.
Laato, S., Hyrynsalmi, S., Rauti, S., Islam, A. N., e Laine, T. H. (2020). Location-based games as exergames - from pokémon to the wizarding world. IJSG, 7(1):79–95.
Laato, S., Pietarinen, T., Rauti, S., Paloheimo, M., Inaba, N., e Sutinen, E. (2019). A review of location-based games: Do they all support exercise, social interaction and cartographical training? CSEDU (1), pages 616–627.
Lehmann, L. (2012). Location-based mobile games: State of the art and future challenges for developing location-based games for mobile devices.
Leorke, D. (2019). Location-based gaming: Play in public space. Springer.
Perani, L. e Duarte, A. (2017). Evolução de affordances em jogos clássicos da série pac-man. XVI Simpósio Brasileiro de Jogos e Entretenimento Digital-SBGAMES, 2017.
Sarkar, A., Summerville, A., Snodgrass, S., Bentley, G., e Osborn, J. (2020). Exploring level blending across platformers via paths and affordances. In Proceedings of the AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Interactive Digital Entertainment, volume 16, pages 280–286.
Silva, B., Freitas, L., Maia, J., e Carvalho, W. (2022). Analisando a narrativa de ambiente transumana em jogo. In Anais Estendidos do XXI SBGames, pages 89–98, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil. SBC.
Sukiyama, R. C. F. e e Silva, T. B. P. (2019). A relação de affordances com ambientes virtuais de jogos:um estudo sob a perspectiva da psicologia ambiental. In Anais Estendidos do XVIII SBGames, pages 8–17. SBC.
Sullivan, M. (2022). Niantic positions itself as a capable rival to apple, meta in coming ar wars. [link].
Valente, L., Feijó, B., Leite, J. C. S. d. P., e Clua, E. (2017). A method to assess pervasive qualities in mobile games. Personal and Ubiquitous Computing, 22(4):647–670.
Woodill, G. (2014). Unique affordances of mobile learning.
Publicado
30/09/2024
Como Citar
SILVA, Bruno C. da; FREITAS, Lucas M.; MAIA, José G. R.; VIANA, Windson.
Identifying patterns and affordances in location-based games: The practices of Niantic. In: SIMPÓSIO BRASILEIRO DE JOGOS E ENTRETENIMENTO DIGITAL (SBGAMES), 23. , 2024, Manaus/AM.
Anais [...].
Porto Alegre: Sociedade Brasileira de Computação,
2024
.
p. 13-24.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5753/sbgames.2024.240141.
