Ask HN: Name a good location-based game platform.

1 points by seanccox 13y ago ↗ HN

I tried asking this yesterday, and it got buried pretty quickly... so here's a second try with an update.

I design location-specific scavenger hunts and themed games, and I was recently asked to design a game for a mall. They also asked if I could put it on a mobile device for people to download, and I said, "Of course!"

Oops.

SCVNGR is shuttered, and I only recently found a few additional tools. I'm not sure how designer friendly they are, and it would be nice to have others' opinions on them:

playground-thursday.com/

joyity.com/

placechallenge.com/

I don't know of any other platforms, either, but before I commit to one, it would be nice to hear about them from a designers perspective.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Critiques?

Much appreciated, -s

2 comments

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wallflower 13y ago ↗

Google Ingress

http://ingress.com

seanccox 13y ago ↗

Ah... I had wanted to play that, but unfortunately it doesn't work in Istanbul (where I live).

Also, I was asking more specifically about platforms. That might not be the correct term, but what I am seeking to do is put content onto a mobile app, so that it's easier to share with players. The games I design could easily be done on paper, and as I indicated, they are location specific.

Think of a geocaching adventure, only the locations are only revealed as the game is played. So, I need something that allows for the player to reveal the path as the play. SCVNGR did this quite nicely, but that's a defunct option.

Any ideas in that regard?