New York, New York – With over 500,000 Apps now live for the iPhone, and a large chunk of those being games, the launch of a new iPhone App game is usually not that big-a-deal, especially since many of these new games are trying to replicate the success of some of the more prominent App games. One can only get so excited by the latest ‘Miffed Moggies’ or ‘Perturbed Pigs’ before you realise barriers are no longer being broken.
Thankfully the launch of new iPhone App game TapGeoHunt see’s a refreshingly different approach to great effect. TapGeoHunt is similar to a traditional treasure hunt game, where groups of individuals, or teams, race to find hidden clues or trinkets. The twist being that TapGeoHunt uses Augmented Reality to facilitate the game play. Using the camera in the iPhone the game shows the player what they actually see before them in the real world, but with the addition of a game objects layer overlaid, meaning the player can see treasure chests, zombies, ghosts and more in and about their defined real world play area.
Using simple compass directional controls and distance to next ‘Hunt Point’ the game allows for seamless game play with the iPhone’s built-in capabilities and delivers a more ‘playable by all’ approach than having to solve clues to find each location.
At the core of the game play each team or individual must get within 10 metres of each ‘Hunt Point’ to be able to tap the Augmented Reality object, earn points, and reveal more of the game’s storyboard. Each game can have as many Hunt Points as you wish and can be placed anywhere you want with simple map and pin controls.
The game provides 4 different hunt themes including Pirates, Zombies, Ghosts and Cops & Robbers, which will provide more than enough variety for regular players, but probably more useful for corporate team building games and promotional events is the game’s ability to record videos to be played back at each Hunt Point.
Parents can create a controlled area for their children’s hunt games, keeping them within an area that’s safe. For workers lunchtime will never be dull again, by creating lunchtime hunts with colleagues, even including places to go to pick up lunch! Create hunts across your park, village, town or city, adding as many teams as you wish, all racing against the clock and each other to get to the finish.
Using the Video functionality is perfect for your organisation’s team building motivational exercises, or promotional events. You can record company messages, motivational, or promo videos, to be played to participants at each Hunt Point and set the final Hunt Point, where all participants arrive, to the location of your event or party.
TapGeoHunt creator Ian Naylor said “being a parent I’ve noticed that these days kids are more and more reaching for their parents iPhones and submersing themselves in popular games such as AngryBirds. I wanted to create a game that was more inclusive and gets you off your bum and out into the real world.”
The idea of MMOGs (Massive Multiplayer Online Games) is not new, but typically a MMOG locks the player in front of their gaming console and submerses them in a Persistent or Virtual world. With TapGeoHunt, you’re playing in the real world, using Augmented Reality technology to map the game objects wherever you choose.
The idea that lots of people can play against each other, or join together in teams, get out of the house or office and have fun and maybe a little exercise to boot is a powerful combination. From trials done during the games development users certainly enjoyed this new slant on the MMOG.
Device Requirements:
* iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation) and iPad
* Requires iOS 5.0 or later
* 7.7 MB
Pricing and Availability:
TapGeoHunt 1.0 is Free and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Games category.
App Partner Development
TapGeoHunt 1.0
Download from iTunes
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