Endgame: Proving Ground

Endgame: Proving Ground
Developer(s) Niantic Labs
Platform(s) Android
Release date(s) 2015
Genre(s) Augmented reality role-playing video game
Mode(s) Multiplayer
Distribution Digital distribution

Endgame: Proving Ground is a mobile app on iOS and Android by Google's Niantic Labs. It is an augmented reality or mixed reality game played anywhere in the world you can get wireless service via cell phone or standard internet service provider.

Setting

The story of the alternate reality for Endgame: Proving Ground is the same as Endgame: The Calling. They are both elements in a transmedia storytelling strategy by author James Frey and Nils Johnson-Shelton partnering with Niantic Labs. The story world of Endgame is told via website in an interactive manner, as narrated by a 6-day a week paid actress who in 2014 began telling the pre-story to the books by James Frey.[1]

Twelve families were chosen by extraterrestrials long ago. They have been training since then while waiting for the sign of the "endgame", at which point one survivor will need to recover three keys and thus decide humankind's fate.[2]

Elements of Gameplay

Endgame: Proving ground uses the geography of Google Maps in order to mark off points of interest.

Players can walk around outside at these points and collect equipment to increase their ability to defend or attack points of interest, much like a traditional role playing game.

Players can also claim the points and then are free to wander. Fights result after an already claimed point of interest is contested by an opposing player. The player who has the current claim will receive a notification to defend the point and can respond from anywhere in the world so long as they are online. If not online the duel challenge goes to the next player on the team. Should no players be available to defend the claim to the point, an artificial intelligence will duel against the player who is seeking to claim the point as his own.[3]

References

  1. Dipane, Jared. "Google's Niantic Labs to bring 'ENDGAME' book series to an AR game". AndroidCentral.com. Android Central. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  2. Lawler, Kelly. "USA Today by Kelly Lawler". http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/books/2014/09/22/james-frey-endgame-gold/16049637/''. USA Today. Retrieved September 22, 2014.
  3. Frank, Blair Hanley. "Google's Niantic Labs merges another virtual world with reality in upcoming game". Geekwire.com. Geek Wire. Retrieved 18 March 2015.

External links