QR codes explained

QR Codes seem to be everywhere these days, and each has a unique destination. Ellie gives you a look at some of the most popular QR code reading apps for your mobile device and where to find these elusive codes!

In The Netherlands QR codes are used for a game i discovered called Het DamSpel.
I'm planning to play it soon and write a review for this site.

Do you have good exampes of QR in public?

Play virtual landgrab game on a windows phone

Land O'War is a location-based game that allows users to play against others and gain land and resources. It is a project done by a group of Singapore Management University (SMU) students for the course - Mobile and Pervasive Technology. It can be downloaded via Windows Marketplace.

De Leguanen - Alternate reality game trailer

De Leguanen is een Nederlandse Alternate Reality Game. De spelers van deze game gingen begin 2011 aan de hand van raadsels over het erfgoed van Breda op zoek naar smartphones. Om zo de opa van Eef te redden uit de handen van het privacy verwoestende data mining bedrijf, Panopticom.

The Iguanas is a dutch Alternate Reality Game. The players of this game started early 2011 on the basis of puzzles about the cultural heritage of Breda. The searching for smartphones. So they can save the grandfather of Eef from the destructive hands of the privacy data mining company, Panopticom.

Coderunner: An undercover mission of hacking, spying, sabotage and murder.

Last week i played this iPhone game intensively and it has made quite an impression. What an intriguing way to play spy. I'm hooked!
The game uses public info like the location of ATM machines and medical institutions around you wich makes it a local experience however it can be played anywhere in the world.

The game was developed by podcast pioneer, writer and actor Jeff Macpherson who is the founder of tikibartv.

Coderunnergame website.

Travel the world with Street View

Just a beautiful video about StreetView.

Visit Street View gallery

LvL App preview

LvL App is a location-based gaming application that applies game principles to a real world setting.

Any user can ‘drop’ a challenge on a certain location, which others can attempt to complete. You can earn real rewards from stores in your neighborhood by adding challenges and completing other users’ challenges.

I think this game is still in development because i cannot find it in the App Store or Android Market.

Record, analyse and share your ski track!

Take your phone out skiing!
One of America's largest ski resort companies is hoping to make the sport even more social this season, with a location-based gaming app it's calling Epic Mix.
Vail Resorts, owners of resorts in Colorado and California debuted the mobile and web-based application at a press event at the Ace Hotel in Manhattan.

When the mountains open in November, Epic Mix will allow visitors to the resorts to track the runs they completed, log their vertical feet as a score, unlock achievement 'Pins' and access several utilities, both in iPhone and Android apps and at epicmix.com.

The project combines lots of location-based service and gaming elements; rewards for varied experience, social sharing of vertical feet in a leaderboard and more.

RFID enabled
Perhaps the most interesting feature of the Epic Mix tracking system is it works on the RFID chips in skiiers' passes. There's no fumbling with your phone on the lift to check in to a run. When your pass is scanned at the lift, you're checked in, and no constant GPS contact and battery drain is required, like North Face's Trailhead iPhone app.

Game mechanics make you run like hell!

Zombies, Run! is an ultra-immersive running game for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and Android. We deliver the story straight to your headphones through orders and voice recordings - and back home, you can build and grow your base with the items you've collected.

Run Anywhere
Zombies, Run! works anywhere and at any speed. You can jog in a park, run along a beach, or walk along a trail, even on treadmills!

A World of Stories
Where did the zombies come from? What are the leaders of your base planning? There’s a deeper mystery to be uncovered, puzzles to be solved, websites to be discovered, documents to be viewed so you can learn the truth of what’s happened to the world.

Better Fitness Through Science
Zombies, Run! records the distance, time, pace, and calories burned of all your runs, and we're planning RunKeeper integration. You can also hear audio notifications for time, distance, and pace during your run.

This new outdoor game gets everybody moving!

StraatGolf - GPS iPhone Game from Eelco Romeijn on Vimeo.

NISB StreetGolf is a free, location-based game for iOs devices. Swing your iPhone like a real golfclub. You play 3 virtual holes in your direct surroundings on Google maps. 1 to 4 people can play by sharing 1 iPhone. It makes walking around with your fellow workers during a lunchbreak so much fun!

Only available in The Netherlands.

PacMan returns to your area with a UFO!

Home Invasion is a location-based game for android devices.
Aliens invade your neighborhood and you are one of them! You control your spaceship by walking outside in your neighborhood. Yes! You have to go outside to play this game. To play, you need a constant GPS signal, a working internet connection and some nearby roads.

Your mission is to destroy all the targets that your overlords have placed. Those are indicated through green glowing dots. To destroy them you have to get them into your laser range. For each destroyed target you will get a point. But beware! Military is informed and trys to stop you. Don't get into the fire range of the tanks or they will destroy you.

The developer of this fun game first published it as a location-based version of PacMan (called PacMap) but was forced to remove it from the market due to copyright issues. The concept and gameplay hasn't changed that much however.

Playing the GoGame app with Veronica Belmont

Veronica Belmont is a technology and gaming-centric video host based out of San Francisco.
An avid gamer and social-networking junkie (with over 1 million Twitter followers), Veronica often speaks about her interests at conferences and panels.

Your city is a game. Pick up the phone...

Shadow Cities is a location based multiplayer game for iPhone. Become a Mage and take over your streets and neighborhoods with your team.

2 Dutch girls discover a new sport: Figure Running

Everybody loves playing outside. Figurerunning is a new sport that encourages you to get creative, go outside and discover new places while running and getting fit. The competition is not about your running speed or distance, it’s all about drawing. Become a master the art of Figurerunning. Do it when and wherever you want and be sure to share your art with your friends. The world is our canvas and you are the pencil!

Every serious sport wants to be recognised by the IOC’s Olympic Programme Commission. Their mission is to be included in the Olympic Programme of Rio de Janeiro 2016.

Take part and run figures!

GTA watched from satellites

However this video is not really about a location-based game or tour, it's so funny i thought i had to share it with you.
See for yourself! Got the picture?

Photosharing app "Color" gains enormous attention (and money).

A just recently released iPhone an Android app called Color has made a kickstart. This simple video has been viewed almost 60.000 times in only 5 days!

Instagram has taken the app world by storm, but here comes the challenger in a universe obsessed with instant photo sharing, complete with a tonne of great social features, and minus the need to “filter” everything for coolness, instead, showcasing location based group albums.

Now, it’s not just “location” as the primary feature, its actually all about creating social photo albums based around those locations, from you, your friends and every other stranger within 150 feet. The app takes everything into the “multi-lens” view, were you can literally see every photo being taken right now, with in that 150 feet, allowing you to experience a location or say, an event, from other perspectives in real time. It also allows you to comment and interact with the people taking photos.

At first glance, this is about to become a “must have” event/party app, but I suspect it might just be a little more in the long run as people discover the power of social perspective.

Venture Capital
It is worth adding that this new app Color has a number of interested investors. Color, a California based company has till now raised $41 million investment money.

Thanks to DigitalBuzz.

Play The Go Game like it's your job!

The Go Game App is a location-based game that’s part scavenger hunt, part mobile party and full-on fun. They have run over 5,000 street-level games since 2002 and now they are bringing the party to the iPhone.

Awesome Content
Unlike other games that ask you to do the writing, they have done all the work for you. Game experts have scouted thousands of landmarks, bars, cafes, and other urban gems and written clever clues that will set up a range of hilarious experiences perfect for any occasion.

It’s Customizable
Got a Bachelorette party coming up? Company offsite? Birthday? The Go Game team has done them all and know how to bring the fun to each and every occasion. Now you can customize the Go Game App to create the experience you want for your group. Simply select your city and occasion, then pick how risqué you want your game to be and… BAM, you’re ready to rock in less than 3 minutes.

Read a review at Mobile Beat

The Best Camera... is the one you have with you!

Although Chase Jarvis is a professional photographer he likes taking pictures with his iPhone an share them with others. It's not the techstuff, it's the story that counts. So, this is not really a location-based thing but it still is about sharing interesting locations through pictures.
You can only love this guy's enthousiasm.

The worldwide hub for mobile photography

Post something on my real wall...

‘Dead Drops’ is an anonymous, offline, peer to peer file-sharing network in public space. USB flash drives are embedded into walls, buildings and curbs accessable to anybody in public space. Everyone is invited to drop or find files on a dead drop. Plug your laptop to a wall, house or pole to share your favorite files and data. Each dead drop is installed empty except a readme.txt file explaining the project. ‘Dead Drops’ is open to participation. If you want to install a dead drop in your city/neighborhood follow the ‘how to’ instructions and submit the location and pictures. I will do that asap. What a fantastic idea Aram!

Created by German artist Aram Bartholl.

Poikilia: a German Guided Tours project build by students.

Made by Maurice Messinger for his study mediadesign at DHBW Ravensburg.
Good job an a nice video!

Poikilia website

New released Location-Based Games to Discover Cities on your iPhone

In this iPhone app, the player undertakes a mystical journey through the city. At various stops, the player has to search for clues and solve puzzles. The goal of the game: to find the final destination, where the mystery is revealed completely.

The content of City Secrets depends on the city. In Amsterdam, you help a retired police officer to solve an old murder case. In Barcelona, the quest will lead you to the lost sketchbook of Gaudi. And in Paris, an old picture book takes you to Napoleon’s hidden treasures. The game will take you to some of the city’s highlights, as well as some less well-known, but equally interesting places.

This game was developed by LaMosca