AlfaTech Posted November 4, 2013 Posted November 4, 2013 (edited) I recently stumbled across a very interesting game last week. It's called INGRESS It's an Android only game (at the moment - iPhoney to follow soon) but it integrates Google Maps with Augmented Reality and Geo-cashing. Its been going for about a year and is currently in a closed Beta at the moment which means its invite only, but it is about to be released to the masses for free on the 14th December 2013. A friend (who doesn't actually play it) gave me an invite last week and I must say that it is strangely alluring and quite addictive plus it has the added benefit of getting me out-and-about as I go in search of portals to hack, or enemy portals to destroy. The idea of the game is that it is between two factions The Enlightened (of which I am one) and The Resistance. Portals are 'hacked' to mine for items (resonators to capture portals, XMP weapons to destroy resonators, portal mods and keys). Once you have captured 3 portals you can establish a 'Control Field' in a triangle between the portals. Its actually a turf-war on a global scale as each side tries to take more ground and beat the other faction. I know its still a month away but if you like games, geo-cashing, augmented reality and world conquest (well your part in it on a local level) it's definitely well worth checking out. Watch this space for more information! Is anyone else here already playing this? Agent Kitalon of The Enlightened *** EDIT - Allegedly it is actually free and open to play now (no invites needed), it will officially be released on the 14th Dec *** Edited November 4, 2013 by AlfaTech
CyberNerd Posted November 4, 2013 Posted November 4, 2013 I reached lvl8 resistance. I was playing obsessively for about 8 months. At the time there were no portals in my home town so it was quite the struggle. I've since given up because it really ate into my life. One of my colleagues still plays. I would recommend you join some of the ENL google plus groups for your region.
featured_spectre Posted November 4, 2013 Posted November 4, 2013 no portals near me...well within 2 miles anyway
Rawns Posted November 4, 2013 Posted November 4, 2013 http://www.edugeek.net/forums/gaming/105629-ingress-invite.html?highlight=ingress I removed it from my phone as there were no portals near by!
CyberNerd Posted November 4, 2013 Posted November 4, 2013 no portals near me...well within 2 miles anyway Last time I played (march or april) they were accepting pretty much anything.
AlfaTech Posted November 4, 2013 Author Posted November 4, 2013 (edited) I reached lvl8 resistance. I was playing obsessively for about 8 months. At the time there were no portals in my home town so it was quite the struggle. I've since given up because it really ate into my life. One of my colleagues still plays. I would recommend you join some of the ENL google plus groups for your region. Yes I can see how it has such potential to eat in to one's life (but then that can be true about many games). I'm deliberately staying low-key at the moment (and I don't have a G+ account anymore, because I don't trust it) but I did visit Bristol yesterday and typed in a message to the local area and was surprised at the friendly response I got from my own faction. I'm only level 4, but then I've only been playing a week. However I stealthily managed to destroy 9 enemy portals and establish control fields all over my home town on Saturday, then watched this guy (lvl 7) drive around on Sunday and take them all back (he didnt' spot me, but I saw him hehe). I have also been 'adding new portals' all over the place strategically putting them in interesting locations (I just need to wait and see if they authorise them in a few weeks). It's all fun 'n games! Edited November 4, 2013 by AlfaTech
Rawns Posted November 4, 2013 Posted November 4, 2013 Just redownlaoded it and loads of portals have sprung up around me. Even better it seems you can create new portals. Think I'll give this another shot.
arwen Posted November 4, 2013 Posted November 4, 2013 I go through phases of playing it. Mostly when it is a nice day on a sunday and I fancy a walk around town. Or when I have an hour or two to kill in Glasgow/Edinburgh/London as there are loads of portals in a dense area in those cities.
AlfaTech Posted November 4, 2013 Author Posted November 4, 2013 (edited) Oh wow! I have just found the Jarvis Virus... mwuhahaha OK. So what's the best way to use this? (Allegedly the Jarvis Virus flips a portal from Resistance to Enlightened) In hindsight this lvl 8 guy has been bugging me by turning my entire town & countryside blue and then he mocked me on the messaging system about my small achievement over my home town. But I know where his central portal is located... so I think I might just flip it to my faction tonight and see what happens. I'm sure it'll give him a whole lot more work to do and should wipe that smug look off his face (I spotted him too the other day looking rather happy with himself). Hehe! Revenge is sweet, but subtle. Edited November 4, 2013 by AlfaTech
Sunnyknight Posted November 4, 2013 Posted November 4, 2013 Saw this a while back. Gave it a miss as I don't walk much (car) and no portals nearby. Looks brill though.... if there were more portals.... I may
AlfaTech Posted November 4, 2013 Author Posted November 4, 2013 Actually on second thoughts... I'm going to bide my time, go out for a nice drive in my Alfa a different way home tonight to the opposite side of the valley and find a portal to link to over there so that when he re-takes his portal (which he'll undoubtedly do with a similar device) he won't be able to re-establish his links again. That'll keep him busy. Gotta think tactically, not just rush in and waste an opportunity like this. I apologise I do get competitive a times.
Rawns Posted November 5, 2013 Posted November 5, 2013 On lunch, I loaded this up in town. There are loads of portals now! Even managed to level up and capture a point or two! Seems I have 10 invites. Anyone want one?
bladedanny Posted November 5, 2013 Posted November 5, 2013 On lunch, I loaded this up in town. There are loads of portals now! Even managed to level up and capture a point or two! Seems I have 10 invites. Anyone want one? Me please, if they've not already gone
Rawns Posted November 5, 2013 Posted November 5, 2013 (edited) Me please, if they've not already gone Ni problem, still got all 10. PM me your e-mail and and wang one your way. Edited November 5, 2013 by Rawns 1
hallb15 Posted November 5, 2013 Posted November 5, 2013 Ni problem, still got all 10. PM me your e-mail and and wang one your way. If you have a spare, I'd like to give it a go! See what there is in the Leeds area!
Rawns Posted November 5, 2013 Posted November 5, 2013 Umm.... pm sent //WANNNNNG// Invite sent. If you have a spare, I'd like to give it a go! See what there is in the Leeds area! By all means, PM me your e-mail and I'll get one sent.
Rawns Posted November 5, 2013 Posted November 5, 2013 Invite sent @hallb15. Oh, you should all join the Resistance! None of this enlightened brain washed malarkey her thank you very much!
AlfaTech Posted November 5, 2013 Author Posted November 5, 2013 Whats wrong with joining the Enlightened? Ought we not embrace new technologies, exploit and use XM for the betterment of mankind. Why stay in the dark ages of unenlightened thinking and remain in fear resisting progress. Use the force!
Rawns Posted November 5, 2013 Posted November 5, 2013 Whats wrong with joining the Enlightened? Ought we not embrace new technologies, exploit and use XM for the betterment of mankind. Why stay in the dark ages of unenlightened thinking and remain in fear resisting progress. Use the force! Someone is clearly brainwashed...
AlfaTech Posted November 5, 2013 Author Posted November 5, 2013 Aye and my mind is feeling much cleaner thankee very much! Besides there's far too much blue in my part of the world, I'd have nothing to do if I couldn't hack 'n destroy enemies portals.
DMcGuigan Posted November 11, 2013 Posted November 11, 2013 There's an enlightened portal at the top of my street may have to take a wander over and see what can be done about that awful green stain.
AlfaTech Posted November 11, 2013 Author Posted November 11, 2013 I destroy about 9-10 resistance portals over the weekend, as well as capturing others in some hard to reach locations - so it won't take me very long to reach lvl 8 (now lvl 5). I am triangle by triangle turning the surrounding countryside back to green. I also managed to switch this lvl 8 guy's lvl 6 portal on Friday using the Jarvis Virus, causing him to then destroy all his (original) resonators and re-deploy (in panic formation - i.e. too close to the portal) so he could re-establish his links. That brought me just enough time to establish links and fields of my own cutting off his line of sight. I like this game!
AlfaTech Posted December 5, 2013 Author Posted December 5, 2013 Woo hoo. I reached Level 8 in little over 5 weeks... and during that time I've kicked out the blues, established a stronghold in the area and turned half of Wiltshire green (a couple of times). I've even got a 'L8 portal farm' building event that I'm going to on Monday. This game is gr8
Greenbeast Posted December 9, 2013 Posted December 9, 2013 I've joined the resistance and have been doing some low level play in my work town
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