An open collaborative game development project: The Big NYC Game - the first city wide Augmented Reality game for New York - by New Yorkers. Kicked off at the AR Dev Camp @ Topp 5-Dec-09

1. The Big NYC Game
An augmented reality game for NYC by New Yorkers
Discussion Moderated by Ori Inbar
AR Dev Camp NYC @Topp
Dec 5th 2009

2. What is it?
• Location-based - right here in NYC!
• Social - viral, for everyone
• Augmented Reality - cool!
• Game=fun

3. How?
A collaborative, open-source,
game development project
modeled after...
Swarm of Angels
open source feature film, and participatory filmmaking community.
A new kind of film process and movement pioneering extreme collaboration & digitally-native cinema.
With members now in the four figures we are reconfiguring our web presence to
simplify involvement and clarify all the project developments.

4. Launch Target
2010
...and on going after that
...then expand to other cities

5. What’s the Purpose
Make NYC better
• get people to shop locally
• learning about the history of the city
• Make NYC greener (e.g. get points for green transportation)
• ghostbusters
• Leave Manhattan (get to know the other boroughs)

6. Work Streams
• AR Software & devices - Tish, Noah, Sophia, Omar, Steve’s students
(GoblinXNA)
• Game mechanics, link to social networks - Chris
• Design, Story - Jon, Ralph
• Promotion, sponsors, Government relationships, non profit - Don, Ralph
• Legal (IP) - Zeke

7. AR Software
• Sensors: GPS+compass, markers, NFT, PTAM,
face detection, Sketch AR, ...
• Focus on mature AR tools
• Crowd source marker tagging around the city
• T-shirt markers
•

8. AR Devices
goal:device agnostic
• iPhone, Android phones, Symbian, Win Mo
• any camera phone (MMS)
• cell phones + sms
• mini laptops + AR goggles
• Projection

9. Game Mechanics
• Loc: Quest, treasure hunt - across the city
• AR: visual interaction
• Social: pick a role and gang up to advance

10. game ideas
• Mini games. prizes
• Introduce AR concepts - step by step
• find hidden markers by using social networks
• put together several markers in a certain location + more folks - fits any
demographic
• capture the flag, turn of the century (history), mystery
• user generated game based on the game infrastructure and story line
• teach users to create AR games
• cover the city with QR codes and markers
• Start playing individually and converge into teams
(everyone can find a role to play, no matter what tech they have)
• easter eggs - to incentivize people to explore new locations in the city
• References: The following, e.g. Green Edge

11. Game Time
• Several hours?
• On going (24x7)?

12. Contributors
Sophia Parafina, OpenGeo, @spara, organizer, Marco Neumann, KONA, @neumarcx,
Tish Shute, Web,@tishshute, Dimitri Darras, @dimitridarras, Heidi Hysell,
Joe Lamantia, Muku / ARWave, @mojoe Kate Chapman, Web Developer, FortiusOne,
@wonderchook
Matthieu Pierce, itinerant poet, @matthieupierce, Ori Inbar, ogmento games alfresco
Noah Zerkin, [1] , Ohan Oda, webpage – Columbia University; NYC
Sean White, webpage , Steve Henderson, Columbia University, webpage, @stevehenderson
Omer Gunes, [[2] webpage] , Steve Feiner, Jon Russek, NYC, website, @filmaddict
Daniel Leslie, Reflexions Data, LLC @dan_leslie, Donald Schwartz, NYC, @Ishkahbibel
David Oliver, Oliver+Coady, Inc. NYC, @davidmoliver , Chris Grayson, NYC, Twitter:
@chrisgrayson | Blog: GigantiCo | Contributor: H+ Magazine
Saul Devitt, NYC. Bert Picot, NYC , MZ ,
Jon Russek – film production + law + internet,
Davide Byron – developed the game Spads and Fokkers
Philip Ashlock @philipashlock, Michael Keating, The Open Planning Project
Yohan Baillot, @yohanBaillot