Enthusiasm for technology and gadgets, nature experience and social interaction:
computer-supported outdoor games attract many young people and brings together players that otherwise spend their leisure time quite differently. GeoCaching was the first success story and created a large and vivid community. With the increasing distribution of smartphones with integrated GPS and internet connection a market for a new generation of games is emerging, namely location-based games (LBGs).
This workshop gives you an overview of the current state-of-the-art regarding LBGs. We further present two of our own developments in detail: Mister X Mobile and GeoQuest. Both these LBGs started as research prototypes during the last two years. Mister X Mobile is an outdoor adaptation of the famous board game Scotland Yard, wich turns the city into a playground. Spontaneity and teamwork are the focal point of this game, when the detectives cooperate to catch Mister X before it is too late. GeoQuest in contrast, resemles more the classic GeoCaching. With GeoQuest you can define and play your own virtual
scavenger hunt and location-based quests for single players or groups. Using such tools gaming and learning might form a symbiotic relationship.
Within this workshop we introduce and discuss technical potentials and experiences regarding LBGs and demonstrate some games in a hands-on session depending on the needs of the participants.
