Asian Fortune Your source for all things Asian American
By Mary Tablante
Paul Liao spent hours circling around Reagan National Airport. Not because he was lost or waiting for a flight, but because he was playing the game Ingress.
Ingress, an augmented reality game where the entire world is the playing field, is gaining a strong following of players, including players in the D.C. area. The game is available on Android devices and although it is still in invitation-only status, many players have already completed all of the levels available.
Players of Ingress are separated into two teams, called factions, and the goal is for one faction to take over the world by taking over enough “portals.” Portals are special locations that are usually local landmarks, like libraries, sculptures and monuments.
The game has been compared to Foursquare because a player has to physically be in a location to play, much like ‘checking in’ on Foursquare.
But for players of the game, Ingress is so much more than Foursquare. Because of the collaborative nature of the game, Ingress has a way of bringing people together. In Ingress, people work with others to construct control fields by joining portals. Portals emit energy called “exotic matter” that players then use to build or defend their portals.
“I went from meeting my first player in my team to having to organize an event that brought over 40 people, all over D.C., Maryland and Virginia to the White House,” Liao said. “To me, the community and the socializing is the best part of the game.”
While Liao and his group were taking photos in front of the White House for the get together in March, they met a couple from California who also played Ingress, which is another sign of Ingress’ community aspect and popularity.
Liao also helped organize a scavenger hunt on the National Mall on April 14. Players traveled from as far as Minnesota and Philadelphia to participate. During the scavenger hunt, players were given clues to a portal and then looked around the area for more clues.
Ingress is expanding to other countries as well. Liao encountered a player from China who was in town to visit friends, and the players still occasionally exchange messages.
“It’s one of those games where the gameplay itself is simple, but at a certain point you require collaboration to get on top to really enjoy it,” Liao said. “We do have people who choose to play more behind the scenes. That’s the beauty of the game—you can accommodate so many different personalities.”
Another aspect Liao enjoys about the game is that it takes him places he would have never known about. While Liao was in Alexandria, Va., he found a specific portal that was a house George Washington’s doctor once lived in.
“There’s all this history I would have never known … but because of the game it gave me another layer of appreciation,” he said.
People who are interested in playing Ingress who don’t have a smartphone can get involved in the backstory of Ingress, the Niantic Project, and solve puzzles. Clues and secret documents have been released on a daily basis since Nov. 1. Niantic Project is a sci-fi conspiracy storyline that introduces players to what Ingress is what why it exists.
Johnathan Chung has been solving clues since day one. Although he doesn’t have a smartphone, he has been intrigued by the storyline of Ingress.
The story behind Ingress involves a secret government organization called the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), which runs a research project called Niantic Project. Niantic Project is researching the mysterious phenomena around portals, explained Chung.
“It’s a very rich and complex plot, but the beauty of it that it’s very versatile in the sense that if you’re a casual follower, there’s a and a main scene you can follow along with that involves science fiction, conspiracy and uncovering murder plots,” Chung said. “If you’re into it and passionate, there’s a lot of subplots and intricate details people can follow.”
Chung said he finds the storyline exciting and the element of mystery keeps him coming back for more.
“It involves the real world it’s acceptable and open to everybody, whether it’s someone who’s on the way to work or taking a lunch break or on [his or her] way to lecture,” Chung said. “I feel like Ingress is a fun, interactive way to explore the world around us, more so to connect with other people in ways that in ways that haven’t [been] previously thought of.”
For more info on Ingress, go to www.ingress.com
Do you play Ingress? Let us know on Facebook or tweet us @AsianFortune_DC
Asian Fortune is an English language newspaper for Asian American professionals in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Visit fb.com/asianfortune to stay up to date with our news and what’s going on in the Asian American community.
