Niantic is an established leader inward location based games as well as has already enjoyed pop success alongside their Ingress game. However the stratospheric success of Niantic's Pokemon Go way that the potential for location based augmented reality games is in conclusion beingness to a greater extent than widely recognized. There is no doubtfulness that the popularity of Pokemon Go way that at that topographic point volition shortly live on many imitators.
So - how produce you lot create a game similar Pokemon Go based on location data?
1. Build a Database of Points of Interest
There are patently many elements to Niantic's Pokemon Go. At the oculus of the game, however, is the placement of Pokemon inward the existent world. In meat Pokemon are mapped to item locations inward the real-world based on Niantic's database of points of interest.
At a basic score features inward Pokemon Go are mapped similar this:
Places of Interest: Pokemon
Public Spaces: Gyms
Water - Water Pokemon
Niantic's database of points of involvement comes from users of Niantic's Ingress game. Niantic Labs began equally an internal start-up at Google, Therefore it is rubber to assume that the master information behind Ingress as well as Niantic's before mobile guide 'Fieldtrip' (showing nearby places of interest) came from Google Maps.
Players of Niantic's Ingress were encouraged to submit points of involvement to the game. This has enabled Niantic to extend their database of interesting places - peculiarly inward areas which lacked information inward the master game.
At the oculus of Ingress' master database were locations which had some 'cultural' interest. This is of import to the success of Niantic's location based games. It way that when players take in real-world locations piece playing Ingress or Pokemon Go at that topographic point is commonly something interesting for players to see.
So how produce you lot create a database of POI's?
If you lot don't desire to start from scratch you lot could e'er purpose something similar Google Places or Mapzen's Who's on First gazetteer.
Alternatively you lot could purpose OpenStreetMap data. Using the Overpass API you lot tin choose as well as download OSM map data. For example (copying Niantic's preference for places of cultural interest) you lot could purpose the Overpass API to download the locations of all buildings inward a metropolis tagged 'museum' as well as 'gallery' to construct a database of museums as well as fine art galleries.
2. Create a Base Map
Pokemon Go appears to live on using Google Maps for its base of operations map of streets as well as location data. If you lot likewise desire to construct upon the success of Google Maps you lot could purpose the Google Maps API, the Google Maps API for Android as well as the Google Maps SDK for iOS.
The disadvantage of using Google Maps is that you lot exclusively convey limited options for creating your ain map style. Mapbox as well as Mapzen convey both written recent posts nigh how you lot tin create a base of operations map similar to that used inward Pokemon Go. If you lot desire to create your ain map mode based on OpenStreetMap information as well as then you lot could e'er purpose Mapbox Studio.
3. Find Your Users Location
Once you lot convey a database of interesting locations as well as a base of operations map on which to house them you lot convey the basic requirements for your game. However you lot volition remove to banking concern agree your user's location before showing them their nearby points of interest.
To produce this you lot could purpose a geolocation service, such equally the Google Geolocation API or the Geolocation API.
Alternatively you lot could purpose geo-fencing to create upward one's heed when a user enters a predefined geographic area. You tin purpose geo-fences to define an expanse unopen to a location as well as trigger actions on your map based on when users teach inward your defined area.
4. Create an Interesting Game
Now comes the difficult part. Once you lot convey a database of interesting places, a map as well as a way of checking your users' locations you lot straightaway remove something fun for them to do. This is where you lot remove to teach creative as well as come upward up alongside your ain ideas.
The potential is limitless simply you lot powerfulness desire to consider location based ideas such as,
finding, dropping, preparation objects /characters
buying, selling or capturing territory
finding or hiding virtual objects (a variety of virtual geocaching or virtual treasure hunt)
