Smartphone users, help test a scavenger hunt game site!

Discussion in 'Websites' started by drunnells, Feb 15, 2011.

  1. #1
    I'm looking for some help testing the functionality of a QR Code scavenger hunt game site. Inspired by geocaching, the idea is to bring the digital and physical together in a fun game that you can play with a smartphone that has a QR Code reader. I am not looking for a review of the aesthetics/prettyness unless it directly interferes with the usability of the site. If this sounds like something you'd like to help me test, please read on!

    SITE NAME: QR Wild

    URL: http://qrwild.com

    HOW TO START: Go to qrwild.com on your desktop, there will be a QR Code in the top right, scan that with a QR Code Reader app on your smartphone. This will be equivalent of finding a game piece.

    SUMMARY:
    QR Wild lets users create their own "Games" by placing game pieces around town or somewhere on the internet where they will be stumbled on by other people who know how to read QR codes. I envision players initially placing these QR Code game pieces on physical bulletin boards or bumper stickers. When someone scans one of these game pieces they are brought to the QR Wild mobile site where they can either login or register to read the message left by the person who placed the game piece. Once the message has been read the finder has scored a find and if there are no other game pieces associated with that specific "game" the game is completed. More than one game piece can be tied together in a single game that is not completed by a finder until all pieces have been found - in this case the initial find should be one easy to stumble on in the public, but the others can be hidden and revealed by clues in the first game pieces message content.

    Players can log their gps location when making a find (if their device supports it), which can be fun for tracking mobile game pieces such as bumper stickers.

    Players can check-in to nearby Facebook Places or Foursquare Venues where QR Wild game pieces are placed.

    Players can unlock badges based on the number of finds, games completed or even the check-in location of the game piece.

    Game completions can be automatically announced on Facebook or Twitter if the user has linked those accounts to their profile.


    ITEMS IN NEED OF REVIEW:
    Mobile usability - I have tested with my Aria (Android) and the mobile site appears usable to me, I'd like to hear what other devices work though.

    Social site integration - Do the Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare linkages work?

    QR Reader apps - On android I have tried AT&T's Code Scanner and "Barcode Scanner" from the Android market, both seem to be able to read the generated modified QR codes. I'd like to hear what scanners you have tried and what does/doesn't work.

    General Game Play - This has been revised several times, the most recent of which is to require that the game piece be activated AFTER being retrieved. Previously I had thought activating a game piece on a desktop would be easier, but placing a game piece in a specific location after the fact proved to be more difficult than expected. So now you can print as many game pieces as you want and then place them in the wild where you activate them with your phone.

    ---

    Any feedback would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance for those who give QR Wild a shot!
     
    drunnells, Feb 15, 2011 IP
  2. chrisdigitalpoint

    chrisdigitalpoint Member

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    #2
    Small fast and elegant. Nice!
     
    chrisdigitalpoint, Feb 21, 2011 IP
  3. flycatr

    flycatr Peon

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    #3
    Improve more :)
     
    flycatr, Apr 10, 2011 IP