# Ingress, altenate reality game by Google, invite-thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 15, 2012, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingress-altenate-reality-game-by-google-invite-thread/641122 "2012-11-15T19:52:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingress-altenate-reality-game-by-google-invite-thread/641122/1 "2012-11-15T19:52:43Z")
> **[Ingress Prime – Ingress Prime](https://www.ingress.com/)** > > The discovery of Exotic Matter (XM), a mysterious energy, has divided mankind into two Factions. Choose your side and band together to explore this strange world - and maybe even control it. “Users can generate virtual energy needed to play the game by picking up units of “XM,” which are collected by traveling walking paths, like a real-world version of Pac-Man. Then they spend the energy going on missions around the world to “portals,” which are virtually associated with public art, libraries and other widely accessible places.” Information on alternate reality games [found here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternate_reality_game). Description of the game can be [found here](http://allthingsd.com/20121115/google-launches-ingress-a-worldwide-mobile-alternate-reality-game/). The game is by invite-only right now as per Google’s modus operandi. You can request an invite in the first link. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingress-altenate-reality-game-by-google-invite-thread/641122/2 "2012-11-15T22:00:42Z")
Moved MPSIMS --\> the Game Room. ---
**Author:** ![Gozu\_Tashoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@Gozu\_Tashoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu_Tashoya)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingress-altenate-reality-game-by-google-invite-thread/641122/3 "2012-11-15T23:21:44Z")
I’d so love to play this on a pair of Google Glasses… btw, any ARG fans/code breakers who want in on the action can take a whack at this while waiting for their invites. [![](http://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/pac/IB/00/item/1ty1.jpg) ](http://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/pac/IB/00/item/1ty1.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingress-altenate-reality-game-by-google-invite-thread/641122/4 "2012-11-16T00:58:32Z")
Doesn’t look like they have an iPhone app for this. No surprise, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Orr\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ee59a6/32.png) [@Orr\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orr_G)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingress-altenate-reality-game-by-google-invite-thread/641122/5 "2012-11-16T01:30:43Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > Description of the game can be [found here](http://allthingsd.com/20121115/google-launches-ingress-a-worldwide-mobile-alternate-reality-game/). I started loosely following the, I guess, prequel ARG to this one. The trailhead started on the first of this month at [www.nianticproject.com](http://www.nianticproject.com) There’s a summary of the (prequel) game and some of the findings at [this site](http://niantic.schlarp.com/). Might be worth checking out for those interested in following Ingress. ---
**Author:** ![Wolverine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba9def/32.png) [@Wolverine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolverine)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingress-altenate-reality-game-by-google-invite-thread/641122/6 "2012-12-05T08:26:02Z")
I just heard about this from [xkcd](http://xkcd.com/1143/). I wish I had a smart phone. Hopefully soon. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2012, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingress-altenate-reality-game-by-google-invite-thread/641122/7 "2012-12-05T09:43:33Z")
Looks cool! Thanks for the heads-up, I requested an invite. I also went to look at it on my phone in the Google Play store, and when I looked at apps by the same “developer” (Niantic Labs), I discovered another app they have called [Field Trip](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nianticproject.scout&hl=en), \*\*and it’s cool as heck! \*\*It’s not a game, but it’s based on a similar augmented-reality concept, and it pops up alerts about all kinds of cool things and factoids about the world around you where ever you go. Check it out! ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingress-altenate-reality-game-by-google-invite-thread/641122/8 "2012-12-07T19:06:50Z")
I’m in and I think I can invite. Let me know. Team Enlightenment! ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingress-altenate-reality-game-by-google-invite-thread/641122/9 "2012-12-07T20:16:05Z")
I keep getting ‘invalid email’ ’ on the invite request field. ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingress-altenate-reality-game-by-google-invite-thread/641122/10 "2012-12-07T20:22:58Z")
Never mind, got it to go through. Now to wait…