HW – Niantic Partners with Sleep No More – share your thoughts!

6 Comments

1. 

   JoelGonzalez1

   March 25, 2021 at 5:04 pm

   Joel Gonzalez
   3/24/2021
   MTEC 3140
   Profs. Crissy

   1. Who is Niantic Labs
   Answers: Niantic Labs is a company that mainly focuses on augmented reality such as Pokemon Go.
   2. Have you heard of them?
   Answers: I’ve never heard them nor play their games. But they’ve sure made a huge impact when releasing the AR game Pokemon Go.
   3. What kind of work do they do?
   Answer: Augmented Reality or in Short (AR). Mainly focus on your phone, allowing users to see something extraordinary on their screen while shooting something in the real world. In other words, the users’ view sees something new in the real world that comes from digital visual elements. It can be done on the Unity program because there was one section where we focused on AR and our phone.
   4. Describe a project they’ve created
   Answer: Pokemon Go is one game that is still famous, making users move their bodies and catching as many Pokemon as possible. This made people go outside more often than staying inside. Another AR is Harry Potter: Wizard Unite, some similarities to Pokemon Go where users have to move somewhere, but in this game, users can enter inside a wizard building and learn multiple spells from the protagonist characters.
   5. Does AR make an experience like theatre immersive, or is it just an added quick element that doesn’t get your attention
   Answer: I would say a quick element that doesn’t get your attention because when I think of the immersive world, I expect to be in a place that is completely different from the real world and has lots of choices we can decide. Not only the four views, but also the smell, the touch, the sounds, and especially nonlinear. Everything that’s happening in AR is all in your small phone, that’s it.
   6. Do you think AR hurts or helps the theater industry?
   Answer: I say AR hurts because AR mainly focuses on impossible things. In other words, fantasy being in the real world. AR can hurt people because people can do whatever they want on their phones, and some choices people make can lead to a natural disaster. For example, a woman drives while playing Pokemon Go to make the game easier but crash, giving her severe injury. Immersive theatre is something you can watch and explore anywhere.
   7. Do you think AR or VR is more impactful on making someone feel connected to the experience, and why?
   Answer: Yes and then no. Yes because they’re exploring something very new to them and can “impact” them from what they’ve experienced. No, because it’s not enough. You may say it’s immersive on AR/VR, but those people who work on immersive theatre, art, and parks also focus on the smell, touch, movements. Yes, there are paths and multiple conclusions to AR and VR, but sometimes things you play on them won’t make you touch the object, won’t make you smell something new, or even make you move anywhere with no concerns.

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2. 

   Renuka

   March 25, 2021 at 8:03 pm

   Niantic Labs are an augmented reality company that focuses on entertainment experiences using AR games. They refer to themselves as pioneers who have “helped transform the Earth into the new game board.” They create AR technology that places the digital world on the physical world using machine learning and computer vision. I have not heard of them before, but I remember the hype around Pokémon Go. Using the Niantic Real World Platform, the company crafts technology used to develop new AR games. One project they’ve created was Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. In this game, the player is a member of the Statute of Secrecy Task Force, made up of witches and wizards. They must protect the magic that has seeped into the Muggle World. The game first uses AR technology to allow players to personalize their profiles using filters. Your character is on a map based on your location. You have to interact with the buildings or items around you. The AR also places items and portals throughout the real world. You have to free certain ‘foundables’ to collect them that are added to your registry.

   AR could make an experience like theater more immersive because it can help develop the environment in ways standard technology can’t. AR adds those sensory details to really make it feel like you have been transported into a whole new world. I believe AR could be much more than just an added quick element if implemented properly. AR can be beneficial to the experience if it is incorporated uniquely and creatively. However, if it’s done just for the sake of being a fun new technology that is popular at the moment, it might be overpowering or tacky. That could even take away from the overall experience. AR has the potential to help the theater industry, but it needs to be done tastefully. It doesn’t always have to be something gamified just because it is AR. It could be more of a narrative feature that helps develop a story. I think AR has an incredible capability when it comes to really distorting reality using digital worlds.

   AR and VR are more impactful in making someone feel connected to the experience. It could be particularly impactful when it is an experience you want them to remember. AR and VR give people the opportunity to experience an event without actually experiencing it. They can put on a VR headset and be placed in the scene of a traumatic event that can have a huge impact on your life, both physically and mentally. Although they did not experience it firsthand in the real world, they take off that headset and always have this feeling with them. I look at VR and AR as a way to literally walk in someone else’s shoes. You no longer have to imagine what it’s like to see things from a different perspective. You now get the chance to experience it for yourself and make your own conclusions. When you see something through your own eyes, there is a feeling that lasts. There’s something about that personalization with AR and VR that leaves a lasting impression. AR and VR can enhance immersive experiences to the point where it becomes unclear where the fantasy world ends and the real world begins.

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3. 

   Kevin Djatschenko

   March 25, 2021 at 9:26 pm

   Kevin Djatschenko
   Professor Crissy Spivey
   New York City College of Technology
   24 March 2021

   Niantic Labs started out as a small team of people who were into geospatial technologies and applications. They are also well known for developing the hit mobile game, Pokémon Go, back in 2015. I’ve only ever heard about the company when they released Pokémon Go, but prior to that, I did not know they had existed. Their work consists of making augmented reality games dating back to 2001 with their first project called Keyhole. One of their well-known projects, Pokémon Go, allowed players to catch Pokémon on their phones, walking to certain locations while playing on the phone in the real world. You start the game by picking 1 of the 3 factions of the game: Team Mystic, Team Valor, and Team Instinct. After selecting one, the game allows you interact with gyms as well with other players. I think AR or VR hurts the theater industry because people can watch movies on their T.Vs and use HBO Max to watch upcoming movies. This could result in many people staying home and watching movies instead of going out to the movie theaters and buying a ticket.

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4. 

   William Valentin

   March 25, 2021 at 9:40 pm

   Who is Niantic Labs?
   Niantic Labs is the world’s leading augmented reality company that focuses on augmented reality games.

   Have you heard of them?
   I’ve actually never heard of their company before but I am familiar with some of the projects that they have been a part of or created.

   What kind of work do they do?
   Niantic is responsible for creating immersive augmented reality work such as Pokemon Go and Ingress.

   Describe a project they created
   One project they created that I am sure almost everyone has heard of is the mobile app Pokemon Go. Pokemon Go is an augmented reality app for your smartphone that allows you to catch Pokemon as you travel around in real life. The AR technology tracks your location as you move around and simulates different kinds of Pokemon that appear in real time and real world. They launched this project originally in 2016 and it quickly became the most popular augmented reality app of all time within a year being downloaded over 650 million times. The app generated more than $1 billion in revenue before the end of 2016! Safe to say the popularity of Pokemon and AR coming together was a recipe for success.

   Does AR really make an experience like theatre immersive, or is it just an added quick element that doesn’t get your attention?
   For me personally I would say that AR does make an experience like theatre immersive. However, only when it is done in the right way. If there are AR elements throughout that are impactful to the story and make the theatre more engaged then yes it does make it immersive. But if the elements are scattered or do not add anything of too much value then it just doesn’t get my attention much and is just another cool set piece to look at.
   Do you think AR hurts or helps the theater industry?
   I think it is a combination of both. Obviously with AR being a new technology and something exciting people will be interested in theatres that incorporate AR which might bring in more revenue. At the same time though it might not be something that will turn into the norm because maybe then when people see a theater that does not have AR elements incorporated are they still going to want to watch. Minus the individuals who will always love classic theater.

   Do you think AR or VR is more impactful on making someone feel really connected to the experience, and why?
   In my opinion I think it depends on the kind of experience you are trying to portray to your audience. AR is great for getting someone to connect with your vision while still being attached to the real world and letting the experience just be an extension of what they are already immersed in. On the other hand VR completely connects the user to any kind of experience you can create that is not limited to the real world but can be completely imaginative. The thing with VR is that once someone takes off the headset or separates themselves from it, they are completely disconnected from the experience right away with no easing out. Maybe that is something that is a part of your experience though, so it really is based on the situation.

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5. 

   Karla Ramirez

   March 25, 2021 at 11:10 pm

   Karla Ramirez
   MTEC 3140
   Professor Crissy Spivey
   3/25/2021

   1, Who is Niantic Labs (the company mentioned in the article – https://nianticlabs.com/en/)
   They are a company that creates AR games. But they also help create useful tools in the past , especially during the early 2000s. They created keyhole, street view, google maps and other tools.
   2. Had you heard of them?
   Yes
   3. What kind of work do they do?
   They help create Augmented reality games.
   4. Describe a project they’ve created
   They created the game pokemonGo. Which is a game where the users catch pokemon by walking around their area, while using augmented reality. If the user finds a pokemon, they have the option to use their camera to see the pokemon and then throw a poke bal at it. Seeing the pokemon through the camera makes it seem like the pokemon exist in the real world and gives an experience of an actual pokemon trainer.
   5. Does AR really make an experience like theatre immersive, or is it just an added quick element that doesn’t get your attention?
   I feel it would be a quick element that won’t get my attention. Unless they find a way to really grab my or the audience attention. Even if they include AR, I think it would feel more like a movie then a play, depending how they use AR.
   6. Do you think AR hurts or helps the theater industry?
   I’m not sure, I think if theaters find a really good idea to implement it then maybe. But I think people actually prefer to sit and watch the performance.
   7. Do you think AR or VR is more impactful on making someone feel really connected to the experience, and why?
   I think VR is more impactful, although I never tried VR, I’ve seen some gamers on youtube review VR games and have a fun reaction towards them. For example, there is this game called “The Invisible Hours”, a YouTuber name Noodle reviewed it in his video “7 lil’ indie games I think you should play(no pressure)”, he mentioned in his video that the performance was pretty impressive, despite the lack of game mechanics. So I do think VR especially can make someone feel connected.

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6. 

   Jordin De La Rosa

   March 26, 2021 at 4:25 am

   Jordin De La Rosa

   1, Who is Niantic Labs (the company mentioned in the article – https://nianticlabs.com/en/)
   Niantic is a company that is focused on the art of Augmented Reality and how it will continue to progress for future generations with different hardware and software.

   2. Had you heard of them?
   Yes, I’ve only seen the company’s logo countless times as I boot up Pokemon Go!

   3. What kind of work do they do?
   They’re a shared state filled with user interactions by using the standards of mapping, security, and AR capabilities.

   4. Describe a project they’ve created
   Pokemon Go! Is an Augmented Reality game that allows trainers all around the world to venture out and either go capture Pokemon or face off with other gyms, trade and so much more. The user will go either by themselves or with friends to capture Pokemon located in different areas around our current world.

   5. Does AR really make an experience like theatre immersive, or is it just an added quick element that doesn’t get your attention?
   It depends on how the AR is done. If the soundtrack is there along with the core visuals of AR technology, then I truly believe that AR can make anything immersive. It adds a special flare to the performance while including never before seen structures.

   6. Do you think AR hurts or helps the theater industry?
   I believe it helps the theater industry because it allows the creative minds to further expand on what they’re thinking on portraying to their audience. As technology advances, people would love to enjoy watching these types of shows that brings a kick to their viewing experience.

   7. Do you think AR or VR is more impactful on making someone feel really connected to the experience, and why?
   Yes, I believe it’s more impactful because of how AR and VR are showcased. AR allows the audience to see things in person that aren’t really there while with VR, it gravitates you to another area as you are using the headset. This headset is placed on your head and all you can see is everything inside the headset. Whatever is outside is a figment of your imagination now. The one question everyone is asked after doing something with AR or VR is, “How was it?” They always say, “It was cool, I felt like I was actually there.”

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