Treasure Troves – Augmented Reality DS WiFi Game

Gamasutra had a pleasant chat with Aspyr Software’s Justin Leingang in which the publisher/developer revealed some details about their new game Treasure Troves, which uses local wifi signals to generate in-game objects.

Billed as a ‘real life treasure hunt’, Treasure Troves will scan the area around your DS and alerts you to the presence of ‘treasures’ either by on screen display or an audio alert if the DS is closed – allowing ‘passive’ play when you are just wandering around.

Leingang says that testing the game has actually changed the way he experiences his home town.

“I take walks frequently,” he explains, “and all of a sudden I’m doing stupid things, just laughing at myself because I’m walking ten more feet to the left this time, or turning down this different street, or walking down the opposite side of the road. Even though I’m going down the same street, I’m on a different side now, facing a different direction. It’s so funny how much more I do actually see.”

Aspyr’s Treasure Troves To Use DS As ‘Real-Life Treasure Hunt’ [Gamasutra]