Location-based games are usually flash-in-the-pan affairs, with Pokémon GO being by far the most lucrative and successful attempt to bridge the gap between the real world and a virtual one.
With Google finally opening up its Maps platform for everyone, a lot of other developers can now begin their own unique experiments and perhaps offer new spins off the gaming subgenre.
Aside from Pokémon GO, The Walking Dead: Our World and Jurassic World Alive are also powered by Google Maps, and with it now finally open for experimentation, the next big game on par with Pokémon GO might finally be on its way.
Google Opens Up Its Maps APIs Platform
The company's Maps platform is divided into three primary parts for those who wish to create games with it. The first one gives developers access to real-time Google Maps data, and in line with this, Google is going to release a software development kit for Unity, a popular gaming engine, so as to make Maps integrations into games more hassle-free.
"No Google Maps expertise needed," said Clementine Jacoby, product manager for Google Maps APIs. The aforementioned development kit will do "all of the heavy lifting."
Finally, Google is also launching a new Maps API as a way for developers to more easily create gameplay experiences around real-world locations. Google will be collaborating with developers in this department, said Jacoby, to help them locate the perfect places on Earth to play in.
Unity Software Development Kit
The integration with Unity is crucial, as it will allow developers to customize Maps in ways that are appropriate to their visions of what gameplay should be like. As such:
"We turn buildings, roads, and parks into GameObjects in Unity, where developers can then add texture, style, and customization to match the look and feel of your game," said Jacoby.
Developers can choose particular buildings and locations and transform them into in-game elements. For instance, imagine that going to a restaurant in the real word translates to going into a dungeon in the location-based game. The possibilities are endless.
"We use a vast array of Google Maps signals to determine the best places for gameplay and AR experiences, ranked by prominence and popularity," said lead engineer Patrick Donelan.
"We're excited to be bringing the best of Google to mobile gaming," said Jacoby.
Google is scheduled to feature a live demonstration during the Game Developer Conference in San Francisco, which happens from March 19 to 22. Developers may visit Google's website if they're interested in making real-world games.
