Pervasive games research: a design aspects-based state of the art report

Pervasive games represent a radically new game form that extends gaming experiences out into the physical world, weaving ICTs into the fabric of players' real environment. This emerging type of games is rather challenging for developers who are engaged in exploring new technologies and methods to achieve high quality interactive experience for players. This paper follows a systematic approach to explore the landscape of pervasive gaming. First, we present ten representative pervasive game projects, classified in five genres based on their playing environment and features. Then, we present a comparative view of those projects with respect to several design aspects. Last, we shed light on current trends, design principles and future directions for pervasive games development.