Developer(s) Andrimon Platforms Android, iOS | Initial release date 10 July 2010 | |
Director(s) Andreas Pantesjö
Simon Sikström Genres Massively multiplayer online game, Location-based game | ||
Turf is a location based augmented reality massively multiplayer online mobile game developed by Swedish company Andrimon. It was released on 10th July 2010 for Android, and later for iOS. The game was created by Andreas Pantesjö and Simon Sikström.
Contents
The game is a combination of King of the Hill and digital orienteering. The goal is to collect points by taking over zones and try to keep them as long as possible in competition with other players. Zones are located all over the world, but with the highest concentration in countries with active competition, as in Sweden, Finland and Denmark. Zones are typically taken by foot or by bicycle, and Turf is by many players used as an exergame. It has also been compared with augmented reality games Ingress and Pokémon Go.
The game is played in rounds that last for a month, but there are special events arranged when players gathers in a city to compete. A major event is called a Bonanza.
Turf has more than 150,000 registered players and is free to play. Players can pay a voluntary fee to receive "supporter" status, which gives access to additional in-app statistics, but comes with no gameplay benefits. The game has received media attention from Swedish, Finnish and Danish newspapers.
Gameplay
Turf requires a GPS signal and Internet access on a mobile phone. The goal in the game is to earn points, which is done by taking over zones and keep them as long as possible. The zone is taken over by being on the spot physically. A game round lasts for about a month. Whoever has the most points when a game is finished will be the winner and will have a chance to determine a new zone. Turf is like a mixture of King of the Hill and orienteering in a digital form. Players can see each other on the map in real time when GPS is turned on. Players can defeat others if they are the first to the intended zone. You can travel between the zones in any way you like, but on bike or by foot is the most common way.
Events
Once a year a special game is held. In this "Bonanza", all participants gather in a city and run a standalone game session in a few hours. Bonanza contains dense zone areas separate from the regular game to make the contest into an exciting championship. The first Bonanzan organized for Djurgården in Stockholm, Sweden, on 21 May 2011. In 2016, it was held in Kalmar.
Other, smaller, events occur that are similar to the Bonanzas. They can be in different places with different orientations (canoe, only by foot, long seclusion etc.) In 19 June 2011, one of the first Turf events was at Dreamhack in Sweden.
A event can also be a closed event where only the invited have access, with small groups such as school physical education. In 2016, more than 300 physical education lessons consisted of "orientation" of the Turf.