Actual, not just virtual, gameplay

Did you know that two factions are fighting for control of a mysterious glowing portal located at the Millerton Post Office?

The battle is happening in Ingress, a free mobile game that is available on Android and iOS devices. It’s basically a massive game of Capture the Flag, with players vying for control of portals located at places of cultural significance throughout the world — libraries, post offices, museums, historic sites, you name it.

I was recently introduced to the game after making the decision to get out and walk more. I immediately became hooked — not only am I getting some exercise by walking around while searching for portals, but the game has directed me toward local landmarks I never noticed before. For example, there’s a portal at a sign marking the site of the first town meeting in Copake on April 4, 1824. I learned that tidbit thanks to Ingress.

I teamed up with my wife and some friends over the weekend to travel around Connecticut’s Northwest Corner and New York’s Dutchess County in search of portals. We spent hours walking around Sharon and found them at the post office, the Soldier’s Monument, Town Hall, the clock tower, the library, the historical society, the Congregational Church and more.

If you find a site that would make a good portal, you can submit it to Niantic Labs, the creator of the game, through the app.

Of course, there’s more to Ingress than just finding portals — your goal is to try to claim them for your team, which involves attacking portals that are controlled by the opposing team. There are two factions in Ingress: the Enlightened (the green team) and the Resistance (the blue team). You’ll choose one when you first launch the game. The green team wants all of these portals to be green, while the blue team — yup, you guessed it — wants them to be blue.

There’s a complex sci-fi backstory surrounding the factions and portals (it involves the discovery of Exotic Matter) but don’t worry about getting overwhelmed with all of that when you start the game. If you’re interested in it, you can find resources and videos online. If not, just remember — it’s green vs. blue.

As you earn levels in the game, you’ll be able to make portals stronger and fortify them against attacks. You can also work with your team to link portals together and claim entire areas. That’s how you earn points for your faction.

While Ingress can certainly be played solo, teamwork is an important aspect of the game. It’s fun to walk around with friends in search of portals, and you can chat with other players online to learn more about Ingress and work together to connect portals over long distances.

Ingress has gotten me off the couch and walking around local towns in search of historic sites. Those are the signs of a great game.

 To view a map of Ingress portals throughout the world, go to www.ingress.com/intel. To learn the basics of the game, search for the “Playing Ingress” video on YouTube. If you have questions or want to know if Darryl Gangloff plays on the green or blue team, email him at darrylg@lakevillejournal.com.