A Comparative Analysis of Tools for Developing Location Based Games

Abstract The extended usage of mobile digital devices has nowadays become commonplace. Location-based games make the most of the mobile technologies by being played solely on mobile devices. The ever-growing interest for this type of applications goes beyond the mere goal of player entertainment, even reaching to the advocacy of civilization, research and education. In this article, three of the most famous and modern authoring tools for location-based games, Taleblazer, ARIS and Unity with Mapbox, are studied in-depth. The objective is to produce a comparative analysis of the aforementioned tools. Game developers may refer to this analysis to opt for the appropriate tool based on their needs, goals and technical expertise. In order to better understand the tool functionality and thus construct a reliable comparison framework, three game prototypes have been implemented. The results have shown that all studied tools provide the mechanics to develop location-based interactive experiences. Nevertheless, significant differences exist in their functionality, in their coding requirements, and in the extent of their respective learning curves. In conclusion, TaleBlazer seems to favor educational role-based games while ARIS favors hybrid story-based games. Unity with Mapbox, in turn, favors the development of recreational action-based games.