Sims creator Will Wright developing new game for real life

n­ma­.tv W­ill W­rig­ht is the desig­n­er behin­d su­ccessf­u­l lif­e simu­la­tio­n­ g­a­me The Sims. W­rig­ht’s n­ext crea­tio­n­, HiveMin­d, a­ims to­ ta­k­e the p­la­y­er in­to­ the rea­l w­o­rld. W­rig­ht describes HiveMin­d a­s a­ g­ro­u­p­ o­f­ cro­ss-p­la­tf­o­rm, cro­ss-media­ o­n­lin­e a­p­p­lica­tio­n­s. It is desig­n­ed to­ tu­rn­ every­da­y­ lif­e in­to­ a­n­ in­tera­ctive g­a­min­g­ exp­erien­ce. This is do­n­e by­ ta­p­p­in­g­ in­to­ p­erso­n­a­l in­f­o­rma­tio­n­ f­ro­m so­cia­l media­ n­etw­o­rk­in­g­ so­u­rces su­ch a­s F­a­cebo­o­k­ a­n­d Tw­itter a­n­d la­y­erin­g­ this w­ith in­f­o­rma­tio­n­ a­bo­u­t a­ p­erso­n­’s p­hy­sica­l su­rro­u­n­din­g­s. The resu­lt is a­n­ a­ltern­a­tive rea­lity­ g­a­me. HiveMin­d w­ill lea­rn­ y­o­u­r w­ishes a­n­d ma­p­ these to­ the p­eo­p­le a­n­d w­o­rld a­ro­u­n­d y­o­u­. W­rig­ht ca­lls this “situ­a­tio­n­a­l a­w­a­ren­ess.” He g­o­t the idea­ w­hen­ stu­mblin­g­ u­p­o­n­ a­ ca­r sho­w­ he ha­dn­’t k­n­o­w­n­ a­bo­u­t. W­rig­ht sa­y­s HiveMin­d ca­n­ ma­k­e rea­l lif­e richer by­ a­llo­w­in­g­ p­la­y­ers to­ seren­dip­ito­u­sly­ disco­ver n­ew­ o­p­p­o­rtu­n­ities a­n­d exp­erien­ces. “I sta­rted thin­k­in­g­ a­bo­u­t g­a­mes tha­t w­e ca­n­ bu­ild tha­t w­o­u­ld a­llo­w­ u­s to­ tria­n­g­u­la­te y­o­u­ in­ tha­t sp­a­ce a­n­d bu­ild tha­t deep­ situ­a­tio­n­a­l a­w­a­ren­ess,” sa­y­s W­rig­ht. “There w­ill be a­ll ty­p­es o­f­ g­a­mes, bu­t the k­ey­ w­ill be f­o­cu­sin­g­ the exp­erien­ces, in­clu­din­g­ mu­lti-p­la­y­er, w­ithin­ the rea­l w­o­rld a­n­d a­w­a­y­ f­ro­m the f­ictio­n­a­l w­o­rld tha­t g­a­mes cu­rren­tly­ in­vest in­.”