With adorable virtual pets at their sides, players may explore the globe right on their smartphones thanks to the game Peridot.
They also get to care for them and tinker with genetics to try and create some brand new cute animals.
The game’s creator, Niantic, is also responsible for the popular augmented game Pokémon GO so you just know Peridot has just as much to offer players!
But Peridot is a completely unique IP, unlike other recent Niantic ventures like Monster Hunter Now.
The game, which focuses on growing and taking care of a virtual pet, draws a lot of its concepts from the iconic Tamagotchi toy.
Peridots, also known as Dots, are animals who have been dormant for hundreds of years; only recently have they awakened to a world that is utterly different.
By joining the Peridot Keeper Society, players may assist their own species in adjusting to their new environment and use the opportunity to “spread their whimsy” by forming a close relationship.
Fogel details many design elements that will help Dots operate more realistically in Peridot, which has been created to push the limits of how AR and AI may be employed.
This includes techniques like obstacle occlusion, which prevents Peridots from walking through objects, and real-time mapping, which enables animals to understand various surfaces such as dirt or water and move appropriately.
This virtual creatures’ intelligence was also highlighted; for instance, Dots may respond to other animals, and if it sees a TV, it can tempt the user to go outdoors instead.
Peridot’s core goal, like with all Niantic games, is to encourage everyday exercise.
Pets will profit from getting walks and can explore for goods while they are out and about.
Habitats, which are scattered around the world like Pokéstops in Pokémon GO, are interesting locations where pets may interact with one another and users can find new species to possibly breed their Peridot with.
Dots may want to play fetch with their owner or discover and consume a certain food, for example. These wants may all be satisfied via exploration. Breeding is one of Peridot’s key themes, and the presentation heavily emphasizes the genetic variety of the game. Each Peridot has a distinct DNA, and according to Fogel, there are more conceivable bred variants than there are stars in the universe! Players’ pets must grow up in order to be able to be matched with another user’s pet of course, and that is when you can hatch a new Dot.
The game’s central objective is to diversify the pets, and gamers can find several unusual qualities in addition to a wide range of phenotypes inspired by real life animals as well as legendary ones.
Peridot includes more in-game purchases than previous games because to the inclusion of Amazon Anywhere, which enables physical purchases of game-related goods in addition to the more common digital ones.
Additionally, players may purchase accessories and toys for their pets, and hatching new Peridots will be a “premium experience.”
This implies that rearing numerous species at once and experimenting with the game’s genetics will have a cost, however this information was not made explicit during the presentation.
Peridot is fundamentally about forming a relationship with a creature and attending to its requirements, such as attention and food.
The game clearly draws influence from toys like Tamagotchi, and by utilizing AI and augmented reality, it offers more opportunities for virtual pet ownership than ever before.
Peridot seems to be one of Niantic’s most ambitious games ever due to its original IP and technology improvements over earlier games.