Pac In Town is an augmented reality game/attraction, developed by Bandai Namco in 2017. The game was demonstrated at several technology events and amusement locations from 2017 to 2019.
Gameplay[]
In terms of gameplay, Pac In Town is similar to the original Pac-Man arcade game. Up to three players play simultaneously, navigating the maze in first person; the player(s) walk around an empty, square arena to control their Pac-Man. If the player touches a ghost, they will briefly be unable to collect dots. The game is over if the player(s) run out of time, and is won if all five levels are completed.
Venues featuring Pac In Town attractions[]
- Ars Electronica Festival 2017 (Sept. 7-11, 2017) - a technology event held in Austria, seen as part of the "Pacathon" showcase
- Namco Namja Town (Jan. 15 - May 6, 2018) - an indoor amusement park in Tokyo
- SIGGRAPH Asia 2018 (Dec. 4-7, 2018) - a technology event held in Tokyo
- GDC 2019 (Mar. 19-22, 2019) - playable at Google's booth, alongside the mobile game Pac-Man Geo
Most exhibitions utilized Microsoft HoloLens AR headsets and a Kinect V2 to play the game; however, the GDC event used smartphones attached to spherical Pac-Man holders.
Trivia[]
- While the game was playable in single player, it was largely designed around multiplayer mechanics. The game's development staff believed that "mixed reality" technology is best utilized with multiple people, turning the game into a collaborative team effort.
- The game uses repurposed music from Pac-Man Championship Edition DX.
External links[]
- GDC 2018 slideshow detailing the game (Slideshare)
- SIGGRAPH 2018 slideshow detailing the game (Slideshare)