"Mission Days" in Bonn "Ingress" agents carry out relaxed mission in Bonn

Bonn · More than 1000 players from all over Europe met on Sunday for the first Bonn Mission Day for the augmented reality game "Ingress".

“Ingress” agents also need a break sometimes. Around 1100 people came to Bonn at the weekend for a pleasant meeting and a few relaxing missions in between to get to know the city. They will have the opportunity again soon enough to fight each other during anomalies for frogs or smurfs.

And because it is all so cryptic, let’s start from the beginning and explain using Christian “Burli” Linzatti as an example. The 31-year-old has been playing “Ingress” since it was released in 2013 as the successor to “Pokémon Go” from the same developer. Linzatti is one of the “Enlightened,” called “frogs” in the game’s slang, and as such Agent Burli can always be recognised on a mission by his frog cap.

“I wear it in all weathers,” explains the man from Vienna, who arrived on Saturday night, played missions through the night, took part in the Bonn Ingress Group “Mission Day” on Sunday and travelled home again on Sunday – and presumably slept for most of the train journey to Vienna.

Looking at mobile phones

In Bonn, missions are programmed that every Ingress player can complete at any time. During these, he goes through the city, mostly looking at his mobile phone, reaches targets inserted on an Ingress map and also sometimes solves puzzles. As an event, this can be related to the story outline of the mobile game. At the “Mission Day” on Sunday, it was not about anything. It was more a community meeting at which missions could also be completed for fun. Nevertheless, almost 1100 people took part and travelled from all corners of Europe. There were representatives from groups from the Czech Republic, Belgium, the Chinese speaking Agents of Europe and many more.

24 missions were prepared and released at midnight on Saturday. They led to the Münsterplatz, the cherry blossoms in the Old Town and also supposedly to the Schaumberg Palace. However, Björn, alias “Terence Kill” from the Orga-Team, reported that participants had discovered that they could not enter the grounds there. Anyone completing twelve missions could take home a medal from Bonn.

Relaxing day for Agent Burli

It was a simple mission for Agent Burli and the whole day was relaxing for him. He constantly met people whom he knew and greeted. What appeals to him about the game? “You meet a lot of people and travel around a lot,” says the software developer. He has already been to New York and is going to Budapest soon. “I was already in at least 19 countries and have walked 15,000 kilometres.” Yes, he has a pedometer. He prefers not to think about the cost of his hobby.

He also knows Martin, alias Agent Gargish. The Aachener is also an Ingress nerd, who flies to events in Moscow or Barcelona. “I previously took part in geocaching,” says the 53-year-old. Ingress is a good progression. “We also have an Ingress travel group. All people who have met each other through the game.” So mobile games can connect people.

(Originaltext: Stefan Knopp. Translation: kc)

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