NFC City Game – Capture the Tag powered by Touchatag Michael Elias September 2009

Capture the Tag an NFC-based City Game, powered by touchatag Adapted from classic game “Capture the Flag” Each of two teams, red & blue, is assigned a “flag”—a set location marked by an NFC tag Several additional ‘neutral node’ tags are located around designated play space Goal: Locate and capture the other team’s tag before your own team’s tag is captured => But that is possible only after your team has captured enough neutral tags Flag node Neutral node

Adapted from classic game “Capture the Flag”

Each of two teams, red & blue, is assigned a “flag”—a set location marked by an NFC tag

Several additional ‘neutral node’ tags are located around designated play space

Goal: Locate and capture the other team’s tag before your own team’s tag is captured

=> But that is possible only after your team has captured enough neutral tags

Capture the Tag Rules 2 teams play against each other and attempt to capture the opposing team’s flag node Nodes can be captured by reading them and answering a question Correct answer captures node and possibly reveals clue hint to other hidden nodes Incorrect answer reveals location of the node to opposing team (by text message), and forbids team from attempting to capture this node again for a set time period Once enough neutral nodes have been captured (4), the opposing team’s flag node can be captured Neutral nodes can be recaptured The team that captures the other team’s flag node first, wins the game

2 teams play against each other and attempt to capture the opposing team’s flag node

Nodes can be captured by reading them and answering a question

Correct answer captures node and possibly reveals clue hint to other hidden nodes

Incorrect answer reveals location of the node to opposing team (by text message), and forbids team from attempting to capture this node again for a set time period

Once enough neutral nodes have been captured (4), the opposing team’s flag node can be captured

Neutral nodes can be recaptured

The team that captures the other team’s flag node first, wins the game

Capture the Tag Architecture - Setup Google App Engine Touchatag ACS 1 3 2 Admin sets up the game; defines answers, nodes and players The city game application returns a list of nodes each with an URL Each node’s URL must be mapped in Touchatag ACS to an RFID tag Admin Web page

Admin sets up the game; defines answers, nodes and players

The city game application returns a list of nodes each with an URL

Each node’s URL must be mapped in Touchatag ACS to an RFID tag

Capture the Tag Architecture – Registration Google App Engine Touchatag ACS 1 5 Player’s NFC phone reads a tag associated with the game The app associated with the tag is looked up in the Touchatag ACS Phone’s browser is routed to the weblink associated with the tag Player enters his username and password on the webpage and registers, a cookie with the player’s info is stored in the phone’s browser Once all players have registered, the admin starts the game Registration web page 3 2 Admin web page 4

Player’s NFC phone reads a tag associated with the game

The app associated with the tag is looked up in the Touchatag ACS

Phone’s browser is routed to the weblink associated with the tag

Player enters his username and password on the webpage and registers, a cookie with the player’s info is stored in the phone’s browser

Once all players have registered, the admin starts the game

Capture the Tag Architecture – Node capture Touchatag ACS Google App Engine 1 Player reads a node tag The app associated with the tag is looked up in the Touchatag ACS Phone’s browser is routed to the weblink associated with the tag. The city game application recognizes the cookie stored on the phone and identifies the phone as a player. A question webpage is shown for the node. The player enters his answer and if the correct, claims the tag (node) 2 3 Question web page 4 5 Submit web page

Player reads a node tag

The app associated with the tag is looked up in the Touchatag ACS

Phone’s browser is routed to the weblink associated with the tag.

The city game application recognizes the cookie stored on the phone and identifies the phone as a player. A question webpage is shown for the node.

The player enters his answer and if the correct, claims the tag (node)