Over the weekend- Aris

         When I first read the assignment on our class homepage, I wasn't too excited to download a new app.  I have very limited space on my iphone, and I try to avoid adding any useless apps or data from using that space.  After looking at and perusing the website, I thought that the app might be pretty interesting.  I have heard from many people that Madison has a rich history, and I've always wanted to know more about it.  So I downloaded it on my phone and created an account, but for some reason no matter how I changed my settings, the app would not let me use location.  I tried signing out and signing back in, but no matter what, no games would appear on the homepage.  So a while later, my friend let me borrow her phone so I could download and use the app.  This time it worked.  I played two different games, Wisconsin Uprising and UW Campus Tour.
          Both games had different spots on the map in the close Madison area that I was supposed to travel to, but since it was cold I just virtually visited them in the comfort of my bedroom.  I thought that providing a few tidbits of information in different locations of Madison was a cool idea.  Both games introduced me to new locations and pieces of Madison's history that now I hope to one day physically visit.  I appreciated these aspects, and it made me want to explore more of Madison.  Aside from those aspects though, I did not like the game.  First of all, both "games" I tried were not really games; rather, they seemed more like tours.  I couldn't really grasp the objective of either game other than clicking on each checkpoint.  Then, I was frustrated that many checkpoints only had useless, very short details, providing barely any information worth knowing.  Also I did not think the game's layout was easy to understand or very interesting.  Overall, although I appreciate incorporating history and different local places into a "game", I believe that the app needs a lot of improvement.  I don't think I would ever choose to use this app.  I think there are many more engaging and informative apps out there, so I don't think I understand why this app is as popular as it is or why it was chosen to be used for class.