Socks, Inc. is a supercute AR game. Players create a sock puppet character, and set off to do real-world challenges, like snapping a picture of your sock out in nature, eating a snack or playing a sport. The uploaded pictures and videos are moderated and then shared with other users (answering the obvious questions about a children’s game and user-generated content). Check out the hilarious Alien Overload sock photostream for an example.

I loved the concept of real-world challenges on uploaded videos in Jane McGonagall’s Top Secret Dance Off, but wasn’t really able to participate because my hardware hadn’t caught up. Taking a video of my rocking dance moves was just too awkward, but since a sock puppet and my camera-equipped smartphone fit in my purse, the hardware challenge is gone.

(This is an adorable and informative trailer, even though it includes my unfavorite games-related slogan. I admit to finding World of DateCraft pretty cute and clever in 2007, but I wish we could all lay off “World of ___Craft” in games journalism.)

Socks includes the achievement badges and level-unlocked content of gamification, by establishing a storyline about working in a imagination factory and earning promotions. Future development possibilities for the game include physical badges and further sock-photo challenges.

I heard about Socks, Inc. at last year’s IndieCade, but didn’t have a chance to check it out, so I was pretty excited to see it at last night’s NYGaming demo. I’m playing — of course — and my sock-puppet friend is Metis. (Total disclosure: I didn’t really make that sock puppet for Socks, Inc. In college, my superhero tabletop game thought it would be fun to make our characters as sock puppets. SHUT UP! I am SO cool!)

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