Monday 11 March 2013

Ingress Basics, Links and Fields


The Basics

What I wanted to do in this post was to give some information on one of the fundamental aspects of the game of Ingress, namely creating links and forming control fields.

This can be a confusing aspect of the game for new players, I certainly found it so when I started playing. You know that links and fields are important but you're not quite sure why and you’re not quite sure how to go about creating them.

So hopefully this guide will give some useful beginners tips as well as maybe some good info for more advanced players.

[Update, July 2016] This guide was written quite a while ago now. TBH I didn't think it would still be getting views but I'm glad it still appears to be helpful.

I'm aware that the information contained herein may be out of date. Any suggestions for improvements would be gratefully received.

What are links?

A link is a straight line formed between two friendly portals. So, fundamentally, you need to control both ends of the link.


The rules are that links must have clear line of sight. In other words, a link cannot cross another links (regardless of faction). This has implications for the layout of fields (see later) and the overall strategy of the game (see blocking links).

What are fields?

A field is a triangle formed by the creation of three links. When the last link is created a field is formed.


When I first started playing I thought that a control field was bounded by links and could be of any shape (I think this may be a common misapprehension). But no, triangles, triangles, triangles.

You will think in triangles and the most efficient way to lay them out for a given number of points. You will do it in your sleep eventually! :)


Here's an example...


Why create links?

The primary reason for creating links has been outlined above, to create fields.

However, links can be used for more strategic purposes, namely to block the activity of the opposition. Remember that links cannot cross other links. So, a link thrown over an area will prevent creation of links in that area.

This can be useful in stopping the creation of larger fields and to annoy the enemy.


Why create fields?

Why go to all the trouble?

Well, creating fields is lucrative in terms of Action Points (AP). AP is the stuff that levels you up so if you want to progress in the game you need the AP. Creating a control field gets you 1250 AP, by far the biggest return for a  single action in the game. Knocking down fields is also a good way of leveling but we'll get to that.


See http://goo.gl/5pBKH for more info on AP and levels.


It's the primary goal of the game


You will see a faction score at the top of the Intel screen. This is the number of Mind Units (MU) controlled by each faction. The number of Mind Units is determined by the area (and population) underneath control fields. So basically, fields you create will provide a number of MU to the total.


It's satisfying!

The first time you create a series of control fields, maximising the possible number of fields, you'll know what I mean.

Mmm...


How to link

I've got the key, I've got the secret

In a nutshell, in order to create a link to a portal you need the key to that portal. Keys are gained by hacking and are given out on an unpredictable basis.


To link a portal, stand at the source of the link and choose Link Portal from the portal  info screen. This will show you a list of keys that you have available. Choose the one you want and the system will tell you if the link is possible (see blocking links earlier). Hit Confirm and your link is created. 313 AP are yours.

Note well, the key used to create the link (i.e. the destination) is used up by this process.

So, what implications does this have? Keys are a precious resource especially for portals that are remote (i.e. you don’t hack them very often). Think about how you use then.

See this guide for more info on linking http://goo.gl/ec1NH

Build 'Em Up, How to create a field

Given what we have looked at up 'til now, creating a field is a straight-forward task. Create three links that form a triangle and you have a field. 1250 points to you.



There are some considerations though… mainly under the title of plan ahead.

Size does not matter

If you are looking to level up then your primary concern is getting AP. The quickest way to do that is to create as many fields as possible.


Note that you get 1250 points for creating a field. It does not matter if that field is the size of a city or covers a couple of streets, you get the same amount. So, look for areas that have a large number of portals in a small area. These will give you the biggest return for your resources and effort.


What if those portals do not belong to your faction. We'll get to that.


How many fields can you create?

When planning your field creation, if you have a collection of portals then you have a range of choices as to how you create the links and fields. Think about the order in which you are going to create the links before you venture out.



Watch out for blocking links, they are very frustrating when you block yourself (and you can't get rid of them).


Overlapping Fields

You can create smaller triangles within bigger triangles in a Russian doll stylee.  Create the inner fields first as fields cannot be created within a larger field.



Minimise your travelling

If you have all the keys you need then, as a minimum, you are going to have to visit two of the three portals in order to deploy the field. If you are on foot then this is a consideration because if you mess it up you're going to be getting a lot more exercise than you bargained for. It's also a big consideration when looking at the creation of big fields.


Big Fields

As stated before, the size of the field doesn't matter from an AP point of view. So why would you create a big field. The primary reason would be to get lots of MU for your faction. 

However, the other reason is to block game activity under the field. I said that a field can't be created within another field. If a field is created that spans a whole city (or region, or country) then the game is effectively shut down while the field is in place.



Why would you do this? Mainly cause it's fun and really winds up the opposition. It also requires planning, co-operation and seeing places you've not seen before. All of which are very much in the spirit of the game.


From a practical point of view, big fields require the following:
  • The right keys, this might require a lot of travelling or the exchange of keys and the co-ordination of players to deploy links at the correct time.
  • The leveling up of portals. The level of resonators on a portal determine how far a link it can throw. Depending on the distance, this might require several high level player to achieve.

See http://goo.gl/4CPCa for an example that nearly came off.


Knock 'em down

I said earlier that creating fields is the most effective way of getting AP. This is not strictly the case if you are in an area dominated by the opposition. In such as situation it can be hard to level up and you have to turn to guerrilla tactics.


Destroying a field yields 750 points (plus points for each link severed) so you can get a fairly cost effective return on your precious XMP bursters by mounting hit and run attacks on the portals that are the hub of many fields (as will occur in heavily populated areas).


Pick your target. Perhaps lie low for a while to let the portal degrade (and hope that no-one is recharging). Ensure you have the weapons to take it down quickly and completely (again to prevent a recharge). And then go for it. A heavily linked portal can yeild > 10K AP for a single attack so it's worth it.


Let's look at our example fields again. Which one should we attack if we had limited resources?



The selected portal has four fields associated with it so destroying it will yield 6285 AP.

Conclusion

I hope you've found this guide helpful. Please let me know if you think something is incorrect or you think something should be added. I'm grateful for all feedback.

5 comments:

  1. I see that the map says it's 4 fields but it surely is 5 fields?
    The top field is inside a larger field, thus making it 5 fields.
    Ether there are some portals not showing at this zoom level and that it in fact is not a "big" field on the left side, or there is an error in the Ingress Intel Total Conversion addon that needs to be reported.

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    1. I just took a screenshot within IITC. :)I guess it would depend on how those fields were laid down. I think the horizontal link from the far left portal to the middle portal means that there is not a outer and inner field but three separate smaller fields.

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  2. I figured you just took a screen shot.
    I thought about that it could be separate fields as well but concluded that it could not be the case due to the color differences between the CF's to the far left and the other CF's.
    The same color differences you will find in your ss showing overlapping fields.

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    1. We will most likely create some overlapping fields today and I will check what IITC says there and will report it to them if it's a bug.

      Nice guide btw!

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