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Google Earth Playground

Submitted by: DennisJ
Created: Jan 7, 2007, 5:30 pm

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The Elevator Pitch

For online games players who like realism the GE Playground is a games environment that allows gaming in a reality-based world. Unlike virtual fantasy games our product relates to the times and places we all know.

The Idea

Lets use Google Earth to provide the environment for interactive online games, just as Gwabs uses the desktop. Initially the games could be combat-based, like Gwabs, but also allow more friendly activities, like chatting, etc. Map features such as roads, rivers etc can be incorporated into games to provide obstacles and routes through the terrain. 3D models of real cities could be used for racing games similar to Midtown Madness, or management games like The Sims. Revenue could come from subscriptions and/or paid advertising. The ads would be part of the environment also, so for example a restaurant ad would be a model of the building in the correct location, carrying contact details and prices.

I thought of this idea when I was...

Reading about other Google Earth mashups.

Comments Posted

miss_murky Posted: January 9, 2007, 1:28 pm

I dig it... I think that your best idea is the location-based adverts for companies...

Although virtually blowing up the starbucks by work for making my latte wrong when I'm running late and dealing with a four-star hangover is very appealing...

gregpoirier Posted: January 15, 2007, 3:33 pm

Brilliant, you could start meeting people in your own area (and kicking their asses). What if instead of creating a whole new game, you found a way to adapt it into a pre-exising one (like an add on for WOW)

DennisJ Posted: January 30, 2007, 1:15 pm

I have now done a little more research into this, and have found that Google is working on an API to allow applications to hook into Google Earth.

This could be the start of a major expansion of GE usage, into many new areas, such as games.

E115 Posted: March 27, 2007, 6:02 am

Something to remeber if its like the API for Google Maps (http://www.google.com/apis/maps/), the content has to be offered free to users. You can of course buy a commercial licence, but I imagine this would end up being costly.

Your model would have to be a free2play at first (advert supported) then when you have enough interest have additional content on pay2play. Aka Runescape.
Footing a comerical licence up front may be risky.

This is all assuming the google will charge for restricted use though.

Hello!

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