Risk on Google Maps
There is a big hype in the web industry about mapping applications. One particularly famous example is Google Local (or Google Maps). Well, have you ever thought about playing Risk on GoogleMaps?
A first version - which allows you to play with your buddies in front of your PC -
is available at http://www.ashotoforangejuice.com/gmrisk.html. In addition, a multiplayer version might be coming with v2.0.
From a boardgamer's perspective there are better implementations of the Risk game, but the integration with Google Maps adds new possibilities. Personally, I believe there is much more to get out of this technology then this first implementation realizes. Use your imagination here...
Some ideas for Risk (or Risk clones) integrating with actual maps:
- Play on different territories such as current political territories or zoom in to a particular region, such as your home town.
- Zooming in / out for combat on more detailed levels
- In a multiplayer variant, each player could be identified with their home region. This could be the basis for interesting new missions (such as Capture the home territoriy of 2 players).
- Armies / soldiers get diverted by certain business types (I mean pizza services here) in their area. This mechanism would allow modifications of dice rolls.
- Play historic battles on very realistic maps
- etc.