Parallel Kingdom

You might have heard that Google is developing a open source mobile phone operating system called Android, which is supposed to come out this year. One interesting application developed for Android phones is Parallel Kingdom, a MMORPG "using GPS to place the virtual world on top of the real world". It promises that "you can mine resources, build buildings, craft items, trade goods, meet people, start kingdoms, lead wars, and explore the world", all on an interface overlayed on a Google map of where you physically are. Thus if you want to move in the game, you'll have to move in real life. Thus the other promise that "Parallel Kingdom is a casual game that will get you out into the world questing and exploring".

That certainly sounds interesting. It is somewhat similar to the idea of WiFi Army, a first person shooter where you locate your enemy by Android GPS and then "shoot" him with the inbuilt camera. Parallel Kingdom will be free to play, but of course you'll need to buy an Android mobile phone, and some sort of contract with a mobile phone service operator. Personally I'm not using my mobile phone all that much, and am not sure I'd want to spend big bucks on an Android phone. My current phone has a very small internet browser, but when I tried it out it was horribly expensive to surf via mobile phone over here in Europe. But if I could get a phone which displays my GPS position on a Google map, and allows me to surf the net, and doesn't cost me an arm and a leg, I'd certainly be interested. And I'd try Parallel Kingdom.
- posted by Tobold @ 1:12 PM Permanent Link