(keitai-l) Re: AU GPS

Hi David,

I am not quite sure if you are looking for GPS games or real treasure 
hunt, however
here is some information:

Geocaching is usually looking a real thing hidden somewhere on earth. 
People are to find
it with their GPS device using the global coordinates of the cache.

Else, there are in Japan a few games using GPS or location, some quite 
simple like fishing games
or the stubborn Seaman who uses your position and some interaction to 
understand your habits
and annoy you when you are bored. There was some experiment called 
"kuchikomi navicity"
to build some kind of community database on restaurant locations and 
else, but its slow interface
and general unfriendliness have probably killed it by now.

Last, (shameless promotion starts here) our company has been running a 
very innovative
location-based community game for about one year on KDDI's EZweb 
(EZnumber: 53577).
It runs on Java handsets, but we expect to release a BREW version 
sometime in Sept/Oct this year.

The principle is a collection game (picking objects all around Japan), 
but you can also communicate
and trade with other players and get some game view on the web 
(www.mogimogi.com,
you get a password on your mobile after registration).

The social aspect is probably as important as the game itself for some 
players.
Feedback have been very encouraging and showed a high stickiness of users.
Among proposed features are : team play, virtual shops, creatures 
wandering, etc.

One player currently runs a blog describing his experience since he 
started playing a few months ago
www.doblog.com/weblog/myblog/13395

As the game relies heavily on the network, a good packet plan is 
recommended if you want to avoid "pake-shi"
(at last a good reason to get a heavy packet plan for non-photobloggers!).

And if you really want geocaching, we may add a function for that in our 
service (^_^)

Cheers,
Benjamin @ Newt Games Asia

Christian Anderson wrote:

>This GeoCaching thing sounds cool, but unfortunately I only found one for
>Osaka, and all the comments lead me to believe that its not actually there.
>hah
>
>Christian Anderson
>Pictures of Japan: http://www.photokyo.com
>Blog: http://www.bymyeyes.com
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: keitai-l-bounce@appelsiini.net [mailto:keitai-l-bounce@appelsiini.net]
>On Behalf Of David Harper
>Sent: Monday, August 30, 2004 4:24 PM
>To: keitai-l@appelsiini.net
>Subject: (keitai-l) Re: AU GPS
>
>  
>
>>Also, anyone into GeoCaching?
>>
>> What's that?
>>    
>>
>
>GeoCaching is a "sport"/"treasure hunt game." Someone places a "cache" 
>at specific geo coordinates (A "cache" can be a treasure - take one, leave
>one or a journal/log book to be signed - "I found it!. I was here!" etc.),
>then publishes "clues" and geo data as to it's location. 
>Others then use a gps-enabled device to zero in and find the cache. 
>While "GeoCaching" can be enjoyed on an individual basis for fun/exercise,
>competitions can also be organized among multiple participants where a time
>limit comes into play (or a series of caches each pointing to the next.)
>More information can be found at www.geocaching.com
>--------------
>David Harper
>Co-Founder
>Wireless Ink: Mobilizing the Masses
>--------------
>1-631-367-6640 (Office)
>1-631-335-3485 (Mobile)
>wirelessink (AOL IM)
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>http://winksite.com
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