Urban citizens, payphone warriors
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When phone rates are close to null, that talking over IP becomes the new brave new way to call, payphones become a game. The idea that comes with Payphone Warriors, a online/offline game, is cool and brings a new way to see surroundings.
Here’s the pitch: “Manhattan’s three major hacker gangs (the Phone Phreaks, the Jack-point Jockeys, and the Alley Amps) have developed black-market technology that enables them to jack into the phone network though the payphone nodes, and redirect the payment deposited into that phone into their own coffers.” (We love those kind of artytech ideas.)
During the 30 minutes of game time, teams have to guard payphone spots. Anytime a team left a claimed phone unprotected, they face the risk to get other teams taking over. To claim a spot, each team calls a specific phone number. In return, an automatic voice confirms their position ― which is powered by an open source Asterisk IP telephone server.
Abe Burmeister, the creator of the game, said to CNet that while Payphone Warriors still had some kinks to work out, the automation was pretty far along.
But still, the game lacks a major feature: Allowing Internet users to follow the game. That could be done by adding a Google map of the arena.
Sep 25, 2006 | By Nuno
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