Mobitrends

Just finished reading “Halting State” by Charles Stross, this novel was really amazing. The action takes place in Scotland at Hayek Associate, a startup that just went public and which is in charge of managing banks in online worlds holding for their customers the precious loot and equipment acquired during their game. Against every rule, one of their banks in an online world has been robbed and a team is set to check on the whereabouts.
Two interesting themes are developed in that book :

• Virtual worlds banks - can’t help but think about the recent actions of Second Life banning banks from their platform, but sill there’s a real need to place some stuff in a secure place. In WoW I’m always kinda scared to loose my items (got a couple of priceful two-hands maces that I’ll be only able to use when I reach lvl 68) yet I’m really sure there is a business for a banking system in virtual worlds. Moreover I’m sure that it’s not the job of the game makers and platform administrators to provide this service and as such there will be place for pure players in this area.
• SPOOKS is a cool idea developed in that book : It’s a web-ivr-RL game where you play secret agent X. Nothing new if it wasn’t that real people play against real people in real life. They get their mission orders by IVR of the web and go complete their mission in real life. This idea is w00t, I’d really love to see such a real life game come true.
  
  Funky enough, Gameloft is launching this week the CSI mobile game which includes IVR call during game phases which will provide you with special instructions to complete special missions.

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