Game on The Grid
The Grid, a location-based social network that uses cellphones to connect users with people, places and events around them, has launched Legends of Echo, a multi-player social game for mobile phones that allows players to trade, battle and communicate with other players across South Africa with their physical location as central point.
It makes use of Vodacom's Location-Based Services (LBS) to determine players' physical locations, from where they can then explore their surroundings or move (virtually) to anywhere else in South Africa to interact with other players - in real time.
The game is available free as a Java download to cellphones. Once installed, players can interact immediately with other players in the Echo universe. There is no cost for playing apart from the standard data costs to the network provider. Players have the option to trade airtime for Elements, which in turn are exchanged for additional weapons to enhance their game.
The game is a parallel virtual universe based on the South African map. Instead of cities and skyscrapers, however, players will find rolling green fields, rocky outcrops and valleys to explore and establish their base. It is unique in that it mirrors real-life locations in a multi-player environment. Interaction is always location-bound i.e a player is battling a player in close physical proximity to him/herself.
All South Africans, irrespective of which network operator they are connected to, can join the Grid social network and play the game - SMS 'echo' to 33313 (50c/SMS), go to www.legendsofecho.mobi/ or http://wap.thegrid.co.za. There is also a full-feature website at www.thegrid.co.za.
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