Throughout the course of history, the entertainment industry been responsible for driving a significant portion of the technological advances made by man. Architectural feats such as the Roman Colosseum and its modern-day equivalent – the football stadium – are constructed for watching “gladiators” do battle. More powerful (and less traceable) drugs are created so that athletes can be bigger, stronger, faster.
Why does PC video card technology increase at such an alarming rate? Because the video game industry puts so much effort into creating monstrously huge textures and complex algorithms to make their games more visually stunning. How did DVDs and DVD players become commodity items within a few years of their introduction to the public? In large part because the porn industry saw the potential for a cheaper medium on which to distribute a better product to their customers. (“You mean, I can jump to any point without waiting for the fast-forward/rewind? No blurring when you pause? SOLD!”)
Essentially what I’m getting at here is that the instant a new technology is created, the first reaction is something like, “Sweet! Now how can I use this for games or get and watch porn on it?”
Enter Google Maps. While the porn industry has yet to find a way to use geolocation and satellite imagery for their purposes (I’m sure they’re working on it, though), one enterprising young man has realized – correctly! – that Google Maps provides an excellent platform for bringing an element of realism to the classic board game RISK. That’s right, folks: Google Maps Risk.
Aside: I feel for this guy’s server…he’s already been dugg, slashdotted, and BoingBoinged . (Has that last term been coined?)
