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RISK The Game On Google Maps

Posted by samzenpus on from the feeling-lucky dept.

axonis writes "ZenChi has created a Google Maps API project based on the popular board game RISK on Google Maps. While Zen is developing a multi-player version, you can play a game right now with others huddled around your computer."

45 of 241 comments (clear)

  1. Can Google maps get more geeky? by Trigun · · Score: 5, Funny

    Call Newman and Kramer. And can someone program an API to find my keys?

    1. Re:Can Google maps get more geeky? by Cave_Monster · · Score: 4, Funny
      And can someone program an API to find my keys?

      I had a look on google earth and when I zoomed in to the maximum, I noticed your keys are on your front lawn near that little garden gnome. You must have dropped them while walking from your car to your front door :)

    2. Re:Can Google maps get more geeky? by Spy+der+Mann · · Score: 3, Funny

      Yes, they can.

      Enter your Google Earth search:
      [ Carmen Sandiego ]

      Your search returned no matches.

    3. Re:Can Google maps get more geeky? by Legion303 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Your search for "where's waldo" around this map area did not match any locations.

      Suggestions:

              * Make sure all words are spelled correctly.
              * Try different keywords.
              * Try more general keywords.

  2. There goes my life... by DogDude · · Score: 5, Funny

    As soon as this thing gets into online leagues, I'm afraid that my social life will be finished. This rocks.

    --
    I don't respond to AC's.
    1. Re:There goes my life... by HoboMaster · · Score: 5, Funny

      Being as you're a poster on /., I'm calling BS on your use of future tense.

      --
      Remember kids, tin foil doesn't work, so use LeadHat.
  3. In Soviet Russia... by countchoc12 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Google API Project maps Risk on YOU!

    --
    In Soviet Russia, Soviet Russia jokes make YOU!
  4. Want to play a game, Professor Falken? by Argonne · · Score: 5, Funny

    With all the news about Google's great power these days, I know that when I play this I'll turn on CNN when I sent Alaskan forces against Kamchatka. On second thought, maybe not. I really don't want to have to hear George W. Bush try to pronounce "Irkutsk".

    1. Re:Want to play a game, Professor Falken? by Browncoat · · Score: 5, Funny
      Irk-tusk, Irk-utusk...I can only imagine the possibilities.

      It's WarGames, Google-style! I can see George Lucas' hamster wheel spinning. "The Google Wars"

      --
      "Curse your sudden, but inevitable betrayal!"
  5. That's Friggin Brilliant... by CptTripps · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...now does anyone remember how to play Risk?

    --


    My .sig can beat up your honor student.
    1. Re:That's Friggin Brilliant... by YrWrstNtmr · · Score: 3, Insightful
      ...now does anyone remember how to play Risk?

      Yes, courtesy of Lux.

    2. Re:That's Friggin Brilliant... by patio11 · · Score: 4, Funny

      All I remember is owning Australia is key to world domination. You get to deploy your hordes of Crockodile Dundee, Jeff Corwin, and Mel Gibson in his before-he-got-religion period (well, OK, Passion is probably more violent than Thunderdome, but in a different way). And the beatdown commences.

      --
      Help poke pirates in the eyepatch, arr.
    3. Re:That's Friggin Brilliant... by raoul666 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Basically, you just wait until everyone gets tired of it, then you knock down their pieces with yours. Some helpful hints:
      1. Take as long as possible deciding troop placement, using obscure algorithms
      2. To decide where to attack, make a large probability diagram with all possible outcomes
      3. Roll all dice one at a time, saying a short prayer over each one of them. In Elvish, if possible

      Using these, and other patent-pending ideas, World Domination(tm) can be yours!

      --
      When cryptography is outlawed, bayl bhgynjf jvyy unir cevinpl
    4. Re:That's Friggin Brilliant... by zxnos · · Score: 4, Interesting

      i always found that having the americas was key. only three avenues to be attacked from. then you can move into europe or africa while fortifying your position in the americas with bonus troops. just stay out of europe at the start if you want a chance.

      --
      always mosh clockwise
    5. Re:That's Friggin Brilliant... by fishbowl · · Score: 4, Informative

      "However, nothing beats the satisfaction of the good old cardboard + plastic style world domination."

      The good old set had counters made of *wood*, youngster.

      --
      -fb Everything not expressly forbidden is now mandatory.
    6. Re:That's Friggin Brilliant... by rjshields · · Score: 5, Funny
      The good old set had counters made of *wood*, youngster.
      Wood? You had wood? When I was a lad our counters were fashioned from dried turd.
      --
      In this world nothing is certain but death, taxes and flawed car analogies.
  6. Now for some robots.... by Roguelazer · · Score: 3, Funny

    Now all we need to do is combine this with giant Internet-guided robots and we'll be all set for World War

    --
    My Systems
  7. School by saskboy · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I wonder if this would be a good way to encourage students to learn the geography they are so sorely lacking? What better way to learn where Uzbekistan is, than to invade Iran from it?

    --
    Saskboy's blog is good. 9 out of 10 dentists agree.
    1. Re:School by Trigun · · Score: 4, Funny

      I hope that you've got luck on your side, because you should never start a land war in Asia.

    2. Re:School by Browncoat · · Score: 5, Funny

      You should also never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line. See? You can learn International Policy and Diplomacy from Princess Bride!

      --
      "Curse your sudden, but inevitable betrayal!"
    3. Re:School by NMerriam · · Score: 3, Funny

      I still think that Kamchatka doesn't exist, and that mapmakers just put it there because everyone KNOWS that's where it is supposed to be.

      --
      Recursive: Adj. See Recursive.
    4. Re:School by Danny+Rathjens · · Score: 5, Funny

      "War is God's way of teaching Americans geography."
                                  -- Ambrose Bierce

    5. Re:School by richdun · · Score: 4, Funny

      What better way to learn where Uzbekistan is, than to invade Iran from it?

      Damn CIA leaks...

    6. Re:School by rxmd · · Score: 3, Informative
      What better way to learn where Uzbekistan is, than to invade Iran from it?
      I guess you haven't played enough, then :) Uzbekistan doesn't have a land border with Iran. Not that that's an absolute necessity for invasion, but it's usually considered a good idea. Afghanistan would be a better choice.
      --
      As a state gets corrupt, its laws multiply; the most corrupt states have the most numerous laws. (Tacitus, Annales 3:27)
    7. Re:School by TwistedSquare · · Score: 4, Funny

      Especially if you have troops stationed in Afghanistan already ;-)

  8. Shall we play a game? by oskard · · Score: 5, Funny

    Apparently the server was located in Quebec because as soon as I defeated the troops stationed there, the web site crashed.

    Wouldn't you prefer a good game of chess?

    --
    Sigs are for Terrorists.
  9. remember old school risk players by circletimessquare · · Score: 4, Interesting

    always start in australia ;-)

    --
    intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
    1. Re:remember old school risk players by Malc · · Score: 3

      Nah, it gets boring always winning. Much more fun to try to win from Ukraine or Mongolia.

    2. Re:remember old school risk players by hackstraw · · Score: 3, Insightful

      australia

      Yeah, that was an easy way. However, you had to get a decent number of armies to shield yourself in Australia and grow that number at a constant rate to defend against attacks and store up for the charge across the World (or just be very patient).

      That is definitely the most conservative way to play, but there are many ways of defeating it.

    3. Re:remember old school risk players by fishbowl · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I'm trying to write an AI player for Risk. For placing armies and reinforcing borders, I've started with a heuristic approach that weighs the least number of fronts, the least continental fronts, the continent value, and maybe a continental affinity in the event of a tie. Depending on how you weigh the continent value against the number of continental borders, this always picks Japan or Argentina first, assuming the theatre is the original map.

      I'm thinking there must be a "one true" next correct territory to put a unit, regardless of how many ready units there are, what the current state of the map is, etc. Likewise for attacking. Right now my AIPlayer attacks anywhere he has 3 or mor troop strength regardless of the opposition (very stupid, I know :-)

      Trying to figure out this troop placement thing made me realize I don't actually have a working strategy as a human player. I've always basically just tried to get a connected map wherever my opponents weren't, or else just placed units randomly. But the more I look at it, the more I think the best early strategy is to take and hold South America. Trying to generalize the reasons for that strategy into something that would work for any map.

      --
      -fb Everything not expressly forbidden is now mandatory.
  10. Uh-oh by kramthegram · · Score: 4, Funny

    If Bush finds this game he'll be calling for an all out assult on the green guys attacking from Mexico, America needs that continental bonus for our troops in Iraq!

  11. Re:Talk about google infatuation by YrWrstNtmr · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Talk about a 0.1 alpha version. Give it time.

    GoogleRisk - 2010
    Played in realtime, lifesize, via mobile phone, in one or more major cities in each 'territory'.

    Risk is quite possibly the classic 'world war' game. A few hundred years of seasoning, and it may be equivalent to chess.

  12. Diplomacy by lamasquerade · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I'd love to see a version of Diplomacy made to work the same way - that is my favourite boardgame of all time and I believe Risk is based on it. Diplomacy's major strength though is the lack of die - it's all strategy and negotiation, chance plays just about no role (the allocation of countries at the beginning being the only exception).

    --

    // It had been Fat's delusion for years that he could help people. --Philip K. Dick, Valis

  13. Hello Professor by Kortec · · Score: 3, Funny

    Hello Professor; would you like to play a game of Search Engine War?

    --
    "My heart is in the work." - Andrew Carnegie
  14. This would be fun... by Donniedarkness · · Score: 4, Funny
    If I had any friends to actually play with :(

    Isn't the purpose of the computer to replace them?! Then why are there no bots!

    --
    Earn a % of cash back from Newegg, Tiger Direct, Walmart.com, and more: http://www.mrrebates.com?refid=458505
  15. Re:Talk about google infatuation by lamasquerade · · Score: 5, Insightful
    You know I really wonder about comments like these. Is there some sort of negative Slashdot commenter's club that you join or are you guys just a bunch of unhappy people? I mean, someone goes out and creates something pretty cool, he/she announces it on a mailinglist for some feedback, and you just give this incredibly negative why-even-bother type comment. Not criticism either, no real points are raised, just a bashing of the effort. I just don't get it - why, in fact, do you bother?

    For the record I think it looks pretty cool and no doubt will only get better. Oh and as for making it on an API that 'clearly isn't meant to support such a game' - isn't that the hacking mentality? Go out and create something that wasn't even envisioned... just for fun!

    --

    // It had been Fat's delusion for years that he could help people. --Philip K. Dick, Valis

  16. Re:Talk about google infatuation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    "Not only is it single terminal only, but your forced to play..."

    Me fail English? That's unpossible.

  17. Re:Talk about google infatuation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful
    ...made on an api that clearly isnt meant to support such a game.

    That's exactly why it's cool! Don't you understand hack-value?

  18. GoogleEarth by emjoi_gently · · Score: 3, Funny

    I'd love a more dynamic api for GoogleEarth. At the moment it's fairly static. You can place things on the Earth, but you can't make them move. Too be able to have ICBMs flying between the US and the USSR, with little mushroom clouds....

  19. That's nice, but I'll stick with warfish.net by Futaba-chan · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Well, it's pretty, and all... but warfish.net has a perfectly functional multiplayer play-over-the-web Risk implementation, using a stylized map, including several variants. The picture on the map doesn't matter nearly so much as the gameplay does....

  20. Crap. by Timewinder · · Score: 3, Funny

    C'mon now, I haven't even managed to finish the last game of RISK I started...

    It's been 3 weeks, dear god someone help me...

  21. Great Free Online Risk like game by mikapc · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Check out globalcombat.com , it is an excellent improved upon version of risk that I've played for years on and off. It is web based and allows multiplayer games of anywhere between 2 and 32 players. Turn rates can be anywhere from 1 minute to 72 hours. Check it out.

  22. Perfect by oncebitten · · Score: 5, Funny

    So now Rimmer can blog his Risk campaign book *and* play at the same time.

    Then again, he's too much of a smeg head to multitask like that.

  23. Gratuitous by CowboyRobot · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Using Google Maps is totally gratuitous here. Zooming in to get more detailed terrain actually inhibits gameplay rather than enhances it. A really good free, online, multiplayer game of this sort is Conqueror! - which is not Risk, but takes some of the ideas of Risk and Axis & Allies and uses them in the context of Medieval Europe.

    --
    every stain tells a story
  24. Re:Talk about google infatuation by B1ackDragon · · Score: 3, Funny

    Are you familiar with the greater internet fuckwad theory?

    --
    The snow doesn't give a soft white damn whom it touches. -- ee cummings