"Gamers Turn Cities Into a Battleground"

New Scientist (06/11/05) Vol. 186, No. 2503, P. 26; Graham-Rowe, Duncan

Popular culture's reality craze has penetrated the virtual gaming world, as around the globe major urban centers are witnessing a surge in the popularity of virtual games where players compete for real territory with the aid of portable electronic devices. Using any handheld device with a GPS receiver, such as a cell phone or PDA, gamers competing against one another can follow their opponents' movements or search for treasure hidden in remote locations. Intel technology ethnographer Michele Chang says, "The limitations of physical space makes playing the game exciting." Advances in the technology and the pervasiveness of the cell phone have especially contributed to this trend of virtual, interactive gaming, as "geocaching" technology makes it possible for GPS coordinates to appear on one's phone set against a map of the city. Where turf in a city is divided among players, wandering into foreign territory may mean a fight executed over text messages. Some games are driven by gaps in the technology, or places where GPS devices are inaccurate, such as in the shadows of tall buildings, where the object of the game becomes using these areas to avoid detection. Given the interactive nature of these games that are being played in a real and public setting, safety concerns arise for both players and pedestrians, as the rules of the game can bring strangers together face to face. Game designers will need to find ways to protect the safety of users and the public and prevent "cyber-stalking."

http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn7498

This sounds cool, i would think about getting a gps for this only reason. Ha