FourSquare Mod Turns New York Into a Giant Game of Risk

John Funk

U.N. Owen Was Him?
Dec 20, 2005
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FourSquare Mod Turns New York Into a Giant Game of Risk

Today, Manhattan. Tomorrow, the world!

Even if you don't use it yourself, you're probably familiar with hit social media app FourSquare [https://foursquare.com/], an application which lets users check in at their favorite places so that others can know where they are. Some businesses may offer treats and discounts to their "mayors," but for the most part there's no point to FourSquare other than what you yourself make of it.

A little FourSquare mod, however, aims to change that. Risk [http://worldoffourcraft.com/], played all throughout the Five Boroughs of New York City.

Players - there are about a hundred at the moment - swear allegiance to one of the city's five boroughs (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and the Bronx). Every time a player uses FourSquare to "check in" at a location, the game tabs it up and treats it like placing an extra soldier on the board in Risk. If more people from a given borough visit a specific neighborhood, then it falls under their control.

The game itself is only about three days old, borne as it was during Game Hack Day [http://gamehackday.org/] over the weekend, but it's definitely a nifty idea that brings some permanence - and a genuine point - to the inherent transience of FourSquare.

Manhattan is winning right now, but really - were you expecting anything else?

(Mashable [http://worldoffourcraft.com/])

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TimeLord

For the Emperor!
Legacy
Aug 15, 2008
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That sounds like an awesome idea! Someone make an iPhone app exactly like this for the UK!
 

teh_Canape

New member
May 18, 2010
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>turn FourSquare into Risk
>play it long enough to rise your military knowledge
>do it in real life
>take over the world

 

Jinx_Dragon

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Jan 19, 2009
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It is harmless fun...

Though I can't help but wonder how long till people organize and we see some real struggles over key locations... still likely to remain harmless for a long while. At least until we start smashing phones of people in other boroughs as soon as we find them 'out of their designated area' and other such crap that may be an outcome of this. Humans have this strange competitive edge that leaves me doubtless that eventually this has a real possibility of leading to real world struggles over virtual turf.
 
Feb 13, 2008
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Most of Leicester already belongs to the Anstey Alliance.

Apart from all the MaccyD's, of course. I do have some standards.
 

Baldry

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Feb 11, 2009
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Well I hope they bring this to the rest of the world, this sounds quite awesome!
 

ChildofGallifrey

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May 26, 2008
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Awesome as this idea is, I think I'm going to stay an outside observer. I'd love to step up and do my part, for I love Manhattan, but I'd rather not be a part of the inevitable Brooklyn/Queens brawl for control of the Time's Square Starbucks.
 

subject_87

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Jul 2, 2010
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Foursquare needs to make this official ASAP, and ideally bring it to Philly, please?

Oh, and betting is now open on how soon it'll be for this turns violent.
 

Tentickles

New member
Oct 24, 2010
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I demand a world application! Divide the world by cities +regions +countries.

Let the population loose!

???

Profit.
 

Branches

A Flawed Logical Conundrum
Oct 30, 2008
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It reminds me a bit of PacManhattan. It's an interesting concept, but wouldn't you somewhat expect someone to just drive along in their car?