Kelsey KLASSEN
Abbotsford News
Would you believe a 63-year-old dystopian novel was the inspiration behind a state-of-the-art geocaching role-player game for the iPhone?
Vancouver-based software developer Ryan Chapman explained how his media company’s innovative new gaming app, Code Runner, was inspired by George Orwell’s literary classic, 1984.
“Jeff got the idea while walking through Gastown in Vancouver, listening to 1984 (on tape) … There’s a lot of power in delivering atmosphere using a mobile device. It really engages you and gets you immersed in another world.”
The Abbotsford Collegiate graduate is one of three creators behind the unique spy game, which involves outdoor locations in your own neighbourhood by way of Google search results to create an alternate, action-packed reality starring landmarks and businesses you are familiar with.
Chapman and Robert Bateman Secondary grad Michael Ferraro linked up with Jeff Macpherson two years ago to begin work on the app for their company RocketChicken. Code Runner is the first release for the brand, which is already garnering industry buzz.
“It’s a way to combine intense storytelling with the popularity of geocaching.” Chapman said. “You walk around triggering different audio and visual content. Playing the role of a spy, for example, you can hack into a security camera and “see” what it sees.”
Geocaching is a real-world treasure hunting activity, based on using Global Positioning System enabled devices to find caches located around the world. As a Code Runner, you are recruited to find objects and locations at specific coordinates and use the information they contain.
The game has been a labour of love for the team, who sacrificed evenings and weekends, and occasionally took time of from their regular jobs in order to keep the project moving.
Playable anywhere in the world and currently compatible with iPhone and iPad 2 WiFi + 3G, Code Runner is now available on iTunes for $2.99. Watch the trailer at coderunnergame.com.