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June 10, 2008 2:00 AM PDT

Google Maps meets 'Grand Theft Auto'

by Stephen Shankland

Who would have believed Google's geographic Web services could actually get your adrenaline going?

Granted, these aren't real video games, but two Web sites are pushing what can be done with interactive interfaces to Google Maps and Google Earth.

The first, taking advantage of Google Maps' new ability to work with Flash applications, lets you drive a car, bus, or truck around Google Maps. It won't bat an eye if you drive through a building or into the ocean, but Katsuomi Kobayashi, the programmer from Osaka, Japan, who wrote it, was happy to note that the software can display images at 40 frames per second vs. 20 at best for JavaScript. And it uses less CPU power, too.

This rudimentary game lets people drive various vehicles around Google Maps. Here I'm taking a semi through Tokyo traffic.

This rudimentary game lets people drive various vehicles around Google Maps. Here I'm taking a semi through Tokyo traffic.

(Credit: Geoquake)

Another novelty is a flight simulator for the browser plug-in version of Google Earth announced at Google I/O a week and a half ago. (This is different from the flight sim that works with the Google Earth standalone software.) It works with recent versions of Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Flock, but on Windows only.

This basic flight simulator works with the Google Earth browser plug-in.

This basic flight simulator works with the Google Earth browser plug-in.

(Credit: Barnabu.co.uk)

Again, the software is crude by gaming standards, but it does illustrate what can be done these days inside a browser. I'm among those who are interested to watch Google Earth abilities gradually pop up in Google Maps and in the browser. It's easily conceivable to me that we'll soon be seeing all manner of games that run on the 3D models of the real world that Google and Microsoft are building. Lower network latencies, faster server responses, and higher network data capacity all point in that direction.

(Via Google Geo Developers Blog and Google Maps Mania.)

Stephen Shankland writes about a wide range of technology and products, but has a particular focus on browsers and digital photography. He joined CNET News in 1998 and since then also has covered Google, Yahoo, servers, supercomputing, Linux and open-source software, and science. E-mail Stephen, or follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/stshank.
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by leedash13 June 10, 2008 10:24 AM PDT
I produced a similar game to the first example for a class at Drexel University (Philadelphia, PA) that also includes collision detection and whatnot, but you're limited to the Drexel campus...

http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~ldd62/DIGM265/

-Lee
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by jrm125 June 11, 2008 5:46 AM PDT
I enjoyed. If you ever make it again, have the map rotate to match the keys.

Plus for some reason, my car eventually just ground to a halt. Not sure why, but good job!
by reconfigure June 11, 2008 10:27 AM PDT
Related ideas that have been around for quite awhile are at http://smart-city.re-configure.org and in this proposal - http://tinyurl.com/2xadkl

It is part of the goal of http://www.earth-intelligence.net to develop some of these things.

Anyone who wants to get ahold of me = reconfigure[at]gmail.com

Jason
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by earthdriver July 23, 2008 10:10 PM PDT
I've just developed a 3D Driving "simulation" for the GE pluging.. -> www.DriveTheEarth.com

Check it out :)
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by earthdriver July 23, 2008 10:12 PM PDT
http://www.DriveTheEarth.com
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by benjaminstraight July 30, 2008 3:29 PM PDT
Cool app to play with.
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by bg134521 August 28, 2008 6:22 AM PDT
Wow thanx! hentai
I had so much fun with this app!
this is great
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by bg134521 August 28, 2008 6:26 AM PDT
I made a similar application to the first example at at Columbia anime vidsUniversity
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by littleone43 August 28, 2008 10:22 AM PDT
looks good
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by fea1998 November 5, 2008 8:57 AM PST
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by fea1998 November 5, 2008 9:00 AM PST
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