The Wall Street Journal explained that the game was "created as a marketing gimmick in June by TravelPod, a travel Web site owned by Expedia". It noted that Traveler IQ Challenge fit into the growing category of casual games and contextually came at a time when there was a "renewed interest in geography, stimulated by new technologies like GPS satellite-based navigation devices and Google Earth".[1]
Luc Levesque, a Canadian programmer, traveler, and founder of TravelPod, was inspired by a game he played on long train trips where he "would randomly name a country and one of his travel companions would attempt to name another country or capital city that starts with the third letter of the previous country's name".[2] After Facebook opened up its site, so independent developers could create games for the social networking site, "Two programmers created the game for TravelPod in just under three weeks".[3]
In 2007, Traveler IQ had "more than four million people a month who play it on sites across the Internet, including Facebook's popular social network". As a result of the game, Travelpod saw "huge increases in registrations and traffic".[4] By 2013, the game had "netted 7800 links from almost 1000 root domains".[5]
GameplayEdit
The Wall Street Journal described the gameplay: "Traveler IQ starts out asking users to locate some of the better known cities and attractions in the world, like London, giving users a limit of about 10 seconds to pinpoint them on a map. The locations quickly get harder with cities like Ashkabat, Turkmenistan. The game tells users how close, in kilometers, they got to the actual locations and scores them accordingly, with more points awarded for shorter distances".[6]
Critical receptionEdit
Geographer at the University of Kansas, Jerome Dobson, despite not having played the game, said "new technological applications like Traveler IQ are helping to revive geography after a decades-long decline in the teaching of the subject in U.S. schools".[7] TeachersFirst said "This challenging geography website is sure to excite your students as they click their way throughout the world", and noted its classroom potential.[8]Facebook Applications gave the game 3.5/5, "because it's fun, challenging, and educative as well".[9]
ReferencesEdit
^Wingfield, Nick (16 December 2007). "New Game Puts Geography on the Map". Wall Street Journal.
^Wingfield, Nick (16 December 2007). "New Game Puts Geography on the Map". Wall Street Journal.
^Wingfield, Nick (16 December 2007). "New Game Puts Geography on the Map". Wall Street Journal.
^Wingfield, Nick (16 December 2007). "New Game Puts Geography on the Map". Wall Street Journal.
^Ward, Eric; French, Garrett (March 2013). Ultimate Guide to Link Building: How to Build Backlinks, Authority and Credibility for Your Website, and Increase Click Traffic and Search Ranking. ISBN9781599184425.
^Wingfield, Nick (16 December 2007). "New Game Puts Geography on the Map". Wall Street Journal.
^Wingfield, Nick (16 December 2007). "New Game Puts Geography on the Map". Wall Street Journal.
traveler, challenge, free, geography, game, created, canadian, developer, travelpod, developer, travelpodrelease2006, 7genre, geography, contents, development, gameplay, critical, reception, referencesdevelopment, edit, nbsp, gameplaythe, wall, street, journal. Free geography game Traveler IQ Challenge was created by Canadian developer Travelpod Traveler IQ ChallengeDeveloper s TravelpodRelease2006 7Genre s Geography Contents 1 Development 2 Gameplay 3 Critical reception 4 ReferencesDevelopment Edit nbsp Traveler IQ Challenge gameplayThe Wall Street Journal explained that the game was created as a marketing gimmick in June by TravelPod a travel Web site owned by Expedia It noted that Traveler IQ Challenge fit into the growing category of casual games and contextually came at a time when there was a renewed interest in geography stimulated by new technologies like GPS satellite based navigation devices and Google Earth 1 Luc Levesque a Canadian programmer traveler and founder of TravelPod was inspired by a game he played on long train trips where he would randomly name a country and one of his travel companions would attempt to name another country or capital city that starts with the third letter of the previous country s name 2 After Facebook opened up its site so independent developers could create games for the social networking site Two programmers created the game for TravelPod in just under three weeks 3 In 2007 Traveler IQ had more than four million people a month who play it on sites across the Internet including Facebook s popular social network As a result of the game Travelpod saw huge increases in registrations and traffic 4 By 2013 the game had netted 7800 links from almost 1000 root domains 5 Gameplay EditThe Wall Street Journal described the gameplay Traveler IQ starts out asking users to locate some of the better known cities and attractions in the world like London giving users a limit of about 10 seconds to pinpoint them on a map The locations quickly get harder with cities like Ashkabat Turkmenistan The game tells users how close in kilometers they got to the actual locations and scores them accordingly with more points awarded for shorter distances 6 Critical reception EditGeographer at the University of Kansas Jerome Dobson despite not having played the game said new technological applications like Traveler IQ are helping to revive geography after a decades long decline in the teaching of the subject in U S schools 7 TeachersFirst said This challenging geography website is sure to excite your students as they click their way throughout the world and noted its classroom potential 8 Facebook Applications gave the game 3 5 5 because it s fun challenging and educative as well 9 References Edit Wingfield Nick 16 December 2007 New Game Puts Geography on the Map Wall Street Journal Wingfield Nick 16 December 2007 New Game Puts Geography on the Map Wall Street Journal Wingfield Nick 16 December 2007 New Game Puts Geography on the Map Wall Street Journal Wingfield Nick 16 December 2007 New Game Puts Geography on the Map Wall Street Journal Ward Eric French Garrett March 2013 Ultimate Guide to Link Building How to Build Backlinks Authority and Credibility for Your Website and Increase Click Traffic and Search Ranking ISBN 9781599184425 Wingfield Nick 16 December 2007 New Game Puts Geography on the Map Wall Street Journal Wingfield Nick 16 December 2007 New Game Puts Geography on the Map Wall Street Journal TeachersFirst Review Blogger Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Traveler IQ Challenge amp oldid 1177161000, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
