Streetview - in first-person shooter mode

David Heath
Tuesday, 13 December 2011 20:27

Your IT - Entertainment

When Google discovered this site, they disabled their Streetview API access.  Spoil sports!

If you go to the site you'll see a (slightly) mis-spelled note saying that "Google has apperantly killed the link to their API.  Sorry for the inconvenience.  We will be back!"

Before the site was unplugged, Google Shot View offered us a standard link to Google's Streetview but with the added advantage of a look down the barrel of a M4A1 assault rifle.

In addition, standard controls were available: moving the mouse to look around, the up-arrow to walk forward and the left click to fire the rifle at wherever the gun was aimed (with shooting noises, of course!).

For those that missed it, Pool Worldwide also created a Youtube video as a trailer to the 'game.'  Hang on, doesn't Google own Youtube?

In the hope of stealing politician's thunder, Michael Meloni wrote about it on his Somebody think of the children site, noting "Technically it's a very basic concept, but it presents an irresistible opportunity for politicians, law enforcement and the media to 'have a go'.

"How long will it be before you see 'Online Massacre Training' and 'Shoot Up Your Neighbour's House' splashed across Australian newspapers?"

How long indeed.  The professional whiners will have a field day!

People need to remember that Pool Worldwide is a Dutch advertising agency - this is nothing more than a simple teaser of what can be done with Streetview.  How different would the reaction be if instead of the M4A1, we were presented with a magic wand and it made sparkly 'wand' noises when you clicked your mouse? 

Honestly, is it any different? 

(aside from the fact that we've all fallen for the viral marketing of the company when they used the gun, and wouldn't have with the wand!)