Thursday, June 23, 2011

Thomas Dolby Launches "A Map Of The Floating City" Game


 Thomas Dolby's ingenious Internet game, A Map Of The Floating City, was released June 22, and I've already set sail for adventure.   Dolby discussed this free, promotional tie-in with the upcoming album of the same name in an interview with me last month.  The trailer itself is stunning, the graphics are gorgeous, and the game... well, I'm no game player, but with music to be discovered and apparently real prizes at stake, I'm on board.  It's a map/treasure seeking experience that relies on trading with other participants to propel your vessel across a map.  The player chooses a ship, captain's name, and can write his own bio before taking the plunge.  Locales, ships, et cetera refer to Dolby's lyrics.

The singer/songwriter is no stranger to online community-building; Dolby's fan site, The Flat Earth Society, is one of the most diehard clubs around... we'll see how this fares as an auxiliary of sorts.   A Map Of The Floating City has all the tools and encouragement needed for fans and novices to have fun exploring Dolby's world together.  At first blush, it's certainly wondrous... from the creator of a song such as "Windpower," one could hardly expect anything less.

Aloha,
Steve Stav (Skipper, DSV Miss Sakamoto)

 http://www.floatingcity.com/

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