Having created a lot of interest in the community with our first motion controlled 3D game Mirage Money ,  Fadi and I are now unveiling  its cooler big brother Mirage Space. It uses the same S60 Mirage-X API to create a motion controlled 3D space battle game in which you compete with opponents via Bluetooth to save the galaxy. As can be seen the video shows (me and Fadi playing and I win of course )players first select their space ship (in the video I am the Purple space ship and Fadi is Red space ship) and then they must engage in a space dogfight shooting their opponents as they appear on their screen.  The player movement is controlled entirely through tilt but speed and fire are controlled via the joypad using up and centre button respectively.

As we are moving around 3D space a means of ascertaining the opponent’s position is required which appears as a smaller set of gun sights indicating the direction of the opponent from your current position and changes from white to blue when the opponent is behind you as shown in video. There is also a selectable navigation map (left or right on joypad) which is shown part through the video (on Fadi’s screen which is the Red ship) to allow further navigation.  

This is part of a project looking at novel interaction possibilities through so called internet toys. The project was developed by one of my new PhD students Kate Lund as part of the learning process for Widgets and because my colleague Reuben had bought a Internet Rabbit some time ago and its been gathering dust whilst we thought of an interesting project.  Basically in its current form it provides a mobile WidSets Widget for sending messages to or controlling (flashing its lights or waggling the ears) your own, or someone else’s, Nabaztag Internet Rabbit as shown in the following video.

These internet toys are intriguing as the are purely a fun item but I know there is a huge community around these rabbits and my kids love sending messages to me through it. It also shows given the right tools and suitable APIs mobile widgets can produce new mash-ups and tap into existing communities very quickly. Finally, I know that many readers wont have a Nabaztag but for those who do I hope the widget provides a means for discovering your inner rabbit.