Manhattan Midnight Madness (m3) is a real-time game with web-component in which teams of 5 race their way around the city of New York following clues towards a final destination (and prize).

The first game of m3 was held on Monday, April 16th and documented on digital video for user testing research and inclusion in the web component of the game. During this condensed version, teams raced against each other from the starting point (the corner of Broadway and Waverly) to the Virgin Records Store where they discovered a clue (hidden among the Madonna CDs) leading them to the Coyote Ugly Salon. After being made to dance on the bar (in true Coyote Ugly style), the bartenders passed on the next clue ... leading the teams to the Acme restaurant.

The clues for the game consisted of a combination of graphic elements and text which each team had to translate in order to progress the game. Color coding teams and clues allowed multiple teams to participate, and teams were encouraged to regularly report their progress to 'central control' via phone.

The web component allows individuals to follow the action as it spreads out over the city-grid and to chat with others interested in the game. It also serves as a centralized location in which users may gather together teams for future play, learn the rules of the game, work their way through past clues, and watch archival footage of past games.

This game encourages people to explore the city in a collaborative manner (within their own team) while being competitive (with the other teams) -- thus raising the stakes and the excitement level. Bringing together strangers, it can function as a way to make new friends (each game ends in a party at a bar location) or as a structured event during which old friends can hang out and have fun. The technology used in this game (cell phones, palms, the internet, pay-phones, televisions) serves as a background for the adventure and creates a web of communication that must be used to solves the clues and keep in contact with 'central control'.

After our initial user test, Kim and I have worked out the kinks and are planning a full out m3 to take place in the middle of the summer. This event will take the teams throughout lower Manhattan (south of 14th street) and be a four hour night of madness not to be missed.

How well do you know your city...?