As I sit at my desk on a Friday afternoon, I find myself tuning into Bowdoin College’s radio station, accompanied by the occasional sound of car horns, courtesy of Internet Roadtrip. Although I’m not physically in Maine or in a car, this online experience has me feeling like I’m on a virtual road trip.
Internet Roadtrip can be described as a massive multiplayer online road trip game, or MMORTG. Its creator, Neal Agarwal, refers to it as a “road-trip simulator.” Every 10 seconds, participants vote on the direction they want the “car” to take on Google Street View, with options to also honk the horn or change the radio station. The direction with the most votes determines the car’s next move, allowing the group to collectively navigate through scenic routes to unknown destinations.
This concept bears some resemblance to the iconic Twitch stream, Twitch Plays Pokémon, where viewers collectively played a game of Pokémon Red by voting on button presses. However, Internet Roadtrip is more organized and less chaotic, thanks in part to the smaller number of participants (around a thousand) and the use of Discord for better coordination and communication.
The progress of the virtual road trip is slow, with the car moving at a pace slower than walking. Discord moderators often remind new participants that suggesting long-distance destinations like Las Vegas or Alaska is not feasible, as it would take an impractically long time to reach them in real-world time. For example, a trip to Las Vegas from Maine would likely take almost 10 months.
Additionally, there are technical limitations to consider, such as the gaps in Google Street View’s coverage of certain roads, particularly those leading to Alaska. As the Discord FAQ explains, “Google Street View works by taking multiple pictures and putting them together. In some areas of the roads leading to Alaska, there are gaps in pictures available, and so we would get stuck there, were we to go to these roads.” The team has checked all potential roads to Alaska and found that they all have these gaps, making it impossible to reach the destination.
Unlike other Street View-based games like GeoGuessr, Internet Roadtrip doesn’t have an objective or a specific goal. Some participants have discussed driving to Canada, which is a relatively realistic goal given the current location in Maine. However, the true appeal of Internet Roadtrip lies in the spontaneous and shared experience of exploring scenic backroads, listening to college radio, and enjoying the company of strangers on the internet.
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