Tringo

"Tringo" was an online multiplayer game created by Nathan Keir (aka Kermitt Quirk) in December 2004 that was available for play inside the virtual reality platform "Second Life" owned by Linden Lab from its inception until gambling was banned from Second Life in July 2007.cite web
url= http://secondlife.reuters.com/stories/2007/07/26/linden-lab-outlaws-second-life-gambling.html
title= UPDATE 3 - Linden Lab outlaws Second Life gambling
accessdate=2008-09-10
publisher= Thomas Reuters
date= 2007-07-26] It is described as a cross between Tetris and Bingo.

Rules

Tringo was played by a large group of players at once. Each player is given their own "card" with a 5×5 empty grid. The game provides a new shape every ten seconds, which the player must fit into their board. The object is to create solid square areas of 2×2, 2×3, and 3×3 squares. When that happens, the shape is cleared from the board, and the player earns points.Fact|date=February 2007 [http://www.skytv.co.nz/index.cfm?pageid=681 A sample version of Tringo] is available at the SkyTV website.

Gameplay

Tringo is normally played as a gambling game, using the currency of Second Life, "Linden Dollars" (L$) Because of the need for a large number of players, most game units are not owned privately, but are installed in casino areas and hosted by players who take the role of casino staff. (The game unit is freely purchasable at the cost of L$15000- equivalent to roughly US$50Fact|date=February 2007 - but the buyer must also own game land to install it on, and be able to attract the required number of players.)Fact|date=February 2007

At the start of each game, the host will usually place an amount - around L$100 - in the pot, which is then won by the player who scores the highest number of points. Players are not charged to enter but they are encouraged to add donations to the pot. In the past, the casino gained money via the Second Life "traffic" system whereby any location that attracted large numbers of people for significant periods of time was given an extra L$ award by Linden Lab. Linden Lab no longer gives payout awards for traffic.

Popularity

Some Second Life players take the view that Tringo's popularity is entirely due to its ability to offer "free money" in this way. (Second Life does not feature monster hunting or any systematic way to earn L$; they must be bought in US$, received in the stipends, or earned through doing business.)

imilar games

Tringo is similar to: Bingtris (a single-player equivalent, which does cost money to play), Slingo (a cross between slot machines and bingo with a similar multiplayer focus), and Blood 21 (an abstract blackjack which is also multiplayer).

Game Boy Advance

Tringo was unique as the only game developed with Second Life so far which has been licensed for non-Second Life uses.Verify source|date=April 2007 [http://www.donnerwood.com/ Donnerwood Media] licensed the game and is focused on releasing it on other platforms. The first is on the Game Boy Advance by Crave Entertainment and was released in late April, 2006, and there will be more platform releases in 2006.Cite web
url=http://www.businessweek.com/mediacenter/qt/podcasts/cover_stories/covercast_04_20_06.mp3
title=Virtual World, Real Money
author=John Burn
publisher=Business Week Magazine
date=May 1, 2006
accessdate=2006-12-03
format=MP3|]

Tringo for PC

In 2007 Australian [http://www.asx.com.au/asx/research/CompanyInfoSearchResults.jsp?searchBy=asxCode&allinfo=on&asxCode=TTV/ ASX listed company] [http://www.twowaytv.com.au/ Two Way Ltd.] licensed Tringo globally for PC and for iTV in Asia from [http://www.donnerwood.com/ Donnerwood Media] and now distributes the PC version of the game via its games portal [http://way2play.com/ Way2Play] . The game is also available through other major games portals, and is promoted inside Second Life at [http://slurl.com/secondlife/way2play/181/167/26/?title=way2play%20island&msg=The%20home%20of%20Tringo%202.0%20in%20Second%20Life.%20Come%20on%20over%20and%20join%20in%20the%20fun%21%20Brought%20to%20you%20by%20way2play%20and%20Two%20Way%20Ltd./ Way2Play Island] . The PC license reverted back to Donnerwood Media in late 2007, and the flash version of Tringo is now widely distributed.

References

ee also

*Second Life

External links

* [http://tringoweb.com Tringo Web] - Support website for Tringo in Second Life.
* [http://www.tringo.com Tringo Web Game] - Play Tringo For Free.
* [http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/internet/04/28/gamein.game/index.html Tringo article on CNN]