Lunch Hour
Lunch Hour - The Greatest Internet Game in the World?
Lunch Hour has emerged as a contender to some of the greatest games on the Internet, such as Evony and Exteel and BidCactus. Fans from many walks of life are entranced by the simple rules, massively multiplayer scalability, and true-to-life graphics. Is Lunch Hour all that and a bag of chips? Or, is it closer to a dried out hamburger doomed to decay under an ultraviolet warming light in a backstreet diner? We set out to sample the tasty treats everyone raves about.
Getting in the Game
Getting in the Lunch Hour game proved surprisingly straightforward. Any computer with an Internet-capable operating system and browser will run the game. Feeling devious, we tried a 25 year-old PC on a 300 baud dial-up connection; no problem. We advise a different version of the game, perhaps Long Lunch v1.0, if you insist on logging on that way.
Analog versions of Lunch Hour are still popular in many parts of the world. Thousands, even millions, of people hungry for competition but lacking in electricity find great enjoyment by playing along seven days a week.
Finding Other Players
It soon became obvious that everywhere in the world someone was currently playing along. It's always Lunch Hour somewhere. The proliferation of PDAs, Blackberries, and laptop computers has proven a huge boon to Lunch Hour participation. Virtually everyone wants to play, even if they have to leave the office to do so. Gamers are leaving the assembly lines and the cubicle to get involved. The entire concept is addicting.
If you work in an office, finding coworkers to play along should be no problem at all. Post a message on the break room bulletin board to find participants. If you work alone, try a local hangout like Panera Bread or Chipotle. Almost everyone walking in the door knows something about Lunch Hour and most of them are willing to join in your game. Tongue-in-cheek, I ask, why else would they be there?
A very cool place to get involved is your local Sonic Drive-In. Park your car, roll down your window, and you're almost immediately in the game. Play along with your fellow drivers in the parking lot or join in with the entire online community as they hunger for adventure and satisfaction. Lunch Hour rocks!
Is it Worth It?
We've all heard the saying "There's no such thing as a free lunch". You'll have to decide if that bromide applies to Lunch Hour. We talked to some participants who felt strongly about buying their own version. Others favored the freely available open source options available in some larger cities. Whether you pay for it or not, you'll find it fulfilling and exactly what you need to break up the tedium of your work day. Don't plan on working 'straight through'; take part in Lunch Hour and make your time spent at work more pleasurable.
Some images may be courtesy of http://www.sxc.hu/
