The Android-applet-developers: Alexey Pisarev and Andrey Tapekha interrogated

Both American software developers Alexey Pisarev and Andrey Tapekha have obviously hit the bull's-eye with their application Commandro. The IT-magazine Wired as well as the technology weblog Gizmodo both awarded this new development as one of the leading applications for the G1. The software is agitating aspects of a live role playing game with those of a social network. It's a sort of interactive paper chase, while at the same time location determination of the gamers takes place. Also peer-to-peer technology finds its way into the app. We disrupted the both developers from their work for a short while, so that they could answer our questions.

In the first round of the Android Developer Challenge (ADC) both Americans were able to get the second price, which didn't happen by coincidence. On closer examination you'll quickly find, that the ideas which have been realized were well selected and carefully combined with each other. This is not another ripoff of an ancient game. Being moved by the ability of the G1 to locate the position of the gamer and mix it up with the interactive gameplay, the developers Pisarev and Tapekha truly entered uncharted waters.

Of course the baby already has its own name, they call this new game idea a MMTRG (mobile multiplayer trans reality game). That sounds a bit like James Bond for a freshman or Sherlock Holmes for technology enthusiasts. As the location is being exposed while the game is running, of course we also wanted to ask the two men about the privacy protection of the single players and teams.

Both founders - Alexey and Andrey - are experienced IT professionals in their late twenties, managing software development teams for first tier investment banks. They are avid proponents of mobile technology advancements. While away from the computers, both like to travel and are fond of martial arts.

Lars "Ghandy" Sobiraj: How did you get the idea to develop an application for the Android mobile

device platform?

Pisarey & Tapekha: Android is an ideal platform from the developers perspective being open, flexible and powerful. Android Developer Challenge was a great chance to break in to the industry and create something completely new.

Lars "Ghandy" Sobiraj: Concerning the business competition iPhone vs. G1 or other mobile phones with the AndroidOS, what are your prospects for Apple and those for the cell phones from the Open Handset Alliance? Who is going to win that race? How will the machines differ in your opinion?

Pisarey & Tapekha: Most of the experts (and we are not an exception) agree that Android will slowly but surely grow itself into formidable competitor for iPhone. However slick is the iPhone, it is closed proprietary system and all innovations for it are driven by Apple, while the whole community and quite a number of h/w vendors and telecom providers will be able to contribute to the Android platform.

Lars "Ghandy" Sobiraj: Speaking of cellular phones: What do you think, how will the market look like let me say in five or ten years? Will this open source license model help the market to prosper? And what's your vision: What can the hardware of cell phones provide in five or ten years?

Pisarey & Tapekha: We are about to see a revolution in the way people treat their mobile phones. This revolution will be supported by the latest technology developments which will unleash a myriad of the new opportunities for mobile phone users. Open source model will definitely help market to grow and mature.

Lars "Ghandy" Sobiraj: How far is your development of your application Commandro? Have you already been able to finish it?

Pisarey & Tapekha: Commandro social networking implementation is complete now and at the moment we work hard on putting together the gaming functionality on top of it. Expect a record breaking hit in a few months when the game will be complete.

Lars "Ghandy" Sobiraj: Commandro will combine a lot of things with each other: You will absorb Social Networks, you will embed a map and endless chances for games. What sort of game is possible with Commandro?

Pisarey & Tapekha: Commandro will come out with the game of a new kind, something what public never played before. It will be MMTRG game combining the dynamic tactical gameplay with the every-day strategic component. Moreover, it will include social networking functionality and game itself will be very social and oriented towards exploring new places and meeting new friends.

Lars "Ghandy" Sobiraj: Your tool will be able to locate the residence of the other gamers, what bout privacy? How will you protect your app against misuse, for example in order to monitor someone?

Pisarey & Tapekha: The user will be totally in charge of how their privacy is maintained and whether to let anyone know where he/she is. From the technology perspective, the user locations are shared in P2P manner without persisting it to the some sort of the central databases and are used in the secure and encrypted way to the extent which is defined by the user.

Lars "Ghandy" Sobiraj: Also interesting for our readers: How did it happen that you decided to use P2P/client-server architecture in your app?

Pisarey & Tapekha: The combination of P2P/client-server architecture is the natural choice, and we use P2P communication everywhere where it is possible. For certain use cases client-server paradigm is required, and when we use it, we focus on privacy and confidentiality of the users.

Lars "Ghandy" Sobiraj: Good luck with your software development and thanks a lot that you have spend so much time with the response of our questions!

It's comprehensible that the both coders didn't spoke critically about the operating system they used. Then again open source doesn't automatically mean that software does offer all freedom to its users. Free software means, that you have access to the source code of the software and that you are allowed to change it. According to the license, you are allowed to copy and distribute it. If like in case of the G1 the customer is being bundled to a certain email provider, messenger service or calendar, this has only very few in common with the expression freedom.

However: It will take its time until the game is finished and can be introduced. Particularly by the fact, that both developers work on this piece of code in their spare time. Of course we from gulli will keep you up to date! (Lars Ghandy Sobiraj)

News Redaktion am Montag, 17.11.2008 19:26 Uhr

tags Tags: google g1 android alexey pisarev andrey tapekha commandro mmtrg

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5 Reaktionen zu dieser Nachricht

a_d_s am 18.11.2008 10:31:30

Thank you for this interview. By the time i have an Android mobile i surely will try this application. ...
Ghandy am 17.11.2008 21:07:20

Ich habe es in zwei Sprachen veröffentlicht, weil es absolut exklusiv ist. Die Entwickler sind Amerikaner und ich wollte das Interview deswegen auch den Lesern in zwei Sprachen anbieten. ...
vcvcv am 17.11.2008 20:58:14

Und warum wird das hier noch einmal auf Englisch wiedergegeben? ...
Ghandy am 17.11.2008 20:03:05

Augen auf im Strassenverkehr! Ich würde mal hier schauen! ...
Destiny666 am 17.11.2008 19:54:12

Und das ganze auf Deutsch? :confused: ...

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