As some of you know, I LOVE to sail.  Recently, a friend of mine sent me a link to a "virtual regatta" that is an online actionscript application in conjunction with the Volvo Ocean Race.  The actual race is an "around the world" race that is free to play, and prizes are awarded by sponsors, the overall winner prize is a Volvo C70 car that is going to be presented in St. Petersburg.  Anyway, the virtual regatta is located at http://www.volveoceanracegame.org and is a pretty neat application.  

One of the most impressive features of the game is the use of real-time wind conditions and projected wind conditions.  In other words, the winds used in the game are equivalent to actual wind conditions that the sailing teams are facing.

There is another part to the site in which you can download and install an AIR application, called "RaceViewer," that allows you to monitor and view the actual sailing boats in 3D.  The AIR application launches another Flex application to provide the display.  The RaceViewer is located at http://www.volvooceanrace.org/multimedia/race-viewer/ and the link to the homepage of the race is located at http://www.volvooceanrace.org.

This application is interesting in that it occurs in real time using real-world conditions and physics.  The length of the game is projected to last at least nine months.  The winner is not even expected to arrive at the finish until June 2009 at the earliest.  In the first leg of the race, there are over 33 thousand participants and this is expected to grow as more people learn about the regatta and the game.  The deployment model departs from the traditional "sell something once you get people to your site" approach to e-commerce.  Instead, the model allows for "upgrades" to be purchased at a minor cost that are improvements to your virtual "boat" which provide minor enhancements like auto-pilot, auto sail repair, etc.  Instead of trying to "sell" these enhancements, the developers of the site offer them and allow sponsors to even purchase them for the virtual racers for independent race legs.

Although the application is directed at a specific market niche, the deployment model is fantastic.  In this model, users "want" to make purchases instead of being "sold" on a purchase.  In my opinion, this is a great approach to e-commerce!  I would like to see other e-commerce sites adopt this philosophy in their dealings with customers.  It's a simple distinction, sure, but I think it makes a difference in the perception of the sale, and customers come away from the experience with a better impression of the purchase before, during, and after it's made.