Imagine Cup is Microsoft’s global student technology program and competition that provides opportunities for students across all disciplines to team up and use their creativity, passion and knowledge of technology to create applications, games and integrates solutions that can change the way we live, work and play. This year’s Imagine Cup global finals will begin on July 27 at our headquarters in Seattle, Washington, and twelve teams from Europe will be competing! We’ll be introducing you to all twelve here on the Microsoft News Centre Europe, and first up is the team from Hungary – Mistory. Here’s their story!
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Europeans love to travel. More than 60% of the EU’s population aged 15 or over travelled for pleasure in 2012, and we collectively clocked up 2.4 billion nights abroad on tourism trips in 2013.
Traditionally, avid explorers wouldn’t leave the house without their passport safely tucked under one arm, and a travel guide under the other.
But travel guides have their limitations. These paper tomes are heavy to carry around, the information inside dates quickly, and they don’t really help people truly immerse themselves in the sights, sounds, experiences and history that a new city has to offer.
This was the starting point for Hungarian Imagine Cup Worldwide Finalists, Mistory. The team played a game which involved a trip through their city, but were given a paper guide which felt cumbersome and detached. They were inspired to create a mobile app which aims to make exploring a new city more interactive and more fun.
The first city available to explore through the app is Budapest – though the team hopes that, in the future, the app will expand to enable millions of people to explore cities across the world. The team has invited people to write intriguing stories about the town which intrepid explorers can follow on the app, as they walk around the capital city.
For example, individuals can choose to click on a story called Murder At Deak Square. They’re directed to a starting point: 1051 Budapest, Erzsébet tér, Hungary. A story then begins to unfold on the app: a fictional dead body has been found in the square – can you follow the clues to solve the mystery and find the murderer? While focused on solving the puzzle, the app leads travellers through an immersive experience through the winding streets of Budapest, pointing out sights and landmarks on the way. Taking people on this journey, Mistory aims to open travellers’ eyes to the best European cities have to offer, in a brand new way.
The true power of their app lies in being able to educate people about a place in a more memorable, creative way. You can read more about Mistory here.
