Battle it out with real miniature tanks at youtank.com

Osnabrueck, 22 Nov 2013. Game producer Farloc happily reports today's launch of browsergame YouTank. Farloc's first project is a multiplayer online game based on remote-controlled miniature tanks. In contrast to known online games, these tanks are real. They are about the size of a computer mouse and can move freely in a detailed miniature world located near the town of Osnabrueck in northern Germany.

Every tank mounts a wireless video camera which transmits live to the player. This tank view evokes an emotion of actually sitting within the tank. Having completed the free one-step registration at youtank.com the players can take their mini tanks into battle immediately. There is no need to install custom software as YouTank runs within the browser.

The players control their tanks via keyboard. The tanks are mounted on tracks, which make them more agile than cars and enable turning on the spot. To aim and fire the tank's laser cannon, the player can align the tank turret very precisely. Every shot is visible as an intensely red line stretching across the battleground. The tank turrets carry a sensor which flashes upon being hit. A real-time display immediately shows who hit who. At the end of each round a ranking compares the players' performance. The scores and medals gained and won in each round form the basis of YouTank's all-time highscore list.

Game access is fundamentally free of charge for everyone. Sometimes players need a bit of patience, though. A queue forms if more people want to play than tanks are available. Rather than wait their turn, the impatient can make bids. At each round's end the highest bidders take over their tanks immediately. If a bid turns out too low, it is scrubbed and nothing is charged, similar to Ebay auctions.

“The Mars rovers launched by NASA were a source of inspiration for Youtank”, says YouTank co-creator Stephan Rolfes. “We had the idea to base our game on miniature tanks because the tracks make them extremely manoeuvrable and we got the laser-tag principle into the bargain. Our testers are enthusiastic about the amount of fun they get from driving and firing these vehicles. I’m delighted that with YouTank, everyone can experience the thrill of controlling a real robot vehicle that's actually hundreds or even thousands of miles away.' Currently, a player from the town of Blagoveshchensk in eastern Russia holds the distance record. Located about 10.000 km away from the battlegrounds in north-west Germany, the player had no trouble holding his own.

Imagine armor steel grinding on armor steel in close combat. A tank might very well keel over in such a melee, but even if it does: don’t count it out, for it will be back. How? The intro video at youtank.com has the answer.