Remember those “Choose Your Own Adventure” books when you were a kid? You know, you would read a chapter, and then make a choice about what to do next, which would completely alter the outcome of the story? Well there is a campaign online to fund a smartphone app that would make Choose Your Own Adventure into a real-life scenario.
Funding for the app is being crowd-sourced through indiegogo, and developers need $24,978 to make this a reality. So how exactly would an adventure app work? According to the indiegogo website, you would simply tell the program a designated location. From there, you will be directed to go on real-time adventures in the area throughout the day. In the end, you can experience up to 16 different outcomes based on your choices. Here in Utah, that means you can be directed to try anything from mountain biking to hiking, having a picnic in a city park to paragliding.
The company responsible, Custom Adventures, already does this but with hard copies of instructions that require 2-weeks advanced notice and lots of money. But with the app, you could spontaneously set out on an unknown adventure by simply pulling out your phone.
Right now the adventures are only for California, but they have plans to expand into other states as soon as the app is released. So the question is: would you use a phone app to experience unknown activities and destinations in Utah? Would you enjoy “choosing your own adventure?
Here’s more detail about the app from Ethos Adventures, the folks who are developing the program:
A Real-World Choose Your Own Adventure Mobile App
Respond to clandestine prompts and unlock Adventure Challenges to get outside and out of your daily routine!
Each Adventure will start from a designated location and boast up to 16 potential outcomes depending on your real-time Adventure choices throughout the day. While you may learn to surf, take a hike and enjoy a picnic, another app user starting from the exact same location may choose to go for a bike ride, dine on local cuisine and fly a kite on a secluded beach.
Prior to purchasing an Adventure through the mobile app, you will see an estimated timeframe, budget, fitness ranking and eco-score as well as clothing suggestions and gear requirements. You will be able to purchase the Adventure ($25-50 retail) in advance of your trip (though access to the Adventure itself won’t be available until you activate the starting trigger) or immediately before embarking on the first leg of the journey.
In addition, multiple Adventure sequences will be offered in each location to maximize the customization of your experience. For example, there may be an Explore Adventure sequence, Physical Challenge Adventure sequence and Mental Escape Adventure sequence all available in San Francisco.
Explorers may visit national, state or regional parks, take in views and focus on learning about an area and all it has to offer. Conversely, Physical Challengers will be constantly moving- hiking to the tops of mountains, taking surf lessons (or heading out on their own) and being challenged to dig deeper and push harder all day long. Mental Escapes will focus on discovering the serenity of a location, appreciating the smell of the woods and the sound of the stream, while taking the time to relax and let go.
Where and When
Adventures will be offered in a growing number of locations throughout California (and beyond as we continue to expand!) for both iPhone and Android platforms, provided we reach our funding goal. But you won’t have to wait for every Adventure location to be developed before you can experience a Choose Your Own Adventure. We will make each location available to app users as soon as it is ready!
Although initial Adventures will be in California, once this technology is developed, we will be able to provide Choose Your Own Adventures in any location. And as part of the “Perks,” YOU get to vote on additional locations to be developed!
Through the Choose Your Own Adventure mobile app you will literally “choose your own adventure” in real-time! Respond to clandestine prompts such as “land or sea” and “sweat it out or break it up” on your mobile device to unlock Adventure Challenges with detailed instructions and turn-by-turn navigation to get outside and get out of your daily routine without the hassle of planning or expense of a personal guide!
For more information or to contribute to the creation of this app, go to the indiegogo page.