Sharkrunners

Sharkrunners is a persistent browser game developed for the twentieth anniversary of Discovery Channel's Shark Week. The player takes on the role of a marine biologist tracking sharks. While their boats and crew are virtual, they track real-world sharks tagged with GPS units. Ships move in real-time, so the player needs to set waypoints for the ship to travel, and when a target is within range of an encounter, they receive email and/or SMS alerts. They then have three hours to collect as much data as possible about the shark. Based on this data, more funding can be earned, which in turn allows more and better equipment and crew.