Editing 1169: Expedition

{{comic
| number    = 1169
| date      = February 4, 2013
| title     = Expedition
| image     = expedition.png
| titletext = I'm pretty sure I've logged more hours in Google Maps over the past decade than in any game.
}}

==Explanation==
{{w|Google Maps}} is a service provided by {{w|Google}} that offers a map of the world including satellite and aerial imagery for free. Using the {{w|scroll wheel}}, the user can zoom out to see a larger area. The {{w|Lena River}} is a river in northern Russia, flowing into the Arctic Ocean (with a large {{w|River delta|delta}}).

Clicking on the comic leads to an online Google Maps page showing [https://maps.google.com/?ll=73.103006,126.44577&spn=0.272619,1.385651&t=h&z=10 the satellite imagery of the Lena Delta]. Traveling south up the river will lead to the city of {{w|Yakutsk}} and eventually to {{w|Lake Baikal}}.

It appears that [[Cueball]] is simply trying to explore the world without zooming out the screen. He also seems to keep a log of what he sees onscreen.

Alternatively, he may be playing [http://www.Mapcrunch.com Mapcrunch], this 'game' randomizes a street view location with the goal of finding the airport. Another possible candidate for what Cueball is playing could be Google Earth Flight Simulator.

The title text states that he apparently somewhat still treats it as a game and that he has been on it for at least a decade.

A game called {{w|GeoGuessr}} was released three months later, with the user being put into a random location in Google Street View and asked to guess where they are in the world by analyzing clues in their environment. This often necessitates the user making their way from the middle of the wilderness to some manner of civilization, exactly as in the comic.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is at a computer.]
:''February 4th:''
:''Departed the mouth of the Lena River, heading south.''
:''It has been nearly half an hour and still no sign of civilization.''
:''The scroll wheel tempts me, but I will not cheat.''
:Mouse: Click click click

:[Caption below the panel:]
:My hobby: Getting lost on Google Maps satellite

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:My Hobby]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Google Maps]]