SolarWinds calls on all IT professionals to save the Web with the launch of its new "SysMan Hero!" game.
A Web-based gaming experience that can be played in any browser, without downloading a plug-in, and on any webpage, "SysMan Hero!" gives players the opportunity to fight, defend and save the Web from an attack of virulent bugs.
The game transforms any webpage into an epic battle where Web-eating bugs swarm the screen in increasing numbers and attack the selected site. Players start by selecting their own SysMan hero persona and a spaceship. Bugs invaders will then execute an all-out attack on whatever Web page the player happens to be browsing at the time, "eating" content along the way and leaving a minefield of torn-up code in its wake. The SysMan Hero must defend the Web using overhead 2D shooters with rotation, thrusters, shields and a blaster to zap space bugs before it's too late.
SysMan Hero! can be played for free by going to http://bit.ly/XWMBL0 and bookmarking the launch button, or installing the "SysMan Activator" button in the browser's toolbar. From there, players can compete with themselves or one another by following top scores on the Leader Board.
Sysadmins choose from one of three "SysMan Hero" personas, each of which represents the heroic qualities of a systems administrator, such as tactical prowess and the power to troubleshoot and respond. But in the end, they have only one mission: to restore order and productivity to the Internet.
The personas are:
- Snap, whose superpowers are logic and effectiveness
- Simplo, who always seeks the simplest solutions to every problem
- Reeeboot, who prides himself in making life easier for the user
In addition, some bugs will follow the player and attempt to attack him, decreasing his lifespan. If the player successfully destroys all the bugs, a new round will begin. When all five rounds have been successfully played, the player has won.
"Systems administrators work behind the scenes to provide a vital service to their companies - they are the unsung heroes. More than that, they have to deal with an ever-increasing volume and complexity of work, often with diminishing resources," said Kevin Thompson, SolarWinds' President and CEO. "We wanted to give IT pros a way to blow off some steam through a free, engaging and easy-to-play game, featuring everyday IT challenges that they can relate to instantly."
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