Microsoft has put out two web-based games through their TechNet branch called Server Quest. The games are a compilation of mini-games with a story connecting them all.
You play the role of the IT professional, Matt, working for a company called A.Datum. It is aimed toward IT Professionals and computer specialists everywhere and includes humor and trivia that mostly only those with a geeky bent will get.
While acting as a thinly veiled promo for a Microsoft TechNet subscription, the game is complete and still provides entertainment value.
Server Quest is built using Adobe Flash, so any Flash-enabled browser should be able to take you to the site. You start off by learning about the main characters, some are allies and some are annoyances, like Chase the computer-destroying sales guy.
Your objective is just to keep the office running smoothly. Different events will come up as the days go along. You walk Matt around in the isometric 3D world and interact with other people in the office.
You solve problems…
answer trivia…
and play games, to represent solving real-world problems.
Some of the games are a little difficult, regardless of whether you know the technical side or not, but it’s good for a challenge. You can select what chapters to play, so it could make for a good lunch break visit, unless it reminds you too much of your work, of course! Server Quest II is the follow-up to the original Server Quest. This time it’s not built with Flash, but instead Microsoft’s Silverlight. (If you experience problems with Silverlight causing your mouse to freeze, you can check out my article here for a work-around.) The graphics are quite a bit improved, but still keep the same pixelated style that worked well for the first one. Server Quest II pulls double duty this time in being a thinly veiled promo again for TechNet and Silverlight. This time you get to play as either Matt or Alicia…
and you choose a role for yourself. I’m not really sure what changes these choices cause, but if you figure it out, please post in the comments. My speculation is that it might change some of the topics that trivia covers but I couldn’t swear by it.
Server Quest II is pretty much more of the same: You play through a day in the life of an IT professional and get all the benefits and quirks that come along with it. There are different games and puzzles including Boss Launch and a number of other entries from the Server Quest Contest to make the best Silverlight game.
You play through the game and learn about TechNet offerings and test yourself along the way. You might also check out another Microsoft game made with Silverlight that takes more of a gameshow approach, Are you Certifiable? The humor in Server Quest is painfully close to real life sometimes while at other times it’s (fortunately) exaggerated. As you complete the different tasks, you’ll earn “geek points” as your overall score. When all is said and done, you can see how your score stacks up against the Top 10 Leaderboard.
Check out Microsoft TechNet’s Server Quest II.
