Bytware's [2] innovative online marketing campaign, "i5virus: A Game of Espionage and System i Security," has not only found the attention of 1,600 System i professionals, but it has also snagged a nomination for the 2008 Webby Awards [3]. The online game combined a YouTube video filmed on location in Tokyo, Japan, with gameplay centered around hunting down System i cyber criminals.

So why did Bytware create the game, anyway? Isn't the System i industry all about business?

According to Bytware, it developed the game for two primary two reasons: First, to offer a fun experience for the System i community, and second, to deliver educational messages about security issues important to System i.

Specifically, Bytware wanted to address potential issues that may occur when running PHP on System i.

"Not to say that there is anything wrong with running PHP, but there are known security exposures that managers should be aware of so that they can properly secure their systems. Because the introduction of PHP on System i is relatively new -- we launched the game last October -- this was an area that we felt could benefit from some exposure," says Christopher Jones, marketing director for Bytware.

Of course, there's the obvious pragmatic reason, too. Charles King, principal analyst for Pund-IT, believes that Bytware also created the game to promote the company's efforts in the space. "It can be challenging to engage IT users on technical issues like PHP security," says King. "By creating an entertaining, interactive game, Bytware could do some good for both System i users and its business."

How did Bytware come up with idea for the game?

The company originally thought of an online scavenger hunt, which eventually evolved into the espionage theme. That said, the company wanted to create a unique game that would both engage and educate the System i community at the same time.

"This desire led to the inclusion of various industry websites such as those of IBM and McAfee, and that set up the structure of the game site that would serve as the home base for players who took on the role of investigator," Jones explains.

How did Bytware create the game?

The company used the standard web development toolbox and multimedia Macintosh applications that include Dreamweaver, Photoshop, Illustrator, iMovie, GarageBand, Motion, and Wiretap Pro Studio.

Because the game is played through a System i green screen terminal, Bytware needed a large set of custom photography and extensive photo editing for the game site.

As for the starting point of the game -- the YouTube video filmed on location in Tokyo -- there was a surprising amount of editing that went into it.

"We shot about three hours of footage that we distilled down for the three-minute final cut. Further, music in the video was composed in GarageBand," Jones says.

Mission accomplished?

Bytware believes that the game participants came away with a better understanding of security as it relates to PHP on System i.

"At the least we hope that they became aware of some issues that may not have been on their radar before and that this awareness gave them the ability to boost their security or take stronger measures down the road when they decide to implement PHP on their System i," Jones notes.

So what's next?

Bytware has launched another campaign which originated at COMMON in Nashville. The campaign, MoshiMoshi: An Interactive Experience for the System i Community," [4] aims to address System i security and systems-management issues through a series of interactive animated shorts.

"Centering on the lives of the employees of The MoshiMoshi Corporation, a Japanese communications company, the campaign will run for eight weeks . . . and will offer a variety of opportunities for users to have fun and learn," Jones says, adding that there are some prizes, too -- including free software licenses -- that will be handy to System i pros and their organizations.