We do get some 'alternative' pitches round here (though, note, the headline is a joke!), and this one is from Thief executive producer Joe Gilby, who comments of his friend's game: "It is interesting to see stealth used in a totally different real world simulation. It's quite an accomplishment for Richard Gardener to have been able to pull this off with only a couple contractors to help him."

The 'stealth' in question is in, wait for it, Indigo Games' PC indie title "Wildlife Explorer: Birds of North America", which "...offers a unique 3D birding experience. It is an authentic immersion in birding, easily accessible from the comfort of your living room pc. The game is a deep and rewarding simulation of bird spotting, incorporating 45 distinct species with individualized animations, high quality recordings for bird calls, featuring rich bird behaviors such as mobbing and predator hunting."

What's more: "You learn to stealthily track, spot and photograph a plethora of birds in a variety of settings, on your way to documenting the legendary Ivory-billed Woodpecker to become a Master Birder." There's even a hook: "Led by researchers from the prestigious Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the real-life hunt is on to confirm the re-discovery of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, believed until recently to be extinct. Participate in this search, in the virtual world of Birds." You know, I _do_ think this game deserves a bit more exposure.