Slashdot Mirror
Video Games in Gym Class - DDR 101?
Saige writes: "When I was in school, gym class was basketball, running laps, and icky locker rooms. Today, kids get to play video games - and get credit for them! No, it is not as bad as it seems. Apparently, someone has become clued in that Dance Dance Revolution promotes physical activity, and a school in California is making use of that. Can I go back and retake gym?"
Just to be informative ;-) If you don't know what DDR is, it's a Japanese Game in Konami's Bemani Series. Bemani games are games that usually involve music and some sort of strange peripheral. Others include Beatmania (turntable) and paraparaparadise (hand sensors). DDR is probably the most popular one and is now on it's 7th mix. I'm really surprised this made Slashdot today. I just read it on www.ddrfreak.com 10 minutes ago.
When I first saw ddr I said "That's the stupidest thing I've ever seen". Then I danced. Don't be afraid to play this game. Just go to the arcade and do it.
The GeekNights podcast is going strong. Listen!
If not for square dancing, I would've had to wait until college to hold a girl's hand.
one of the few I have seen girls playing in arcades. We need more games that have a broad appeal like that.
Strangely when I was at school I was the only boy in the gymnastics class (an attempt to keep fit). It seems strange that no other boys thought of the benefits of this class!
People are getting fatter all the time (I certainly am) so we need to encourage fitness, but I would be disappointed if this replaced something good with queues for the machine.
Since Q3, my backflip hasn't been equaled in ANY gym class.
Have you ever seen someone jump around like a rabbit for 45 minutes and ending with a tripple backflip into a canyon, while shooting a 3pointer upwards, carrying 150pounds of armour ?
Ha, I can't wait till this shit gets approved for the olympics !
When will I end this grieving ? When will my future begin ?
The principles are easy; you pick a dance track to listen to, and as the song plays, steps scroll up from the bottom of the screen. Your controller is actually a gigantic platform with four directional arrows on it, which you step on in time to the music. All you have to do is match the right arrow to the one scrolling by on screen. Easy, right? I mean, come on, we've all got incredible hand/eye coordination due to all our years of video gaming! No problem.
Here's the mandatory link to DDR Freak, which has some basic information on the game. And for the Python friendly out there, check out pyDDR, a DDR clone for Python.
This is not that much different than the "mat" for the track and field game that used to be available for the origional NES (Nintendo).
:-)
Used to be pretty good excersize. I remember working up quite a sweat as a kid on one of those, I can see why it may be used gym. After two days of using it, my parents made me take in down the basement to play it.
Ahh, the memories...
-Pete
Soccer Goal Plans
Personally, I like this idea a lot better. Not that I like or dislike punk music, but it just seems so right.
DDR type games are one of those inventions that seem lame, but when you think about, are actually killer apps. For example. I hate dancing, it makes you look like a right prat. I don't see where the enjoyment comes from. But DDR is fun. I know this could be taken even further, with rows and rows of machines in clubs/discos etc. and with different variations on the theme. For example, virtual-DDR, where you use a vr-helmet to shut you out from the fact that people are staring at your bad dancing. The helmet shows you a crowed of people cheering you and if one of them boos or laughs at you, the game will allow you to either draw a virtual pistol out and shoot them in the head, or simply kick them across the room matrix style :) The _real_ crowd watching your virtual view on a monitor, will be to scared to mock you on PH34R of death.
This comment does not represent the views or opinions of the user.
Women don't like to be referred to as 'broads'.
:one of the few I have seen girls playing in
:arcades. We need more games that have a broad
: appeal like that.
I forgot to mention this in my previous post-
I attended public high school (back in the last century). Our gym equipment was pathetic, particularly the weightlifting equipment and the sports balls. They even had lacrosse sticks that appeared to be made out of bamboo. Public high schools should buy basketballs that still bounce and soccer nets without holes in them before they spend $8000 on a video game.
I'm sorry, but high school sucks enough without arrogant liberals like yourself trying to suck every last pleasure out of life. Come on, being able to get a freakin SODA POP at school shouldn't be a controversy.
"raise money for the school (and large companies)."
Or maybe they are there because people enjoy drinking soda. Please stop seeing life through a narrow Marxist lense. Gosh, Heaven forbid people buying things and enjoying them. Must be a conspiracy...
Brian Ellenberger
Konami (the same people behind Dance Dance Revolution)has been putting out quite a few games that can burn some calories.
Police 911 uses an image tracking system to move your on screen character based on your actual body position. In order to reload during the otherwise typical gun game you need to duck behind something. In order to duck, you have to squat/duck in the real world.
MoCap Boxing has you put on a pair of weighted gloves and actually punch and block in a first person boxing match. This will tire out more than just geeks. I've watched as macho buffed guys with their girlfriends walk up to the machine and brag about how easy it will be. Within minutes they are barely able to keep their arms up.
If game designers can keep coming up with creative and well done games like these maybe the arcade is not as endangered as it has appeared.
Once more unto the breach dear friends...
I will be impressed when someone develops a "Running Laps" game that kids are fighting to play.
> This video game thing is pathetic. This country goes more downhill every year.
(I've quoted you because I'm sure you'll get modded into oblivion in a second.)
Anyway, your comments are short-sighted. I don't see this video game being any more idiotic than chasing some ball around a court, or hitting a ball with a stick and running around a diamond. The only difference is that it's easier for "non-jocks" to get into, more immediately gratifying, and teaches you rhythm.
It's amazing how many people aren't willing to try a new thing. I mean, isn't innovation what made [insert your country of origin] great?
[PowerPoint] is a tool for capitalist presentation
It's probably more expensive, but has anyone seen that pedal-plane game? (You fly a plane around a course - The twist is that you have to pedal it to keep flying!)
retrorocket.o not found, launch anyway?
Vintage computer games and RPG books available. Email me if you're interested.
the starting position for wrestling pretty much looks like a gay buttfuck
or in your case, a visit with grandpa.
Don't attach your negative perceptions to a group. I'm sure you feel equally offended by my imagery.
I've been doing a treadmill for 3-5 times a week for a year and a half. I can jog a decent amount of time without even breaking a sweat now. I'm not in amazing shape, but definately doing pretty well.
I played a game of DDR, and was starting to sweat at the end of the 5th song. My legs were noticably tired also. It is not a poor-quality workout. Sure, there are better ways if a workout is your only goal - but this is nothing to blow off. Especially the harder levels, which look a hell of a lot tougher than even my treadmill, due to the constant shifting of a person's weight and center of gravity.
"You know your god is man-made when he hates all the same people you do."