Slashdot Mirror
Biofeedback Gaming
runningwater writes "A new kind of game was debuted at the E3 expo. It is called Journey to Wild Divine. The game features a biofeedback USB interface designed to allow a player (or players) to navigate through the game using their mind power, breath, and heart rate. This is a wild and visionary concept which works so fluidly you can blow on the screen and objects move as if propelled by your breath. The game features an awesome soundtrack, including Grammy-nominated artists and spanning many genres. This is the new generation of gaming, and you have never seen anything like this before." Their site has a page with more information about the biofeedback aspect.
Yes...but was the game any good?
Ah well.
I can sum up a review of this game in one word,
Gay.
You want two words?
Gay, gay.
How about 4?
really, really gay, gay.
Everyone that has every run over a pedestrian in GTA, yanked the ladders out of the pools of there sims and camped at least once in UT needs to check out this.. ***cough***game***cough***
And what is with the Slashdot editors taste in music? After reading the write up I thought it was gonna be a Nine Inch Nails project, or maybe Britney Spears at the least. But this is some aboriginal dude blowing a pipe.
Wake me up when the porn industry utilizes bio-feedback. I will be all over that....
wasent there an episode of Cowboy Bebop along these lines?
We substituted the coffee Slashdot normally drinks with "Sandoz Crystals", Lets see if they notice the difference
Yeah, look how well those caught on...
Macintosh humor! MacComedy.com
Ignoring the fact that this is being proposed as a game, its environment appears to be one that allows the mind to manipulate an environment.
/.)
The environment itself is rendered (hopefully in real time!) with apparent triggers throughout the game. For example wondering up to a waterfall where your heartrate increases by a small factor could trigger a dolphin jumping in the water....
This type of biofeedback is definately useful! If any folk have ever attempted meditation and reaching towards understanding of self, the lack of instant-feedback makes this process extremely difficult for the uninitiated.
Overall I see this project as a very good idea that is hopefully implemented well. Ultimately, however, I don't see this catching on as society isn't designed around relaxation and exploring ones own self.
And a shame....
-Just some crazy duck.
(wow, userid 1599 and i think this is my first post ever to
I think 'physical gaming' is much more fun to play and also more rewarding. Anyone remember Duck Hunt for NES? That game would've been pretty bad if it weren't for the fact that you could actually aim at the ducks with a gun and hit them. That totally redeemed the boring gameplay and ancient graphics. Actually I'm gonna go play now...
I give the authors of this game +5 for creative advertising. That last sentence "is the new generation of gaming, and you have never seen anything like this before" gave it away as an advertisement though.
/. "editors"
Still, good job of slipping it past the
"Several years ago"? Try almost a decade and a half! There have been other attempts since then. Anybody remember the Genesis Activator Ring (at the bottom of the page)? Also, there have been numerous fishing poles, golf clubs, baseball bats, skateboards, snowboards, etc. And one could probably even lump steering wheels/pedals in this category as well, since a good set will accurately mimic the act of driving.
Well, I must say this seems very interesting. I am hoping this will be as good as it sounds. Hell, this might start a whole new genre in gaming. Can you imagine this technology being placed in a First-Person Shooter? Where your calmness actually affects your accuracy in using a sniper rifle. Or where being able to move faster depends on how your heart-rate is reacting. I think this could be the next step in a new generation of gaming. Where how you act effects your game play, and how focused you are. Imagine being in Unreal and being able to "know" if someone is near you, and (because of the senses) being able to react so fast you can aim at them and head shot before they can notice...
-Annon Kaies Zi
this would work great in a sniper-type fps
being a real sniper requires control of your pulse and breathing... try a look at a biathlon event? you ski like crazy... then with your heart and breath racing, you're supposed to find the calm to shoot targets... training your control over your pulse and breath seems like a natural plug-in for a video game with biofeedback
or maybe some deer hunter type game too
totally turns the new age message behind this idea on it's head, but i think the grand theft auto crowd would get behind this sooner than the new age crap
intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
Biofeedback, eh?
I've seen these devices, they usually measure minute changes in the physical state of a person. Like they mention heart rate, others, facical temperature. All they simply are, is joysticks that are sensitive to other types of inputs rather than fingers and hands.
I mean it will be cool and all, but not truly thought propelled. There is a learning curve with these devices. The one I saw had a headset that you had to get good with to use it effectively, because you had to train your facial muscles to contract to control the character.
Bah.
However, the site claims to measure not just heart rate and skin conductivity, but the tiny variations in the time interval between heart beats as well. To wit:
Whether or not this variation means a damn or not has not been determined as far as I can tell (there are no studies cited on the site, just the incredibly long null statement: "examining heart rate variability is the fastest growing area in biofeedback because it provides important means of working with our own physiology". Eh? Hmm, so this activity is the fastest growing because it's important, but why is it important, empirically speaking?)
And more importantly, assuming heart rate variablity is meaningful and interprable (possible, I guess), whether or not their game includes hardware precise enough to measure it, what that precision is (samples/sec on heart?) and/or how much the hardware costs, is indeterminate.
Does anyone have more info or a link to a review more useful than those vague, qualitative testimonials?
everything in moderation
Personally, anytime I see somebody feels they need "testimonials" to convince me that something is worth my time I get skeptical.
"The damned press kept reporting on the flaws in our product as well as the positive aspects, so here are letters from whichever people only enjoyed the experience."
One side effect of biofeedback gaming is that the player will have to learn to control their physiology to play the game. In other words, games like this (while overly sedate to some) will train people to be healthier. So first, we have video gaming to improve memory retention, visual response rate and eye hand coordination, but now they'll be reducing stress and blood pressure by practice.
I think this can be a good thing.
Just because you can mod me down, doesn't mean you're right. Shoes for industry!
You can be sure there won't be a Linux version. It is really a shame that an innovative concept like this is pigeon-holed by the worst common denominator.
Why is it that right brained thinkers, designers and artistic types don't seem to care about whether everyone will be able to experience their creation? Is it just the path of least resistance?
I think that quote gets modded up for every slashdot news post.
:)
More bandwith, " wait 'til you see what this does for porn!"
New graphics card " wait 'til you see what this does for porn!"
New Virus named after girl " wait 'til you see what this does for porn!"
Chinese moon base in 2012 " wait 'til you see what this does for online porn!"
Build your own fuel injection computer " wait 'til you see what this does for online porn!"
-Ian
You could have software which advertises products and then measures your unconcious reactions to see if you are affected. Its like the most sophisticated market research validation tool ever.
On the other hand it would be cool......
WHAT IF MY COMPUTER TELLS THE POLICE IM STONED????
Extended Warranty? How can I lose!