Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

GBA To Control Robotic Gaming Bugs?

Posted by simoniker on from the wonderborg-reborn? dept.

Mitch Randall writes "The new type of gaming coming of is NOT a video game, but robotic gaming - it's the next step beyond video games, where the characters in play are real, articulated robots. I've been working on robotic gaming technology which has been picked up by a major toy company, and is due for release next year. In addition, the system will be optionally controlled by a Nintendo GameBoy SP. We are assembling GameBoy developers to coordinate the release with several game cartridges." Plenty of hype here, but some some interesting ideas involving a sonic positioning system, too.

21 comments

  1. New? Pshaw! by I(rispee_I(reme · · Score: 4, Funny
    new type of gaming coming of is NOT a video game, but robotic gaming

    I've had robotic
    gaming on my NES for years...
  2. I for one... by magsymp · · Score: 3, Funny

    I for one welcome our new articulated robot bug overlords.

    1. Re:I for one... by wileycat · · Score: 1

      Ahh, the rebels will have a field day with this one, all they have to do is unplug the GBA

  3. Unexpected path to popularity by Allaran · · Score: 1

    Sounds like the gaming community may be the driving force to get robotics into the home. Funny...I always thought that robotics was cool enough that things like Aibo etc. would do the trick, but this ought to give it a much bigger push.

    1. Re:Unexpected path to popularity by AvitarX · · Score: 1

      Didn't the Aibo cost over $1000 dollors?

      Thats a hude chunk of change for a toy, no matter how cool it is.

      --
      Wow, sent an e-mail as suggested when clicking on "use classic" banner, and got a fast response that addressed my msg
  4. Not new? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Perhaps some new features, but certainly nothing that new... Plenty of similar things have been done long before with many of them even marketed...

  5. Nintendos Secret? by Gr33nNight · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Last week Nintendo announced that in the spring they will show a totally new type of gaming, that will surprise alot of people. Many thought it would be the GC2, or a new GBA.

    Want to bet this is it?

    1. Re:Nintendos Secret? by CheeseMonkey · · Score: 1

      I'll take that bet!

      Seriously, the last thing Nintendo's going to do right now is take a gamble on some insane new technology.

      But I could be wrong(tm)
      (Offtopic)

      --
      Nothing to see here.
    2. Re:Nintendos Secret? by Gr33nNight · · Score: 1

      Virtual Boy?

    3. Re:Nintendos Secret? by CheeseMonkey · · Score: 1

      Yes, let's hope they learned from that mistake!

      Though my eyes are in need of a good bleeding...

      --
      Nothing to see here.
    4. Re:Nintendos Secret? by n_jed · · Score: 2
      Seriously, the last thing Nintendo's going to do right now is take a gamble on some insane new technology

      Nintendo have so much money in the bank I don't think gambling on new technology is an issue.

    5. Re:Nintendos Secret? by luekj · · Score: 1
      I would say 'yeah, this could be it!'. Except for the fact that if nintendo really cared about this project they probably wouldn't let them put stuff about collaborating with nintendo up on thier site.

      But it does fit very very very well with Iwata's comments, even moreso than the 'virtual boy 2' idea.

      Hmm....you know if they made some little pikmin toys......HOLY COW THAT WOULD BE FUN.

      --
      Many Thanks,

      Luke

  6. Battle bots for the masses? by N0decam · · Score: 1

    Could be neat, but certainly not something to bet the farm on.

    When I was a kid (still am, at 27 I guess) I would have been all over this. We didn't have all of the modern distractions though - most modern console games are a little more engaging than pong (or Telestar, which is what we had - 4 games Woot!)

    Could be successful, if paired with a good cartoon, and collectible card game though - Pokemon themed even. Did I say that out loud?

  7. You can do this now with tanks by drewmca · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Konami makes little combat digiq tanks, similar to those little rc cars every annoying kid in the country had last Christmas. You can get them at places like kidrobot.com. They're pretty cool, since they have real treads and soon will have movable turrets. They move like real tanks, too, steering by moving treads in different directions or one at a time. The best part is that they've got little laser tag IR sensors, so you can shoot at each other. They recoil when they shoot and the controllers keep track of the score. Different tanks have different capabilities, too. All in all, pretty cool.

  8. New? by augros · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I dunno, the more I read about it, the more it sounds like "Rock 'Em Sock 'Em." You know, the red and the blue robots who punch each other's heads off? Slightly more sophisticated... but not something I'd want to spend more than a few minutes with.

  9. Pokemon! by Allison+Geode · · Score: 1

    how long till this technology is adapted to something like pokemon? I doubt people will pay to collect a bunch of physical robots, but suppose the "plot" of the game is that there are digital entities inside the robot bugs, and you have to defeat the enemy bug to download its "programming" into your roster? (you know, I'd buy that.)

  10. Yes, you would be wrong. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yes, you would be wrong. Nintendo is the only video console manufacturer who's turning in a (mostly increasing) profit every quarter. Sony's PS2 lost 90% of its profit compared to last year. Microsoft never even turned in any kind of profit at all.

    It's almost absurd, but financially, Nintendo is the healthiest of the three.

  11. Weapon mods? by Lord_Dweomer · · Score: 1
    O please dear god let there be projectile weapons! I hope this thing is as moddable as Lego Mindstorms stuff. If they could make control and construction of these robots as simple as Mindstorms, I predict a huge culture will spring up overnight for these things.

    Its funny, I always wished I could make Legos that I could control with a controller. Now Nintendo is doing it. Although I think it would be much cooler if you didn't need the mat to do it with. And if the robots could be scaled up a bit, and give you invidivual control over the limbs (think R.A.D. - Robot Alchemic Drive for the PS2) how insane would that be?

    --
    Buy Steampunk Clothing Online!