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The Gym Arcade
theodp writes "Cross Halo with an exercise bike, and you get Expresso Fitness' S3, which lets you blow away dragons by squeezing handlebar-mounted triggers as you pedal hard through the Chinese countryside. Portfolio notes that a new generation of Wii-like workouts is hitting gyms and homes, with companies like GameRunner incorporating treadmills into First Person Shooters and Kickstart offering mini steppers and cycles for popular game systems."
hahaha using guns to make guns...
The crowd that has labeled themselves the "hardcore" gamers is going to be upset about this. Innovation in games and getting new people interested in gaming drives the improvement of games directly and indirectly, both because as the market gets bigger, people start taking games more seriously and putting more effort into them and directly because more money from wider releases means more development money for future projects. There are people upset gaming moved out of 16 bit, people who still think final fantasy sold out when they made the leap to the 3rd dimension. Not sure why they don't realize there are still games being made for them, there are just additional games now. I guess they'd prefer to have all games released explicitly for them even if it meant they never got any better.
Just a few observations. "Casual" gamer interest is improving games, not degrading them.
Blizzard has announced they are working on an upcoming upgrade to their hamster powered servers.
I've been playing a little Red Alert (1) since it was released for free this year. At the same time, the weather is turning cold and I've had to set up my bicycle on a stationary trainer. Wouldn't it be cool to have an RTS where at least one of your resources was wattage produced from some exercise?
Pedal faster, build more units/buildings/etc.
I'd rather have someone respond than be modded up.
First thing that came to my mind when I read the headline was Propcycle.
I'd love to rig something similar up, using MS Flight Simulator and an exercise bike.
GTA version. I used to live in LA and it always makes me homesick and reminds me of driving to work in the morning.
Why not just play laser game? Seems like much more fun and "creative."
I'm all for working out but cardio exercise in general is fucking boring. Coupled with an FPS it probably get more fun if it works decent but I doubt it can beat reality.
Something like laser game but out in the wild (as in urban setting / forest / ..) must be awesome. More wargames for everyone! :D
Riding a stationary bike in a gym even if you got a virtual rider riding on a screen as well will still just be a stationary bike in the same fucking environment without the natural noise, smell, fresh air and the rest of the experience. (Sure, no rain or stains either but ..)
Just make a laser game (paintball?) gym with year membership cards and get a mountainbike or something and ride tracks in the forest instead.
TRON comes one step closer to reality...
I lift for about an hour 5 days/week and run about 30-40mpw. When I work out, I want to be unpluged. I don't want to see a screen, don't want to interact.
It's my mind, my body and me. Nothing else. Everyone needs it.
Gone!
"Why not just play laser game? Seems like much more fun and "creative.""
Can I have that in a home version?
"I'm all for working out but cardio exercise in general is fucking boring. Coupled with an FPS it probably get more fun if it works decent but I doubt it can beat reality."
The Chinese version however has you shooting peasants as you pedal along.
Shai Schticks:"You don't make peace with friends, you make peace with enemies"
We have one of these at work, and we're expecting another. It's a blast. And I'm not a gamer.
First, the downsides:
1) The shifter is not very well designed. It's a single lever mounted on the stem, which is an inconvenient spot. With 30 "gears" and very sharp changes of gradient, it's not uncommon to have to shift by 10 gears or more in a matter of seconds to avoid stalling out. The shifting doesn't seem all that responsive either, so there's a tendency to overshift, which usually leaves you moving too slowly. I'd rather have two shifters mounted on the bars, with the left shifter giving you 3-5 gears in one shot (i. e. something like front and rear derailleurs on a "real" bike). This is by far the weakest part of the setup. If they would fix that, it would be a much stronger product.
2) Every course I've tried has at least one very sharp downhill curve, which I find disorienting (maybe because I'm not a gamer). Shutting my eyes helps, but then I don't know what terrain is coming up, so I'm likely to be in the wrong gear in a hurry. One person at the gym tried it once and found that he just couldn't use it because of that.
3) The saddle simply isn't very good. It's adjustable in maybe 1/2" increments both vertically and front to back (which is OK for this purpose, but finer increments would be better). However, it's a wide, heavily cushioned saddle, which really isn't very comfortable for long rides. It would be nice if there were a couple of different saddles to pick from, and you could just plunk down the one you like at any given time. It's a much better saddle than the usual exercise bike saddle, but that's not saying much.
Good points:
1) There's just a lot more variety than any other exercise bike I've seen (not that I'm an expert). The changing terrain makes things interesting, much more so than any standard programs. That's a huge plus.
2) The pedals are "real", with toe clips on one side (yes, the old fashioned kind, but they work) and clip-in pedals on the other. I'm not sure which clip-in system; it's obviously one of the SPD variants, but I don't know which one. If your bike shoes have a different system, it's not likely to work. The system looks like it doesn't have any side to side or rotational play, which makes it hard for some folks (when I was riding, I absolutely needed that because of my overpronation and toe-out).
3) There's a good range of courses, everything from a 1 mile flat track course to a 20 miler that looks like a major mountain pass. They're divided into four groups (plus one more "ride over the monsters" type thing), for easy, moderate, hard, and extreme, and ranked from easy to harder within the groups. The pace rider rides slower on the easy ones and harder on the hard ones, and you can adjust the continuous output of the pace rider. There are a few courses that aren't available without a paid membership, but it's not worth $10 a month just to get those few courses.
4) The bike can be connected to the internet, with some additional features (I don't know what they all are; ours isn't connected yet).
Neutral points:
1) While your avatar responds to the steering, it doesn't really affect the riding in any way, except on the game course. It won't let you go off the course (if you try to steer off, or don't try to steer on, it just keeps you at the side of the course). You can also ride right through other riders, and they can ride through you if you're slower. It doesn't really feel natural, but without actual movement, it would be very hard to make the steering feel natural. I don't care all that much.
2) I don't know how it computes the relationship between wattage (power output) and calorie consumption. It gives me somewhat lower calorie numbers compared to the other exercise bikes we have, which may or may not be due to shifting response (it's easy to not shift high enough on downhills). For a 30~40 minute ride, I've averaged 227~240 watts vs. 235~260 that I typically average on the
I've been waiting for this for some time - the first real step of many which will end in something like the Star Trek holodeck. And when the illusion is complete, we will all die - b/c who would want to leave a world that can fulfill all of our desires? :-)
I saw the video and I must admit that it's pretty snazzy. Here are some game ideas:
- Being a Nigger running away from an all-white lynch mob. The game camera could intermittently pan around 180 degrees to see how close those whippin' whites are.
- Being a Mexican running from La Migra through downtown Los Angeles. It would need a pressure sensor so that the player could jump over virtual fences.
- Being a meth addict running from the cops. In this game the speed of the camera movement would scale exponentially with the rate of change in the gamer's running speed to provide an authentic simulation of of the meth high.
The key is to really work fun game play into the system, and I think this has a much greater chance of success than the children's "educational game software" attempts to make learning fun.
I remember an old playstation ESPN racing game where your character would ride around on a bike, but you could kick the other players on either side and knock them to the ground.
Add some blood, maybe a few screams as they hit the pavement and I think we would have a winner!
If you want to get really sophisticated that would be really badass if you could work something like this into google-streetview and ride around in actual city scape.
I see Slashdot is showing its attention to journalistic accuracy. I've actually *played* Expresso bike thing and you don't "gun down" dragons with "handle-bar mounted triggers".
The buttons are the handle-bars are for shifting gears. The basic gameplay is that you run over coins of various colors and then have to go run into dragons of the matching color. (With various point values.) It's a pretty lame game, but it is mildly distracting.
I suspect that most people will stick to the basic "ride around a track with a pace rider" bit, which is decent enough.
The biggest problem is that even if you play at a machine in the gym, you still have to shell out $9.95/month to unlock a lot of the tracks. That's a pretty hefty price for a bike-racing game.
The cake is a pie
some of us have a desire to leave the world in better condition than we found it.
This involves life outside of simulation, even if games are a great escape in moderation.
This isn't exactly a new idea. I bought a gamebike (http://www.cateyefitness.com/GameBike/) a year ago for this sort of thing. It's an exercise bike which plugs into a PS2. Unfortunately, I don't have a TV for it, yet. So, at the moment it's just serving as an ordinary exercise bike. My impression from the brief time I tried it, is that'll it'll be more fun that just riding an exercise bike, but it isn't a great controller. Part of the problem is that PS2 games aren't made with this bike in mind. Custom games written for it could make it much more fun.
There was something like this in the mid 90's in the local college's gym when I was growing up.
Media that can be recorded and distributed can be recorded and distributed.
-kfg
Why not just get a real fucking bike?
As Informative.
Wow, technology's finally invented a way you can exercise and compete at the same time, and how hard you exercise affects how well you do in the game. That's pretty cool. it sounds totally revolutionary. Maybe the next step will be networked FPS, where, for instance, you ride your exercise bike against someone else, each with gun-buttons in the handle bars. Or in Tron, where how fast you pedal determines the speed of your bike.
And then after they've got games where you exercise while competing head-to-head against another person, they'll set it up so that you can find people locally to compete against, so you can know the person and both work on your game and maybe develop a friendship and combine social interaction with your workout and competition.
And maybe, some day in the future, if technology allows it, they can skip the screen and invent some sort of game where you exercise while actually competing against another person physically, interactively, in real-time. Maybe they could even find a way to combine multiple players in multiple positions working together on teams, sort of like Counter Strike or Quake Team Fortress, but with people exercising while competing against each other in real time in the same physical space. I can't even imagine what that would look like, but it would be awesome.
Can anyone tell me how to set my sig on Slashdot?
I've been a gamer pretty much all my life. My grandpa had an Atari 2600 I used to play, when I was like 7 years old my mom got me an NES and so on. Games are, to this day, my primary form of entertainment. By pretty much any definition I'd be a "hardcore" gamer. Personally, I think it's wonderful to see more and more people get in to gaming. I think it is extremely entertaining and a good amount of entertainment for the dollars. Also, I think it is better mentally for you than just sacking out in from of the TV. Your mind is more engaged since it is interactive (there's starting to be some psychology backing that up too, as games are used to treat Alzheimers). I think everyone should play games, and I'm all about things that make them more accessible to the masses. That's one thing I like about World of Warcraft: It is really the first MMO with the idea that MMOs should be fun, shouldn't punish you for mistakes, and should be playable in small bites. As such it captures much of the market.
Also I've certainly been interested in games that are fully kinesthetic with their interactivity. I looked in to what would be required to get a VR type setup (display helmet with head tracking and motion tracking controller and such) for first person shooters. The answer is too much money at this time, but I keep hoping.
Basically I think anything that lets more people have fun with games is a worthwhile proposition. Also I understand that there's all sorts of different tastes. While I might not be interested in a particular sort of exercise game, that doesn't mean that other people won't be or that they are wrong for liking it. Do what you like, like what you do and all that. A particular game may not sell terribly well to the hardcore market like me but guess what? We aren't the only ones that matter. Way more casual gamers out there.
http://tulrich.com/tectrixvr/
While some people seem to claim that these is a new idea, something similar to this has already been implemented: namely Dance Dance Revolution. Whether the games can be implemented well is key for whether or not it will have similar popularity. However, I doubt that these games will have the same impact as DDR, as the game was designed and marketed in a very specific way. I've met some people who use it to lose weight, but most people who need to lose weight won't play the game long enough to get addicted.
I say this, because there is generally a period of time after someone starts playing a game before they start to get hooked. For some games it might be 10 minutes, others it could be a few hours. If the player/exerciser doesn't get hooked before they get tired, they probably won't come back.
Now, some people might say "well, if they're trying to exercise, they'll force themselves to play". And that's technically true. However, if the person isn't enjoying it, they might as well just be exercising the normal way.
More news and info about health related video games here:
http://www.healthygaming.com/blog/
There's already been a boom and bust with the exercise computer game market, way predating the Wii.
For serious training types, used in the comfort of your own home, they've had road simulators for years. You hook your regular bike up to it and the computer projects the road course onto a big projection screen in front of you. You use this when it's the winter months and you can't ride out in the real world. There's no game element to it, it's pure sim. Not very common, very expensive, only for bike addicts.
Now there have been networked racing games in the past for the exercise bikes. Primitive polygon graphics, limited number of games, the companies just couldn't make enough money at it to stay in business.
What they're talking about in the links has promise. The question remains as to whether the gyms can make back their investment in gamer hardware. I do think it would be cool to have eight units at your home gym and can either race against them or against other gyms over the net. And the number of game concepts, you could have it pure racing, something more like twisted metal, and the treadmill add-ons for FPS intrigue me.
Kwisatz Haderach
Sell the spice to CHOAM
This Mahdi took Shaddam's Throne
My buddy JCM did this with an Atari and an exercise bike in the 80s.. It still is fun though!
Wii games and social games "in real life" have their cons and pros. But considering the pros and being as fit as a fiddle, I think it's better playing both ways, as our brains and bodies need to be challenged physically and mentally. If you practise any "unplugged" sport it's fine, but if you play only wii or computer games at home, I think it would be better to combine it with some physical outdoor activities at least to daily serve your brain a cup of oxygen :)
We have the Expresso bikes at my college. I don't really like the "Dragon" game, but racing friends on some of the crazy courses (ie. Ascension) is a lot of fun.
Cool, more emacs modifier keys!
"I lift for about an hour 5 days/week and run about 30-40mpw"
Expect joint and tendon issues Real Soon Now if thats true since you're way overdoing it. Pro athletes might do that much but they have expert trainers who know exactly what to do when. I doubt you do.
to an existing bike? Just put a sensor on the wheel, similar to speedometers that you can add on to any bike (I think they detect the spokes crossing in front of them or actually touch the wheel), a couple buttons you can attach to the handlebars, and then just some software that can read that and affix your own monitor in front of the bike?
The advantage is that you wouldn't be bound do the bike they include with it. Platform independent, as it were. So not liking the shifter or the seat wouldn't be as big a problem.
You could perhaps input info on the bike system you have so it can take your gears into account or perhaps even some of the programs they have available. The same could be done with treadmills, stair climbers, elliptical and so on.
Heck, I'd even see a market for some kind of addon that could work with a small portable device (or heck, sell it as a device), that way you could just take it to your gym and use their equipment with it...
(hrm. iphone has a motion detector, wonder if that could some how pick up on enough to do some of this...)...
"Waste not one watt!" - CZ
It has even been done by Fisher-Price.
I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
Woohoo.. this is just one step closer.. put me in the game for sure!!
----------------------------
Esobofh - Currently drinking fresh mango juice.
I like the idea of the treadmill but I'll only get it if it has a holder for my Bawls.
...that using a GameBike *IS* a lot of fun. I've had one for over two years hooked up to my PC. I've tried various games with it, but most of the time I play Need For Speed: Most Wanted when using the GB, as the control scheme works very well and NFS has a handy "quick race" mode (no cinematics, dialogue, or keyboard-necessary interaction). I find the time goes by quickly, and I get a great workout. Where pedaling on a normal stationary-bike can be grueling, I really look forward to my GameBike workout sessions.
One thing to note: I enjoy biking outside, but it usually only happens when I go on vacation, since the town where I live has crap for bike trails, lots of traffic and questionable air quality. Recent studies show that exercising in air polluted by carbon monoxide and diesel (traffic), etc, actually increases your susceptibility for heart attack and other health problems. So, those guys you see running and pedaling near traffic? Arguably doing more harm than good. At least with the GB I can exercise inside where I have more control over the air quality. Plus, I won't get hit by a car while I'm doing it.
Climbing the scaffold looks like a serious workout, especially with that damned monkey smashing the barrels directly on your head.
Real-Life Donkey Kong
Too bad the GameRunner site hasn't been updated in two years. I really wanted one of these, so I could alternate it with my GameBike to change things up a bit. Unfortunately, when I called them about a year ago to inquire as to when their product would be coming out, I learned that they are having trouble finding funding to begin manufacturing. It's too bad, because the GameRunner looks like a lot of fun and a great way to stay fit if you have little desire to go out and exercise in the smog (and/or if you're shy, etc). I hope they get the money they need to start building these, but I stopped holding my breath a while ago...
I think there could some great implementations here. If you could do like one of the BMX style games with tricks and stuff, except allow the "go forward" power to come from bike wheels rather then the rest, but have some buttons in there for the tricks. It might result in a lot of start/stop biking, but could be cool.
Another thing, is to just get some really cool virtual worlds going, and network all the bikes up. I could see a gym lan, where the line up of bikes has a bunch of options where you can join in on another bike stations game, and the two or three of you can go riding somewhere. Put a little joystick on the handle so you can steer around, and you can go forward through your own man power. Just give a giant freeform area to explore through your own wheel power. This way instead of watching tv or staring at someone's ass in front of you (granted that may be more entertaining :) ), you can can go virtual bike riding over some crazy scenery, plunge off cliffs, find hidden nooks, and do whatever. Plus you and your friend can pace each other, taking turns drafting, or just trying to keep up with one another. I dunno could add some neat interaction at the gym, or even better, if you could network it up at home.
I know I'll be preparing to defend my food stores from the hungry hordes with a first-person shooter, athletic fitness edition.
I have an exercise bike wheel that hooks up to my computer. The movement of the pedals can be mapped to keyboard keys. Using it, I can control the forward and backward motion for games which can use the arrow keys to move. I use a USB numeric keypad or a wireless joystick for the other movements and functions. I've played Resident Evil 3 and 4, and Silent Hill 2, and also Baulder's Gate like this. It worked great in all those games.
The biggest problem is finding games that work well with it. It works best for action games with a second person perspective, where your looking over the characters shoulder, and not as well with games with a first person perspective, where your looking through his eyes. The setup works well with games that were translated from consoles, and not as well with mouse oriented games. I actually preferred pedaling to move forward and back, as opposed to using the gamepad. After playing for months just using my feet to move, using just the gamepad to move didn't feel right.
The name of the exercise bike wheel is PC Gamer. I have an older one called Symcycle, which can simulate the speed of an analogue joystick. Unfortunately, they are no longer in business.
This ad space for rent.
Really... World of Warcraft, the place where a similar thing should be mandatory! I mean you'd probably have to run 100 km(60miles), just to cross just one part of the world in WoW, on foot.