Although Nintendo's Wiimote has received loads of praise regarding its progress in innovation, gaming with controllers outside of the typical handheld pad has been happening for quite some time, and a newfangled approach to "platform gaming" does a fine job of merging hand movements with on-screen action. The aptly-named Roy Block experiment appears more like a game than a DIY endeavor, but the project utilizes a tangible interface to allow the player to help the "self-willed heroine who is trying to get from the very left to the very right of the screen without touching the bottom and dying." Your job is to maneuver wooden blocks beneath him, which are spied by a camera and translated into commands as you assist the leaper to his final destination. Eventually, we could see a rendition that looks at each side of the cube as a different function (a trampoline-inspired side, for instance), or better yet, a gigantic iteration that gives users an upper-body workout whilst trying to save the pixelated person's life. You know what's next, so click on through if you haven't already and take a peek at the game in progress.
This isn't very new. There was a video showing this exact same thing. I could have sworn it was MIT. I will try to find a link in my old files...I hope I haven't deleted it, it was about 3 years ago. Anyone else remember seeing this?
This is definately old technology. The same concept has been done many times (although not for games). The interface in the video seemed a little unresponsive and only showed this guy jumping from block to block. How is this going to be fun? Not impressed.
Anyone else think this could work on the Wii? Use the brick on its long end away from the TV. That being said as someone previously said this "game" would get old pretty quick.
Best part about this entire article I think is the music in the video. The rest is repeating the same stuff just in another way (jokingly referred to as a 'game').
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
LukeA @ Apr 4th 2007 9:27PM
The video is WAY overdone but the concept looks promising.
StoonGuy @ Apr 4th 2007 9:53PM
This isn't very new. There was a video showing this exact same thing. I could have sworn it was MIT. I will try to find a link in my old files...I hope I haven't deleted it, it was about 3 years ago. Anyone else remember seeing this?
August @ Apr 4th 2007 10:16PM
Right, which is why the video reads "© SEBASTIAN SCHMIEG 2006-2007".
branchan @ Apr 4th 2007 10:50PM
This is definately old technology. The same concept has been done many times (although not for games). The interface in the video seemed a little unresponsive and only showed this guy jumping from block to block. How is this going to be fun? Not impressed.
Sariko @ Apr 4th 2007 10:40PM
That's nice. Also, you said the main character was a heroine, who from that point on proceeded to be male.
LukeA @ Apr 4th 2007 10:47PM
The character also suffers from a lack of arms.
John Doe @ Apr 4th 2007 11:02PM
Anyone else think this could work on the Wii? Use the brick on its long end away from the TV. That being said as someone previously said this "game" would get old pretty quick.
Alan Strangis @ Apr 5th 2007 12:25AM
"the self willed heroine"... "assist the leaper to his final destination"...
Seems like during the course of the game the character also has a sex change. :)
major @ Apr 5th 2007 9:18AM
Huh? I don't get it. I can do the same thing with my pocketpc. But rather than using big clumsy blocks, I use a stylus.
Pingspike @ Apr 5th 2007 2:23PM
Best part about this entire article I think is the music in the video.
The rest is repeating the same stuff just in another way (jokingly referred to as a 'game').
Matt McLellan @ Apr 5th 2007 4:51PM
Looks like you could re-create Lemmings