The intense irony of playing World of Warcraft while using a treadmill
With just a little work, World of Warcraft addicts can endlessly repeat a numbing series of exercises instead of leading a genuinely active life. And now they can also use a treadmill while doing so. (Rimshot)
We've always wondered what it would be like to run the same distance in the real world that we run every day in Warcraft. Finding out required duct tape, computers, custom scripts, sore legs, and elf ears. We had been wanting to connect a treadmill to Warcraft and calibrate the speed for a long time. Probably since we started calling Warcraft "RunCraft" because neither of us had mounts.
This attempt to play the game by hooking treadmills to the machine's input — matching their characters' movements stride for stride — proved impossible, even for fit individuals!
Race Azeroth [Manapotions.com]
world of warcraft on a treadmill [Hack a Day]
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Haha,
great idea. Would solve the problem with fat computerkids.
I've seen things like this for a while, and I don't think that it has to be set up so that there's a 1:1 correspondence between every step that you take on the treadmill and every step that you take in Azeroth, at least on the systems that I've seen; some simply require you to be pedaling or walking while you're logged in, others allow you to "bank" time based on your exercise, etc. In fact, stride-for-stride wouldn't work because you have to stop for fighting, mining, auction house, etc. and break up your exercise constantly.
I was also amused by your crack about "a genuinely active life", Mr. Professional Blogger. Or do you blog inbetween stalking wildebeest on the Serengeti plain with your assegai? Hrmph.
I want to see these people fly off the back of the treadmill when they get their epic mounts.
#2: I believe Mr. Beschizza only blogs in between his full schedule of Grizzly Bear Rodeo events and competing on the Extreme Ironing Pro tour.
Jack, I think they actually have it set to 1/2 to 1 -- so they only have to run 6 mph for the character, which moves at 12 mph.
Getting exercise is a challenge in my line of work! I don't think I could type on a treadmill!
sadly, i think we might have more people not playing WOW and more people playing counter strike on that system(less walking).
it would mean that people running into battle can't aim because they are moving to much while the people walking or sitting could snipe these people.
sadly people would cheat.
My friend plays Madden on an exercise bike with a regular-old controller. He says it does wonders because he not only forgets how long he's on the bike, but unconsciously pumps his legs harder when his guys are running down the field.
Someone has done this though not with a treadmill. They used a Wii Balance Board to control the video game character (looks like Elder Scrolls: Oblivion) but they've yet to customize it so the game can detect you running on the board. This has huge potential for the millions tired of sitting in front of the pc playing World of Warcraft and not getting any physical exercise.
Link to the Wii Balance Board miracle: http://gadgets.boingboing.net/2008/08/26/the-intense-irony-of.html