60% of Americans Play Video Games
It’s not just a passing fad. The ways in which we can experience these games continues to become more immersive and interesting.
Video game sales are topping movie ticket sales by Billions
Enough said.
36: The Average Age of Game-Related Gear Purchasers
Not a bad demographic. Adults are buying for themselves as well as their children. Sound exciting? Read on…
Over 33 Billion per year: US Weight loss Industry
Obesity rates in the US continue to soar. People don’t want to be overweight, that’s why they keep buying things to solve the problem. Which leads us to…
The Fitness Industry
Cyber-Athletics will attract an audience with a higher appetite for entertainment to health and fitness clubs. People who already belong to these organizations will increase their interest, and an entirely new market will be reached. The average age of today’s gamer is 29. The clubs who update the soonest will reap the most benefits.
95% of Professional League Players Use Video Games
Knowing this, coaches and equipment managers are stocking the training rooms with gaming equipment in order to foster camaraderie amongst the players. GameRunners will be the preferred game controllers in these environments. What coach would prefer that the players sit on their behinds?
Simulation Training
The current trend in our DOD (Department of Defense) is toward computer based simulation which is producing strategic advantages as well as cost savings. Simulation training is 70% more effective than conventional instruction. In advance of a military mission, we are now capable of accurately mapping enemy terrain in great detail. Mission and combat rehearsals are greatly enhanced with the increased retention of crucial logistical information possible when the troops actually walk through these locales with their legs. This type of rehearsal is vital, because one wrong turn, or mistake in reporting info to air or tank support, can be deadly when operating in foreign territory. Products in the cyber-athletics class will prove to be an invaluable resource for our DOD, as well as most branches of Law Enforcement.
The Cyber Athlete
The category of “Cyber Athletics”, for domain registration, began with the introduction of the GameRunner. Now the term “virtual-walkthrough” is a practical reality.
A Good Move
A practical product that is user-friendly and compatible with existing equipment, appealing to all of these markets, will prove to be a good move.
The GameRunner First
The most obvious advance in this arena is seen in the First-Person (FP) GameRunner or “FPGR”. This game controller allows the player to literally walk or run, on a user propelled treadmill, through 3D environments in their favorite PC games. Turning is natural, with a steering column that has an array of control buttons, and a throttle handle to look up or down. The FPGR can be plugged into any computer with a USB port. Now we can go on a bizarre fantasy adventure and get a workout at the same time.
Why the GameRunner?
Inventor of the FPGamerunner, Charles Van Noland, first conceived of it while watching his six year-old son playing PC games with a standard controller. As he played, he rested his upper body on the desk so that his legs were free to simulate running under the desk. Anytime he was moving forward through the game, his legs would run frantically in the air. This urge is irresistible, since it’s the movement one would ordinarily make, to get through the terrain. The adrenaline or stress hormones produced by the excitement and perceived stakes of the game, are harmful to the human body, if not metabolized by physical action. This also tends to explain why our bodies want to move when we play these games.
Other Cyber Athletic Products to Watch
The Dance Pad is a floor matt that senses the user’s steps. It makes for fun interactive dance gaming. Although its applications are limited to dance moves, a quick web search for the Dance Pad, will show you what a stir it’s been causing.
Another product of interest is the Killowatt, by Powergrid Fitness. This game controller is basically, an oversized joy-stick, with a brace for your back. It appears to offer a great deal of isometric exercise, for those of us who enjoy this sort of thing.
The Cateye Gamebike connects to Sony Playstation 2, and other video game consoles. The Cateye GameBike works with many speed-related games that are popular today.
Online Gaming
With the explosion of on-line PC gaming, we will see a whole new level of competition that is far more meaningful than how well you can press a button. The new Cyber-Athlete will truly be a champion, after all it was his strength, speed and endurance that saved the world from the aliens.
