Gamers are no longer confined to the couch, writes Jason Hill(Review)

[kittykat]

November 30, 2006
LiveWire
Read Full 4Page Review @ The Age.com.au (http://www.theage.com.au/news/games/the-next-gaming-wave/2006/11/28/1164476212099.html)

MOST gamers take their hard-won joypad skills for granted, but many potential players are discouraged by the complexities of the modern controller. Now, lack of controller skills need not be an obstacle to new players.

To make games more intuitive, enhance immersion and widen the audience for interactive entertainment, the big gaming companies have developed new ways to play. Innovations include motion-sensing controllers and digital cameras designed for all ages and levels of experience. In an attempt to overcome the notion that gaming makes you fat and lazy the new generation of games encourage players to get off the couch.

[tiremonkey2000]

i heard about this on IGN.com looks like fun , but expensive also.

[mathmission]

Call me old fashioned, but I just can't get behind all this new stuff. I mean, it's obvious that there are going to be adancements in technology, but the way I see it, games just aren't the same as they used to be. And if you're trying to convince young people that they need to be active, putting a controller in their hand and encouraging waving your hands about certainly isn't going to burn the same amount of calories as a game of basketball, running, or whatever.

[riscy]

With the level of obesity in the US among young people at alarming rates already, I think this will only make that worse as they will believe they are "exercising" by playing computer games.

[mathmission]

I agree. I mean, I know that I'm overweight, but that has to do with what I eat, and the fact that I work a desk job for most of the day. I sit and do nothing for 2/3 of my waking hours. Now with kids, they have the chance to do something active. I think they really should, rather than masking physical activity as playing a gaming system that works off of arm movements...