Tony Hawk, the renowned skateboarder, has recently been working with X-Games to create something entirely unique. Hawk, who is known for the "900" he maneuvered a decade ago is working on a way to bring the movements of skateboarding to video games. Tony Hawk has collaborated with video game companies for 10 years now, and his name has already been franchised. What's unique about this new game he is working on is the fact that an actual skateboard will be incorporated into playing the game. Work is being done to integrate a wheel-less skateboard that will stimulate skateboarding on the screen as you play. The question is whether this new addition will be able to revive Hawk's ten year old series. Tony Hawk's games have generated $1.5 billion worldwide, selling 43.5 million units for its publisher, Acitivision Blizzard. Sales have slipped in the past two years, and Hawk is hoping this will be the solution to the drop in sales. I find it really interesting (as a girl who does not play video games) that many games are going out of their way to make virtual gaming feel real. I feel that Guitar Hero started this trend, which has now exploded. Tony Hawk has a bit to say about the creation of this new type of skateboarding game and how it compares to similar things on the market:
On the creation of the actual skateboard:
"We have a graveyard of prototypes. The first version was a blank skateboard with the equivalent of a Wii remote. We tried roller balls that you could slide your foot on and digital compasses that can tell which direction your board is pointed in. We also tried adding a camera. We also had a board with buttons that you could step on, like with Dance Dance Revolution. With one of our first prototypes, I tried to do a kick flip on it. It’s a maneuver where you jump in the air and make the board do a full rotation. The board snapped in half."On how his skateboard compares to other virtual games that have real life interactions (such as Wii Fit Balance Board):
"The Balance Board only measures weight distribution. Our controller captures every motion. Every time you..."
(image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/geeewocka/3377730175/sizes/o/)
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This is an interesting point. I agree, video games have lately strived to seem real. For example, guitar hero and the wii, which have incorporated physical actions as part of the games.
ReplyDeleteUgh, I agree this might be cool for some people, but really, how many more virtual-reality computer games do we need? The WiiFit brands itself as an electronic gym, but trust me, save yourself the money and just go run around the block a couple of times a day, you'll be much more likely to lose weight and you won't have to spend the cash. The same goes for this - wouldn't it just be more fun to get an actual skateboard?
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