Best games to play on a treadmill? :P

[Frankenfurter]

I had a brilliant idea to motivate myself to actually use the treadmill the other day - moving my GameCube and an old TV in front of the treadmill!

I thought it was a great idea anyway, but it turns out playing Metroid while trying to stay upright within a metre and a half by half metre box that shoots backwards as fast as you can run is a sure fire way to get yourself killed (at least in game, possibly irl too xD).

So, Metroid is clearly too complicated. I also tried Pokemon, which worked pretty well with it's mostly turn based gameplay and nice big easy to read buttons, but it made me wonder what others would choose.

So if you were going to run on a treadmill and game at the same time, what game would you play and why?

Or better yet, have you done it?

[jim]

I think I tried on a bike a while back, which is doable. I would imagine racing games or something would work. Anything with a moving camera is likely to be a disaster, it would really screw with your sense of balance.

[Frankenfurter]

Yeah, moving cameras didn't help. But I also had a fair few moments when I was nicely immersed and moved to the side a bit when I got shot at - one of them very nearly sent me off the side of treadmill. Haha.

A bike is almost certainly more doable. I'd actually quite like to hook an exercise bike up to gamepad at some point so you have to pedal to accelerate/run/shoot/whatever. I don't mean having the pedalling itself activate the buttons mind, more making it so certain buttons wouldn't work unless the bike was being pedalled enough.
Unfortunately, I don't have a bike. xD

What game did you play btw?

[finch96]

I do this all the time, I used to have to do it real slow or i tripped especially when playing everything slightly fast paced, anything slow going is fine.

[jim]

Yeah, moving cameras didn't help. But I also had a fair few moments when I was nicely immersed and moved to the side a bit when I got shot at - one of them very nearly sent me off the side of treadmill. Haha.

A bike is almost certainly more doable. I'd actually quite like to hook an exercise bike up to gamepad at some point so you have to pedal to accelerate/run/shoot/whatever. I don't mean having the pedalling itself activate the buttons mind, more making it so certain buttons wouldn't work unless the bike was being pedalled enough.
Unfortunately, I don't have a bike. xD

What game did you play btw?

GT5 - it has the benefit of taking virtually forever to complete some of the longer races. Wouldn't necessarily recommend it though.

[mangekyoumusa]

How the old flappy birds?
You'd be too tired to get angry and rage.

[b0redom]

Track and field.....

[virtuo]

Mirrors Edge

[jim]

Actually, I've just had an idea.

How impressive would it be to have an IL-2 tournament with all competitors on treadmills? Blending athletics, esports and comedy into one event.

[Frankenfurter]

Actually, I've just had an idea.

How impressive would it be to have an IL-2 tournament with all competitors on treadmills? Blending athletics, esports and comedy into one event.

Haha! Now that idea I like! It's a shame I only have the one treadmill.
And GT5 does sound a really good game for cycling to, maybe too much concentration required for running though - I tried Ikaruga today, suffice to say it did not go well. xD In the 45 minutes I spent playing it I didn't once make it to the end of level 1.

I've never played Mirrors edge, Virtuo. It looked good but I just never bought it for some reason, also - I'd probably end up jumping off the front of the treadmill.

Good to know you get better over time then, Flinch. I'm rubbish atm.

mangekyoumusa & b0redom - I don't know what's worse, real outdoor running or flappy bird rage. Either way, your answers made me chuckle so cheers for that.
But yeah, I used to run outdoors, but it gets boring pretty fast in concreteville. >.<


edit: Oh yeah, I found this. Minus the colourful hair and WoWiness pretty much sums up how I'm finding it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z_Ei8rives

[peterb]

A chase game. Monitor behind you, you see it in a mirror, with someone running after you.

[virtuo]

Please delete - said something stupid

[kalniel]

Does this include pointless philosophical thought-experiments?

Say, if you imagine a plane...

[pooley]

A chase game. Monitor behind you, you see it in a mirror, with someone running after you.

We have a winner!!

[Dooms]

I tried Ikaruga today, suffice to say it did not go well. xD In the 45 minutes I spent playing it I didn't once make it to the end of level 1.

lol thats not much different to me playing it off a treadmill

[Frankenfurter]

A chase game. Monitor behind you, you see it in a mirror, with someone running after you.

We have a winner!!

Pahaha! Couldn't agree more - I'll have to find one pronto.

Having said that, not sure I want to see what I look like when I'm running. Haha.


Dooms - Fair point, I'm not much better at Ikaruga off a treadmill either. xD


Kalniel - I think the games are there to stop me engaging in pointless thought experiments. Haha.