Game Idea #13 should have been normally published on October 13. But since I will have a busy week because of the opening lessons for this semester, I decided to put the idea up early on. The meaning of all this is: Game Idea #14 will be up on October 20 and not, as some might mistakenly expect, on October 13.
Reaching Game Idea #13 has a special meaning too: One quarter of my self-imposed challenge, in other words, three months of it are behind now! I didn’t think I could bring it this far. This is definitely something to celebrate!
Game Idea #13
Your Athlete Next Door (YAND)
YAND is a series of sports simulations designed in order to aid those who are in search for something to motivate them in their individual training and fitness programs. It aims to provide home-sportlers with a virtual environment that serves them with the right mix of effort, challenge, competition, motivation, achievement and fun. It is a series of software that is compatible with typical home-exercise tools such as walk-bands and exercise-bikes.
With the help of YAND, the player will complete his exercise programs in a virtual world that consists of certain parts of famous competitions such as the London Marathon or the Tour-de-France. Based on the selected fitness program and the intensity schedules, the in-game opponents will challenge the players to increase their performance in important sequences of the race or in the “last few meters” of the competition. Players that answer the challenges will earn unlockables, power-ups, and virtual medails. In other words, their rather boring programs will be placed into the setting of an epic competition in which they will jog or cycle along the biggest athletes on the globe.
Players will be able to adjust at any time the difficulty of the etappes and the opponents that they are competing in/against. This will allow for gradual intensificiation or de-intensification of programs according to individual needs and performance levels.
An important factor of motivation for the players will be the virtual supporter along the tracks that will cheer the her in her attempt to answer the challenges of the virtual opponents. They will be always loyal and cheerful to her, regardless of the results she achieves. A customizable virtual coach will make the more “serious” comments and suggestions.
YAND will give players both a fun challenge and great assistance in their individual fitness programs. Multiplayer options will allow people to train in pairs, which gives YAND also a family appeal. As a last option, YAND could be played just for fun, solely for the sake of slipping into the role of such famous athletes as for example cyclist Lance Armstrong.
Filed under: Cool Ideas, Game Concepts, Game Ideas Tagged: | Game Concepts, Game Ideas
