Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Your Shape: Fitness Evolved on Xbox 360 Kinect (Exergame)



At E3 last night, Ubisoft revealed their Your Shape game ported over to Xbox 360 and Kinect (formerly Project Natal) now called Your Shape: Fitness Evolved. It;s a good thing too since the first version had real concerns with the game play, sales (0.59 worldwide million) and the use of Jenny McCarthy as a spokesperson. Watching the press conference and demos from LA got me excited for the next level of exergaming; however, I also have some real concerns with this implementation.

Exergaming Benefits
  • "Gets You in the Game" is a statement we've been using for a long time and it's good to see it throughout the press releases.
  • A surprisingly strong Facebook community of 36,000 + seems like it has a good start on the maximizing the group's ability to support one another.
  • Great visual effects and interaction and player tracking.
  • Lots of great feedback (formative, summative, instant).
  • Hundreds of exercises and supposedly never giving you the same workout.
Exergaming Concerns
  • As I have found in my research and that of others, perceived exertion is proving to be a tricky metric as people are under-reporting their levels of perceived exertion. This can lead to exhaustion and/or repeated overuse injuries.
  • Although Your Shape: Fitness Evolved has evolved from the Wii version, I still don't like the computer generated "image" when compared to the your actual video like on EyeToy Kinetic (my gold standard for fitness video game).
  • If it never gives you the same workout twice, what happens if you really connect with a particular workout and want to repeat it? Is there the option to put it back into rotation?
  • With all the feedback coming from the program, will the user be able to customize the amount, delivery rate and or type (audio, visual)?
  • Will players with movement disabilities be able to use the this system after calibrating for range of motion?
  • Will we be able to move the camera closer so those with limited ROM can still "Be in the game"?
  • Will the online support community run into similar litigation issues as EA SPORTS Active (featured earlier)
  • Did the designers consult with exercise physiologists, strength training professionals, and personal trainers? 
  • Did they build in features that emphasize: the different elements of training cycles (micro, macro, meso), energy systems (aerobic, anaerobic, lactic, alactic), tapering an cycling, nutritional demands coordinating with each specific cycle and system? 
  • As is the case with many of the fitness "games", there does not appear to be any real game element in terms of story, plot, or narrative. In essence these titles should be "efitness instruction" or "efitness guides".
  • The demo got me a little confused as it was the mirror image of what we were watching on stage.
With all they've added to the "game" it's great to see studios embrace exergaming and its potential; however, we still have a ways to go to get them accepted and understood at a higher level.

Be sure to get an unbiased perspective and plenty of information of exergames on The Exergame Network.






  • PLAYER PROJECTION TECHNOLOGY PUTS YOU INSIDE THE GAME:

    Ubisoft’s proprietary Player Projection technology puts you in the game.

  • EXPERIENCE CAPTIVATING VISUAL EFFECTS:

    As you master fitness moves, the game responds with fun and surprising visuals that match your movement and impact.

  • CREATE YOUR OWN PERSONALIZED PROGRAM:

    You choose how you want to play – do you want a personal trainer to help you meet your specific fitness goals? Or do you want to take a class such...

  • UNPRECEDENTED FEEDBACK SYSTEM:

    Your Shape Fitness Evolved will give you precise feedback on your every body part as you follow your coach’s instructions.

  • CUTTING-EDGE WORKOUTS FROM FITNESS EXPERTS:

    Your Shape Fitness Evolved features workouts from well-known fitness experts.

  • TRACK YOUR PROGRESS AND SHARE IT WITH THE COMMUNITY:

    The game keeps track of your stats, such as calories and scores.

  • NEVER DO THE SAME WORKOUT TWICE:

    The game comes with hundreds of exercises plus there will be regular downloadable content releases to ensure you’ll always have new and exciting workout...

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