The Weekly Recap: Dressing Down
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No More Heroes 2 review
Wings of Prey Review
What will they think of next? A researcher and World of Warcraft fan at the Massachusetts University of Technology (MIT) has designed and created a pod that allows players to literally play their favourite game for extended periods of time without so much as leaving their seat. Hit the jump for more details and images.
Described as “an immersive architectural solution for the advanced WoW player that provides and anticipates all life needs”, the self-contained contraption is designed to resemble a hut from within the MMO and includes a throne that doubles up as a toilet, a cooking pot and an automated stove top. In case you were wondering, Cati Vaucelle, the lady behind this invention, describes just what an automated stove top is:
“By scanning in the food items, the video game physically adjusts a hot plate to cook the item for the correct amount of time. The virtual character then jubilantly announces the status of the meal to both the gamer and the other individuals playing online: ‘Vorcon’s meal is about to be done!”‘
Rations have been given titles such as “Crunchy Spider Surprise” and “Beer Basted Ribs”, neither of which sounding particularly gourmet but each suitably quick to prepare for the gamer on the go – or not, as would seem to be the case.
Of course, nobody likes it when a fellow player has to actually go and eat something, so this pod makes perfect sense. But one can’t help but wonder just how the thing would start to smell after a few hours of hardcore gaming, eating and… well, going to the toilet.
In 2005, a man in South Korea died after playing Starcraft for 50 hours without taking a proper break. While this self-contained pod is one solution to such a tragedy, the mere prospect of encouraging somebody to play a game for this kind of time is only likely to draw negative press from health organisations keen to promote a balanced lifestyle.
See below for more images of the World of Warcraft pod.
Source: Brisbane Times
C. Rossi
Want one of these. ;P
May 11th, 2009 at 8:55 am
mikelitoris
lol hllz yh
May 11th, 2009 at 9:20 am
Daniel Clancy
Can I get a Killzone 2 one?
s
May 11th, 2009 at 9:28 am
ChrisW
A Killzone 2 one? Do you seriously play that, or ANY, fps that long?!? NERD!
As for the POD, I won’t buy one until they install a Day Care!
May 11th, 2009 at 10:01 am
Daniel Clancy
@Chris W, haha, I wish I had the time to play it for that long…
Nerd and proud though, but surely WoW is plenty more nerdy than blowing space Nazi brains out!?
May 11th, 2009 at 10:05 am
OMG
how lame can people get
May 11th, 2009 at 10:58 am
OMG
what a way to spend your life, cant even get up for a minute to use the loo
May 11th, 2009 at 10:59 am
ctakaichi
“throne that doubles up as a toilet, a cooking pot and an automated stove top.” You can cook your poo and then eat it??? Nice… I want one.
May 11th, 2009 at 11:57 am
Andrew Bennett
I’m pretty lazy and I like were they are going with this, but at the same time I don’t think I would be comfortable cooking in the same environment where I go to the bathroom. Something isn’t right there.
May 11th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
gt5
This is what they teach at MIT
May 11th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Tim Turi
Considering I already play game with my pants off, this makes perfect sense. No more accidents when I THOUGHT I was sitting on a toilet.
May 11th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Daniel Clancy
Too much information, Tim. Or not enough. I can’t tell.
May 11th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Gabe T
The positioning of the seat compared to the keyboard/monitor looks extremely uncomfortable(and easy access for back problems).
May 11th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
SomeRandomDude
some things were not meant to be created.
May 11th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
Phil Wallington
someone should teach these pathetic little dudes how to masturbate. It’s cheaper and much healthier.
May 11th, 2009 at 11:58 pm
MMOs to Hope for in 2009 | Gamer Limit
[...] sell your WoW pod just yet. 2009 has a few tricks up its sleeve as far as MMOs are concerned. Perhaps you won’t [...]
May 23rd, 2009 at 11:03 am
Plug Me In
Hey – we don’t have wireheading yet. They’re doing the best they can.
May 24th, 2009 at 5:02 pm
Skooma Steve
can i haz eve online version plz?
May 29th, 2009 at 8:57 am
Ha
Now What happend to that phrase ” Don’t Shit where you Eat”.
May 29th, 2009 at 9:42 am
xray5483
Go and get a life…!!!
May 29th, 2009 at 9:52 am
Joe Pike
I’ve never been one for filling a small space with gas when people are in it. Bad History, but in this case I will make an exception
May 29th, 2009 at 10:17 am
Name (Required)
fuckin lame
May 29th, 2009 at 10:26 am
Rachael
Haha awesome! But after using that for a long time wouldn’t the chair start to get a little…cramped?
I mean yer hardly exercising.
xD
May 29th, 2009 at 10:34 am
Joe
I expect more from MIT. So many problems with this design I can’t even pick a place to start! How about “stolen from South Park”.
May 29th, 2009 at 11:00 am
B-
WHat the **** is the world coming to?
May 29th, 2009 at 11:31 am
Mario Tatis
If they build a thing like that for the Lineage II, i probably die there playing!!
May 29th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
Ian MacClellan
Massachusetts University of Technology doesn’t acron-ize to MIT.
May 29th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Lazy Ass
It’s Massachusetts Institute of Technology, not University. And holy god, I don’t see how that shit-eating-gamer-pod was worth 40 grand a year! I hope it comes with a sturdy beam and a noose too, because if that’s your life you might as well end it.
May 30th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
hittm4n
i must make one of these… other than the toilet, for the sake of an odor-free gaming experience, that sacrifice shall have to be made… although i suppose you could just boil some orange peels or something to make it smell better… GAH I’ve thought too much into this!
June 1st, 2009 at 1:11 am
McSpermie
well hot damn, that’s pretty bitchin’
June 1st, 2009 at 2:01 am
Krath
Gamerfags… Gay
June 1st, 2009 at 5:36 am
Keenah
WTB PST!
June 1st, 2009 at 8:19 am
bob
Its kinda like that movie Idiocracy. wow sucks ass and if you play it get a fucking life
June 1st, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Jim
If your going to be calling it a pod they should have one for EvE Online.
June 3rd, 2009 at 4:07 am
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November 17th, 2009 at 11:02 am
UmYeahhh
Here’s a thought… how about play WoW near your kitchen/bathroom? Then it’s only a few steps away (which would at the very least create SOME circulation to the brain — the stepping — for better gaming later?). If you absolutely MUST take a HUGE break for bathroom, carry your laptop with WoW loaded in with you and set it on a TV tray in front of you.
As for eating, you are going to have to use one or more of your hands (after washing up from using loo, o’ course) to prepare food or to eat. How about prepare a couple of sandwiches (like PBJ) and a large spillproof container of milk (or whatever) and set it beside you and THEN sign on to play?
There. Problem solved for less than $40K per year.
The meal-prep part of article written re: invention for food prep announcing that meal is nearly done using WoW speech for items is a great/fun idea. Reminiscent of Capt. Picard announcing “Earl Grey, hot,” for the food synth., only in reverse, lol. That would still be a neat invention for our regular kitchen microwaves to do so, minus the pod toilet (cough, cough).
January 25th, 2010 at 10:32 am