Runescape is pushing nearly 21 years old, and while that’s quite a long time for a game to stay active with an engaged userbase, it’s also a long time for people to modify the game in all kinds of colorful ways. For some older games like Team Fortress 2 this means spinning up a bot to ruin servers, but for Runescape the hacks are a little more lighthearted and fun. Like this axe which allows [BigFancyBen] to play Runescape in real life.
This is more of an augmented reality hack which upgrades his normal human interface device from a simple keyboard and mouse to also include this axe. When the axe is manipulated in real life, the in-game axe can be used at the same time. There are a lot of layers to this one but essentially a Switch joycon is connected to the axe to sense motion, which relays the information on axe swings to an API via a Python script. A bot in the game then chops the virtual tree, which is reported back to the API which then reports it back to [BigFancyBen]’s viewscreen which is additionally streamed on Twitch.
While this started off as frustration with the game’s insistence on grinding in order to reach certain objectives, it seems that there are some fun ways of manipulating that game mechanic for the greater good. [BigFancyBen] originally said he would rather go to the gym than “click anymore rooftops” this is quite the start on the full IRLScape world. Don’t forget that it’s equally possible to take this type of build in the opposite direction and control real-world things from inside a video game.
originally said he would rather go to the gym than “click anymore rooftops”
Lol, and of course rather than actually go to the gym he just creates an excuse to stay home and play more Runescape.
You know, it’s been 15 years since the Wii was released and I still have not seen any success stories of people that got in really good shape thanks to playing video games. A lot of that has to do with the junk food that gamers tend to eat, and not how many hours they work out, but not many people seem interested in giving up their cake, cookies, candy, chips and sodas…
We need stats on the lifestyles and health of serious DDR players.
Gotta say, VR games can be a pretty good workout – legit! Take doing tracks like FitBeat on BeatSaber for example, with its incidental squats. It’s easy to work up a sweat, make your arms and buttcheeks hurt. Space Pirate Trainer can have you moving a fair bit too. Hell, even Fruit Ninja. And then there are the VR fitness games, like the boxing one “Creed: rise to glory”.
Not gonna be making the game gainz as going climbing or running or using irl gym equipment, but it can be surprisingly good cardio, depending on the game! And, depending on how much effort you yourself are willing to put in – you can play most beatsaber tracks with a flick of the wrist possibly sat down, or you can throw yourself around the room doing it. Although that’s being accommodating to people of all fitness levels I guess!
It’s just not at all optimal a setting for it, with this already warm device strapped to your face, the fact you’re probably in your warm living room with not that much airflow and a carpet, as opposed to being in the “it feels much less gross to work up a sweat here” gym.
Still though, it’s a lot of fun and makes for entertaining home workouts :-)
Reminds me of a time I went to a home to install a audio system and there was a 60yearold woman that was a hardcore ruinscape player. She introduced herself as the gaming grandma.
Darn. I can’t even escape reminders of the TF2 Bot Apocalypse here. Fun project at any rate!