Exergames: Game Prototype Using Maker Movement Assets

Abstract

The world population is expected to grow until the year 2100. Also, the number of senior individuals is expected to surpass the number of children and teens in the populations. This growth in the raw number and number of seniors creates huge challenges for countries - especially in cost terms. It’s well known that preventive healthcare could smooth those impacts through preventing disease. One of the most effective and easy to implement tools healthcare programs of this scope use is exercise. However, many individuals lack motivation for the practice. Since gaming is one of most used entertainment form, it seems a good way to attract and maintain people into exercise routines. Games of this type, that require the user movement as part of playing, are called ‘Exergames’. This paper is consequence of a larger research towards game design methods for this specific type. Since initial surveys showed some lack of information about this subject, the need for this project emerged. A problem found along the research development was which device would be used to conduct further testing with design methodologies. Therefore, this paper shows the process of using maker movement assets to create an open source device capable of transforming body movement through cycling into command input to a platform game.