Use of weather data feeds in video games
The change of seasons in Animal Crossing (Nintendo DS) always struck me as an interesting example of digital/physical interconnection but there is a now a leap forward described in TR:
“Electronic Arts’s new sports game will have a novel level of realism: live weather that affects play.
(…)
With online play increasing in popularity, EA developers are focused on improving the user experience. “We try to add whatever technology, feature, or function to games that gives the player real-world experience,” says Kyle Hanley, a producer for EA Sports. With broadband Internet now widely available, the company decided to try to incorporate dynamic data into the games. (…) Developers at EA Sports made this capability a reality in
NCAA Football 2008 by integrating a live feed from the Weather Channel.“
Why do I blog this? I’ve always been curious about weather in video-games, that’s the sort of curious feature that is interesting to examine (and think about how to design for). In this case, I find it IMHO very intriguing and at the same time very trendy: the availability of data (”traces” left by humans or nonhumans) leads to design opportunities. What’s next? weather as new interaction partner (or as an opponent) in games where you can compete against the weather.
July 16th, 2007 at 11:27 pm
Yeah…I had the same thought when playing Animal Crossing…though games have been using weather feeds for years…dunno if there’s an earlier example, but Black and White did it long ago.
Competing against the weather is an interesting idea…did you ever check out either of the early Boktai games with the UV sensor on them?
-Zach
July 17th, 2007 at 10:50 pm
How about making the local weather have an impact on the use of everyday desktop and mobile applications and information and communication networks? We need static in time of storms!
There seems to be one quest for perfection, formality, centralization and totality. And when that is not enough anymore, let’s go for planned imperfection, informality and fuzziness. Me puzzled.
July 18th, 2007 at 8:04 am
Well, in this case it’s not about desktop applications but the idea of “planned imperfections” is here applied to video gaming, i.e. to creat original game mechanics in which players are engaged in new sorts of interactions.
July 21st, 2007 at 2:07 pm
I don’t know if the use of live data feeds is an application present in games such Formula 1 or any other racing games, but it would certainly enhance the user-experience and require, thus elevate real-time desicion making…ex: tire selection, tire pressure calibration, adjustments of aerodynamics, pit-stop strategies…