Suggestions / Requests

[espo]

1. For the users of the classic bike that are now using the oculus go I would like to be able to see my heartrate in the headset like I was able to with the Oculus rift. I'm 61 so I want to keep an eye on my heartrate while riding

2. If possible make it where our speed can be seen in MPH

3. In the tour game when it says a fast pace to the next gate it would be nice if you could see what RPM or speed is needed to make it to the gate before the time runs out

4. When using the tour I'd like and option to have the speed displayed a little higher so you don't have to look way down to see what speed you are going

5. an Option for a motivation dog / zombie chasing you randomly during a ride that you would have to peddle away from quickly from would be nice


6. Is there anyway to have the bike do the exercising for me? (joke)


I'll add more as I think of them


I'm enjoying the workouts and I like the integration with the Fitbit. maybe you guys can market that aspect a little more

[edmg]

I'd like #1 as well. I do have my Apple Watch, but I'm not sure how accurate it is compared to the bike's sensors; I know the Fitbit I used to use would often show as low as 70bpm when the bike was reading as high as 140 or more.

Edit: actually, I see you're using a Fitbit. Do you find the heart rate on there bears any resemblance to real life while cycling? Mine was pretty good the rest of the time, but a bike would confuse the heck out of it.

[emalafeew]

We can take a look at readding heartrate to the HUD for classic bike users in next build.

And we've also agreed on a "miles or kilometers" option on your VZfit account page that affects every game and place that displays distance or speed. That'll take a fair bit of work, so isn't in this sprint but could be next. Note that Le Tour's biking speeds are inflated for excitement, like Lance Armstrong sprinting.

Related to your HUD request, this sprint we're going to provide an option to lower the stats HUD, for people in spin-bike crouches or stiffer necks. For your case, does everyone feel that the bike HUD is too low? We want to strike a balance between seeing the road and important info, and ideally could find the right place for everyone.

Zombie chase would definitely be fun, we'll consider it as a new Cycle level. There's also a student group at Becker college who've made a fun zombie-avoiding game for the classic bike on Vive, we'll see if they are planning to release for the Go.

[CrashFu]

I'm curious how they designed theirs. In my mind, I'm imagining something like a Temple Run style game, where you have to both bike hard -and- avoid obstacles on the path to stay ahead of the zombies (or werewolves, or whatever). Maybe by moving -close- to some obstacles without actually hitting them, you get to knock them over as you pass to slow the zombies..

And I'm imagining that a head-to-head version could exist.. either with all players as humans, trying to be the last one caught.. or all but one player being the zombies themselves. Maybe the zombie players have opportunities to disappear from the course and be teleported onto intercepting paths, so they can try to jump the human from the sides or get out in front of them?

Ideally, this would take place on a level that is more closed-in or with limited lighting.. a forest trail, a park pathway or street that's lit only by streetlamps, etc. Between reducing further-away background elements to low-detail, shadowy silhouettes and limiting draw-distance (with a spooooky fog), that would hopefully free up enough resources to have more dense scenery -near- the pathway.. as well as all the obstacles and zombies?

[emalafeew]

Becker calls their game "Zoombies" and it's about avoiding or clearing zombies mostly in front of you, with added environment obstacles. Since it's a student class they went all out making custom avatars, levels, gameplay, sounds, and even music. I'm talking with them about a possible release.

We were just talking about a Temple Run approach for chase-based gameplay this morning, have you got our office bugged? I'll let Rob followup about the implementation ideas...

[robkay]

Yes - pedaling AWAY from something chasing you is an interesting gameplay format, and one we're definitely considering.

Inspired by espo's suggestion, we were also riffing on the Temple Run format yesterday (like CrashFu above). Designing a new Zombie-based level in Play is one way to achieve that. We actually spent some time designing a pitch for a "Bike or Die" game with Zombies in the past, which we could resurrect (no pun intended!).

Another approach would be to harness Explorer's virtual coach system - so for example you'd be chased by dogs, and have to keep ahead of them (instead of keeping up with the coach). This has the advantage of being a system already crafted to give a good workout, and would be a quicker way to test the concept than making a whole new game.

In either case, we think one unavoidable aspect of 'being chased' is that the peril is behind you... which would be arkward in first person on a bike. So our thinking is that third person would be the way to go (ala Temple Run).

[CrashFu]

The REAL question is: Do you make a new avatar, like a jogger, so the Zombies have a chance of catching them? Or do you use the existing bike avatar... and put the zombies on Unicycles?

(having the chaser be something fast like a dog or werewolf would also work, but.. I just had to pitch "unicycle zombies")

[robkay]

LOL

For the "Bike Or Die!" pitch we had you as a kid on a BMX being chased by human speed zombies (ala 28 Days Later).

I do see an argument for making this a new game with new avatar. In it's full form, it's such a different concept to the straight ahead Cycling we have in Le Tour and Cali Rally.

[espo]

We can take a look at readding heartrate to the HUD for classic bike users in next build.

And we've also agreed on a "miles or kilometers" option on your VZfit account page that affects every game and place that displays distance or speed.  That'll take a fair bit of work, so isn't in this sprint but could be next. Note that Le Tour's biking speeds are inflated for excitement, like Lance Armstrong sprinting.

Related to your HUD request, this sprint we're going to provide an option to lower the stats HUD, for people in spin-bike crouches or stiffer necks.  For your case, does everyone feel that the bike HUD is too low?  We want to strike a balance between seeing the road and important info, and ideally could find the right place for everyone.

Zombie chase would definitely be fun, we'll consider it as a new Cycle level.  There's also a student group at Becker college who've made a fun zombie-avoiding game for the classic bike on Vive, we'll see if they are planning to release for the Go.

I think the hud on the classic bike is to low and also when it says look between your knees that seems low to me also

---

I'd like #1 as well. I do have my Apple Watch, but I'm not sure how accurate it is compared to the bike's sensors; I know the Fitbit I used to use would often show as low as 70bpm when the bike was reading as high as 140 or more.

Edit: actually, I see you're using a Fitbit. Do you find the heart rate on there bears any resemblance to real life while cycling? Mine was pretty good the rest of the time, but a bike would confuse the heck out of it.

I'm not to concerned about the accuracy of the heartrate on the fitbit while riding the bike because I can't see it anyway during the ride. I want to be able to see the heart rate while riding in the HUD with the classic bike so I don't overdue it when exercising. An option could be to set some type of warning or alarm if the heart rate is to high based on age or a setting that the end user could set before the ride

---

I'm curious how they designed theirs.  In my mind, I'm imagining something like a Temple Run style game, where you have to both bike hard -and- avoid obstacles on the path to stay ahead of the zombies (or werewolves, or whatever).   Maybe by moving -close- to some obstacles without actually hitting them, you get to knock them over as you pass to slow the zombies..

And I'm imagining that a head-to-head version could exist..  either with all players as humans, trying to be the last one caught.. or all but one player being the zombies themselves.  Maybe the zombie players have opportunities to disappear from the course and be teleported onto intercepting paths, so they can try to jump the human from the sides or get out in front of them?

Ideally, this would take place on a level  that is more closed-in or with limited lighting..  a forest trail, a park pathway or street that's lit only by streetlamps, etc.   Between reducing further-away background elements to low-detail, shadowy silhouettes  and limiting draw-distance (with a spooooky fog),  that would hopefully free up enough resources to have more dense scenery -near- the pathway.. as well as all the obstacles and zombies?

All of the above sounds great

---

Yes - pedaling AWAY from something chasing you is an interesting gameplay format, and one we're definitely considering.

Inspired by espo's suggestion, we were also riffing on the Temple Run format yesterday (like CrashFu above). Designing a new Zombie-based level in Play is one way to achieve that. We actually spent some time designing a pitch for a "Bike or Die" game with Zombies in the past, which we could resurrect (no pun intended!).

Another approach would be to harness Explorer's virtual coach system - so for example you'd be chased by dogs, and have to keep ahead of them (instead of keeping up with the coach). This has the advantage of being a system already crafted to give a good workout, and would be a quicker way to test the concept than making a whole new game.

In either case, we think one unavoidable aspect of 'being chased' is that the peril is behind you... which would be arkward in first person on a bike. So our thinking is that third person would be the way to go (ala Temple Run).

I'm missing something there is a virtual coach in explorer? How do you access it?

[emalafeew]

I think the hud on the classic bike is to low and also when it says look between your knees that seems low to me also


I'm not to concerned about the accuracy of the heartrate on the fitbit while riding the bike because I can't see it anyway during the ride. I want to be able to see the heart rate while riding in the HUD with the classic bike so I don't overdue it when exercising. An option could be to set some type of warning or alarm if the heart rate is to high based on age or a setting that the end user could set before the ride


I'm missing something there is a virtual coach in explorer? How do you access it?

Okay that's another vote for raising the bike HUD further above the handlebars.

The reason the "recenter" button is that low is because you can look down to recenter at any time in any game, if for some reason the center drifts or your bike moves or someone else gets on.  You wouldn't always want to see it floating higher over things in each game, and there's a chicken-and-egg reason you can't put it under a menu.  

That's an interesting suggestion to set an alarm for high heartrates, but the heartrate we got from the VZ Bike wasn't reliable for everyone so could get false alarms, and we're also not selling them any longer.  Adding the heartrate into the HUD for original bikes is feasible but understand we need to prioritize features that can also apply to Sensor Kit owners.

Yes, there is absolutely a virtual coach in Explorer!  From the main menu choose "Options" and then click "No Trainer" to get to "Female Trainer" or "Male Trainer".  You will then be able to cycle between 5 workouts starting with "Interval Workout".  The virtual trainer will appear for you to keep up with, with voice and animations feedback to you.  The current level of each workout (light, medium, hard, all out) will appear above with a countdown to the next level.  Hope you like it!