The Telegraph of London talked to Dr Graham, who plans by the end of the year to skulk around Azeroth to provide counseling to at-risk elves and such. “I think it’s already clear that psychiatrists will have to stay within the parameters of the game. They certainly wouldn’t be wandering around the game in white coats and would have to use the same characters available to other players,” he said.

Mmm-hm. OK, so, you’re gonna create characters that look and act and play like characters. Oh, and there’s this, too: “One problem we’re going to have to overcome is that while a psychiatrist may excel in what they do in the real world, they’re probably not going to be very good at playing World of Warcraft. We may have to work at that if we are going to get through to those who play this game for hours at end.”

Now, I’m not sure what the likelihood of success is for offering, let alone providing, “in-game therapy”. What this project really sounds like it’s gonna do, for the first few months anyway, is give a bunch of labcoats some free Warcraft and let them play it for a hundred hours so they can get real good at spotting and relating to addicts.

You know, I think porn addicts need some counseling. I think Bang Bus should give me and my friends some free logins.

Addiction Therapists Signing Up to World of Warcraft [The Daily Telegraph, via GamePolitics]

“When I was in Best Buy the other day and saw the huge EA Sports Active displays it felt like we’d hit saturation but until we have Richard Simmons Wii Workout I don’t think we’ve reached it,”says Ben Sawyer, who co-founded of the Serious Games Initiative and heads up the Games for Health initiative. “Famous last words, right?”

EA has been capitalising in the last couple of months on the fitness game craze with half-a-million-plus seller EA Sports Active, but Nintendo lead the re-newed interest in “exergames” with Wii Sports and Wii Fit. In 2007, Nintendo was coming off its smash-hit Wii Remote and Wii Sports one-two-punch. Those successes laid the groundwork for Wii Fit: players got up off the couch, moved around, swung their arms. There was an audience for this — but there had always been. Thing is, it was a largely untapped audience.

During the early 1980s, the VCR revolution brought exercise into the home with Oscar-winning-actress Jane Fonda telling folks to “go for the burn” with her 1982 exercise debut Jane Fonda’s Workout. The tapes sold millions and made millions. The same year computer maker Amiga released the Joyboard, a peripheral on which players would stand and use their body weight to play a slalom skiing game. It was a failure, and the two follow-up titles to support the peripheral were never released. Ditto for an Atari exercise-controlled bike that never found its way out of the concept stage. The exercise bike game would later be realised in 1996 by Namco with Prop Cycle.

There was a market that could be tapped, but it needed someone to do it. And do it right. Enter Nintendo.

The Kyoto-based game company brought the Power Pad to home consoles in 1988, letting kids jog in place on a mat marked with giant buttons. The next year, Namco followed up with Dance Aerobics for Nintendo Entertainment System, foreshadowing the deluge of rhythm dancing games released in the following decades.

While they were developing Konami’s Dance Dance Revolution, Konami’s own staffers were reporting weight loss. Same for players when it was finally released in the late 1990s. Konami continued to release updated versions of DDR with increasingly complicated steps. The home versions were more forgiving, but the arcade ones were not. In Japan, Konami has even introduced DDR exercise routines into its health club chain called “Groove Motion DDR”. Group classes use digital projector screens showing DDR patterns, mats and motion sensor belts.

Nintendo has struck gaming gold with Wii Fit, selling over 18 million copies of the game. The follow-up, Wii Fit Plus, goes on sale later this year.

“When we first announced the Wii Balance Board, people were skeptical,” recalls Denise Kaigler, Nintendo of America’s vice president of Corporate Affairs. “But consumers responded quickly and told their friends about it. Now when a new fitness game like Wii Fit Plus is announced, no one bats an eye. Fitness games are now an accepted part of the video game landscape.” Not only that — but the larger cultural landscape. In 2008, Nintendo teamed up with Westin Hotels to offer Wii Sports and Wii Fit as part of the hotel’s fitness program.

Get up off your arse, sure, but why not get out of your house? Go take a walk. Jog. Trend or no trend, what’s the point of exercising with a game indoors? Explains Nintendo’s Kaigler, “Legendary Nintendo video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, who led the Wii Fit team, is fond of saying, ‘If it’s sunny, go outside and play.’” Sometimes that’s not always possible, she continues. “Sometimes it’s because of the seasons or inclement weather. Other times it’s situational: Some people come home late from work, while others can’t leave the house because they can’t leave the kids alone.”

The medical profession has started latching onto these exergames. Geraldine O’Shea, D.O., an osteopathic physician and Chair of the American Osteopathic Association’s Bureau on Scientific Affairs and Public Health, first began looking at the impact of video games as physical activity in 2007. “What might appear as nothing more than another entertaining game was revealed as a tool for not just activity but directed physical therapy,” explains O’Shea.

Around the same time, researchers began using Wii Sports in physical therapy. O’Shea has spearheaded a measure by the American Osteopathic Association to support video games as part of a patient’s fitness and therapeutic program. “Because I believe any activity is better than no activity,” she adds, “I have become a convert.”

“Wii gaming actually turns over more energy than sedentary gaming, but not as much as authentic sports,” said Gareth Stratton, a co-author of British study on Wii Sports health benefits. “While it’s not going to replace the real thing,” Stratton told The New York Times, “it’s certainly moving in the right direction.” Several researchers conclude that Wii Fit does not replace regular exercise, but concede that the game has done something key: raised fitness awareness.

“I think it’s more important to realise now that with Wii Fit and EA Active Sports we may be beyond this being a trend,” says Sawyer. “We might really begin to see a genre emerge and stay.”

No, there’s another one. It’s made by the same company – Shimadzu – and is the real deal, a “proper” x-ray unit, sacrificing mobility (and those badass Pokeball wheels) for a sturdy bench and even more cheery Pokemon livery.

X-ray nerds will be happy to know that this colourful unit is a variant of Shimadzu’s renowned X’sy Pro units, and that Shimadzu are one of the world’s leading manufacturers of measuring instruments, precision instruments and medical gear. Nintendo wouldn’t put their beloved brand on just any piece of medical imaging equipment, you know.

ポケモンをデザインしたX線撮影システム『X’sy Pro』第2弾発売に [Inside Games]

The latest victim of influenza type-A, or swine fly, in Thailand has been confirmed to be a worker at a computer game shop in the Ratchaburi province. The Ministry of Public Health confirmed the cause of the 330 pound woman this week, citing that she may have had complications that made her more susceptible to the virus.

The news comes shortly after Deputy Public Health Minister Manit Nopamornbodee issued a statement suggesting that the popular hangouts, where players go to spend countless hours playing online computer games, were a major transmission point for swine flu, with so many bodies packed together in small rooms for large periods of time. The warning was issued after a survey of children that tested positive for the virus indicated that symptoms developed after visiting game shops.

And people wonder why I am a shut-in.

Flu claims 17th victim, 209 new cases [Bangkok Post via G4TV]

Associate professor of biomechanical engineering at the University of Alabama Greg Walcott came up with the idea for a computer program that uses the wireless technology of the Wii remote to help teach proper cardiopulmonary resuscitation techniques. The student team working on the program aim to have the program available for free download via the American Heart Association website this fall.

“The Heart Association’s high interest in our students’ innovations points to potential of this project and how it fits in with its desire to deliver reliable CPR education to the masses,” faculty adviser Jack Rogers said.

The problem here is that this is a computer program and not a Nintendo Wii application, so the masses could largely ignore it. Perhaps Nintendo could reach out to help, offering the finished program as a free download to the console? You never know.

CPR to be taught via Nintendo Wii game UPI.com]

No, the “Didget” isn’t a kind of Vitality Sensor; it goes into the DS/DS Lite’s Slot-2 and rewards players giving consistent readings with points in a game that can be used to buy items or unlock levels. It doesn’t sound like the game itself has anything to do with diabetes or testing, it’s just the vessel through which the Didget rewards a player’s consistent monitoring.

I’m not in a household with a diabetic child, but I was in one with a recently diagnosed adult; I can testify that testing yourself can be a real bitch, and doing it consistently requires some discipline, which younger kids may not have. The Didget sounds like a helpful peripheral, although some might think buying a video game attachment rewards, rather than corrects, a kid not taking responsibility for himself. I guess it depends on the age. One thing, however, since this requires Slot-2, it’s not DSi compatible.

Nintendo DS Glucose Reader Plugin for Kids with Diabetes [Boing Boing

The Wall Street Journal has the full text of the speech, but there’s really only one part that even mentions video games:

The second step that we can all agree on is to invest more in preventive care so that we can avoid illness and disease in the first place. That starts with each of us taking more responsibility for our health and the health of our children. It means quitting smoking, going in for that mammogram or colon cancer screening. It means going for a run or hitting the gym, and raising our children to step away from the video games and spend more time playing outside.

It’s far from an alarmist cry about the evils of Grand Theft Auto or sex scenes in Mass Effect, but the statement does sort of contradict Gallagher’s assertion made at an E3 luncheon that video games “represent zero issues” for the White House. Gallagher says the ESA is doing a good job of entertaining American families, but maybe that’s the president’s problem: they just do too good a job.

And maybe that’s why the president owns a Wii, not an Xbox 360. You move around a lot during Wii Sports bowling, right?

Obama Names Video Games as Health Concern in Speech to A.M.A. [GamePolitics]

Research studies sound like a great deal of fun. You get to arbitrarily assign values and definitions and then cull data based on those arbitrary assignments in order to get obvious answers! Take this University of Arkansas study, which was presented at the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies on Monday, surveyed 137 students – 87 females and 50 non-females, you know, to preserve balance… somehow. They then separated the results for excessive gamers from the casual or non-gamers, defining excessive as those who spend more than 7 hours a week playing computer games or using the internet.

My mother spends over seven hours a week using the internet. By this study’s standards, my mum is hardcore.

Principal investigator Amanda Woolems indicated that previous research has determined that excessive gamers spend less time in bed. True, though I’d say that depends on the frequency of save points in whatever game I might be playing at the time and whether or not I’ve fallen asleep in my recliner. This study’s findings?

“Our statistics revealed that those who admitted addiction scored higher on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (sleepiness),” said Woolems. “It surprised us, however, that of the people who admitted being addicted to gaming, only about a third of them recognised an interference with their sleep.”

The Epworth Sleepiness Scale is based on a test in which you rate your likeliness to fall asleep in several different situations, such as reading a book, watching television, or stopped at a particularly long intersection. It’s the sort of scale I’m surprised doesn’t come into play more often, like when you’re calling in sick for work. “Sorry, I’m about a 22 on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale boss.”

As for the results, one has to look at the numbers to have them make more sense. The study found that only 12.6 people admitted to being addicted to gaming, while 10.81 reported that gaming interfered with their sleep. That’s 17 and 15 people, rounded up. One also has to keep in mind that they are polling university students on their sleep habits, and basing their findings against the American Academy of Sleep Medicine’s recommendation that adults get 8 hours of sleep per night and adolescents get 9. I’d say that to the vast majority of us, those numbers are a bit unrealistic. Eight hours of sleep is what I get if I pulled an all-nighter the previous evening. From what I remember of my college days…well let’s just say I don’t remember much, probably due in part to lack of sleep.

In case you were interested, those 15 people who reported that gaming interfered with their sleep spend 1.6 hours less than other gamers, while those 17 who claimed to be “addicted” slept one hour less on weekdays. To put that into perspective, between work gaming and recreational gaming, I probably average about 5 to 6 hours per night, though I generally average less during the weekdays, making up for lost sleep by falling asleep at particularly busy intersections.

Anyway, the study still stands. Excessive gaming, especially gaming that interferes with sleep, can make you tired… as can excessive listening to music, excessive watching of entire seasons of Weeds at 2am, and excessively writing up the results of research studies.

Excessive Gaming Associated With Poor Sleep Hygiene And Increased Sleepiness [Science Daily via CVG]

I stopped in to see Chris for an appointment I had to look at Supreme Commander II, but I was running a little late. I took an outside route between the two main show halls, and with the sun just peeking out from behind a week-long bank of clouds, the one eye that was not closing was getting far too much light, which made for slow going. I explained this when I finally arrived at the appointment, and instead of launching into the presentation, Chris perked up.

“Is it Bell’s Palsy?” I nodded. “Here’s what you do…”

Apparently Chris had the same thing happen to him several years ago, and Supreme Commander II was put briefly on hold as he explained how he took care of the condition. I had received a lot of advice on the subject since the condition first struck, but something about Mr. Taylor’s enthusiasm over sharing his method… especially during a time when he was supposed to be sharing his latest creation with the press… made me take note.

His suggestion? Lots of ibuprofen, and lots of sleep. Ibuprofen acts as an anti-inflammatory, and the main symptom of Bell’s Palsy is an inflammation of the nerve that controls the muscles of your face. Said nerve travels through a very narrow corridor in your skull, and if it swells up, then no signals are getting through.

Keep in mind that you should consult your physician before treating any condition on your own. Chris Taylor is not a doctor, though he could easily play one on TV.

As it turns out, taking three ibuprofen pills three times a day makes one incredibly sleepy, so the rest part wasn’t a problem. I actually spent most of Saturday curled up asleep on my couch with my cat sitting next to me in my suitcase, which I should probably get around to unpacking.

Anyway, I woke up this morning and wandered into the bathroom, and when I tried to smile, the left side of my lip curled. It’s very slight, but it’s much more movement than I’ve seen since the Friday before last, so I’ll take it. My left eyelid also fluttered when I tried to blink, so something is definitely happening.

Of course, it could be just the extra sleep, or it could just be the natural progression of things. This is why doctors argue over how to handle Bell’s Palsy constantly… but it really doesn’t matter. Chris Taylor gave me advice, but he also gave me a little hope, and maybe that’s just what the doctor ordered.

Oh, and Supreme Commander II looks lovely.

I’d just like to add a big thanks to everyone who responded positively to my original post. Your well-wishes also meant a great deal to me, even if most of you aren’t the CEO of a game development company.

The cause: H1N1 Influenza 09, aka Swine Flu. “Our Capcom guys are not coming to E3 because of the Japanese government restrictions,” said Capcom’s Chris Kramer, Senior Director, Communications and Community. “The company is taking the advisory very seriously.” This decision has killed Dead Rising 2’s eagerly awaited appearance at E3.

According to the Japanese government, there currently are no travel restrictions. A representative from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) told Kotaku that the government’s advice to those travelling from Japan to the United States is: “Be careful.”

Japanese airlines ANA and JAL confirmed that there were only quarantines in place at Narita Airport and Kansai Airport, which serve Tokyo and Osaka. “If an infected passenger is found on the plane, those sitting in the surrounding seats will be quarantined,” a representative from ANA said. “The infected passenger will be checked into a hotel for a span of time.”

This decision on the part of Capcom (and Koei, for that matter) could have been made earlier this month when there was less information about the virus. These companies could also be concerned about their employees getting infected and then having to be quarantined for an extended period of time. We don’t doubt that these decisions were made with the best interest of their employees in mind.

The Japanese government, however, is beginning to restrict airport quarantines. “It’s an issue of man power,” the MOFA rep said. “We only have some many people, and we must refocus our efforts on containing the domestic spread of this virus and not quarantining passengers at airports.” The threat of the virus is no longer coming from outside Japan, but is spreading inside the country.

E3 will continue as planned, it seems. “We are in close contact with health authorities and they have given the show a green light,” ESA president Mike Gallagher told Kotaku. Meanwhile, many of those Japanese game developers who won’t be at E3 continue to take public transportation in an region where the virus has exploded.

Japanese companies SEGA, Tecmo and Sony have stated that H1N1 Influenza 09 has not impacted their decision to attend this year’s E3.