I’m no game player, but I remember the first time I rode on Star Tours at Disneyland, I cried because it really felt like I was riding in a spaceship, and it was breathtaking.

That’s why the 3rd Space Gaming Vest appeals to me. You put the vest on, and you can feel the same stuff your avatar is feeling — or as the company text puts it, “you can now experience the physical consequences of your actions in the virtual world!” When somebody shoots you, you’ll know it. When somebody vaporizes in front of you, you’ll feel the pressure of the heat.

The PriceGrabber.com description says, “Gaming Vest features Impact Generating Technology.” What the heck does that mean? According to coverage in the February issue of Popular Mechanics a few months ago, the vest has eight pneumatic cells that “produce pressure whenever (and wherever) your onscreen avatar takes a midgame blow.” Oh. Why didn’t’ they say so?

The tricky part is that software has to be coded that enables the vest to interface with a particular game. At release almost a year ago, software patches were developed that enabled Quake 3 and 4, Doom 3, Incursion and Call of Duty II to interact with the vest. Now the list includes two dozen titles, which you can read off the vendor’s site.

Best, for those of you who like to play dress-up, it comes in a rather perky gray camouflage color. Hit me with your best shot! Fire away!

Posted on September 12th, 2008 by dian