The last 2 years I’ve volunteered to be a speaker.  Both years I’ve given an instruction on the importance of and a crash-course on revision control.  While I feel it is a subject all programmers should be more than familiar with, I wanted to do something a little different this year.

I like to stick to beginner level subjects.  While I could get into serial port and socket programming in Delphi and Java, I feel Code Camp already has a good selection of subjects for the intermediate to advanced programmers.  Since Code Camp targets all audiences, I want to give people a chance to pick up something completely new to them without falling asleep because the material is far above their experience levels.  At the same time I like to choose something I will learn from while I prepare my demonstration.   As an example, the first time I taught revision control I did it along side Jim Munn.  I knew some of the Subversion basics but branching and merging were something I hadn’t done yet.  Jim showed the attendees (including me) that part and I focused on the integration with Trac.  The following year I explored it a little more in depth and taught the whole kit and caboodle.

Here are some of the subjects I considered  for my presentation:

• Test Driven Development in Java
• Beginner’s Home Automation using Misterhouse
• AGI programming for Asterisk
• WordPress widget/plugin development
• Dojo web programming

All of those subjects are topics I’ve dabbled in on some level.  I’ve started with some basic Dojo application development for example, but I’ve worked extensively with Asterisk.  I could even combine some of the above topics, such as using a Dojo interface to a Java based Asterisk AGI program in order to interface with a home automation system that makes a WordPress blog entry when it is complete!  The fun never ends.

In the end I decided to give a beginner level presentation on developing for the Xbox 360 console.  I’m already familiar with the language required due to some projects at work, so this will make for a fun project.  It will also be something a little different and I’m hoping will help attract some of the younger audience to Code Camp that may not have attended otherwise thinking it would be all about business programming topics.

Now there is a game system that has been out for a couple of years now that is pushing the boundary on game-based exercise, the Nintendo Wii.  From the start it has involved larger scale motions with your arms instead of pushing buttons on a stationary controller, and now they’ve added the Wii Fit for full body involvement.

The Wii Fit takes fitness gaming to another level.  When you start out and configure your Mii it asks for some information such as your birthday and height.  Next it has you go through a body test which checks your weight and your balance.  It then shows you your BMI and how far off-center your balance is, along with tips on how to adjust it and the benefits of doing so.  From there it takes you to a screen where you can select the type of activity you want to perform, Yoga, Aerobics, Strength, and Balance games.

Each of the categories has only a few exercises you can perform, and a whole bunch of exercises that you can’t view.  Yoga starts out with a simple breathing exercise, and a half-moon pose.  As you perform the poses it shows you your current center of balance on screen with a designated area you need to maintain.  The balance board is extremely sensitive and it doesn’t take much in order to move the balance indicator out of bounds.  The on-screen trainer offers words of encouragement as well as gentle reminders to maintain your balance if you are unsteady.

The aerobics games are fun.  The exercises originally open include running in place (Wii Remote in pocket, not on the balance board), and a step-aerobic dance routine where you step on and off the board in time with music while following the on-screen pattern.  Also open is the infamous Hula Hoop game where you swirl your hips as if you were using an actual hula hoop and bend to either direction as more hoops are tossed to you.

Strength training starts out with torso twists and push-ups with side planks.  The balance board watches your balance on the twists, and watches the pressue while doing the push-ups and planks.  After a while other exercises are opened up, such as a crunch-style leg lift (I don’t remember the exact name of it at the moment) and you start with your feet resting on the balance board, and lift them off and return as you’re following the movement.

The balance games are also quite a bit of fun.  One game involves standing on the board and leaning back and forth to hit a soccer ball with your head while avoiding shoes and stuffed panda heads (PVP reference maybe?) which is actually a lot harder than it appears.  There is a balance board game where you have several marbles on boards of varying shapes with holes.  You move the board to drop the marbles through the holes without making them fall off the edge.

As you play the games and perform the activities you get points in your piggy bank based on the number of minutes it takes to perform.  As you build up a balance and become more skilled at the activities it unlocks more of them for you to select.  I went through most of the activities originally open to me over a period of about 45 minutes, and earned 30 minutes of activity time.

My only complaint at this point is the pause time in between activities, and after browsing the ‘Net it appears I’m not alone.  If you could set up a circuit of a half dozen exercises or so it would make it much easier to get your heart rate up and keep it there, but as it is now there is at least 1 minute in between each exercise as you have to select each one individually by going back to the menu.  Since the Wii is connected to the Internet, I’m hoping Nintendo will listen to the complaints and offer an update to the game in order to offer this option.  With that being said, after completing a session I have muscles that are sore that I do not hit during my workouts at the gym, so I’m getting a more complete body workout.

There are those out there who put the Wii Fit down based on several factors.

• Price: It is $80 if you find it on sale.  This is only about $20 more than most console games these days anyway, and it includes a pretty sophisticated piece of hardware.  To put it into perspective that is only 2 nights of eating out at a restaurant with the family, or giving up a $3.50 daily FiveBucks coffee on the way to work for roughly a month.  I was told by a personal trainer a few years back that as a person ages, being overweight increases healthcare costs by several thousand dollars per year.  The math makes it look pretty cheap to me.
• Playing games instead of hitting the gym: They have a point here, but any exercise is better than no exercise.  Coupled with a stigma that many over-weight people have about going to a gym full of “skinny people,” it makes home workouts a good choice.  This is the reason workout videos are so successful.  The Wii has the advantage of not only showing you the correct moves, but can somewhat monitor it based on balance and other factors to ensure that good form is being followed.  Not to mention a gym membership is expensive monthly, and there is usually a signup fee as well.  You can get a Wii console along with a Wii Fit for far less than a new gym membership would cost over the course of a year.  In my case I have a killer deal for my gym membership since I’ve been grandfathered in so it is another tool at my disposal.
• Playing games instead of going outside for a walk:  Again this is just another option to workout at home.  For parents with small kids, it is hard to find time to go outside and walk for half an hour to an hour alone.  Couple this with bad weather that makes it difficult if not near impossible to take the kids along, indoor workouts are the best fit.
• Using a video game instead of a “real” piece of exercise equipment: One word sums this up – Monotony.  Sure you could pick up an exercise bike or treadmill (for far more money for a decent one) but you’re limited to the one and only exercise you can do on it.  Unitaskers suck.  With the Wii Fit, there are many different activities in the game itself, and there are already other games coming out that use the balance board too.  Besides the boredom of doing the same thing all the time, the body also becomes accustomed to the routine and needs a periodic change to keep it in calorie burning mode.

In my opinion, anything that helps my family get up and be more active is a good thing.  I’m glad we decided to pick up the Wii Fit, and I’m looking forward to the additional edge it’ll give me in working towards my goals.

The other night the wife was playing Uno, and happened to get matched into a game with a bunch of 9 year olds.  They asked a couple of times if she had a headset, and since she couldn’t reply they assumed no.  From that point, they began talking among each other on how to play, essentially ganging up on her.  Stuff such as “I’m out of red, switch it to green if you can” and similar strategy moves.  This was pretty funny considering she could hear them, and adjusted her strategy accordingly.  When one of them would say something like that, she would do whatever she could to get it switched back to red.

Later on they began to talk using vulgar terms and call her names.  “That stupid ***** will pay for that one!”  Not only is it bad coming from obviously 9 year old kids, but Microsoft has a specific gamertag category to sign up under if you don’t mind the language and other bad behavior, the Underground.  Since our kids are near by most of the time when we’re playing (or they are playing themselves) we have ours set to Recreation.  These kids had theirs set to Recreation as well.  After a while they began to realize she was able to hear them and they finally kicked her from the game.  Rest assured reports were filed against the profiles involved.

We’ve also had some very interesting conversations as well, by listening to the conversation and sending a text message to one of the players.  We’ve met some interesting people this way.  Now that our headset has arrived I can’t wait to actually take part in these conversations directly and make some new friends.  Its been a frustrating feeling to be the odd one out and not have a voice among others that do.  I can only imagine what people who have sensory handicaps must feel on a regular basis, especially considering they can’t just buy a device to be accepted into the group.

All I had to do was think back and remember trying to play games online in other free networks (such as Delta Force 2 on the PC,) and I’m glad they charge a small fee.  It adds just enough deterrent to keep people from being complete jerks.  When people don’t have to pay, they have no incentive to play nicely.  They can register a free account, then wreak havoc by cheating, shooting team members, using vulgar language, and just general bad behavior.  They are then free to switch back to their other account and play without anyone knowing any better.

With the Xbox Live, you have to be a paying subscriber to play online, and it is per identity, called a gamertag.  Therefore if you want to jump online for a bit just to upset people, you’d have to register a new gamertag and pay to upgrade it to a gold account.  They have free 30 day trials, but they limit that to 3 per console (life time) so it can’t be abused more than a couple of times at the most.  Of course they could use their single gamertag they’re paying for, but there is a decent reputation reporting system so they wouldn’t be able to play with people any more.

My only remaining beef with it is that you can’t register more than one gamertag per Live account.  Since we only have one console, my wife and I will never be able to use our accounts simultaneously.  It seems like quite a waste for both of us to have to pay the yearly fee in order to build our own friends list and statistics.  I wish they would do like Everquest and World of Warcraft and allow a limited number of gamertags under the same account.  That way a family could have one membership and cover everybody.  The way it sits a large family would pay more per year than the purchase price of the console if all of the kids had their own accounts as well.

I’m now anxiously awaiting the Gold subscription keys to arrive that came with some accessories I ordered.  With as much entertainment value as we’ll get out of them, they are worth their weight… in gold.

Microsoft is offering a refurbished 20GB hard drive along with a 3 month Gold subscription to the Xbox Live service for $29.99 to Arcade edition owners. It says to go to http://www.xboxstorageupgrade.com and enter your serial number and console ID to see if you qualify. I did it last night when I saw it, and it said something along the lines of “An error has occurred. Please try again later.” I tried later in the evening, and I tried several times this morning. Now when I try it goes back to the same page as if I didn’t enter in my information at all.

I called MS Live support and they basically took my serial and console ID, entered it on their website and said “Yep, it appears to not be working” and that I should try again tomorrow. I asked if I could be notified when it is working again (since she just took my e-mail and contact information for the ticket) and said they are unable to send e-mails from that location.

My concern is it says it is a “limited time” offer and that I won’t be able to get in on it. I’ve priced used 20 GB drives and they tend to run about $40 on eBay and local used game shops, and nobody has one locally. To be able to get one for $30, and have it include a Gold card (normally $20 by itself) is a killer deal.

Microsoft of all companies should know how to run a marketing campaign that works. I’ve noticed a lot of online (and regular) offers lately that are unable to handle the demand they generate, but this is Microsoft. They know exactly how many customers have eligible systems, how many of them have already signed into Xbox Live and have seen the advertisement, and should not be surprised by the traffic levels. Of course when you choose to run Windows for your server, you do get to reap what you sow.

On a semi-related note, if you want to get a 30 day trial of Xbox Live Gold, don’t reserve your gamertag online ahead of time. I did that when Microsoft offered the ability since I wanted to get my name and didn’t have a 360 yet. Now I don’t have the ability to get the customary 30 day free trial to Gold. I asked support while on the phone and she said I could create a new gamertag on the console itself (not in a web browser) and would be eligible for the free trial on that account. I created my tag because that is what I wanted, and I shoudn’t have to switch to a new tag and lose my name and acheivements. Way to drop the ball again Microsoft!