Games in Refrigerators

[Pkeod]

With how technology is going now, I would like to see a refrigerator with a match three game built into its monitor. In fact, I'd like to see a refrigerator with a touch screen with a whole array of games to choose from. I can just see it... Martha Stewart taking a few moments on her show to play a few rounds of a cheaply made match three clone. (Maybe this one has colored fruit and veggies and meat? Wait... we would need options to turn off all meat for everyone who knows eating things that feel pain is wrong!) Anyway, twenty minutes later Martha is still at it and her viewers are wondering what is up!?

"Oh!" Says Martha, "I was just playing this very original game on this refrigerator manufactured by Subsoap. I keep them in every room of my estate... it's very nice to be able to have fresh food everywhere and a good game as a bonus!" And so millions everywhere rush to order their very own copy of the refrigerator that not only allows you to keep your food fresh, but also, as an added bonus, allows you to play addicting games also! But that's not all folks! This refrigerator, allowed you had an Internet connection, would allow you to purchase new and exciting content right with a touch of the button!

Oh wait... this is indie gaming...

Well, being independent just means your working away from large companies. One of us could do this... or something like it... maybe it's already been done. o__O My father works with solid state refrigerators so maybe I'll do this.

Damn! If a huge corporation sees this it will be the death of it! They will patent it and that will be the end of it :(

Also, before you ask, I thought about putting a match three game into an oven... though it might be exciting for a while, having your fingers burnt off while playing an exotic version of DDR (with your hands.. maybe I should say wack-a-mole rather?) as the directions flash on the overhead display. Putting a game into a microwave doesn't seem that good of an idea either... watching your food cook from sound waves is pretty exiting on its own!

Finally, this is not all just a joke. =) I think putting casual games into things to increase their... uh... usefulness is a great idea.

[lakibuk]

Do you really think it would be fun to stand beside a fridge playing videogames?

[arcadetown]

Hey for your sterotypical pizza loving gamer nerd it cuts out the step of having to walk over to the fridge. Talk about adding to your obesity factors...

People have been talking about computers in the fridge for shopping list management and even online ordering of deliveries. Might be cute to have some simple games in there but even if did would probably be much like the stock games windows comes with. Doubt any manufacturer would allow 3rd party games on an embedded device with all the virus issues that could entail.

[Emmanuel]

The internet fridge is kind of a running joke in the embedded software business, where I'm from :)

As for third party software, manufacturers basically allow Java games only, since they're sandboxed (this is the #1 benefit perceived by cellphone and CE manufacturers, way ahead of the programming language benefits which isn't their problem). Companies that make efficient JVMs for embedded systems like Switzerland's Esmertec (http://www.esmertec.com/) are thriving (they went from $2 to $200 million of sales in a couple of years, but then again they have the best implementation in the world).

Best regards,
Emmanuel

[Pkeod]

Do you really think it would be fun to stand beside a fridge playing videogames?

Yeah! :D

It sounds funny, maybe, but it's the idea where... the function of this object is now perfect... what else can you give me? I'm not saying you should try to put an rpg in a fridge and expect to sell it well... I'm saying put a casual addictive game that is targeted at the audience that buys these appliances anyway. They have played it online or on their computer... and now they can play it while the coffee machine is going.

The DS "touch" games would work well for this. Other games that require a lot of controls would not. But I said casual anyway? They are one click right?

People have been talking about computers in the fridge for shopping list management and even online ordering of deliveries. Might be cute to have some simple games in there but even if did would probably be much like the stock games windows comes with. Doubt any manufacturer would allow 3rd party games on an embedded device with all the virus issues that could entail.

Not just simple games... but addicting casual games. Though the virus threat >__> ugh... that really blows it away... and I was even thinking that wifi was an option to download content with. Maybe the firmware should be more like the PSP? Of course it can be hacked... but if you want the best stuff up to date then you will need an internet connection.(The people who could afford this thing would most likely be near a free wifi connection.) And with that comes automatic updates. If you can get to a point where there are updates almost every day (like that's needed... except for content) then it is a lot harder for a malicious person to take advantage of the system. Unless, of course, they were able physical access to the machine :P

As for third party software, manufacturers basically allow Java games only, since they're sandboxed (this is the #1 benefit perceived by cellphone and CE manufacturers, way ahead of the programming language benefits which isn't their problem).

Who here knows Java better than anyone else? Lucky ;)

[soniCron]

It sounds funny, maybe, but it's the idea where... the function of this object is now perfect... what else can you give me? I'm not saying you should try to put an rpg in a fridge and expect to sell it well... I'm saying put a casual addictive game that is targeted at the audience that buys these appliances anyway. They have played it online or on their computer... and now they can play it while the coffee machine is going. See, one problem you seem to be forgetting is accessibility. The screens on all the multimedia fridges I've seen have been a little higher than waist high. Now, in order for anyone to play a game on their fridge, it needs to be comfortable to play, especially if standing there is uncomfortable.

The only way you're going to get that to be comfortable is if you move the screen, and the only way you're going to get the screen moved is if using applications on a fridge becomes standard. And that's probably never going to happen.

You see, having a television on a fridge can be handy if you're stuck doing dishes or spending 6 hours cooking a feast. A screen would be handy if it kept track of what you have in the fridge and perhaps a shopping list. It may even be handy if it instructed you on how to make certain meals.

So, until food gets RFIDs or people resort to using the fridge to tell them how to make food, the screen will most likely remain at waist level, and using the screen for any sort of interaction will be nothing more than a novelty after the initial purchase.


...if you want the best stuff up to date then you will need an internet connection.(The people who could afford this thing would most likely be near a free wifi connection.) That's awfully presumptuous. I know a lot of incredibly wealthy people that have no clue what WiFi means, let alone any free or paid WiFi access.


And with that comes automatic updates. If you can get to a point where there are updates almost every day (like that's needed... except for content) then it is a lot harder for a malicious person to take advantage of the system. Unless, of course, they were able physical access to the machine :P No matter what, the last thing I'd want is an Internet accessible fridge. See, unless it physically creates a connection to the Internet before it updates, updates at random times, and only connects to the manufacturer's server, keep that Internet off my fridge! What happens if the fridges get attacked by some virus and they all crash? Imagine the loss of food across the nation! It could be catastrophic! ;)

[papillon]

(I *have* always wished my fridge kept track of what I put in there, what the sell-by date on it was, and reminded me what needed to be eaten before it turned blue... but for playing actual games in the kitchen I think I'd rather carry a portable.)

[ggambett]

Ironically, Java was originally designed to run as an embedded language in appliances. Maybe Cas is onto something after all ;)

[Anthony Flack]

I must be missing something. Are people putting screens onto their fridges now? That's the stupidest thing I've heard in hours. No, wait. The idea that people would want to hunch over a fridge trying to play a game is the stupidest thing.

[KNau]

Wouldn't surprise me, though. I use to think "What kind of moron would waste their cellphone battery playing crappy games?" and "How stupid do you have to be to pay money for ringtones and background images?"

You can never really underestimate the public's desire to spend money on stupid useless crap they don't need.

[Anthony Flack]

Still, a videogame fridge is a pretty funny idea. It's like the anti-gameboy. The least portable gaming device ever.

[soniCron]

Still, a videogame fridge is a pretty funny idea. It's like the anti-gameboy. The least portable gaming device ever. Hardly. (http://www.starfishcoffee.com/qt-content/tetris-building.jpg) (Yes. That's a building. Yes. That's Tetris being played on that building.)

[simonbowerbank]

People use fridges for storing food, not playing games. That makes about as much sense as having a toilet paper dispenser inside your oven

[Pkeod]

*shrugs* The topic was half joke, you know.

No one would have to hunch over (unless they were really tall) if the design was right. I'm sure that one day you all will have a computer on your fridge. The stupid people will make me rich! ;) :D

[terin]

And the meek shall inherit the fridge...

-Joe

[Martoon]

One day, Brian is going to be filthy rich with a Subsoap GameFridge in every home. And we'll all be pleading with archive.org to erase our myopic comments from this thread. Just you wait.