Posted on: February 11, 2008

Got Game?

Welcome to the rec room revolution: Family fun with Wii, PS3, D-Box and more

By Jeff Schnaufer
CTW Features

When it comes to a rec room, it used to be that the home with a pool table, air hockey game and ping pong was the envy of the neighborhood. But new technology has transformed the home rec room into a multimedia game experience.

"The idea of the rec room that a lot of people grew up with went away when kids went into their rooms to play on their computers," says Cindy Davis, editor-in-chief of Electronic House magazine. "Now there are electronic games to bring people together in one space."

Nintendo's Wii game console, Davis says, is an example of the casual gaming experience that is easy enough for anyone, allowing you to "get the whole family involved."

"We’re seeing an adoption of two game players becoming a trend with the youngest of the family demanding the Nintendo Wii and the tweens and teens asking for Sony’s PlayStation 3 – actually, even the parents love the Wii," says Gary Kayye, a Chapel Hill, N.C.-based HomeAV and ProAV consultant.

"The Wii games are like those old video game players you'd see in Pizza Huts back in the ‘80s – anyone can play them and master them quickly."

And while experts say a Wii or PS3 and a large screen television are must-haves, creating the ultimate multimedia game room in your home takes planning, too. Seating, lighting, sound and networking are also considerations for today's multimedia rec room.

Unless you have enough funds for two large screen televisions in your home, you will probably be playing your games in the same room you watch movies. So for games like Guitar Hero or the Wii sporting games, you need to have a spot where you can stand a comfortable distance from the screen.

"If you are too close to the screen you can get overwhelmed and can't see the whole image," says Josh Christian, marketing vice president, for DSI Entertainment Systems in West Hollywood, Calif.

Christian recommends a more flexible seating arrangement, such as modular seating, that allows players to rearrange furniture for their gaming needs. He also suggests deciding in advance where to place your projection system.

"You have to make sure the gamers won't obstruct the light path," he says.

For those with a Wii system, make sure you have plenty of room to maneuver, Davis says.

"If you are bowling or playing tennis, the lamp that is two feet to your right could also go down," she says.

The proper lighting can also enhance your gaming experience.

"You've got to have lighting control so you can set the lighting for each experience, whether it's to dim the lighting all the way down for PS3 or brighter light for Wii. You don't want to be in the dark when you play a Wii," Davis says.

Then there's the issue of power and networking.

"You want to have in the room some type of access port," says Christian.

This may include an AC outlet, network connection for a computer, a USB hub, and a wall plate or panel for various video and audio connections.

Speaking of connection, Davis recommends making sure you have one remote control for everything "so you don't have 20 remotes hanging around the room."

And if you want to switch from playing a game to watching a movie without running out to rent one, Kayye suggests investing $400 into an AppleTV movie rental box, which wirelessly connects you to the Internet, allowing you to download a film from a selection of thousands. "And 10 seconds after the downloading starts, you can start watching the movie," Kayye says.

But for the ultimate gaming experience, there's the D-Box Motion Code home gaming system, complete with a chair that puts you into the cockpit of a flight simulator or at the virtual controls of a race car. The company is also developing a first-person shooter and strategic game.

"It is very cool," says Davis, who tried it out at the Canadian company's headquarters. "It was a race car game. I like to drive and I have been on a race course once and D-Box really gives you the feeling of accelerating and going around corners, which was a lot of fun."

If you are on a limited budget, even a few thousand dollars can turn a drab garage or den into a fun-filled multimedia game room, complete with a plasma television, PS3, Wii and comfortable seating. And if you're feeling a little nostalgic, there may even be a little money left for a blast from the past.

"How much does a ping pong table cost?" asks Davis. "Go to a yard sale and get one."

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