Using treadmills to Race across Azeroth
by Michael Gray 
Aug 26th 2008 at 11:30AM
The Wii Fit board was the first object to be linked to character run speed in WoW. Now, the folks at Mana Energy Potions have raised the ante -- they connected a pair of treadmills to their computers, and set about gauging just how possible it is to run like your character.
They took a couple steps to simulate the run speed. They measured the land-speed of your average WoW character. Then, they set up a pair of treadmills to tap forward on their accounts -- everytime they moved a certain treadmill distance, their keyboard would pulse "W" to move forward. They dressed up in some silly costumes to make sure their event was as realistic as possible, or maybe just to make the pictures funnier. And then... they ran from Shadowglen to Darnassus.
The results? The experience darn near killed 'em, apparantly. They tried a few other things -- drawing a sword while running, eating, and drinking. None of it went particularly well. And while they finished the run, the pair aren't looking forward to doing it again. The author describes it as "sheer brutality."
Final result: your character in WoW is in much better shape than you are. I am shocked and amazed. Still, if I had the carpentry skills to build their rig, I think I might take my Warrior out for a jog to help get in shape.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Fan stuff, News items
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Ashvoyager Aug 26th 2008 11:39AM
Really would make you appreciate your mounts though.
n8 Aug 26th 2008 4:37PM
A friend linked this to me.
PERTINENT!
http://theweightlifter.blogspot.com/
sharkeater Aug 26th 2008 11:42AM
ouch. toons move at 12mph human is moving at 6mph.
I demand perfomance enhancing substances tests on druids and rogues!
Verodio Aug 26th 2008 11:48AM
It really makes Azeroth seem quite small if you do things like that. The fact that you can run from the desert of Thousand Needles to The frozen tundra of Winterspring in around 30 minutes translates to a total distance of around 35 miles using the 12 mph calculation posted above. If anything characters should be moving slower to make the world larger.
Tumnus Aug 26th 2008 12:03PM
Actually I think that would be 6 miles, not 35. If you run at 12 mph for 30 minutes, you go half of 12 miles, which is 6.
zeed Aug 28th 2008 8:50PM
wow
dotorion Aug 26th 2008 12:03PM
In short, whether it's the Wii fit or a treadmill for WoW,
it's healthier to go outside and ru naround the block :p
Alyar Aug 26th 2008 12:08PM
Personally, I think they ought to mass market this thing. I would be happy to get the exercise WHILE playing WoW.
Yep... THAT addicted. :P
Thanos Aug 26th 2008 12:34PM
this wouldn't get you exercise while playing WoW... you'd never run for more than 5 minutes at a time, & that would be even less once u got a mount & flight paths. go outside.
these guys can barely run 6 mph for 5 minutes? that's only about half of a mile. what a couple of pansies. average human WALKING speed is 4 mph. that means any one of us should easily be able to walk the distance they ran in only 7.5 minutes. ever been late for a final & had to run across campus? good job, you've proven yourself to be more physically fit than these two losers.
and about the characters being more athletic than normal humans... ahh, duh. they're supposed to be heroes, not fat slobs. they are ready, willing, & able to fight giant fucking monsters all day, every day, and you're impressed by their cross-country running skills? what a joke.
Exust Aug 26th 2008 12:31PM
I would like to exercise while playing WoW...
Today running route:
Start&End: Goldshire
Route: Elwynn, three corners, duskwood, darkshire, raven hill, westfall, elwynn...
:D i would like that and similar things, you run trough forest and breath fresh air [don't run in plaguelands for god sake]...:)
William Aug 26th 2008 12:47PM
They could even make daily quests for insane people who want to run on the treadmill... like marathons and whatnot, with gold payouts! Just think how much better shape Wow-players would be in... (or would there just be fewer players?)
Exust Aug 26th 2008 1:10PM
Making Characters in WoW be able to run in diferent speeds would be nice too, but aviable just for ones who have treadmill, so WoW players would be fit and in form once again :D
That would change my life from roots, i wouldn't have to run to gym after a sesion, i would just run around azeroth :D... If i bring computer outside nobody would ever say again that i am WoWer :D
Rihlsul Aug 26th 2008 12:39PM
What's funny about that 12 mph number: Try to visualize the 2.5-3 feet tall gnomes running that fast.
Fergus Aug 26th 2008 12:46PM
I'm surprised they could run at all after drinking one of those mana drinks... they are disgusting!
Hugh "Nomad" Hancock Aug 26th 2008 1:20PM
Actually, this more implies that our heroes are about as fit as a top marathon runner.
The world record for a marathon is 2 hours 4 minutes and 26 seconds, which averages out at around 13.5 miles an hour.
If our characters run at 12 miles an hour, that implies they would finish the marathon in about 2 hours 10 minutes.
(I think. It's been a long day. Is my math right?)
Eddy Aug 26th 2008 2:47PM
I keep saying how much I'd love to play WoW while I jog on the treadmill. I'd get so much more exercise and it would be better than just reading a book.
That would be pretty amusing.
Ledfloyd Aug 26th 2008 3:53PM
Should have the Postmaster Set from Strat
http://www.wowhead.com/?itemset=81
Nick S Aug 26th 2008 4:20PM
What kind of horrifying treadmills are they using? They looked like they were literally forcing the belt around!
I demand a second experiment with treadmills that don't suck.
Maevet Sep 1st 2008 2:19AM
I also noticed the sound of the belts sounding like they were forcing the belt to move rather than running on it.
Maybe its the tension of the bike tyre against the belt?
Zep Aug 26th 2008 6:29PM
If the treadmills were powered, it would defeat the purpose...