xxx5qbttjpobmnbhb{jof5dpn - Passional Magazine

n a t u r a l h i g h s
mOCAP vIRTUAL bOXING
I was never was a fan of boxing as a child, it seemed way too
brutal. That was, of course, before I got in touch with my inner
rage as a teen, inspiring me to pursue writing, acting, music,
activism, and exercise. At this stage in my life, however, I have no
time for many of these outlets. While I love my work, there are
times when I need instantaneous release
from the daily stresses of life. Virtual boxing
provides that for me better than any
therapist or drug can.
I first discovered virtual boxing about 5 years
ago watching an 8 year old boy go toe-to toe
with an imaginary opponent. He dodged
punches, threw his gloves in the air, and sweat
and grunted just like a pro with a look to kill on
his face — a scary sight to behold. While watching,
I recalled several real-life schoolyard incidents
I suffered through as a child that would have been
less painfully resolved if fought against an imaginary
opponent had one existed at the time. For the
next two years, I searched for easily accessable machines.
To my delight, I found two of them at the
Philadelphia Dave & Busters, where I brought my fantasy
of virtual boxing to life.
When friends disappoint me, people get on my
nerves, or life gets too stressful, I find release in blackening
the eyes of my opponents. I reach peaks when
I get to “rush” a guy with 10-50 punches and watch
his body flail around with each strike. In the
past three years, I have truly become a
contender, boxing at D&B and also
at other arenas, a.k.a. arcades, in
the Philadelphia area. I regularly
wow audiences of little kids by
banging through my opponents.
I still get a rush from watching other boxers in the virtual ring.
Plus, this is how I pick up tips on how the machine works and
on how to play to win, some of which I will now share with you.
You keep playing as long as you knock out your opponents.
An on-screen “punching meter” indicates where and when to
punch. Only strike when the target marks appear, otherwise
you get tired fast and lose points. With each win, you face tougher
and tougher opponents.
Before you begin, plant your feet firmly on the footprints in
front of the machine. Slide on each two-pound glove. Then
deposit your money and get ready for the roar of the crowd,
and a blow by blow narrative preparing you
for battle.
The first opponent is a slow
fighter that’s pretty easy to dodge. If
you dodge him enough times, you
can knock him out with one punch!
The second fighter, Marv Tyler, sometimes
knocks me down, although I
can usually get past him without getting
knocked out. Getting “KO’d”
causes the screen to go blurry,
prompts the announcer to shout,
“player is down,” and makes the
referee’s face get big and your count
to begin, “1, 2, 3, etc.” You can only get
knocked down three times before you
have to either pay for a new game or
pay to continue your current game.
The third opponent, the russian
Igor Draganov, in my experience is the
toughest to beat, even if the game is in
perfect working order. I have come across
many games where the movements of only
one hand registered, basically forcing me to fight
against these big goofy guys with one arm tied
behind my back. I jab with my right and throw
my stellar left hook by swapping the one glove
that works between my hands. Talk about great handeye
coordination!
The next contender, Gonzales (from Puerto Rico), is a little
easier to knock down. I have yet to KO the fifth one, Rick somebody
from Pennsylvania Please, I am yet to even knock him
down three times! But then again, I never pay to continue the
game. I prefer to start over with the easier players than flail my
tired arms against the tough guys. — KLM
6 pm 2.9 — 10/04