Motion sickness remedies for gaming?

[norkusa]

I've always had a problem with motion sickness when palying FPS's. I thought I overcame my disability several years ago when I started playing Halo 2 and Call of Duty regularly without any problems. But last night I popped in Star Wars Dark Forces for PS1 and I almost lost it.

After 5 minutes of playing, I started to get real warm so I shut off the game but I kept getting sicker and sicker. After an hour or so, I had to lie down because my stomach was constantly churning. The rest of the night I felt like I was going to puke at any second. I managed to keep it down but even now I still feel a bit light-headed and queasy.

Is there any way of getting over this aside from giving up FPS's entirely? I've heard of over-the-counter medication that might help but that seems kind of excessive. It just seems to be a problem with older FPS games (Doom, Golden Eye, AvP) but I've had a some problems playing newer ones too like Half Life 2 and Red Faction.

[kupomogli]

Man. I love Goldeneye, but man. My body starts getting tired and I have to lie down because feels like my head hurts and back hurts, etc. Happens with Doom too to the point that I've only gotten past the first couple stages before I had to quit.

I only play Unreal Tournament 3 now. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't.

*edit*

Don't know any remedies.

[The 1 2 P]

But last night I popped in Star Wars Dark Forces for PS1 and I almost lost it.

You are not alone. Star Wars: Dark Forces was one of the first fps games I have ever played on the PS1. Although I loved the game, it's also the first fps game to give me motion sickness. My advice for that game is to run as little as possible or else:puke:

I have narrowed down my affliction to certain games: Dark Forces, Quake 2, Dark Watch, Doom 3, Painkiller, the night sections of Half-Life 2, etc. What do all of those fps games have in common? They are all very dark as far as the majority of their settings and surroundings go. I don't know why, but constantly moving/running around enclosed dark spaces makes me nausceous. I never have this problem playing Halo or Call of Duty. But those other games made me literally work to get to the ending.

The only remedy I know of as far as medicine goes is dramamine. Beyond that you should just play small sections at a time or limit those games(fps's that make you sick) to a certain set amount of time, like a half hour or an hour. It sucks that this condition exist but for some of us it's just another obstacle. And despite how disconcerting it can be, theres no way I was going to give up fps games entirely because of it.

[BHvrd]

I have this affect on almost any FPS game with "sway". I usually will see if it has that option and turn it off. It has also been proven that FPS games that have boxes around them and don't fill the entire screen increase the chances so I always stretch those.

It seems you have a severe case though as Halo 2 and Red Faction affect you as well, I was never affected by those and outside of Japanese players haven't ever heard much about those.

The thing that seems to help me most though in any and all is to go fast and don't stop, the longer you stand around and turn alot without having a forward momentum can have alot to do with it. So just start kicking more ass and looking around less. Oh and don't squint like a Japanese either. :D

[Icarus Moonsight]

http://guidesarchive.ign.com/guides/569/images/diazepam.jpg

It's not just for accurate sniper shots...

Sopite Syndrome would suck in racing games.

[Snapple]

I've had two games give me major headaches from the motion.

1. Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened
(apparently motion sicknes is a common problem with this game. It's first-person, but the camera also moves very funny which makes it worse)

2. Any Monkey Ball game
(the way the whole map keeps tilting back and forth, side to side, gives me a giant headache)

I don't have a personal remedy. I stop playing and try to relax. I usually end up feeling like crap for hours.

[SegaAges]

I never had the problem until I got my new screen.

I got a 100 inch 1080i projector. Now, games in general are not bad, but then I started playing racing games. Rallisport Challenge 2 to be exact.

Just because the screen is so big, I went into a view where you see inside the car and can see the windshield and everything. It was awesome for about the first 20-30 minutes, and then I got the same feeling that you described.

I have never had the issue with fps's though, but I now only play racing games from the back of the car perspective now.

[heybtbm]

Doom 64, Turok 64, = Vomit-fests.

N64/PS1 era and even some PS2 FPS's can be almost unplayable. There's something about tight corridors and blurry textures that make me want to barf. Strange thing is PC FPS's of the same era are just fine (Doom 1/2, Quake, etc.).

Good thing is, I've noticed that 99% of FPS's these days have no nauseating effects on me. Half-Life 2 for Xbox makes me want to barf. Half-Life 2 from the 360 Orange Box...no ill effects whatsoever. It has to be the higher resolutions.

[alxbly]

A friend of mine suffers from motion sickness in games (most recently in RE5) and can't play FPS because of it. However, he recently tried something called "Dramamine" and has said that this helps a lot in RE5. Dunno if it's helped with other games.

[RPG_Fanatic]

I use to get really sick playing the Halo games then Call of duty 4 came out and the same thing. I just kept playing and now it doesn't bother me any more. \\^_^/

[slip81]

how close are you sitting to the set? it might help to sit farthur back, maybe 9 feet or more if possible, since I remember you saying you had a 32 or 37 inch set, recommended viewing distence is about 7-8 feet, so getting back a bit may reduce the sense of movement.

[spaceFarmer]

I have a problem with older FPSs too. Playing doom on XBLA brought it all back. I've always thought it has something to do with the poor graphics from those older games because nothing on the current gen has given me problems.

[DeputyMoniker]

It's strange. Some games I have a problem with, others I don't. I wish I knew exactly what it is...but I've never figured out the component that triggers my motion sickness. I can play any Ridge Racer, any Wipeout, Halo 3, Gears of War 2, Red Faction 1 & 2...never have a problem. F-Zero, Half Life 2, and a lot of other games absolutely ground me. I get warm, get up and turn the A/C on, get hot and start to sweat, get a little sick to my stomach and realize what is happening, turn the game off and fall asleep within a couple minutes (if i try.)

Yeah, it sucks and I've never tried anything other than taking a nap and playing a different game. Come to think of it, Halo 3 gave me some problems at first. I remember thinking I wouldn't be able to play it. But I got used to it after a few tries and I've been fine ever since.

[norkusa]

Wow, didn't expect to see so many fellow sufferers here. Guess motion sickness is not that uncommon in gaming.

Seems like the only games that get me sick are old FPS games (PS1 and older). Although Half-Life 2 Ep. 2 and PS2 Red Faction for PS2 got me very ill, I haven't had much problems playing anything else. I'm guessing it has something to do with choppy frame rates in older FPS's. Plus most newer games have turn sensitivity options, so if I start to feel queasy, I just slow down the 'look' speed and that usually helps.

I don't sit that close to the tv either. About 7-8 feet away from a 37" set. I sit at a 30-35 degree angle too, so it's not like I'm totally focused on the center of the tv. Guess I just have to stick to modern FPS's if I don't want to get sick anymore.

I don't know if I'm hardcore enough to take Dramamine just so I can play a game, but I've always been curious about it. Is it over-the-counter, or do you need a prescription to get it?

[Icarus Moonsight]

If dramamine puts you off I guess I could have omitted my suggestion for valium. LOL Really though, you get the smallest doses and cut it in half or quarters. Works for some anyway.

[Zthun]

how close are you sitting to the set? it might help to sit farthur back, maybe 9 feet or more if possible, since I remember you saying you had a 32 or 37 inch set, recommended viewing distence is about 7-8 feet, so getting back a bit may reduce the sense of movement.

I'm no doctor, but this is probably your best advice. Sit farther back from the TV and don't play for extra long extended periods of time.

I get migraine headaches if I stare at my screen for extended periods of time while programming (I use my TV as my monitor as well as my gaming TV). Try sitting farther back.

[Baloo]

I think the only video game that made me get motion sickness was that 3D World in Sonic Jam. FPSes don't really give me motion sickness.

[Oobgarm]

When I last bought Dramamine it was OTC, but that was a couple years ago.

I can't play modern FPS games at all due to motion sickness.

[Steve W]

For some reason, FPS games are hit and miss with me. I can play the same game over and over, but pick it up a month later and it nauseates me. The absolute worst motion sickness I ever had was from A Dog's Life on the PS2. The 'smellovision' sections are what did it to me, where you go into a fish-eye lens type of first person angle, and you look for odors to track. It appropriately made me sick as a dog.

For nausea, I suggest ginger root. You can buy it in the produce departments of various supermarkets. Or you can go to an Asian grocery store and pick up bags of little individually packaged sugar glazed baby ginger root pieces. Ginger root naturally calms the stomach. That's why so many people drink ginger ale when they get sick, but pure ginger root will work far better. Asiatic cultures have been taking it for nausea for centuries. But if you get a chunk of raw ginger root from the store, cut the skin off, dice it fairly fine, and do not try to chew it - just wash it down with water. Ginger root is really strong and spicy, so you might not want to taste it pure like that.

[Xtincthed]

i had it REALLY bad on Unreal 2: the awakening..
i once played wolfenstein 3d till i literly had black spots in front of my eyes :p

[The 1 2 P]

I don't know if I'm hardcore enough to take Dramamine just so I can play a game

Atleast it would give you a cool premise for the "Gaming Lore" threads.


Is it over-the-counter, or do you need a prescription to get it?

It's still over the counter and they'll probably have cheaper off brands depending on where you go to get it.

[Flack]

I've got it bad. I first noticed it with games like Doom II, Descent, and Dark Forces. I can feel it in my eyes and temples and if I don't stop immediately I'll get sick and have a headache for at least an hour. I must have it worse than many because most newer FPS games still give me grief. One of the reasons I enjoyed Ghost Recon so much is that it DIDN'T make me sick! I tried Dramamine and had some good results back when I was desperate to play Shadows of the Empire and some of the Tony Hawk games. One thing that's funny about Tony Hawk is the smaller indoor levels don't make me sick but the larger outdoor ones seem to. It sucks.

[exit]

Super Monkey Ball for the Wii had me feeling ill after watching it for 20 minutes, then again it didn't help that my friends daughter kept on swinging the remote and that just made the room spin twice as fast.