Buzz
Gaming mice are getting ready for a Twitch livestream.
As we previously reported, the iconic game Doom was unexpectedly conquered by mice when YouTuber and neuroscientist Viktor Tóth created a complex machine enabling mice to play Doom 2.
In this setup, the mouse is suspended on a polystyrene ball, wearing a tiny woolen sweater, and runs on the ball to activate sensors for character movement in Doom 2. Additionally, there is another device in front of the mouse to enable shooting in Doom 2 as well as rewarding the mouse with food and water during play. Finally, there's a giant curved screen for the mouse to identify and play Doom 2.
After the article was published and shared in numerous gaming magazines worldwide, Viktor Tóth and his mice unexpectedly rose to fame as everyone was curious to see how these mere rodents would play Doom. In a recent interview with Futurism, Tóth was asked whether he views the current livestream platform as a means to profit from the sudden fame of his mice.
'Yes, I believe so. I think it's a very legitimate way to earn money from a project like this,' Tóth replied. 'The only question is how long the mouse can play.'
Humans can livestream continuously because we find games incredibly engaging, but that's entirely different for mice, and they don't entirely meet human standards. One mouse named Romero can play Doom continuously for 15 minutes at a time, but that's clearly a short period for livestreaming.
'If you're interested and the mice will really play continuously for 10 or 20 minutes, then yes. Livestreaming on Twitch would be a very reasonable way to showcase this in front of people,' Tóth added.
Tóth also revealed his plans to expand beyond Doom by training his mice to play VR games. 'One of the games I like is 3D Pac-Man. The mice don't really like attacking everything. They flee from things outside of nature. That will be the motivation for them to play 3D Pac-Man.'
