Difference between revisions of "Toylets"

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Toylets

Manufacturer: Sega AM1

Add-ons: Stand, Coin box, Frosted glass cover

Release	Date	RRP	Code
JP	2011-10^[2]	¥140,000^[1]	SLS07E990513005^[3]

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Toylets (トイレッツ) are an interactive urinal video game system developed by Sega AM1 and manufactured by Sega. Initially seeing a limited release in Japan in October 2011^[2], the hardware is one of Sega's more curious endeavors, featuring interactive minigames controlled via the strength and direction of the user's urination.

Hardware

A pair of installed Toylets.

Toylets is a two-part system, featuring a LCD screen^[4] placed above its respective urinal to display the game's software, and a specialized motion-tracking sensor^[4] mounted atop the urinal itself. Due to this, the system is compatible with most existing urinals, and has been installed on a variety of urinal bodies and styles.

A small sticker of a bulls-eye is affixed to the bottom of the urinal's main basin wall, and the Toylets' sensor is then calibrated towards that spot. In addition to serving a technical purpose (providing the sensor with a clear, static reference for measuring stream motion and amount), the bulls-eye also encourages players to direct their streams towards the sticker and retain their aim for the entirety of their urination. Importantly, this reduces the amount of excessive urine which escapes the basin - resulting in cleanlier bathrooms and lower maintenance costs - and something used as one of the Toylets' key selling points.^[5]

The screen itself contains a custom Sega hardware board running Windows Embedded CE 6.0 at a resolution of 800x600 pixels.^[4] It features a single monaural speaker for sound output, and a USB 2.0 port through which both players save their scores and venue-owners interact with the system.^[4] Additionally, Toylets feature a software-enabled power saving mode^[6] which drops the system's power consumption from 14w to 4w.^[5]

Games appear to be distributed on dedicated USB flash drives, with gameplay generally being set to a Free Play mode. However, by utilizing the Toylets coin box, the system can accept payment for gameplay - frequently set to ¥10.

Software

A selection of urination-controlled minigames are available for play, with users' high scores recorded by the system in a similar manner to arcade games. Scores can later be downloaded and saved by inserting a USB flash drive directly into the system. Between games, the LCD screen displays brief advertisements selected by the installed venue.

List of games

Main article: List of Toylets games.

USB high score records

One of the Toylets' selling points was its ability to save players' high scores. By bringing a personal USB flash drive on a trip to a Toylets-equipped venue (or by preferably utilizing one already attached to players' keychains), users can insert their drives into the system itself and save their completed game's score.

This direct user contact with their high scores not only allows for a legitimate competitive element among Toylets players, but more importantly serves as a form of digital souvenir for their time with the system itself. As Toylets were often installed specifically to draw in guests based on its unique premise alone, the ability to take home a small reminder of that experience notably added to the system's appeal and value - and something which also continues to preserve its unique legacy on a more intimate scale.

Magazine articles

Main article: Toylets/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Main article: Toylets/Promotional material.

Photo gallery

Toylets
Toylets with stand and marquee
Sensor (bottom)
Sensor (front)
Bulls-eye
Coin box
Installed Toylets
Installed Toylets
Installed Toylets with handicap-accessible urinal.

Physical scans

Toylets, JP

External links

Official website (Japanese)
Japan’s Urinal Video Games – The Weird World Of The Sega Toylet article by Derrick at Sticky Mango Rice
Toilet-Playing Game Consoles in Japan article by Sergio Carrilho at Sergio Carrilho
You can now enjoy 'Toylet' at home article by Matthew Hawkins at NBC News
A Short History of Creativity and Toilets article by Tracey McGarrigan & Ian Abbott at Orange and Cyan Arts
How strong do you pee? Interactive urinal game article by arcticpenguin at Play as Life

References

Toylets
Topics	Technical specifications \| History \| List of games \| Promotional material

[https:.2F.2Fwww.engadget.com.2F2012-05-01-sega-urinal-game-toylets.html-1] ttps://www.engadget.com/2012-05-01-sega-urinal-game-toylets.html

[https:.2F.2Fsega.jp.2Fhistory.2Farcade.2Fproduct.2F8722.2F-2] 2.0 ^2.1 https://sega.jp/history/arcade/product/8722/

[:File:Toylet_JP_flyer.png_p-3] File:Toylet JP flyer.png

[Toylets.2FTechnical_specifications-4] 4.0 ^4.1 ^4.2 ^4.3 Toylets/Technical specifications

[http:.2F.2Ftoylets.sega.jp.2Fproducts.html-5] 5.0 ^5.1 http://toylets.sega.jp/products.html

[:File:Toylet_OS_powersaving.png_p-6] File:Toylet OS powersaving.png

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 The screen itself contains a custom [[Sega]] hardware board running [[wikipedia:Windows Embedded CE 6.0|Windows Embedded CE 6.0]] at a resolution of 800x600 pixels.{{intref|Toylets/Technical specifications}} It features a single monaural speaker for sound output, and a [[wikipedia:USB 2.0|USB 2.0]] port through which both players save their scores and venue-owners interact with the system.{{intref|Toylets/Technical specifications}} Additionally, Toylets feature a software-enabled [[wikipedia:Power management|power saving mode]]{{fileref|Toylet OS powersaving.png}} which drops the system's power consumption from 14w to 4w.{{ref|http://toylets.sega.jp/products.html}}
+Games appear to be distributed on dedicated [[wikipedia:USB flash drive|USB flash drives]], with gameplay generally being set to a Free Play mode. However, by utilizing the [[Toylets coin box]], the system can accept payment for gameplay - frequently set to ¥10.
 ==Software==