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Games Entertainment

Floor Furniture for Perfect Gaming? 44

Posted by Cliff from the cliff-will-soon-own-one-of-these dept.
zpengo asks: "Anyone who has owned a game console for more than a month knows that sofas (or couches, or whatever you call them) are out of the question. The floor is truly the only place to go when you need serious gaming focus. But what's the best floor furniture to use? A pillow? A bean bag? The venerable Fat Guy Pillow? Or, if the ideal doesn't exist commercially, has anyone hacked together their own?"
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Floor Furniture for Perfect Gaming? More

Floor Furniture for Perfect Gaming?

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  • If you must game on a console and sit on a floor, I'd recommend either the sleeping pads/pallets that they sell at camping supply stores, or perhaps a small wrestling mat from a sporting goods supplier.

    The sleeping pallets are pretty much what they sound like--foam-filled mats just big enough to lay on. Some people use them for comfort on camping trips or when staying on someone's floor. Ditto for the wrestling mats, I think we know what they are. :-) Comfy asses. Ahhhh....

  • Bean bags. (Score:4, Informative)

    by WasterDave ( 20047 ) <davep AT zedkep DOT com> on Wednesday July 17, 2002 @05:56AM (#3900186)
    Bean bags are the way to go, but washing the covers is a pain. TOP TIP! Buy a bean bag you don't like, but is cheap, and just the cover of one you do like. Put the cover over the whole bag, hence making it dead easy to just remove the cover when it's time to wash the sweaty-arseness from your favourite PS2 beanbag.

    WARNING! Requires input of money and concern for personal hygiene.

    Dave
  • I've owned a variety of consoles for the past six or so years and haven't had any problems with sitting on a Sofa. The best thing is being able to crash out at whatever angle you like.

    Or if you're playing multiplayer with someone sat on the same sofa, the occasional elbow-nudge is all part of the fun.

  • Gamers Anonymous (Score:2, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward
    So you're addicted to console games and they repossessed your sofa. Doesn't that mean your behind is padded enough to sit directly on the floor? Or did they also turn of the heating?

  • cheap free and COMFORTABLE (Score:5, Informative)

    by Hadlock ( 143607 ) on Wednesday July 17, 2002 @07:18AM (#3900361) Homepage Journal
    ....wtf you're thinking.... it sounds stupid, but once you try them, you'll never go back. originally dubbed "movie night chairs" to provide extra seating when space ran out on the couches due to couples, i took home from school the plastic piece of a broken all in one school desk. it's exactly the right size to sit in, they're designed for someone to sit their ass in for 8 hours a day and not be sore. most importantly, they're FREE. they're very durable, i've collected 4 so far through high school, and they've worked wonderfully. only problem is they mount to the desk via metal pipes usually, but 10 minutes and a 4" metal grinder (about $20, the only expense for the whole setup if you don't have it already) will leave the bottom shiney smooth.

    be sure not to remove the metal piping altogether, as it often serves as a "backbone" for your backsupport.

    another feature not usually thought about, is that once it's ibeen liberated from the desk, you're no longer confined to sitting upright in them. you can lean back in them and tilt them on their axis for MAXIMUM COMFORT. they're unbelievably comfortable, and every moie night i'm now invited to i'm always asked to bring them along.

    other uses:
    + turn one upside down, now you have a comfortable sloped surface to lay back on (w/pillow)
    + turn it upside down, then 90 degrees. you now have a low cost, effective and comfortable foot stool.

    you can usually find at least 2 or 3 of these plastic chairs behind a high school or middle school by the maintencnece shed, or near the trash cans. about once a week one breaks and the school gets ready to throw it out, and you can find them in the halls or out back. just grinder off any exces metal and wash it down real good with some soap and water in the backyard and you'll have hours of gaming comfort. my friends and i will play an entire season of NHL on the playstation in these in comfort.

    friends 140 lbs to 230 have no trouble in the movie night chairs at all.
    • All very nice, except I still have no idea what a movie night chair is. It seems you are talking about the school chairs, except that I have sit through many models, ie complete wood, part plastic part metal, complete metal. I googled movie night chair, and unsurprisingly, I found nothing on the net. I'd love to see what one of these chairs look like, so I'd know what to look for.
      • sorry about the lack of specific details. i am talking about what i believe you refer to as the " part plastic part metal" models.

        this link [educationworks.com]

        has some chairs for sale, the first, third and fourth chairs are generally what i look for, and are extremely comfortable.

        also this link [schooloutfitters.com]
        has a nice picture of a chair that is particularly easy to remove the legs. these style chairs routinely have a U-shaped metal bar attached to the back for strength and support. there are a rare few that do not need the metal backing, as they provide enough support somehow with just plastic (although still attach to metal legs). i would highly reccomend them over the part metal part plastic chairs, as they have the ability to better mold to the shape of your back, but both are quite comfortable.

        "school chair supply" came up with a few results
  • I broke my ankle at the end of April and so had to keep my ankle elevated which pretty much ruled out normal computing at a desk. However, I'd bought a PS/2 not long before so I stretched out on the sofa, plopped my ankle on a cushion and played SSX Tricky for about a fortnight!

    Aside from that, I've got one of those papasan chairs (here's a link [lifeinstyle.com] to a picture of one) which is very comfortable and nice for "splatting" in for a gaming session.

  • Bean bags get serious (Score:2, Informative)

    by JeFurry ( 75785 )
    I haven't tried these yet, as they're expensive. But SofaBeanBags [sofabeanbag.com] seem promising.

    A word of warning - when I said they're expensive, I meant it. If I recall correctly from my enquiries a year or two ago, the sofa size bag is around £350.

    But I have to admit, they looks like the mutt's nuts [thenutshop.com].

  • Poof Chair (Score:2, Informative)

    by citmanual ( 2002 )
    I'm sure Slashdot mentioned this years ago, but the serious option is the Poof chair. They are like bean bags, but filled with a higher quality foam. Damn comfortable. Check out http://poofchair.com or http://notabeanbag.com

    I think they recently renamed to "fuf" chairs, whatever the hell that means.
    • I think they recently renamed to "fuf" chairs, whatever the hell that means

      Presumably, 'fuf', unlike 'poof' is not derisive British slang for 'homosexual', on the order of 'fag'.
  • i saw this [bhome.com] (or something extremely similar) at a BJ's (warehouse membership store) here in VA, and i totally want one. especially nice for apartments and such where space is a premium.

    the ones i saw weren't leather and were 40 bucks (the one i linked to above says 75$ :/)
    • We have two of these chairs. They make excellent console gaming seating, additional movie night seating, extra seating for board games around the coffee table... The only caveat is that they have staples in the bottom which are insufficiently countersunk. If not padded, these can scratch a hardwood floor.

      We got them at a local eclectic furniture store, but I have seen them at the big box stores as well.
      • how have they held up, and for how long. the only thing keeping me from buying them is the fear that they will fall apart in a year or so.

        well, that and the butt-ugly color selection available locally :/
        • We've only had them about 6 months, but they see a lot of use, and they look and feel exactly like they did the day we bought them. (They have a wood frame and are covered in vinyl with foam padding, and in Minneapolis cost about $80 apiece.)

          I looked at the picture you posted again, and I'm pretty sure I have the exact same chairs. If you don't like the ones you see locally, google for "video rocker" and you'll find plenty of them for sale.
    • I also own these chairs and they are very comfortable. My only complaints would be that they are kinda low to the ground, it would be nice if they were offered in different sizes for taller people, and the staples in them are annoying. The ones I have are leather and very comfy. I use them for playing video games, watching movies and even using the computer sometimes. -Sinteres..
  • If you really have to sit a lot, please move! Stokkes chairs are designed for movement and variation.

    The Stokke chairs work GREAT for video games
  • Ikea sells great chairs to park yourself in front of the TV. Theyre low to the ground, so they will most likely satisfy youre penchant for the floor, bendie, they have arms that make convenient soda/beer holders (or if you are really intense, the bottom wood rail can also be used. Trust me on this one. I have spent many many hours playing Gran Turismo 3 in this chair, and its near perfect. LInk: http://www.ikea-usa.com/product_presentation/show. asp?productnumber=00010027&type=III&id=453,415
  • If anyone understands sitting on the floor for long periods its the Japanese. My oldest son doesn't have a bed in his room, just tatami mats with a futon on them. He sits on it for hours playing video games. The mats can be purchased at a reasonable price from a variety of online merchants.

  • rocking chairs (Score:2, Informative)

    by Brandon T. ( 167891 )
    My girlfriend and I bought a really nice rocking chair when we had our son. It was originally intended for feeding, but the thing is so comfortable I use it all the time for reading or playing video games. I've spent many later nights playing baldurs gate: dark alliance and final fantasy x in that chair, and never get uncomfortable. It costed about 500$ including the ottoman, and we got it at babies 'r us. Go to any baby store and they'll have tons of comfortable rocking chairs.
  • My roommate used to work at Discovery Zone, an indoor playground/party center with things like ball pits, tunnels, etc. At the end of the tunnels are these gigantic clear half spheres made out of 1/4" thick plastic. You can see them in this photo here [playground-equipment.com].

    Anyway, Discovery Zone got bought out so they had to close the store. My roommate "accidentally" walked out the door with one of these gigantic bubbles. It is probably the best thing ever to sit on on the floor. Put a big pillow on the bottom and you're set for hours and hours of gaming, watching TV, or whatever.

    If you actually went to a playground supply company to get one, I'd guess that they wouldn't be cheap, though...
  • There's a company here in town that sells this "glorified bean bag" thing. They've got a site online at www.cordaroys.com [cordaroys.com] where you can see what I'm talking about. They're a bit pricey, but they are SOOOOO friggin' comfortable. Definitely worth checking out. The really cool part is that the padding inside can be converted into a make-shift matress in 15 seconds or so, which is great if you have unexpected company and what not.

    -Andy
  • Having been a gamer since I had my good old Intellivision, I'm afraid I can't see the logic in your arguement that sitting on the sofa is "out of the question." I guess if you had an uncomfortable sofa it may be an issue, but why would you buy a sofa that you don't like to sit on in the first place?
  • IKEA makes some nice, low-to-the-ground chairs that (I think) are perfect for console gaming.

    The OPPALA chair is very low to the ground and cheap ($20).

    But the POANG chair is my favorite. I could sit in one of these all day long. It's a little more expensive ($80), but it will serve you well for reading, watching TV, or just relaxing, as well as console gaming.

    (No, I don't work for IKEA, I just really like these chairs).
  • I would recomend checking out www.lovesac.com [lovesac.com]. I have a few friends who have them and they are about the best bean bag like device out there. From the website... LoveSac is not a damn beanbag.

    • Re:These aren't bad (Score:1, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward
      Gotta give these guys credit - it takes a *lot* of courage to name your new company "LoveSac".

  • ...but it can't be beat for versitality.

    The standard stayed-back camping chair [www.mec.ca] can't be beat. They're just so damn useful in any number of situations. The link given is for a basic chair through a Canadian distributor. There a number of different models and I'm sure you could phone around local camping stores to see if they have anything of the sort. The great thing about these things is that they are meant to go everywhere. They fold up nicely so they're easy to tote around with you to the beach, park, wherever.

    I highly recommend getting one. Best of luck in your search.

  • One of the fancier furniture places (Pottery Barn?) once sold large 'floor pillows.' They resembled large square couch cushions, but were firmer and heavier duty (intended for being kicked around the floor). They were nice -- velvet, well made, and fit well in a living room, so a step up from the bean bag category. Obviously no back support, but a good compromise.

    You might try finding cushions from a discarded couch -- wash them, and maybe beef up or swap the padding with something firmer. (A good fabric store will have a variety of foam padding for this.)

    Note the pottery barn site does have some 'floor pillows' but they're definitely not the ones I remember. These seem frillier and smaller.
  • http://www.logoproducts.cc/logoproducts/rocker.htm
    • I picked up a couple of similar chairs from "Sam's Club" a few years back, for less than half the ($97.00!) price listed on that site. Haven't seen them there since.

      It seems that "Video Rocker" is the generic name for this class of chair.

      These chairs are great for video gaming, but not so great for drunk people, unless you find "I've fallen and I can't get up" gut-wrenchingly funny.

  • Hey everybody now you can get your product advertised free by mentioning it in an "ask slashdot"!

    Seriously doesn't this just look like an ad for this "fat guy pillow"? I'd never heard of it and clicked the link. How many people bought one?
  • Others have suggested bean bags, but I like a good bean chair, like one of these [beanbagplanet.com]. Unlike blobby bean bags, the covers of bean chairs are tailored so that you get a fairly stiff, supportive back. Some aren't stuffed with beans at all, but more futon-like material, which can be good... when your chair is overstuffed and not as squooshy as you'd like, it's easy to remove some batting from the seat area and the back won't go all weak on you.

    These kinds of chairs share and advantage with a previous poster's recycled school-desk chairs -- you can rock backwards in them and recline a bit.

    Avoid slippery vinyl, naugahyde etc. at all costs. Get a fabric covered chair so that there's a bit of friction between your ass as the seat, lest you slip around too much while jinking and fragging.

  • .... as the utter piece of crap it is...
  • In general, I haven't been too happy with low-to-the floor seating, except in rare cases. (I have an LCD projector, so one of my favorite movie positions is to have a low backrest - Not sure what to call it, but it's very mild - and project on the angled ceiling of my exercise room.)

    Not good for console gaming due to supporting a controller.

    I had no problem playing FFX for nearly 2 weeks straight at the end of winter break on a couch. (One that was so comfortable some of my apartmentmates preferred it to their beds.)

    But in the end, the most comfortable seating in my room was a recliner. Good back support, almost any recliner has a built-in foot rest, and by definition have a reclining back. They all have armrests too. Too expensive, you say? Two words: garage sale - That's where I got mine. (I think. Might have been family surplus or something. Either way neither myself nor my parents paid much, if anything, for the recliner in my college apartment.)

    Some towns have furniture recycling/disposal days once every few months, although I think this is becoming less likely. I know when my dad was in college, he and his apartmentmates furnished their apartment by driving around Little Falls, NJ on one such day, and came back with far more than they needed. Minivan/SUV/pickup recommended, but with ingenuity you can pull it off with a much smaller car. (Well, probably need a full-size sedan these days - Back then, "small cars" were still huge.)

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