He has an HDB ‘man cave’ where you can play all the games you want
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He has an HDB 'man cave' where you can play all the games yous want
Groovy on playing some virtual games or even try a flying simulator? Norman Ng'southward unusual The Gaming Mancave provides an escape from WFH life – and all are welcome, non only men.
Norman Ng from The Gaming Mancave and his trusty sidekick, Aki. (Photo: Khoo Bee Khim)
17 Mar 2022 06:30AM (Updated: 04 Jul 2022 08:43PM)
Recall when hanging out with friends afterward school meant following your classmate dwelling house and holing up in his room to play computer games?
If you were friends with Norman Ng back then, you'd be taking down invading aliens or engaging in a virtual dogfight in the historical Battle of United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland. "Actually, my secondary school friends used to call my identify the Business firm of Vice," said the 46-year-former freelance photographer, laughing.
And information technology seems like things haven't changed for Ng. Fast forward 30-odd years subsequently and he'southward however chilling and gaming with other people. Except that he's upgraded, updated and upsized his modus operandi – he's turned it into a home business organization.
If you happen to drop by his two-room HDB flat in Buangkok Crescent, one of the first things you'll encounter is the natural language-in-cheek logo for The Gaming Mancave, a abode entertainment centre for rent.
"The Gaming Mancave is my personal space where I tin work, residuum, play and hang out with friends," said the former US-based photojournalist. "It is for those who are hungry for different experiences during this menstruation of travel lockdown."
And for Ng, a way to supplement his income. "When the COVID-xix pandemic hit last yr, work as a freelance photographer basically dropped to zero as no events were being held," he said. "This helps with the upkeep of my equipment and at the same time, bring joy to people who may withal have cabin fever."
The Gaming Mancave is for those who are hungry for different experiences during this period of travel lockdown.
Ng assured usa that the nature of his habitation business is alike to private chefs who operate out of their homes. "The Gaming Mancave operates under HDB's Home-Based Pocket-size Scale Business Scheme, similar to chefs offering private dining experiences or home bakers selling their creations online," he said.
And even though it's called a "mancave", information technology's a gender-neutral infinite. "It's a place where everyone can relax and recharge," he said.
LOCKED AND LOADED
Ng's pad feels like walking into a Muji catalogue – pleasant, familiar and feels right at home. Customised cabinetry displays diecast model planes and tanks from the Earth War 2 era. And, of course, Star Wars paraphernalia and posters.
"I was even asked if I'd chosen my dog to fit the colour scheme of my flat," he joked of his "gaming partner", Aki, a rescue shiba inu.
"I call her the gamer dog because although she has some anxiety issues, she seems to be able to slumber through the explosions and cacophony of battle during my gaming sessions."
So what exactly can y'all exercise in The Gaming Mancave? Ng has hundreds of games that include PS4, 2d video games, arcade games, about 20 virtual reality ones and even board games on aboriginal military strategies.
This is virtual reality heaven where zombie-killing games such as The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners have on a whole new meaning. Yous leave the existent world behind and are transported to a walker-infested New Orleans as soon as Ng helps you lot to strap on the headset. Your easily unconsciously grip the mitt controllers tighter and tighter as the game's ominous introduction trailer plays.
Your animate quickens, sweat starts pooling. You're trying to load a pistol when your friends simultaneously scream. At that place'due south a zombie about to consume you on your left! You lot punch, box and would have kicked, also, if VR immune that function.
Not immersive enough? At that place's Half-Life: Alyx's mail service-apocalyptic world to scratch your beginning-person shooting itch as a 19-year-old rebel guerilla fighting confronting an invasive alien force.
The game opens with y'all standing in a balustrade overlooking the alien-infested Quarantine Zone. Floating above is the Combine's citadel – and then looming, so real, you lot could near smell the smog that shrouds information technology.
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And the details. In the world of 3D, fifty-fifty the scuttling critters, which are nil more than crowbar provender in the other Half-Life games, are terrifyingly real when they leap at your face. Just don't attack Ng, who's always nearby to guide yous through the game.
Gear up FOR TAKE OFF
Only the piece de resistance has to be the comprehensive flight simulation equipment that the aviation enthusiast has collected over the years to the melody of more than than Due south$20,000. Toggle switches, levers, buttons and other hardware that wouldn't look out of place in a plane'south cockpit are all there. Your fingers itch to press and flick them. You also wonder if Ng has unrealised airplane pilot dreams.
And as information technology turns out, he does. "As bad eyes and fate did not permit me to exist a fighter pilot in real life, historical gaming experiences have been a way for me to make history come live," he said.
Ng's fascination for military history stems from his father, who lived through WWII every bit a male child. "He would tell me stories nigh his experiences," he said.
The younger Ng would lap up war machine books and state of war movies with his father. "There's something most the scenes, where brave, immature pilots scramble to their fighter planes and take off into the wild blue yonder to gainsay the enemy, that always sets my eye racing."
Looking dorsum, I have always treated gaming like an education. I would play a game nigh a certain time menses, say, the Age of Canvass, and I would go read up on it or watch movies on the subject.
To replicate flying WWII bombers, the gamer commissioned a Russia-based artisan to customise a centre-mounted joystick that is reminiscent of those found in WWII fighter planes. "The rudder pedals are likewise replicas of those mounted in the BF-109," he said.
You'll have to try the flying simulation yourself to feel the sound – and vibrations – of the German engine roaring to life as you lot throttle up and take off into a sky earlier it was dominated by jets.
But a word of alarm: If you're prone to motility sickness, be prepared to feel nauseous from the highly immersive experience, especially if you attempt rolls and dogfights. "I have a Muji lounge chair for recovering," Ng said.
'HOUSE OF VICE' OPENS AGAIN
Before opening his door to business organization at the cease of 2020, Ng had been inviting friends and family over since mid-2019 and post-lockdown. "My secondary school friends texted in our group chat, 'After thirty years, Norm's Firm of Vices is finally open for business again!'," he said.
An advantage of hosting pocket-sized groups at places like mine is a lower gamble of intermingling between groups.
Ng's girlfriend is supportive of his new business as is his mother. "My mum actually thought information technology was a great thought, which is unusual because she'd e'er come down difficult on me for playing computer games and for skilful reason," he said.
"Looking dorsum, I take e'er treated gaming like an education. I would play a game about a certain time period, say, the Age of Sail, and I would become read up on it or lookout movies on the subject." Nerding out certainly pays off as Ng often provides interesting nuggets of information, which adds to the gaming experience.
Even if you lot can't tell your alphabetize from your heart finger to fire a virtual shotgun in the thick of action, Ng has other experiences such as boxing, stone climbing, surgery and short films of diverse genres that don't require finger dexterity to savour the wonders of virtual reality.
If you lot prefer PS4 games, The Gaming Mancave has a large screen projector for upwardly to four players to play cooperatively or competitively. There's besides a two-player arcade station that serves up nostalgia with favourites such as Street Fighter, Bubble Bobble and Super Mario Bros.
And just an arm'southward length abroad is a fridge stocked with beverages such equally Ng'southward homemade iced tea. You tin can order some bites to nibble on while you lot take a interruption from screaming at your friend for getting eaten by zombies.
Recently, Ng hosted a surprise stag party for a gamer groom-to-exist. "He was led blindfolded to my door by his buddies. At the finish of the night, he said information technology was far better than a sexy trip the light fantastic from a daughter," joked Ng.
Sometimes, the company is all it takes for a good time. "A good friend, who is based overseas, booked us for her elderly parents to effort the VR experiences and also as a gift for her dad's altogether," recounted Ng.
"After tiffin, and despite my best efforts, her parents absolutely refused to endeavor the VR experiences, resistant as they are to newfangled technology. But, over a birthday cake and song sung over an international video call with my friend, nosotros managed to have a good time and they left with smiles on their faces."
To keep his mancave safe for guests, Ng cleans and disinfects the headsets, hand controllers and anything guests affect. He wipes downwards the gaming equipment subsequently each thespian and leaves mitt sanitiser for guests to use. "An reward of hosting small-scale groups at places like mine is a lower risk of intermingling between groups," he said.
The Gaming Mancave is 36sqm and just allows for one VR player at any one time, so even groups of eight (the limit for gatherings in Phase iii) aren't recommended. Instead, Ng suggested a maximum of four or five guests.
"The more people there are, the shorter the private game time," he said, adding that most players book the space for four hours.
Some of the VR games may take a long time to consummate, and then to become more bang for your buck, he suggests going with the brusk VR experiences. "I always effort to find out about my guests before they make it and will tailor the experiences to them," he said.
Bookings go for South$45 per hour for weekdays and S$55 per hour for weekends. Food and drinks are charged separately. For details, visit The Gaming Mancave.
Editor's Note: This story has been edited for clarity to reflect that The Gaming Mancave venue is Mr Ng's home and primary residence.
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Source: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/entertainment/the-gaming-mancave-hdb-virtual-reality-flight-simulation-237876
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