The gaming community’s relentless creativity continues to push boundaries, as players devise increasingly unconventional ways to experience challenging titles like Elden Ring. Beyond standard controllers, dedicated fans are modding and repurposing everything from musical instruments to fitness equipment for gameplay. One YouTuber recently took this trend to a new level, building a fully functional Elden Ring control system from a discarded elliptical machine, demonstrating both technical skill and a commitment to a uniquely active playstyle.
The gaming community’s penchant for unconventional control schemes continues, with players finding increasingly creative ways to experience From Software titles. While some stick to standard console controllers, others have tackled games like Elden Ring using everything from dance pads and drum kits to steering wheels and pedals.
YouTuber WoolyBeetle1 is the latest to join this trend. Last year, she demonstrated defeating a game boss using Guitar Hero drums, but recently she’s upped the ante with a more active control system: an elliptical machine salvaged from the roadside, repurposed into a video game controller.
The process of building the controller, documented in a detailed video, is arguably more compelling than the gameplay itself. The creator meticulously explains the wiring and coding involved in creating a control system based on pedaling for forward movement. The elliptical also featured a central console with buttons, which she mapped to other in-game actions. This level of customization highlights the growing maker culture within gaming, where players are actively modifying hardware to enhance their experience.
Successfully maneuvering the custom controller proved challenging. While she previously defeated the Duo Sacroderm boss with the drum kit, the elliptical presented a steeper learning curve. Her goal was to defeat at least one boss using the elliptical, and she chose the Magma Dragon as a gateway to the Altus Plateau. After numerous attempts and nearly a full day of effort, she ultimately conceded defeat, but decided to explore the Plateau regardless, enjoying the freedom of movement across the expansive region.
Although she didn’t achieve her initial objective of defeating a boss, she did accomplish her secondary goal of incorporating exercise into her Elden Ring gameplay. The player finished exhausted, but having covered significant ground in the virtual world. “I’ve had this idea in my head for about three years, so I’m excited to finally make it happen,” she stated in her video.
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