That actually really puts things into perspective, Wassermelone, but I agree that I don't think it's all going to come with Natal. I'm not even sure the future (5 years, lets say before it's readily marketable, 10 before it's perfected) tech will come from Microsoft. It's not that I don't doubt Microsoft's R&D team, and I'm not anti-MS by any means (Windows man, through and through) but I believe this kind of technology has been in research for a long time by other companies. Probably not with the funding MS has access to, but it wouldn't surprise me to see another company out of Europe, Asia or elsewhere in North America release something first. Then MS buys them...
This is not something that MS has dreamed up and R&D'd to the point where it is today. The company that designed this software and hardware is 3DV Systems out of Israel. They've had the tech (called the "zcam") and won countless awards. They had the price per unit down BELOW 100 bucks before MS decided the technology was worth buying up the entire company.
So you're right aht this would be coming out of Europe, as it already has. And this isn't something that's going to take 10 years to "perfect". It's almost there now which is why the company was purchased in the first place.
We just left a behind-closed-doors demo of the upcoming "Project Natal," codename for the Xbox 360 camera/motion detector/voice recognizer/Minority Report-is-reality device Microsoft introduced at its E3 press conference this year.
Guess who's in the next group following in after us to see Natal? Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto himself, along with NOA Senior Manager of Product Marketing (and frequent on-stage demo guy) Bill Trinen and the rest of his Nintendo entourage.
We couldn't see Miyamoto's reactions to Natal, or if he got a chance to play any of the demos (the human Breakout seen at the press conference and a Burnout Paradise tech demonstration -- more on these later) himself, but just his apperance in this private area of Microsoft's booth got everyone there buzzing.
Wonder if he broke out in a sweat from jumping around in front of the camera -- or from seeing what it's capable of.
I know it's just a pipe-dream, but it would be cool if MS and Nintendo could actually collaborate on some projects. We're both here in Redmond, there's certainly lots of cross-over here (even husbands and wives working in both companies), and I think we share some of the same culture (at least in the games side).
We just left a behind-closed-doors demo of the upcoming "Project Natal," codename for the Xbox 360 camera/motion detector/voice recognizer/Minority Report-is-reality device Microsoft introduced at its E3 press conference this year.
Guess who's in the next group following in after us to see Natal? Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto himself, along with NOA Senior Manager of Product Marketing (and frequent on-stage demo guy) Bill Trinen and the rest of his Nintendo entourage.
We couldn't see Miyamoto's reactions to Natal, or if he got a chance to play any of the demos (the human Breakout seen at the press conference and a Burnout Paradise tech demonstration -- more on these later) himself, but just his apperance in this private area of Microsoft's booth got everyone there buzzing.
Wonder if he broke out in a sweat from jumping around in front of the camera -- or from seeing what it's capable of.
I know it's just a pipe-dream, but it would be cool if MS and Nintendo could actually collaborate on some projects. We're both here in Redmond, there's certainly lots of cross-over here (even husbands and wives working in both companies), and I think we share some of the same culture (at least in the games side).
I don't think Miyamoto would "break out in a sweat" over something like Natal. If anything, I'd have thought he'd be excited about the possibilities and tell Nintendo "Guys, we need to MAKE SOMTHING THIS AWESOME OR BETTER NOW!"
I hate talking to fucking machines. Sometimes when I want something I just want to push a fucking button.
Edit: Why the hell would you be cooking in your living room?
re: talking to machines
So you dislike something that is generally shittily implemented? Gasp?
As far as cooking in the living room... clearly the couch is THE best surface to bake or fry up some grub. (Actually, I was thinking of a more advanced Natal like system that can be controlled from anywhere in the house. It will be always watching - plus at least in my case, my kitchen is right next to my living room, and has a bar like opening facing towards it. I can in fact play my 360 from my kitchen).
I hate talking to fucking machines. Sometimes when I want something I just want to push a fucking button.
Edit: Why the hell would you be cooking in your living room?
re: talking to machines
So you dislike something that is generally shittily implemented? Gasp?
As far as cooking in the living room... clearly the couch is THE best surface to bake or fry up some grub. (Actually, I was thinking of a more advanced Natal like system that can be controlled from anywhere in the house. It will be always watching - plus at least in my case, my kitchen is right next to my living room, and has a bar like opening facing towards it. I can in fact play my 360 from my kitchen).
"Man is it hot outside. Set temperature 75 degrees."
"I'm afraid I can't do that Dave."
"What? Why?"
"Government regulations require that AC must be turned off during peak hours consisting of THE SUMMER."
I hate talking to fucking machines. Sometimes when I want something I just want to push a fucking button.
Edit: Why the hell would you be cooking in your living room?
re: talking to machines
So you dislike something that is generally shittily implemented? Gasp?
As far as cooking in the living room... clearly the couch is THE best surface to bake or fry up some grub. (Actually, I was thinking of a more advanced Natal like system that can be controlled from anywhere in the house. It will be always watching - plus at least in my case, my kitchen is right next to my living room, and has a bar like opening facing towards it. I can in fact play my 360 from my kitchen).
No, it's not generally shittily implemented.
If I say "customer service" it takes me to customer service, if I say I'm calling from a providers office and what type of benefits I'm calling about, it recognizes what I'm saying. And the voices are fairly realistic. I just hate talking to a goddamned computer. And I hate saying what action I would like performed out loud as if I'm narrating my own life.
Why would I stand there and say "TV, On, Game, On, Play Fitness" etc etc (Or even "Computer, let me play my fitness game") when I could just press 2-3 buttons to do the same thing. Especially when I have to deal with it's confusion if something happens in the interim.
Edit:
You must have one big ass tv if you could easily read recipes from it.
Video Game Boy #2 (John Thornton): "This is a video game."
Video Game Boy #1 (Elijah Wood): "I got it working."
Video Game Boy #2: "My dad taught me about these."
Marty: "It is Wild Gunman."
Video Game Boy #2: "How do you play this thing?"
Marty: "I'll show you kid. I'm a crack shot at this." Video Game Boy #1: "You mean you have to use your hands?"
Video Game Boy #2: "That's like a baby's toy."
Also, someone beat me to the punch with an article but I was going to explain exactly how Milo worked. I mean, the "controller" is your body and voice... How the heck do you think Milo works? It reads your body and voice and responds. You say something that sounds like a joke, it laughs. You say "Hello" or "Hey" and it responds with a "Hello" or "Hey". It understands simple words, your facial reactions and the tone of your voice. To bad, this was already explained but I knew this by just watching the video. I just feel sorry for the people that watched and was like "OMG it's A.I.". Their is no I about it.
I do believe this is the future of gaming and for the people that don't wanna give up your controllers, you can always use both at the same time. You can even use a makeshift home made controller out of paper or bottle caps etc.. You load an app and this app tells the console that you made a controller out of home made items. When you press this fake button down or move it, the character jumps. When you move this piece, the character attacks etc. You could use your TV controller, your car keys (that have buttons), pieces of colored paper laid out on your desk, ect. as classic controllers.
For people that need physical feedback (Not me), you can use a toy gun for shooter games. You can use a punching bag for boxing games. You can use a fake lightsabor for Star Wars games. You can use a wooden sword plus a dummy with a fake sword for sword fighting games etc.
You can make all these items out of house hold items or just buy cheap toys. The more real the items are, the more real it feels till you are really holding a real sword. Though, most of us won't waste the time. Just act like your hand is a gun and shot like when we were kids.
The RPer in me envisions playing an RPG and actually talking to and having conversations with npc's. I imagine being able to act out as the character your playing and having the npc pick up on your tone of voice or the look on your face and react accordingly. That would be hot shit for me.
That isn't Natal, Molyneux has not created skynet. Any impression otherwise is the wrong impression.
It's a toy with a camera like that fish on the dreamcast.
You are an idiot if you think it is anything similar to what dreamcast had. That is like comparing a bow an arrow to a hydrogen bomb.
Yeah dude... grown ups don't really do that stuff.
Yea, by the same stereotype, grown ups don't play video games. :winky:
Except that grown ups do play video games, in fact they are one of the largest game playing groups. However while many adults also buy action figures (and even light sabers) few play with them in the same way they did when they were a kid.
And god forbid you should wave a sword around in the house unless you want your wife to suddenly turn into an exact copy of your mother.
I just know the only difference between child play and video game play is a TV and a controller (Including keyboards & mice). People might be scared to lose one of the elements that make video gaming "Adultish" which is a emotionless controller. In the end, you are still playing an imaginary game that someone made up with or without a TV and controls. o_O
Personally, I think the stereotypical definition of "Adult" is for weak minded fools that are peer pressured by socialization to act like everyone else or what I like to call "Sheeple". 8-)
I am a 25 year old chidlish nerd by socialization and I wouldn't change a thing about me. :winky: Bring on the kidish games and kidish console interfaces because I will still love them no matter what package they are delivered in. I will never be a Elitist Adult Sheeple.
I noticed you skipped the "your wife becomes your mother" bit...
:P
No really, if I was flailing around the living room with things larger than a Wii remote I would get screamed at. People are already breaking tv's and now you want them to hold swords in their hands?
Critics who treat adult as a term of approval, instead of as a merely descriptive term, cannot be adult themselves. To be concerned about being grown up, to admire the grown up because it is grown up, to blush at the suspicion of being childish; these things are the marks of childhood and adolescence. And in childhood and adolescence they are, in moderation, healthy symptoms. Young things ought to want to grow. But to carry on into middle life or even into early manhood this concern about being adult is a mark of really arrested development. When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.
I noticed you skipped the "your wife becomes your mother" bit...
:P
No really, if I was flailing around the living room with things larger than a Wii remote I would get screamed at. People are already breaking tv's and now you want them to hold swords in their hands?
I didn't marry a shrew. I'm certain my wife will be thrilled to see father and son waving around whatever, having a delightful time. Even if I were doing it by myself (and I will), I'd get a smirk at most. I mean, what's she gonna say? She reads Stephanie Meyer. Pfffft.
Look dude, I have stuffed animals still. I can't pass by a puppet without picking it up and playing with it, I still practice weird facial expressions and voice acting... but I'm not really one to pick up my action figures and expect everyone else to join in, nor do I expect the rest of my family to go on the incredible pantomiming journey.
When I have kids, I'll probably do those things again, but the thing is if I was going to pick up a fake sword to sword fight against someone (even my kids), I'd do it outside or I'd be setting a bad example. You just don't do certain things indoors. And if you are going to do it indoors you do it in designated areas, one of which is not in front of your breakable $1K+ tv.
Holding a Wii Remote (or other remote) type object with a safety strap and other guards and having tactile feedback that way would be the greatest extent possible in the living room... unless you have a massive living room.
I noticed you skipped the "your wife becomes your mother" bit...
:P
No really, if I was flailing around the living room with things larger than a Wii remote I would get screamed at. People are already breaking tv's and now you want them to hold swords in their hands?
My mother never cared for the actions I took so I wouldn't know what that felt like. Though, if you have a wife that nags about physical movement instead of you being a cough potato.. that doesn't sound that bright unless she just wants to use you as a pollow in the bedroom; more cushin for the pushin. :P
Well, the size of the object would be controled by you or you could just have no object at all like the game demos. The larger your gaming space, the more freedom you have to work with. Oh, and you could just "use" your powerless Wiimote as a sword on the X-Box, would be funny. Shot, you could just use your pointer finger as a sword; if you ever watched DBZ just think back to when Goku first met/fought Future Trunks (Pointer Finger vs Sword).
Though, I really do see this as being the future of gaming. The next step after this is holodecks. We just need to learn how to do 4D projected lights that reject from mid air and also how to make said objects "phsyical". 4D TVs come before the ability to make things "physical" though so we are a long ways off from true physical feedback from video games. Though, we could fake it. We are also a long ways off from A.I. which will lead to games that write themselfs without a creator.
Edit: Here is the video of Goku vs Future Trunks if you can stand to watch it for 2 minutes unless you are a fan.
But again, with no tactile feedback it will just feel... empty. Otherwise we would wouldn't bother picking up sticks to sword fight as kids.
I don't know, after watching these videos about Project Natal... I feel like controllers are ancient machines like gasoline cars. We need to step up to the future no matter how scary it is. We don't wanna end up like old people that are scared of computers or ancient people that have passed now that were scared of TV or just anyone scared of change and new tech.
I don't know. Upon further consideration, I think it's just the form of controllers that will change. It will be a lot like using a wiimote, except you couldn't just fall back to the epileptic wiggle.
I'm sure the gameplay of some games will be so straightforward that fairly low res (but still very impressive) mocap and voice control will be enough. A sword fighting game would be a great example of this. Buttons and sticks just allow you to do some of the arbitrary video game activities that don't really have real life analogues. Rotating your camera angle with body movement would just be irritating.
But again, with no tactile feedback it will just feel... empty. Otherwise we would wouldn't bother picking up sticks to sword fight as kids.
I don't know, after watching these videos about Project Natal... I feel like controllers are ancient machines like gasoline cars. We need to step up to the future no matter how scary it is. We don't wanna end up like old people that are scared of computers or ancient people that have passed now that were scared of TV or just anyone scared of change and new tech.
I think there's a good chance you will be wildly disappointed with this whole thing. Everything Molyneux does looks like gold plated sex until it comes out, and people realize it's more like gold plated shit. Saying that modern controllers are now obsolete is taking it way too fucking far.
Well, I didn't wanna confuse it with 3D movies that are currently out. 4D is just a word that means 3D+1D. I mean really, a word is just what you make it to be. :winky:
But again, with no tactile feedback it will just feel... empty. Otherwise we would wouldn't bother picking up sticks to sword fight as kids.
I don't know, after watching these videos about Project Natal... I feel like controllers are ancient machines like gasoline cars. We need to step up to the future no matter how scary it is. We don't wanna end up like old people that are scared of computers or ancient people that have passed now that were scared of TV or just anyone scared of change and new tech.
I think there's a good chance you will be wildly disappointed with this whole thing. Everything Molyneux does looks like gold plated sex until it comes out, and people realize it's more like gold plated shit. Saying that modern controllers are now obsolete is taking it way too fucking far.
Molyneux from Lionhead? What does he have to do with Project Natal besides making a video game demo? I been mainly talking about Natal itself not the demo games for Natal.
Molyneux from Lionhead? What does he have to do with Project Natal besides making a video game demo? I been mainly talking about Natal itself not the demo games for Natal.
So Molyneux isn't behind the whole thing? I stand corrected then; I haven't been following this very closely. I still say that more standard control schemes are in no way obsolete, just like they aren't obsolete in the face of the Wii's controller.
The RPer in me envisions playing an RPG and actually talking to and having conversations with npc's. I imagine being able to act out as the character your playing and having the npc pick up on your tone of voice or the look on your face and react accordingly. That would be hot shit for me.
That isn't Natal, Molyneux has not created skynet. Any impression otherwise is the wrong impression.
It's a toy with a camera like that fish on the dreamcast.
I can dream, can I not?
Edit: I should clarify that I was envisioning where this might one day lead.
Props to Microsoft for pushing tech forward, and props to Nintendo for scaring them into pushing tech forward.
That's all I have to say on the subject.
Thats exactly how I feel.
I'm glad Microsoft went "We lost the motion control race, now time to beat the next people to the punch."
Sony played catch-up and made a Wiimote. A better Wiimote, yes, but still, it doesn't do anything but copy very successful motion controls and improve on them.
Microsoft is doing something that's potentially the next wave of technology. I personally don't even care about the in game use of the thing - it's not like controllers will be obsolete - I care about how it can sign me into XBox live, and allow me to browse shit just by standing in front of it.
And most of all, that it appears that it may be able to be backwards compatable. It was demoed on Burnout Revenge. I'd even MORE exicted about Natal if I knew out of the box I had 10 games I could play with it.
mxmarks on
PSN: mxmarks - WiiU: mxmarks - twitter: @ MikesPS4 - twitch.tv/mxmarks - "Yes, mxmarks is the King of Queens" - Unbreakable Vow
I don't know, after watching these videos about Project Natal... I feel like controllers are ancient machines like gasoline cars. We need to step up to the future no matter how scary it is. We don't wanna end up like old people that are scared of computers or ancient people that have passed now that were scared of TV or just anyone scared of change and new tech.
Natal's camera tech looks good. It certainly promises to deliver an enhanced version of the old EyeToy experience, which is something a lot of people would enjoy.
However, I think it has more potential when integrated into games that use traditional controllers (e.g. head tracking, dodging out of the way of enemies). I don't think controllers with buttons are going anywhere, but I can see a day where a Resident Evil-type game has quick time events that involve physically ducking out of the way of hazards.
The Milo stuff is less impressive. Reports from IGN and other sources show that it's all pre-scripted. It's a dialogue-tree except using voice and facial recognition (especially vocal inflection), along with the camera, to select options. It's a nicely made and well-acted demo, but that's about it. Microsoft aren't going to be winning the Loebner Prize Gold Medal any time soon.
Yeah, it's like MS don't want me to believe in their project. Have Molyneux sell me something that looks like an impossible AI? Really?
You've mentioned Molyneux over and over again. If you don't like the guy, that's fine, but he's only involved in one project that utilizes Natal. Just wanted to point that out. It's not like he's overseeing everything.
Posts
This is not something that MS has dreamed up and R&D'd to the point where it is today. The company that designed this software and hardware is 3DV Systems out of Israel. They've had the tech (called the "zcam") and won countless awards. They had the price per unit down BELOW 100 bucks before MS decided the technology was worth buying up the entire company.
So you're right aht this would be coming out of Europe, as it already has. And this isn't something that's going to take 10 years to "perfect". It's almost there now which is why the company was purchased in the first place.
E3 2009: Microsoft Invites Shigeru Miyamoto to See Project Natal
http://bitmob.com/index.php/mobfeed/E3-2009-Microsoft-Invites-Miyamoto-to-See-Project-Natal.html I know it's just a pipe-dream, but it would be cool if MS and Nintendo could actually collaborate on some projects. We're both here in Redmond, there's certainly lots of cross-over here (even husbands and wives working in both companies), and I think we share some of the same culture (at least in the games side).
- Don't add me, I'm at/near the friend limit
Steam: JC_Rooks
Twitter: http://twitter.com/JiunweiC
I work on this: http://www.xbox.com
You don't?
I don't think Miyamoto would "break out in a sweat" over something like Natal. If anything, I'd have thought he'd be excited about the possibilities and tell Nintendo "Guys, we need to MAKE SOMTHING THIS AWESOME OR BETTER NOW!"
re: talking to machines
So you dislike something that is generally shittily implemented? Gasp?
As far as cooking in the living room... clearly the couch is THE best surface to bake or fry up some grub. (Actually, I was thinking of a more advanced Natal like system that can be controlled from anywhere in the house. It will be always watching - plus at least in my case, my kitchen is right next to my living room, and has a bar like opening facing towards it. I can in fact play my 360 from my kitchen).
"Man is it hot outside. Set temperature 75 degrees."
"I'm afraid I can't do that Dave."
"What? Why?"
"Government regulations require that AC must be turned off during peak hours consisting of THE SUMMER."
No, it's not generally shittily implemented.
If I say "customer service" it takes me to customer service, if I say I'm calling from a providers office and what type of benefits I'm calling about, it recognizes what I'm saying. And the voices are fairly realistic. I just hate talking to a goddamned computer. And I hate saying what action I would like performed out loud as if I'm narrating my own life.
Why would I stand there and say "TV, On, Game, On, Play Fitness" etc etc (Or even "Computer, let me play my fitness game") when I could just press 2-3 buttons to do the same thing. Especially when I have to deal with it's confusion if something happens in the interim.
Edit:
You must have one big ass tv if you could easily read recipes from it.
Video Game Boy #2 (John Thornton): "This is a video game."
Video Game Boy #1 (Elijah Wood): "I got it working."
Video Game Boy #2: "My dad taught me about these."
Marty: "It is Wild Gunman."
Video Game Boy #2: "How do you play this thing?"
Marty: "I'll show you kid. I'm a crack shot at this."
Video Game Boy #1: "You mean you have to use your hands?"
Video Game Boy #2: "That's like a baby's toy."
Also, someone beat me to the punch with an article but I was going to explain exactly how Milo worked. I mean, the "controller" is your body and voice... How the heck do you think Milo works? It reads your body and voice and responds. You say something that sounds like a joke, it laughs. You say "Hello" or "Hey" and it responds with a "Hello" or "Hey". It understands simple words, your facial reactions and the tone of your voice. To bad, this was already explained but I knew this by just watching the video. I just feel sorry for the people that watched and was like "OMG it's A.I.". Their is no I about it.
I do believe this is the future of gaming and for the people that don't wanna give up your controllers, you can always use both at the same time. You can even use a makeshift home made controller out of paper or bottle caps etc.. You load an app and this app tells the console that you made a controller out of home made items. When you press this fake button down or move it, the character jumps. When you move this piece, the character attacks etc. You could use your TV controller, your car keys (that have buttons), pieces of colored paper laid out on your desk, ect. as classic controllers.
For people that need physical feedback (Not me), you can use a toy gun for shooter games. You can use a punching bag for boxing games. You can use a fake lightsabor for Star Wars games. You can use a wooden sword plus a dummy with a fake sword for sword fighting games etc.
You can make all these items out of house hold items or just buy cheap toys. The more real the items are, the more real it feels till you are really holding a real sword. Though, most of us won't waste the time. Just act like your hand is a gun and shot like when we were kids.
Except that grown ups do play video games, in fact they are one of the largest game playing groups. However while many adults also buy action figures (and even light sabers) few play with them in the same way they did when they were a kid.
And god forbid you should wave a sword around in the house unless you want your wife to suddenly turn into an exact copy of your mother.
...unless that's already the case...
...then I'm sorry.
"See, this is how you build a proper PVC/Foam sword. Now, let's go fuck those stupid newbies up, kiddo."
Hell, even if this cost $400, I would still buy it just to Minority Report my way through my video library.
Fuck Milo. Seems like a douche anyway.
Personally, I think the stereotypical definition of "Adult" is for weak minded fools that are peer pressured by socialization to act like everyone else or what I like to call "Sheeple". 8-)
I am a 25 year old chidlish nerd by socialization and I wouldn't change a thing about me. :winky: Bring on the kidish games and kidish console interfaces because I will still love them no matter what package they are delivered in. I will never be a Elitist Adult Sheeple.
Hah! You used it just there! You lose, sir.
:P
No really, if I was flailing around the living room with things larger than a Wii remote I would get screamed at. People are already breaking tv's and now you want them to hold swords in their hands?
edit:
I didn't marry a shrew. I'm certain my wife will be thrilled to see father and son waving around whatever, having a delightful time. Even if I were doing it by myself (and I will), I'd get a smirk at most. I mean, what's she gonna say? She reads Stephanie Meyer. Pfffft.
When I have kids, I'll probably do those things again, but the thing is if I was going to pick up a fake sword to sword fight against someone (even my kids), I'd do it outside or I'd be setting a bad example. You just don't do certain things indoors. And if you are going to do it indoors you do it in designated areas, one of which is not in front of your breakable $1K+ tv.
Holding a Wii Remote (or other remote) type object with a safety strap and other guards and having tactile feedback that way would be the greatest extent possible in the living room... unless you have a massive living room.
Well, the size of the object would be controled by you or you could just have no object at all like the game demos. The larger your gaming space, the more freedom you have to work with. Oh, and you could just "use" your powerless Wiimote as a sword on the X-Box, would be funny. Shot, you could just use your pointer finger as a sword; if you ever watched DBZ just think back to when Goku first met/fought Future Trunks (Pointer Finger vs Sword).
Though, I really do see this as being the future of gaming. The next step after this is holodecks. We just need to learn how to do 4D projected lights that reject from mid air and also how to make said objects "phsyical". 4D TVs come before the ability to make things "physical" though so we are a long ways off from true physical feedback from video games. Though, we could fake it. We are also a long ways off from A.I. which will lead to games that write themselfs without a creator.
Edit: Here is the video of Goku vs Future Trunks if you can stand to watch it for 2 minutes unless you are a fan.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8m45PotC9GQ
I think you mean 3D..
I never asked for this!
I'm sure the gameplay of some games will be so straightforward that fairly low res (but still very impressive) mocap and voice control will be enough. A sword fighting game would be a great example of this. Buttons and sticks just allow you to do some of the arbitrary video game activities that don't really have real life analogues. Rotating your camera angle with body movement would just be irritating.
I think there's a good chance you will be wildly disappointed with this whole thing. Everything Molyneux does looks like gold plated sex until it comes out, and people realize it's more like gold plated shit. Saying that modern controllers are now obsolete is taking it way too fucking far.
Molyneux from Lionhead? What does he have to do with Project Natal besides making a video game demo? I been mainly talking about Natal itself not the demo games for Natal.
Oh that reminds, I can't wait for Windows Natal.
The only reason anyone will buy it really upon release.
So Molyneux isn't behind the whole thing? I stand corrected then; I haven't been following this very closely. I still say that more standard control schemes are in no way obsolete, just like they aren't obsolete in the face of the Wii's controller.
Speak for yourself. Pew pew.
I can dream, can I not?
Edit: I should clarify that I was envisioning where this might one day lead.
That's all I have to say on the subject.
Thats exactly how I feel.
I'm glad Microsoft went "We lost the motion control race, now time to beat the next people to the punch."
Sony played catch-up and made a Wiimote. A better Wiimote, yes, but still, it doesn't do anything but copy very successful motion controls and improve on them.
Microsoft is doing something that's potentially the next wave of technology. I personally don't even care about the in game use of the thing - it's not like controllers will be obsolete - I care about how it can sign me into XBox live, and allow me to browse shit just by standing in front of it.
And most of all, that it appears that it may be able to be backwards compatable. It was demoed on Burnout Revenge. I'd even MORE exicted about Natal if I knew out of the box I had 10 games I could play with it.
Natal's camera tech looks good. It certainly promises to deliver an enhanced version of the old EyeToy experience, which is something a lot of people would enjoy.
However, I think it has more potential when integrated into games that use traditional controllers (e.g. head tracking, dodging out of the way of enemies). I don't think controllers with buttons are going anywhere, but I can see a day where a Resident Evil-type game has quick time events that involve physically ducking out of the way of hazards.
The Milo stuff is less impressive. Reports from IGN and other sources show that it's all pre-scripted. It's a dialogue-tree except using voice and facial recognition (especially vocal inflection), along with the camera, to select options. It's a nicely made and well-acted demo, but that's about it. Microsoft aren't going to be winning the Loebner Prize Gold Medal any time soon.
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
You've mentioned Molyneux over and over again. If you don't like the guy, that's fine, but he's only involved in one project that utilizes Natal. Just wanted to point that out. It's not like he's overseeing everything.
- Don't add me, I'm at/near the friend limit
Steam: JC_Rooks
Twitter: http://twitter.com/JiunweiC
I work on this: http://www.xbox.com