Project Natal

[Morgoth]

Anyone else thinks this could be a total fail? I mean I just hope it won't completely replace the gamepad, because I prefer to play with something tangible in my hands. The casual crowd that never played a video game before might get excited about this, but I wonder what kind of games you have to create for such hardware. It certainly will be funny to watch Halo fanboys doing all crazy gestures just to reload the stupid pistol.

 

"No dammit I want reload not squad-command #2!!"

[Purkake]

Anyone else thinks this could be a total fail? I mean I just hope it won't completely replace the gamepad, because I prefer to play with something tangible in my hands. The casual crowd that never played a video game before might get excited about this, but I wonder what kind of games you have to create for such hardware. It certainly will be funny to watch Halo fanboys doing all crazy gestures just to reload the stupid pistol.

 

"No dammit I want reload not squad-command #2!!"

 

Keyboard and mouse for life!

 

Can't wait to see people looking even more ridiculous making a "grenade throwing" motion with their hand while playing Halo.

 

You are the controller!!!

 

EDIT: I actually hope that it replaces the controller completely so we can have casual consoles and hardcore PC. The way it was meant to be!

Edited June 17, 2009 by Purkake

[Morgoth]

I just wonder how that Milo game from Peter Molyneux will turn out. I mean if you really want to talk to a real living boy, you'd need an AI processor with the horsepower of the USS Enterprise. Sorry, but I think that E3 demo was just that - an idea from Pete, that will be half-assed and compromised in it's execution, and finally marketed as "the new ****" from MS.

[Wrath of Dagon]

Everyone's trying to rip off the Wii. I don't think it'll replace the controller, just complement it for kids games and party games, etc. It does get us closer to virtual reality gaming, I'm not sure that's something I want though.

[Morgoth]

Well I just hope it won't be a future requirement for all games...

[Purkake]

I just wonder how that Milo game from Peter Molyneux will turn out. I mean if you really want to talk to a real living boy, you'd need an AI processor with the horsepower of the USS Enterprise. Sorry, but I think that E3 demo was just that - an idea from Pete, that will be half-assed and compromised in it's execution, and finally marketed as "the new ****" from MS.

 

Most of the people who saw it behind closed doors weren't impressed. It's just crazy ol' Molyneux getting hyped about the "limitless potential" and what not. He should go make something good like a new Dungeon Keeper or Black and White and stay off the pipe for a while.

 

He once got strangely obsessed with a cookie on his twitter...

Edited June 17, 2009 by Purkake

[Walsingham]

I personally like it. Anything that turns Red Alert into a game of squash.

[Pidesco]

It's a completely idiotic name if you speak Portuguese. It just means Christmas.

[Purkake]

It's a completely idiotic name if you speak Portuguese. It just means Christmas.

 

It's just the "code name", don't worry.

 

The better question will be: how will they get people to buy the damn thing? It has more tech in it than the 360 itself and it certainly won't be cheap. No one is going to pay $99 just to flip through movies with their hand.

[Pidesco]

I think this has a lot of potential for secret stuff.

 

Like, if you dance the can can, you unlock extra costumes, or you have to do a front half twist in order to get two extra items from a merchant. It would be awesome to see the completists making fools of themselves.

[Morgoth]

MS plans a huge marketing push for Natal, like the release of a new console. Man, I'd feel so much Schadenfreude if it really bombs.

[Purkake]

MS plans a huge marketing push for Natal, like the release of a new console. Man, I'd feel so much Schadenfreude if it really bombs.

 

You and your weird German words...

 

They can market their asses off, but they need to actually have games to sell it. Weird dodgeball-brickbreaker and Halo grenade throw aren't enough.

Edited June 17, 2009 by Purkake

[Llyranor]

It'll take some convincing, but the best thing about this is that it doesn't replace the traditional controls. You still have your dual analog, and it works on top of that. It could work as complementary voice recognition, head-tracking (as in the awesome Track IR), or something as simple as gestures for more efficient squad controls (which are usually pretty iffy).

 

I'm not sure that it'll necessarily be pricey. It's pretty much 2 cameras. The functionality software will be much more important.

 

But the Wii hasn't really convinced me that developers are ready for motion controls yet.

Edited June 17, 2009 by Llyranor

[Purkake]

It'll take some convincing, but the best thing about this is that it doesn't replace the traditional controls. You still have your dual analog, and it works on top of that. It could work as complementary voice recognition, head-tracking (as in the awesome Track IR), or something as simple as gestures for more efficient squad controls (which are usually pretty iffy).

 

I'm not sure that it'll necessarily be pricey. It's pretty much 2 cameras. The functionality software will be much more important.

 

But the Wii hasn't really convinced me that developers are ready for motion controls yet.

 

The device itself has two normal cameras, an infrared camera, a microphone array and a custom-built processor for all the tracking and depth sensing stuff. It is NOT going to be cheap.

 

Also, I don't see taking one hand off the controller to signal your squad being very streamlined or better than pressing a button. The voice stuff is cool, but talking to your 360 is very, very weird.

Edited June 17, 2009 by Purkake

[WILL THE ALMIGHTY]

I just wonder how that Milo game from Peter Molyneux will turn out. I mean if you really want to talk to a real living boy, you'd need an AI processor with the horsepower of the USS Enterprise. Sorry, but I think that E3 demo was just that - an idea from Pete, that will be half-assed and compromised in it's execution, and finally marketed as "the new ****" from MS.

Somehow, I can't expect anything more than a better-looking tamagochi.

[neckthrough]

I think this thing has potential.

 

Sure, there will be some stupid gimicky applications, but once the wow factor dies out I think it's possible to use this to really enrich the user experience for several gaming genres. As some have pointed out, it's probably not going to replace the traditional controller outright. No matter how precise the camera tracking is, humans are surprisingly inept at making accurate free-air gestures without some object to hold on to as leverage.

[I want teh kotor 3]

I hope the project dies horribly before it gets released. That way there aren't mobs of casuals playing with Skynet Milo.

 

Also, I still don;t see how it can be used for hardcore gaming, which is all I care about.

Edited June 17, 2009 by I want teh kotor 3

[Meshugger]

I am really on the fence with this one. While it reeks of a Wii-ripoff, Moleneux's "potential" however, should be at least acknowledged on a theoretical level. From my own experiences with the Wii, the novelty quickly wears off and the amount of time spent on actual gameplaying will completely rely on the basic mechanics of the game itself.

 

For example, in Mario Cart Wii, it is fun to wiggle with your "steering wheel" in the beginning, but that is not the reason on why the game is/was fun. It is the levels, the ability to sabotage the race for other players with bombs and whatnot, co-op and the levelsdesign that makes it worthwhile to play for longer sessions.

[Meshugger]

double post

Edited June 18, 2009 by Meshugger

[Humodour]

Anyone else thinks this could be a total fail? I mean I just hope it won't completely replace the gamepad, because I prefer to play with something tangible in my hands. The casual crowd that never played a video game before might get excited about this, but I wonder what kind of games you have to create for such hardware. It certainly will be funny to watch Halo fanboys doing all crazy gestures just to reload the stupid pistol.

 

"No dammit I want reload not squad-command #2!!"

 

Sounds like Microsoft hype, like Bing. I'd say it'll be a fail.

 

Nintendo's on the right track with more specialised motion control devices, and they have a proven track record.

[Hell Kitty]

What's Bing?

 

And what do you mean by Nintendo's proven track record? The Wii was their first attempt at this stuff.

 

If they're anything working against this, it's that it's an add-on.

[Purkake]

What's Bing?

 

And what do you mean by Nintendo's proven track record? The Wii was their first attempt at this stuff.

 

If they're anything working against this, it's that it's an add-on.

 

Bing is Microsoft's new search engine that replaced their Live Search, not that anyone cares.

 

Wii Motion+ is pretty much what the Wiimote was supposed to be from the start. I've mostly heard good things about it, at least for the Tiger Woods game. Its bonus is that it is actually out and it works, unlike the pipe dreams that are Natal and Sony's disco sticks.

 

EDIT: If any of them are going to be successful, then it's the Wii Motion+, just because people actually buy Nintendo's crap and it comes bundled with everything.

Edited June 18, 2009 by Purkake

[Humodour]

What's Bing?

 

Microsoft's ****ty new search engine they spent hundreds of millions on marketing for, because people weren't using the old one.

 

And what do you mean by Nintendo's proven track record? The Wii was their first attempt at this stuff.

 

The fact that their first attempt was so simple, intuitive and successful kind of speaks for itself.

[Morgoth]

EDIT: If any of them are going to be successful, then it's the Wii Motion+, just because people actually buy Nintendo's crap and it comes bundled with everything.

Or it's because it's so cheap. It only costs 20 bucks/Euros. Therefor, Nintendo wins by default.

[Humodour]

EDIT: If any of them are going to be successful, then it's the Wii Motion+, just because people actually buy Nintendo's crap and it comes bundled with everything.

Or it's because it's so cheap. It only costs 20 bucks/Euros. Therefor, Nintendo wins by default.

 

Something I don't thing Microsoft comprehends.

 

But that lessens Nintendo somewhat. Nintendo sells because they're good at what they do: they're cheap, but they're also high-quality, fun, simple, reliable and non-confrontational.

 

Man I want my Wii. Played my sister yesterday at super smash bros (she got one for her bday) and it was really fun once I got the hang of the Wiimote/Nunchuck combo. I think she got a bit bored when I kept killing her though.