780°

IGN E3 2009: I've Played Natal and it Works

IGN writes: "Following up on its successful E3 press conference earlier today, Microsoft held a special hands-on event at the Standard Hotel in downtown Los Angeles this evening. Besides showing off the latest versions of games like Halo 3: ODST, Forza Motorsport 3, The Beatles: Rock Band, and Shadow Complex, Microsoft also had special "behind closed doors" demos of two of its more secretive projects, Project Natal and Alan Wake."

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xbox360.ign.com
RememberThe3575446d ago

People are questioning it's uses though.

I personally can't wait to see what they do with it. If they do this right, this could very well be the future of gaming.

really duh5446d ago

"I don't think anyone is doughting that it works" Its just that a handful of fanboys are hating on it.

FamilyGuy5446d ago

Who doubted if it worked?
The only doubt im seeing on this site is the 1080p instant play streaming.

Im not even doubting the support behind this devise because, by the looks of it, it was an expensive investment for M$ and i don't think they'll let it get low support.

I only wonder how much the thing will cost.

SeNiLe9115446d ago

The entertainment center is in standby mode, I walk into the room and it comes to life with Natal greeting me. No controller or remote I can control everything with a swipe of my hand or the use of voice commands to watch TV, play a movie, play a game, video conference, social network, surf the net, you name it, I see the entertainment center doing it all with no remote or controller one day. That doesn't mean we won't have some type of peripheral to work with it but everything will be more simpler with less remotes and controllers. Very cool stuff but could be a few years before we see Natal in the living room.

cherrypie5446d ago

@1.3

You totally understand this. This is way beyond any motion control we've seen to-date.

It is game-changing.

Natal was the highlight (beyond MGS-Raiden, SC, AW, last.fm.. wow, just wow).

SaberEdge5446d ago

I think Natal was easily the highlight of the show, even among all the other awesome announcements. It wowed me more than anything.

The potential of this technology is staggering.

Ghoul5446d ago

i totally love the tech, i know about this a bit longer from other science projects and seeing this moving to consoles is awesome.

BUT seriously its way to early to present it on a e3 its a rough concept with very early alpha tools and software. for my taste they should have at least waited to e3 2010. this tech is to far from beeing presented as the new messiah in gaming controlls.

SL1M DADDY5446d ago

But as soon as we saw the folks showing the thing off breaking a sweat on stage, I figured you could count me out. I don't play games to sweat, I play them to relax. I foresee this thing making a small impact and being forgotten about in 6 months after release.

gaffyh5446d ago

It looks like it works, whether anybody can actually be bothered to play a game like that is the issue. When the woman was driving the car, she needed to be holding something, it looked incredibly uncomfortable to play the game like that. Also when interacting with the NXE, I'd rather use the controller.

I've had a Wii for 2 weeks and I'm already bored of it, I'm not going to waste my money on this (and it is rumoured to be over $100)

Tony P5446d ago

In my book, exciting new tech trumps some game announcement. A new game is great, but a new way to play has oh so much more potential.

People who are saying this is just causal stuff have every right to imo. Wii pulled the same trick when the hype was strong. We all thought waggle would change the way we game forever. And it did, but not in ways we liked. Hopefully they can put this Natal tech to better use.

finbars755446d ago

I think its pretty cool dont get me wrong but i noticed that the faster the women was moving to hit the balls the body on the screen was a little behind.Really Duh I dont think its the fanboys at all.This deosnt come out until late 2010 possibly 2011. Which is enough time to get it exact.I did watch the sony show and there motion capture was out before the xbox obvisouly but there controller capture was 100% on the money and alot more fasanating to watch.Dont get me wrong i think both motions are great and we are all going to win no matter what the outcome is.

indysurfn5445d ago

Microsoft, they are the original makers way back in 1998! Wii came out in

november 2006. Some people are not able to think outside the box and

research something. They will repeat the FIRST criticism a person comes

up with. And NEVER research the truth. So how are ignorant people acting

like Nintendo made it? The first one was made in 1998 by microsoft for a

PC game they made called microsoft flight simulator. The controller is

called the 'side winder' I bought one I know. But here is your proof if

you was not born yet.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wik... Also guess where the

first webcam motion detection device appeared? That's right on a pc using

microsoft windows.

So:
1 First motion controller was made by Microsoft.
2 First motion detecting webcam was by Microsoft.

No WONDER they are the ones to make a controller less
system!

phosphor1125445d ago

My spinal column is compressing (i'm 19 btw) my adolescent arthritis isn't good for me. If I can play plenty games sitting, I can do that. Sony's/Nintendo's is more flexible. Since its hardware based, I can sit down to play them.

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The Master Chief5446d ago

I wanna see the Lionhead game, that looks so cool and surreal.

really duh5446d ago

*Fight Night
*Dance Dance REVOLUTION!!

RememberThe3575446d ago

Agreed. If anyone is going to take advantage of this my bets would be on Peter Molyneux.

You can say what you will about him. But the man is a visionary.

theEnemy5446d ago

if they make Tekken 6 or SF4 compatible with Natal.

^_^

Thugbot1875446d ago

There are so many games they can make with this. Star Wars, being a Jedi using this would rock. Any sword fighting game, football game, RPG's. Fighting games...

King_many_layers5446d ago (Edited 5446d ago )

Natal really is an incredibly interesting and possibly gaming changing device (for the better and for fun *thumbs up*). I really hope that developers can be creative with this and give some incredible experiences.

love the example of fight night.
One example I'd love to see would be like a wrestling game, bare with me, I know it's not for everyone. But to get that incredible sense that you are actually performing such moves, very satisfying.

theEnemy5446d ago

lol yeah, boxing.

Not sure about wrestling though. You need atleast a dummy partner to do a figure-four-leglock. :P

King_many_layers5446d ago

true that some things could get a little difficult, but I'm sure that if it was based upon commands, it could work... for example:
Lean forward, grab feet, lift up and then leg over.

I was thinking, like smackdown has press this then this.. it would be like, your movement are the buttons. ??

you kinda see what I mean ??

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Forrest Gump5446d ago

Right on the money.I'm also questioning its price,if the rumored $200 is the price point for the peripheral,then I think we can safely say this camera is going to have difficulties at retail.

FamilyGuy5446d ago

Even with M$ background of over charging for peripherals I don't think they'll make a mistake that big.

Simple question:
What's it worth to you to have "Minority Report like controls" on your Xbox 360?

DARK WITNESS5446d ago

^^^^ alot ! i know my Mrs was impressed...

FamilyGuy5446d ago

I wish my girl would sit around watching E3 coverage or at least the press conferences with me :(

DARK WITNESS5446d ago

Funny thing is she is not even a gamer.

she just happened to catch me watching some of the E3 stuff, she does love her tech stuff though ( she works for yahoo )

she saw the forza 3 video and thought some of it was taken from real life footage. I kept telling her its all computer generated, she didn't believe me. lol..

but ya, and you imagine the ladies coming round, you switch your 360 on and the dashboard pops up on a huge 40" lcd with Face book and twitter... then you start navigating round it by just moving your little finger ! tell me what woman would not be impressed ( you know how they all love facebook and twitter )

USMCj5446d ago

lol my girlfriend has a better K/D spread then some of my friends on COD4.

ASSASSYN 36o5446d ago

My GF got excited about it too. She rarely plays games.

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UnblessedSoul5446d ago

It works when you do simple commands but anything else and it will not work, still it's a pointless idea to have unless you live in your basement and are needing some friends

green5446d ago

What kind of commands would you like to see it do?

DixieNormS5446d ago

and look at it now. YOu are in need of a reality check.

FragMnTagM5446d ago

Also in need of less bubbles...lol.

Omega45446d ago

I hope it doesnt cost mountains of cash cause it does look extremely unique and innovative and if MS want to capture the Wii market (and likely any hardcore gamers) its going to need to be cheap

green5446d ago

It is very unique and very innovative.Imagine it being used for tactical shooters like were you use hand gesture and your voice to issue orders to your squad.It's potential is limitless.

But as impressive as it all sounds, it all comes down to one thing and that is price.If they can make it cheap and then bundle it in every console sold at no extra charge then it will be a success.

FamilyGuy5446d ago

They COULD charge a high price for the thing but bundle it with a few games/apps that would make it seem worth the cost.

An ideal price point would be $50 but for the tech id say they HAVE to charge AT LEAST $100.

Guessing games suck though, especially when no one knows the answer so we'll all just have to wait and see.

Omega45446d ago

I dont see them bundling for free with every console that tech looks expensive, they might bundle it with just the arcade but i still think its doubtful if they want to make money.

Its probably likely they will release it at a reasonably high price and include games with it, wouldnt surprise me if one of those games was Halo: Reach, cause that 'reach' part in the name could be referring to motion control

FamilyGuy5446d ago

I didn't even think of that, "you're a smart fella." +Bubbles
That makes so much sense...

green5446d ago

The problem with bundling it with games is that it is expensive and without a doubt will raise the RRP of the game.DOn't expect any 3rd party dev to bundle it as well because there is a big possibility that the game might tank.

But if they can get it out and bundle it with every console sold without really doing a price cut then it will be forced into the hands of way more people.And if it's sold for little more than the price of a game then the existing user base would jump in if some sold hardcore games are made using it.

Marceles5446d ago

Welp we'll see guys, actually we have seen for games that are programmed to use Natal to its full extent at least, but for retail games. All we don't need is another Sega Activator lol...but so far so good. At least you're not locked down in an octagon.

psycho3605446d ago

@green

Imagine the COD4 sniper level and in reality you'd lie down and use virtual gun. Man the possiblities are endless and what can we expect when Steven Speilberg is involved in some projects for it. Yesterday was one heck of a proud moment for 360 fans after getting bombarded by ps3 fanboys for last few months about lack of 360 games for 2009. Definately a watershed moment in 360s life.

CrayzeeCarl5446d ago

^^^

But part of the problem with using these motion controls is that you won't be able to see what you're doing half the time. Do you want to strain your neck looking up at the TV so you can see what you're doing while you're lying on the floor, trying to snipe?

And how do you turn around in an FPS and still be able to see the TV?

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500°

Kinect Technical Specifications & Xbox 360 Requirements Revealed

The most notable reveal would perhaps by the requirements of the Xbox 360 console itself. While Microsoft has insisted since the original unveiling of Kinect at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in 2009, then known as Project NATAL, that the device would be compatible with all Xbox 360 consoles, the revelation of a dedicated port included on the newly redesigned Xbox 360 model has sparked rumours of incompatibility, which were quickly debunked.

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electronictheatre.co.uk
5054d ago Replies(12)
lzim5054d ago

odd, i was led to believe it lacked an internal processor and so also needed a core to itself, if not 1-2 processing threads.

Wikkid6665054d ago

The article says nothing about whether the processor is internal or it uses the 360s.

darthv725053d ago

Also, the notion of a dedicated port really lends nothing to the idea of older units being incompatible. I believe the kinect port is a custom usb port (think the original xbox controller ports) but one that will feed power and data.

Older models will require a splitter that will run off a single usb port (prob the back one) that will work for the data but not the power. That is why they keep saying it will have an external power for those systems.

As for the processor, combo of both makes sense. Using 360 cpu/gpu power to help calculate the finished product on screen along with the cpu in the kinect.

Remember people...this is not a cheap usb web cam (like the original live vision).

Inside_out5054d ago (Edited 5054d ago )

They say they are using 10-15% of one 360 P4 cores. I know that the Kinect we see today is a watered down version of the patented tech they bought and own. Maybe one day the " real " tech will be cost effective. It still is very impressive tech even without a super computer running it.

wicked5054d ago

No, the previous artical said they removed a processor, but I would guess that it had more than 1 to start with. So it will have some form of processor still within it. Arm9 or Cortex M3, all dirt cheap now but powerful.

IdleLeeSiuLung5054d ago

Does it matter? They showed Forza Kinect that looked amazing working with Kinect real time!

callahan095054d ago

Are you just talking about how the graphics are able to look amazing while working with Kinect? If that's what you're talking about, ok. The game itself, though, well... I think I'll stick with the real Forza, with an Xbox 360 control pad. The limited-control Kinect Forza they showed doesn't look like it's worth any attention, in my opinion. Why would anyone want to control a car like that, with hands held out and holding onto nothing, with no control over acceleration or braking? Just seems totally pointless to me.

CrawFail5054d ago

lol real time? I don't quite think it was real time.

Bigpappy5053d ago

You guy know that the motion tech is from prime sense right? Please go to their web site primesense.com,and have a look at what they say the tech can do. It can read fingers well enough to type with each finger and can be used while sitting. No one ever said it has to scan the entire body to work. What we have seen from kinect so far is not all it is capable of.

Reading these specs and trying to compare them to PSeye is pointless, because they are different types of cameras and provide completely differnt types of info to the consoles (Kinect is a 3D camera and provides 3D images. PSeye is a 2D camera and provides 2D images). Per Primsense, the camera is capable of providing video at 60fps, but the 3D is 30fps. The specs for 2 players active is for full body scans. There are no specs given for people sitting and just using their hands.

This tech is obviously a work in progress and has yet to be fleshed out. I suggest all you N4G Kinect experts, research before you post you doom and gloom so you atleast have solid facts for you skepticism. You can also relax and see what M$ does with the tech insteat of pretending to know more that the people developing the tech.

IdleLeeSiuLung5052d ago

The game was available for people to try on the show floor at E3 so yes it was real time. Wetter you like it for Forza or not wasn't my point.

That is up to the developer to figure out.

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Apolloeye5054d ago

So pretty much the same spec as the PS Eye, although I thought the eye went up to 120 Hertz...

Theonik5054d ago

The eye goes to 60Hz i think. Regardless the eye should be capable to do any Kinect shown so far with less lag. (they revolve on a 2D axis and only use the depth tracking to separate players.) I am really disappointed by the tech and how it is utilised thus far.

shoddy5054d ago

More or less powerful we need to see the product.
So far it seem the pseye can do anything kinect can do.
2d 3d I not yet see the advantage.

IHateYouFanboys5053d ago

no, the PSEye cannot do 3D tracking. Kinect can.

the PSEye does 2D motion recognition, Kinect does 3D motion tracking. they are COMPLETELY DIFFERENT things.

Sheikh Yerbouti5053d ago

Going from alkaline to lithium was a significant step for batteries, but at the end of the day it is just a battery. PSEye and Kinect are kind of the same way. At the end of the day it is a game camera - with camera games.

IHateYouFanboys5053d ago

@Sheikh Yerbouti: your example is not really on the same scale of difference as PSEye/Kinect.

a better example using batteries would be the jump from standard batteries to rechargable batteries. theyre both doing the same thing - being batteries - but one of them does things that the other one cannot possibly do, which is be recharged and used again. it does everything the standard battery does, and more.

Kinect does everything the PSEye does (2D motion recognition), and more (3D motion tracking). no amount of software updates can change the hardware in the PSEye, and the hardware is not capable of 3D motion tracking as it lacks infra-red.

IaMs125053d ago

Yes i see your point but how you guys feel about the PS3 can be said the same way.

The PS3 may produce better graphics and be more powerful then the Xbox360, but by the end of they day its still only a console. Also inferior to PC :)

PirosThe4th5053d ago

... PSeye can do 3d as you say... even eyetoy... they used shadows and other stuff to recognize it.
Move is also 3d...

Sheikh Yerbouti5053d ago

Lithium batteries are rechargeable batteries.

Kinect isn't a true 3D camera - it can't render a picture of your butt if you are always facing front. It makes an approximate 3D model using visual cues. The PSEye can do the same, although it will be cruder.

Plus, just because the technology is different, doesn't necessarily mean gameplay will be.

@lams12
Yes, you're right. Similarly Kinect will have some good games, different from PSEye, only if Microsoft makes them. But they haven't made games too different from the PSEye.

Theonik5053d ago

Which is what i meant from the start. None of the games they have shown so far could not have been on the PS Eye.

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Xwow20085054d ago

"Tracks up to 6 people, including 2 active players"
I think now its official that just 2 ppl can play at the same time.

Godmars2905054d ago

Love that you're quoting something and you're getting disagrees.

Sheikh Yerbouti5053d ago (Edited 5053d ago )

Only room for two anyway when you think about it...
but it can keep track of six people during a game in regards to facial recognition. I think that's impressive.

I would love to have Kinect built into my laptop, so only I can get in even without a password. Why is Microsoft wasting this on the XBox again?

Ilikegames765053d ago

still couldn't play it sitting down. Honestly, some guys are so easily impressed by copy cat technology.

blackpanther255053d ago

i was at the engadget show and kudo showed its 3d tracking and when two people where on screen......one person would be red while the other would be green.......but as soon as a third person steped into the camera view two people automatically turned gray and it couldnt read their movements well.

what i took away from that event is that the kinect is pretty kool but for right now it can only work with two people(they could still be working on it)

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150°

Kinect Re-Appears on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon & Miranda Cosgrove

Xbox Evolved:

"Microsoft is holding no breaks in making sure the general public knows all about Kinect. What cooler spot to also show it than with Jimmy Fallon? "

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xboxevolved.e-mpire.com
Coded-Dude5061d ago

although i usually watch fallon. i'll have to catch an internet clip of it later.

ProA0075061d ago

it's nothing you have to see. trust me. zzzzzzz

tokoshix5061d ago

I'm sure it's just the usual marketing stuff, so nothing really interesting. Pretty much learned everything about the device at E3.

Tony P5061d ago

The more I see this targeted at non-gamers, the sadder I get.

I want a Kinect game I can be *proud* to own as a gamer. One day.

sonarus5061d ago

I saw it full of lag. The girls was standing there and her character just started twitching out of control.

Plus you can clearly see the game is full of Lag. Regardless though i don't care...its a piece of tech directed to casual gamers so kudos to MS for this. Unfortunately i don't fall into the casual crowd so this does not interest me one bit.

What does interest me though is a cheaper 360 slim with a hard drive and wifi capablities for 50 or maybe 100 bucks cheaper

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Blaze9295061d ago

was pretty funny. same demos they showed at E3 though. Nothing new. But they sure are marketing it quick.

AridSpider5061d ago

Yeah they did the same thing the day after they announced Natal last year with Good Morning America and Fallon back when it was called Natal. No doubt this thing will sell I suspect. Will it succeed technically though is the question

ProA0075061d ago

well they did say they are launching this like the launch of a new xbox.

AridSpider5061d ago

Well they price has not been 'confirmed' yet by anyone....

AridSpider5061d ago

wow first that girl's co-worker hosts the Kinect event and now she's her playing it. I see the audience Microsoft is definitely going after with Bieber, Cosgrove and McCurdy - teenage pop audiences.

Cueil5061d ago

it's that female crowd that they would love to hook into...

JasonXE5061d ago

She's kind of hot.

/pedobear

Boring show.

SpaceSquirrel5061d ago

Interesting. They did the same last year as well.

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200°

Hey Microsoft, Where Are The Core Games For Kinect?

Meodia writes, "So about a year ago when Project Natal was first starting off, many Xbox 360 and even other gamers were worried about the future of their console. A local shovelware dumping ground didn't sound quite appealing and Natal looked like it would serve extra servings of it. But Microsoft reassured us, holding our hands and telling us that everything would be alright. Since then, nothing has changed. After that "conference" at E3, we were shown nothing but how to please little girls."

xHarvey5065d ago (Edited 5065d ago )

Kinectimals. Raising a tiger isn't hardcore? lol

ipwnall5065d ago

Bubbles to you sir.

I'm extremely aggravated about this Kinect business. I mean, look at the image in the article. Those are the games for Kinect's future. Do we want to be playing those?

B-Real2065065d ago

They told you to wait till gamescom and now you will wait.

005065d ago (Edited 5065d ago )

But you won't be when that tiger mauls you.

ShinMaster5065d ago

"Wait till E3" they said.
Well E3 has come and this is the result.

Moonboots5065d ago

LOL! +bub for funny on that one!

PS: I love you Skittles! Don't eat me!!!!

BiggCMan5065d ago Show
HolyOrangeCows5065d ago

"Wait until E3"
"Wait until Gamescon"
"Wait until release"
"Wait until next E3"
"Wait until...."

So if we want core games, the best option is the waiting game?

+ Show (6) more repliesLast reply 5065d ago
Alcon Caper5065d ago (Edited 5065d ago )

hey ms remember this list from tgs 09?

Activision Blizzard, Bethesda Softworks, Capcom Co. Ltd, Disney Interactive, Electronic Arts, Konami, MTV Games, Namco Bandai, Sega, Square Enix, THQ Inc. and Ubisoft

>:(

Imperator5065d ago

Behind closed doors being shown to paid celebrities who could care less about gaming.... if there's even any at all.

Mr Logic5065d ago

It needs buttons. There is only a limited a limited amount of things you can accomplish through gesture recognition.

Inane_Asylum5065d ago

I heard Kevin Butler say buttons existed in the future...

...I believe him...

Moonboots5065d ago (Edited 5065d ago )

Obviously Kinect is a casual device designed for those gamers first and foremost and that is the message MS wanted to send at E3 much to the angst of the core. And they have been saying all year that is what to expect.

I am going to give it some time because I don't think MS are going to ignore their core for long. And in the mean time enjoy my controller on games like Gears 3, Reach, Fable 3, Kingdoms, Black Ops, etc etc on the 360.. Not even going to mention my plate for the other systems I own.. There is just no time to play it all. (heaven?)

Redempteur5065d ago

Don't you see ? hardcore games are coming ..just now they annonced .. BURGER KING !!

............

neverming .

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Arnon5065d ago

It's funny because after the Microsoft conference, we actually saw some. In fact, I'm surprised that they showed off the shovelware they did, and then an hour later Sonic Freedom Riders and Child of Eden were shown off and completely destroyed what Microsoft displayed.

Imperator5065d ago (Edited 5065d ago )

Child of Eden is a multiplat, and do you have any gameplay vids of Sonic (I honestly want to see how it works).

@Orange Juice, Ah, I see. Looks kinda simple though. wouldn't really call it a core game.

@Arnon, if that's the case then Kinect really does have the edge in that game... but that's just one game. MS needs to show a LOT more.

Orange Juice5065d ago (Edited 5065d ago )

http://n4g.com/news/546595/...

There you go

EDIT Now that I watch the gameplay closely its most likely a game for kids. I couldnt see an adult "hardcore" gamer playing this game for an extended period of time.

Erotic Sheep5065d ago (Edited 5065d ago )

Eyetoy Antigrav says hi..

Arnon5065d ago (Edited 5065d ago )

Child of Eden is multiplat, but it's exclusive to Kinect in regards to motion controls. The developer Tetsuya Mizuguchi does not have a dev kit for Move.

http://www.computerandvideo...

HaVoK3085065d ago

If core gamers are anything like me they could careless about them.

pimpmaster5065d ago

gotta agree, MS is exactly like nintendo 2 years ago. hey, what ever happened to that dumb ass vitality sensor.

gynecologistcobra5065d ago

Like Nintendo two years ago? As in, raking up a fuck ton of cash?

pimpmaster5065d ago

as in having nothing to offer for the hardcore audience. and only for casuals

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