230°

Kinect Controls Work Great... in a Bubble

The idea of controlling your console with gestures in a neat concept, but it also comes with a slew of technical challenges.

At the top of the list of issues that Microsoft's Kinect controller for the Xbox 360 faces is the problem of interference from people not in the virtual driver's seat of the console.

What happens when you're trying to control the Xbox 360 with gestures and someone walks in front of you or behind you? Right now? Things go haywire, but the person demonstrating the technology to me at last week's GamesCom said that they are still tweaking the interface.

Omega45022d ago

Luckily when you're at home you won't have crowds of people constantly walking behind you.

Nike5022d ago

If they're marketing the device at families, then I think you will.

captain-obvious5022d ago (Edited 5022d ago )

thats a nice spin you got in there omega

but since MS market this thing as a casual/family/party peripheral
so yes you well have things going on in the same spot
and you'll have people walking behind you

KingME5022d ago (Edited 5022d ago )

What happens when you are driving your favorite driving game going around a hairpin turn and your cousin walks directly in front of the TV?

What happens when you are going for that head shot in MW2 and your sister bumps your shoulder when she sits next to you?

What happens when you are using PS Move and someone stands between you and the camera?

I mean, really?

Some of you people act like because it is marketed to families that it is suppose to compensate for total craziness within the household.

We play the wii all the time, but we don't walk in front of each other while someone is playing, And I'm sure that if you did, there would be some sore of gaming backlash to it.

Godmars2905022d ago (Edited 5022d ago )

Not including roommates, parents, kids, friends, pets and assorted furnisher...

5022d ago
jack_burt0n5022d ago (Edited 5022d ago )

yeah but you need so much space like 14ft of open terrain.

edit:
listen all power to omega he tried it, he wants to buy it thats all fine, unless his alt account is mandatory install ppl need to give him a break.

Baka-akaB5022d ago (Edited 5022d ago )

well to be fair in his parents' basement surrounded by MS posters and ads material , he wont have that issue indeed

niceguywii605022d ago (Edited 5022d ago )

Yes families have dozens or hundreds of people around the TV LOL With unnatural lighting and cameras

I feel sorry for PS3 fanboys. Does anybody find it strange PS3 fanboys have this mentally ill obsession with Kinect? It's not normal and proves they're very worried about it.

twoface5022d ago (Edited 5022d ago )

Do you need a dozen to affect the controls?

How about ps move? Does it get affected by people moving around in the background, or does its algorithm recognize the balls of light as first priority?

Nike5022d ago

Apparently (in it's current stage - I don't know how much tweaking they can do since it's only 3 months from release), it only takes one person. Read the description again:

"What happens when you're trying to control the Xbox 360 with gestures and someONE walks in front of you or behind you? Right now? Things go haywire..."

Bellcross5022d ago

Kinect is perfect for you, you got no friends or family.

Milo and Skittles will keep you company at night.

pathetic troll.

Qui-Gon Jim5022d ago

The article mentions that all the demos units are located in areas enclosed by clear plastic. Plastic is opaque (not transparent) to infra-red. The Kinect system uses infra-red light for the 3D imaging. The camera cannot, therefore, see the crowds. Besides that, the software ignores anything beyond a certain distance, anyway.

The demo was being thrown off by the camera operator standing behind the couch. If you are playing at home, there very well may be people standing behind the couch watching. There's a simple enough fix, just make sure people aren't standing behind you, but it may cause problems for people, especially if people can't figure out what's wrong.

btk5022d ago

But Omega4 - I thought it could track 6 players... Seems like with only one a background person is going to be a problem.

And no - in my house there is a lot of people moving around. With four kids - if one is shouting at anyone who as much as cast a shadow in the living room because his Kinect is diskinecting... well - lets just say I am happy that I will be getting Move.

+ Show (7) more repliesLast reply 5022d ago
jrbeerman115022d ago

Sounds like this tech may be a lil ahead of its time, hope it works out for em.

zootang5022d ago

Maybe you're behind the times?

jneul5022d ago

its ten whole years behind, it's already been done and proved not to work, controler-less gaming is not new and eyetoy did it first

badkolo5022d ago Show
divideby05022d ago

when are we going to read something positive about Kinetic
I aint buying one since there is no killer app, its over priced and it dont play any REAL games.
I just am tired of reading all the negative press about it and waiting to read something that would remotely think about buying one

Pennywise5022d ago

The two people still defending this product are getting to look pretty sad. MS will never learn about taking shortcuts and rushing products.

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150°

Microsoft to Add Copilot AI to Video Games

Microsoft recently revealed its plans to incorporate Copilot directly into video games, with Minecraft being the first showcased example.

Read Full Story >>
xpgained.co.uk
Fishy Fingers3d ago (Edited 3d ago )

F*** AI

"Hey Copilot, what's a good meme to prove I dislike AI".... https://giphy.com/clips/sou...

Einhander19723d ago

Two trillion dollar company that just can't wait to put as many people possible out of work as fast as possible.

It feels like every single thing they do is making gaming worse and destroying the industry.

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darthv723d ago

....you know it takes people to program the AI.... right? It isnt like it is sentient. We haven't reach skynet level of situation or anywhere close to the matrix just yet.

That's next Thursday.

Einhander19722d ago (Edited 2d ago )

It takes a people to program the AI then that AI is used for who knows how many games eliminating countless jobs which only grows as AI is used for more and more game creation functions.

What you're saying is so ridiculously short sighted and truly larking any kind of understanding and foresight.

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CaptainFaisal3d ago

Why all the hate? Im actually excited about this! Always wanted this kind of immersion, and an AI companion with me all the time helping me out knowing the status of my skills/inventory/progress and giving me tips on the best approach or how to craft something specific is game changing for the industry.

Hate all you want about AI, but this is just the start and I can see the potential already. You wont be complaining in the next 5-10 years about this, but rather complain if a game hasn’t implemented it.

MrDead3d ago

Yes we can't wait for the work of others to be used without the need to pay them so that MS can profit even more from the people they fire.

I_am_Batman3d ago (Edited 3d ago )

There is no chance I'd ever use something like this, especially if it's not part of the core game design, but a layer on top of it. It's way too much handholding. Many games already feel like busy work, because they don't let the player figure things out on their own. Having a real-time interactive guide defeats the purpose of playing the game in the first place in my opinion.

If this were to become the standard like you predict, we'll see more and more video games get away with bad design, because people will just be used to ask for help from the AI companion anyway.

Number1TailzFan3d ago

Well Nintendo don't need this with some of their games these days, with invincible characters, items, easy bosses etc.. they do the hand holding built in

helicoptergirl3d ago

Takes "hand holding" in games to a whole new level.

BlackDoomAx2d ago

Because human nature xD Almost every new technology had these kind of comments.

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70°

Activision team is opening a new game studio in Poland 'Elsewhere Entertainment' to build new AAA IP

Microsoft's Activision subsidiary announced today that it is opening a new game development studio to take advantage of the huge talent pool growing in Poland. It'll be the second Activision studio based in the region, joining Infinity Ward Krakow, although this studio is, in fact, not working on Call of Duty.

Read Full Story >>
windowscentral.com
Psychonaut857d ago

They’re not working on Call of Duty? Give it time.

380°

Microsoft's quest for short-term $$$ is doing long-term damage to Windows, Surface, Xbox, and beyond

Microsoft is pushing for no "red line" for what games could come to PlayStation, and it all revolves around Satya Nadella and CFO Amy Hood's plans to increase every department's margins.

Read Full Story >>
windowscentral.com
Brazz9d ago

"The plan to move Xbox games to other platforms is codenamed "Latitude" internally, and I know there's debate and unease at Microsoft about whether or not this is a good idea. More upcoming Microsoft-owned games slated for PlayStation are already being developed. At least for now, they're potentially obvious games you'd most likely expect. And yes, while it's true Microsoft is a prolific publisher on PlayStation already, it has typically revolved around specific franchises like Minecraft. From what I've heard, Microsoft is pushing for no "red line" for what games could come to PlayStation, and it all revolves around Satya Nadella and CFO Amy Hood's mandate to increase every department's margins. "

Yeah, they are going to kill Xbox hardware.

Xeofate9d ago

"Yeah, they are going to kill Xbox hardware."

It's for the best.

Quit stringing along xbox fans and screwing over PlayStation owners.

crazyCoconuts8d ago

Take good care of those Xboxes if you have 'em ...

outsider16248d ago

An Xbox game on a Playstation. Never in my years of gaming did i ever thought this was gonna happen.

jznrpg8d ago

It is dying anyway so doesn’t make much of a difference

VersusDMC8d ago

No way can they get rid of the hardware as probably 90% of game pass subscribers are hardware users.

Highly doubtful those users will move to PC or Cloud to subscribe there and the competition (Sony and Nin) will never have gamepass on their system.

If they want to keep the current subscribers, they need to keep releasing new hardware.

PSPSA8d ago

I'm not convinced, why then announce that they're actually working on the next-generation Xbox with “the largest technical leap”, and also looking into handhelds now?

Rols8d ago

Not like MS don’t drop things a hot potato if it is not performing. Look at MS history to see products or platforms discontinued. Xbox is not a charity for MS, it needs to make money and the ABK was the last roll of the dice for Xbox.

purple1018d ago

Xbox hardware team members have been incorporated into surface team

This perhaps shows they are not expecting big things from Xbox as a separate entity

Abear218d ago

Seems like they are planning to win next gen. All the acquisitions were this generation and nobody except Xbox fans expect games from the acquisitions any time soon.

I’m sure Microsoft can afford to lose money on the short term, pretty sure they do risk assessment when acquiring many companies and spending billions, they’ll be fine lol.

+ Show (5) more repliesLast reply 8d ago
gold_drake9d ago

i think it will kill off the xbox brand. windows will be fine.

but there is and would be a chance that xbox might be killed off in the future. if they fail to make the money they put in. imo.

S2Killinit9d ago

They wont kill it, but they will go fully PC while keeping xbox as a brand, and go multiplatform for the most part. They will also work tirelessly to diminish console gaming’s importance.

PRIMORDUS8d ago

It would be best if Xbox goes the way of Sega, just make and publish games. I know I myself will not support them at all with buying games from them, you all can. 🙃

ChasterMies8d ago

The Xbox brand will live for the games. I don’t expect Microsoft to entirely drop out of gaming hardware. They make Surface tablets and laptops. They’ll make Xbox branded hardware for those that want it.

shadowT9d ago

"Microsoft is pushing for no "red line" for what games could come to PlayStation"

Forza and Starfield next?

Skuletor9d ago

Starfield would be no surprise and there's the rumor that it will come to Playstation after the Shattered Space DLC, Forza (along with Halo and Gears of War) I find less likely but I wouldn't be surprised if they eventually end up on PlayStation too, especially if Xbox give up on hardware and go the Sega route.

shinoff21839d ago

Not to worried about forza. I'd rather see others like what inxile and obsidian are working on. Starfield sounds like it needs more time in the oven so let it cook first imo. If starfield and it's a small if does release on ps it'll be in the fall around the time for dlc or right at the dlc and come packaged with it.

-Foxtrot9d ago

In the words of Phil Spencer when he was talking about Nintendo last year

“It's just taking a long time for Microsoft to see that their future exists off of their own hardware"

S2Killinit9d ago

Yup. MS are a cancer to console gaming.

Aloymetal9d ago

100%!!
I wonder what happened to that dude that was always here posting those court articles with cartoons about MS spending all those billions in studios. He suddenly disappeared, I guess he doesn't like bad news when the green brand is in trouble. No new articles from him as of late...

PRIMORDUS8d ago

Yup, and it's only going to keep spreading.

Outside_ofthe_Box8d ago

Phil Spencer's words always comes back to bite him lol

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