Microsoft's E3 keynote (Natal o_o)

[Dunbar]

So, did anyone other than me catch this?

 

Here's a little recap:

http://www.gamerrazzi.com/2009/06/live-blogging-e3-project-natal-microsofts-shining-star/

 

The thing I want to bring up is the Natal project specifically, and what Peter Molyneux had done with it. This thing frightens me to no end, sure it could result in some amazing new and innovative games, but what I fear is that some people might become even more reclusive and shut in by a virtual person to talk and react to. Sure, the video he showed of Milo was probably some staged thing, but it still scares me a little : p

 

 

[SinisterDeath]

I'm sure ye fan boys are going to bring up the Metal Gear game coming for the 360, well, it don't matter, its a spin off, starring Raiden, sony fans don't care. Hell I most MGS fans don't care. :P

 

I wonder what the sony keynotes gunna be like?

[Dunbar]

And it's multiplatform anyhoo <.<

 

I'm excited for the sony and nintendo keynotes, they'll have to work hard tot op microsoft

[SinisterDeath]

And it's multiplatform anyhoo <.<

 

I'm excited for the sony and nintendo keynotes, they'll have to work hard to top microsoft

 

Not really. I mean, unless nintendo and sony completely don't show its kinda hard to not top MS. As good as natal seems, Hasn't sony already done that with the PS3 Eye Toy? :P

I'm more interested to see what the real PC games are this year, then the Console companies. Course you gotta remember, sony has, PS3, PSP, And there line of TV's, and you just know, they are gunna come out with something on that department. <_<

 

Just skimmed nintendo's keynote.

About all they have is a new vibrator for the wii-mote (wooooo, note hte sarcasm) and a new metroid game, Metroid, Other M. About the only thing going for the wii.

I know Sony is going to officially announce the PSP GO! at E3, even though that got spoiled/leaked on the net abit a week or so ago.

[Silver]

Well does it matter if Eye Toy came out first does it? It obviously failed to do anything with it since nobody talks about it/not well known. If MS can get Natal working well and have a big buzz, it'll be BIG.

 

Nintendo showed at least 3 games I want (the Mario ones) and I'll probably end up getting Sports Resort and Red Steel too.

 

Sony's was interesting, with Drakes 2 and GoW3 looking great. The Mario Kart with modding was pretty cool as well. The Sony's version of the Wii motion controller is very accurate and I want to see how it compares next to Wii Motion Plus. Oh, and it's damned ugly. It's still in early stages though so it will look different but still...

[SinisterDeath]

Watching the sony one now,

PSP GO!

 

they just dropped a ball.

360 got Raiden.

PSP GO got BIG BOSS

Take that! :P

 

Seriously, you can't compare The Big Boss with Raiden, there is no comparison. ;)

The new game is Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, 10 years after MGS3.

Still don't know what format PSP GO! uses, but they made it look like the new gran tourismo works on both PSP, and PSP GO!

 

one good thing about the PSP GO! (aside from lack of l1/r1 buttons) is no more finger slipping on the shiney screen. :P

 

As for the whole Natal thing, unless microsoft uses some kind of technological addon that hasn't been created yet, its going to have to be a camera. If your not wearing anything (the thing made it look like anyone could walk up and do it) Then it has to be a camera, and interactive game with a camera, Sony's done, they advertised it at E3. The difference is, instead of showing someone 'dancing' on screen, they showed people 'picking up 3d objects' on the screen. I believe they actually show one in the psp video to boot. (PsP camera in america.. FINALLY?) Theres a ton of 'eye toy' games for the ps3 out on the PSN already, most of them from my understanding, are focused on your 'hand' playing with the object, not the person jumping around, and kicking things. But that doesn't mean it can't be done. What I'm saying is, MS didn't create anything new, they just stole an old design and 'enchanced' it. (Look back at the Apple vs Microsoft GUI war. ;) )

[SinisterDeath]

Wow...

 

Final Fantasy XIV.

DAMN.

MMORPG though.  (I think?)

[Silver]

Well of course Natal is all in the programming. :P Hell, it's just a camera with a mic in it. Same with with PS3 Eye and all projection multitouch screens. It's just what you do with the programming that counts.

 

For MSG games, I couldn't care less for either. 8) Same for FF13. FF14 looks sorta interesting though I'd rather play KotOR if I want an MMO.

[SinisterDeath]

Well of course Natal is all in the programming. :P Hell, it's just a camera with a mic in it. Same with with PS3 Eye and all projection multitouch screens. It's just what you do with the programming that counts.

 

For MSG games, I couldn't care less for either. 8) Same for FF13. FF14 looks sorta interesting though I'd rather play KotOR if I want an MMO.

 

It was still a shock that FFXIV smae year as FFXIII, and FFvsXIII should be following the same months, then theres Agito...  Its freaking overload! I'm hoping FFXIV is more like monster hunter online, and less FFXI online. Hopefully... Some of the 'stuff' they showed in it, even though its mostly cinematic, seems rather contrary to typical mmos...

 

The main thing I was trying to get across though is, MS can't really say they 'invented' natal, I know they'd love to claim they did. Then theres the PS3 version of a similar concept, but instead of no controls, they have controls. Quite honestly, Its like they learned from the flaw of Ps3eye games, then completely merged the 'invention' someone made awhile ago, completely 3rd party for the fun of it, That one where the guy used 'glasses' and the ps3 eye for a 'perspective demo', which they basically incoroprated in that new motion control they are talking about. Its almost funny how close Natal and the ps3 motion control are! They both ahve a freaking bow/arrow example! Course, MS had a more polished/commercial/obviously not live, demo of it, wehre as sony had a completely live tech demo. (from what I saw, but I only watched the first few natal videos, so if they acutally showed a tech demoa s polished as the 'commercial quality ones')

I'm not saying either have the lead here, both have obvious hurtles. Sony has always been a hardware company, MS has always been a software company. Its no wonder how MS can improve the concept of 'ps3 eye games' from using hands to the full body, with just there programming, but it has limitations, which the ps3 motion controller basically solves. (that being a set 'source' the camera can track, to judge distance/ect.) But also actual controls, like they said, theres only so much you can do in a game with out a controller. Once these console wars calm down, I'm almost expecting sony and MS to merge the two ideas into something with the best of both worlds, MS's programming, and Sony's hardware :P

[Silver]

Really depends on the camera. Imagine a camera that uses an emitter and analyzes a wider range of the light spectrum, could easily tell distances of objects. Then add in excellent programming and the possibilities are drool worthy. I really hope this hits it big so more people start doing stuff with this. Then it's just a few more steps until full blown holodeck. :D

[Emperor]

Natal... I watched the video on my Xbox last night.  I will not be jumping into this.  I learned to wait after the Power Glove :P

[Dunbar]

Mightily pleased with both nintendo and sony

 

nintendo started out lamely (wii vitality sensor. What the f*ck. Really?) but saved themselves nicely with two mario games and metroid.

 

Sony had loads of awesome god of war and uncharted gameplay, and that makes me a happy camper

[SinisterDeath]

You know, I was thinking today, It seems that sony may have put in the six-axis combined with the 'camera trick' to make such good 3d space movements that they showed in the tech demo. I think its the only way they could do it, and not be a giant processor hog. Cause you know, that even if the 360 uses JUST a camera, its going to be a resource hog, having to track an entire human body, verus a single blue ball, and with six-axis motion controls built into the controls, it can extrapilate the movement of the controler, as well as its distance from the camera, which to me, sounds like less resources, that can be used on a game. :P

Course, Imagine combining Natals body recognition, with sony's motion capturing accuracy, and you got yourself the starts of a holodeck. ;)

 

The main problem Natal is going to suffer, is integration with games that actually require movement. Lets say you use it in an FPS, you can't go having people running up to the screen! (unless you have a giant holodeck room. :P) Then of course, not everyone is in perfect shape, or even able to actually 'play' said games. (parapelegics for instance, I have a friend, who has one eye, half blind in the good one, and no sense of balance, Natal = deadly, but the sony motion caputre could allow for playability since you wouldn't actually have to run around to do stuff.)

 

One of the fun parts about this concept is it coudl be worked into first person shooters. What makes 3rd person shooters awesome is the duck/cover system, (like in gears) First person shooters now almost exclusively have it, but it kinda sucks. Now toss in Natal/Sony motion capture, and you got your self a working peek around corners mode, and being able to actually aim and not suck at it. :P

[Dunbar]

Holy crap

 

Hiding behind my couch and then popping out to shoot things?

 

Pure gold!

[Silver]

I don't see too big of a problem with moving with Natal. Could just have the player lean in the direction they want to move though it will have to be able to differentiate moving and ducking.

[Silver]

"has a special sensor, an RGB sensor, a depth sensor, a multiarray microphone and a special processor"

 

 

So it's not just a normal camera like PSEye, it's able to track depth as well, and can process some of the input itself, instead of sending all the data to the console.

[SinisterDeath]

Interesting, I wonder how expensive its gunna be. >_>

[Dunbar]

My guess is $100-$150

which means even more in Norway o_o

[NighteyesDM]

FF14 is supposed to be along the lines of 11 but more solo friendly then then 11 was for those who only have an hour or so to play and can still get something done.

[Krakalakachkn]

I'm picturing a really awesome Time Crisis game

[Mendorah]

As a non-gamer, I'm thinking that Natal's release, whenever that may be, has just obliterated any reason for me to buy a wii.  I was going to, but this Natal is more physical.  And with the XboX 360 being a Netflix hub as well, I'm all in.  I'm imagining the possibilities for a fitness program.  This should blow wii fit out of the water.

[Silver]

It's not coming out any time soon. It might even be for the gen after 360.

[Silver]

Ok, saw this on Jimmy Fallon's show. Apparently the devs say it will be for 360, and the body demo kinda sucked, though for newbies. The dev was able to control it without any glitches. The driving was very decent though.