Microsoft Kinect

[simms]

I'm confused why this is getting released if the software shown is not quite working yet. Are there any games that work well? I have hope that they mention software fixes will get released down the line so hopefully that includes getting it to work better.

[Wickedkitten]

But, but..that.... would mean that..Peter Molyneux.... lied to us.

He would never do that would he?

Imagine if they actually made DLC that contained all of the stuff that he has lied about since Fable 1

[Smitty]

http://www.vg247.com/2010/09/23/thq-kinectmove-development-provides-cheap-alternative-to-core-games/

Jumping up and down and waving your arms about like a lunatic/horrifyingly happy family is hard.Developing a game where you do that, however, is not.

“They are more mass-market type games. The cost of games for Kinect and Move is a fraction of what it is for the stuff we showed for you on the screen [Red Faction: Armageddon and Homefront],” THQ CEO Brain Farrell said during the Goldman Sachs Communacopia Conference in New York.

“They are just simpler forms of game where it’s more based on your movement and the input device; not on fantastic art and very complex animations. That’s the other reason we like those two products – the cost of development is much lower than for the other core products.”For the sake of your brand new Move controller that’s already trying on fashionable winter coats of dust, we sure hope other developers don’t share THQ’s mentality.

[Major Britten]

http://www.vg247.com/2010/09/23/thq-kinectmove-development-provides-cheap-alternative-to-core-games/

If the third party support for Wii is anything to go by then I would say most of them feel the same way as THQ

[Hewson]

Yep - that quote is a perfect summation of why third parties have failed on the Wii. And a rebuttal of the idea that motion control or Nintendo are to blame for it. It's laziness, opportunism and a lack of imagination and a total lack of respect for the casual audience.

[ras el hanout]

Yep - that quote is a perfect summation of why third parties have failed on the Wii. And a rebuttal of the idea that motion control or Nintendo are to blame for it. It's laziness, opportunism and a lack of imagination and a total lack of respect for the casual audience.

What do you expect from them? Don't forget about that onrails shooter that had high production values which bombed. I think that proves spending effort on Wii games is folly for anybody but Nintendo.

[Jackson]

Not gonna be a popular opinion here, but I'm warming up to Kinect. It's nothing to do with the recent announcements, but looking at some old E3 videos. This for example, is a great demonstration:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-iZjILgm8E

Yeah sure, if you were a twat you might think of posting the thing about it getting her height wrong. But the actual gameplay is practically spot on and looks great.

Still plenty of concerns though, has anyone seen any footage of Kinect Adventures that looks fun? That breakout clone and the on rails stuff all look terrible, I can't even begin understand why it's bundled.

[Wickedkitten]

There will be no Kinect stock available to buy in the UK come launch day on November 10 - according to the stores of national retailer GAME.

Numerous GAME outlets are today telling customers that the Xbox peripheral will definitely be sold out by November 10.

According to one GAME store manager contacted by CVG, the retailer delivered the news to staff at its behind-closed-doors national conference last week.

Confusingly, the retailer's head office seems to disagree - informing CVG that it is not aware of any such shortage. However, the HQ has admitted that the peripheral has the "potential to sell out on release day".

CVG spoke to five GAME stores across the UK this afternoon - which all gave us the same, very clear message.

Every one reiterated that the only way we'll be able to pick up Kinect is if we've booked a pre-order - and that they're running out fast.

"Microsoft hasn't sent us enough us Kinect units to fulfil all pre-orders and there still won't be enough for launch day," one sales rep told us. "The message has gone round to all GAME stores."

Another told us it was "guaranteed" that there would be no stock on launch day. One even forecast that we'd have to wait until after Christmas to buy one - something "categorically denied" by GAME HQ.

A GAME spokesperson told CVG: "We are not aware of any potential stock shortages with Kinect and are working with Microsoft to meet expected demand.

"We do anticipate Kinect to be incredibly popular and it absolutely has the potential to sell out on release day. As a result, customers who want to get their hands on Kinect at launch really need to pre-order to guarantee that they get it."

Sales reps at entertainment giant HMV said they had received no such message from their HQ - and that they expected Kinect to be in stock in November.

The news points to heavy demand for Microsoft's new piece of kit - and a possible emulation of the UK Wii launch in 2006.

The Nintendo console was out of stock at retailers throughout the Christmas period - which only served to push demand higher as word-of-mouth spread.

GAME and Microsoft will no doubt be hoping that a similar consumer fear of losing out drives sales of Kinect.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=267040

[Roboplegic Wrongcock]

Already got mine pre ordered. I'm getting a special edition Kinect / Xbox Slim 250GB pack.

But i can see a sales 'shortage' happening spurned on by the tabloids and game shops. Parents start to fret as they need one for little johnny. Then suddenly stock is located two weeks before Christmas.

[Scribblor]

I'm put off Kinect even more by the seemingly constant stream of news stories saying 'this feature we've been shouting about has been cut/won't be available at launch' and 'you need to have so many feet in front of you/behind you/on either side... you need to have a clutter free flat floor.... no halogen lights or it won't work.... don't put it near speakers'

Looking into it, it would be such a hassle setting it up (I'd have to change the layout of my living room completely and buy another media centre thing) that I can't be bothered to go through it all for an overpriced under-spec'ed piece of kit that will only have shovelware on it.

[Broker]

How fucking stupid are C&VG? "The news points to heavy demand for Microsoft's new piece of kit - and a possible emulation of the UK Wii launch in 2006." All it fucking points to is game being lying cunts who are desperately trying to drum up demand for something nobody wants. I laughed out loud in the street when I saw the "last chance to get kinect" signs in gamestation's window, because I can tell you exactly where to get them, any games store which isn't run by cocks on november 10th, or CEX on the 11th.

[Wickedkitten]

The news points to what GAME prays is an emulation of the wii launch more like

[MDY]

My wife actually quite liked the look of Your Shape: Fitness Evolved (not that we'll be dropping £200 so she can play it) - to be honest I think it's the only area where kinect can shine over the 'wand' solutions - games that do track your body shape and compare it with an 'ideal' - e.g. it will work great (if and when it does work) for fitness/martial arts and dancing games as it can tell if you're doing the actions properly.

[ras el hanout]

My wife actually quite liked the look of Your Shape: Fitness Evolved (not that we'll be dropping £200 so she can play it) - to be honest I think it's the only area where kinect can shine over the 'wand' solutions - games that do track your body shape and compare it with an 'ideal' - e.g. it will work great (if and when it does work) for fitness/martial arts and dancing games as it can tell if you're doing the actions properly.

Can't weigh you or check your balance. Apart from that you're right.

[MDY]

Eh? I didn't say it could do things the Wii Fit board could - as that requires another peripheral entirely anyway..

[peeveen]

I think it's the only area where kinect can shine over the 'wand' solutions - games that do track your body shape and compare it with an 'ideal'

[ras el hanout]

Eh? I didn't say it could do things the Wii Fit board could - as that requires another peripheral entirely anyway..

You said Kinect could shine at fitness shit whereas it can't really as all it can do is see if your body is in the right sort of position so back off. Many of the WiiFit exercises involve lying down, something again Kinect can't do. I can't think of an area where Kinect shines.

[Mr. Gerbik]

I agree with ramone for once - Kinect is just as shit as the wii balance board, just in a different way.

[Beertiger]

You said Kinect could shine at fitness shit whereas it can't really as all it can do is see if your body is in the right sort of position so back off. Many of the WiiFit exercises involve lying down, something again Kinect can't do. I can't think of an area where Kinect shines.

http://kotaku.com/5587823/kinect-kind-of-compatible-with-push+ups

I did a push-up, still craning my neck. The Kinect continued to capture most of the top half of my body — now the front half — with no trouble. I realized that this was why EA Sports Active 2 can count a Kinect user's push-ups. All it needs to know is that the head has been lowered, the elbows bent, the shoulders dropped to the hands.... that's the ready position... then up!... that's the up position. One push-up done. EA Sports Active 2 wouldn't need to care about your legs while you are doing a push-up. So, no problem, right? Not for this fitness program's push-ups, it seems.

You can do some horizontal exercises just fine.

[MDY]

You said Kinect could shine at fitness shit whereas it can't really as all it can do is see if your body is in the right sort of position so back off. Many of the WiiFit exercises involve lying down, something again Kinect can't do. I can't think of an area where Kinect shines.

See I would argue that it's more important for it to track your position to check if you're doing the excercises properly or not - and as pointed out it can be programmed to track you when laid down..

[ras el hanout]

http://kotaku.com/5587823/kinect-kind-of-compatible-with-push+ups

You can do some horizontal exercises just fine.

can it do situps when it can just see your knees? Now get

outta my face because I'm getting angry now.

[Beertiger]

See I would argue that it's more important for it to track your position to check if you're doing the excercises properly or not - and as pointed out it can be programmed to track you when laid down..

This is why I'm also interested in it. Having played EA Sports Active on Wii, I'm looking forward to something that works properly. The roller blading game was a nightmare for the remote picking up your movements. Constantly being told that I wasn't jumping angered me to the point where all I could see was Reggie with a remote buried into his skull.

It definitely looks to be better for this fitness type of game. Not necessarily much else though, apart from dancing. Every time they announce a cut feature it gets closer and closer to simply being an eyetoy clone.

can it do situps when it can just see your knees? Now get

outta my face because I'm getting angry now.

My sincerest apologies for letting facts temporarily derail your trolling train.

[memories]

Make sure you tidy up before playing now.

http://www.metro.co.uk/tech/842500-kinect-demands-a-tidy-room

I thought the video was a piss take at first, its not though.

[Fusty Gusset]

^it's deffo going in my Son's room.

I'm looking forward to it. Sue me.

[Harsin]

Can Kinect track individual fingers, if it can then someone needs to get working on a 3,2,1 game with digital Ted Rogers now.

[Broker]

Make sure you tidy up before playing now.

http://www.metro.co.uk/tech/842500-kinect-demands-a-tidy-room

I thought the video was a piss take at first, its not though.

Nice to see the mainstream press being so scathing about it.

[Beertiger]

Can Kinect track individual fingers, if it can then someone needs to get working on a 3,2,1 game with digital Ted Rogers now.

No, that's another one of the more interesting features cut.

[Massive Invisible Dog]

I'm sure it's good enough to detect the middle finger of everyone who buys one and realises what a piece of shit it is.

[ras el hanout]

See I would argue that it's more important for it to track your position to check if you're doing the excercises properly or not - and as pointed out it can be programmed to track you when laid down..

No, I'd say the balance aspect is far more important. Otherwise it's DO THIS POSE. Why would you need a videogame machine for that? You could use a book.

[Mars]

You said Kinect could shine at fitness shit whereas it can't really as all it can do is see if your body is in the right sort of position so back off. Many of the WiiFit exercises involve lying down, something again Kinect can't do. I can't think of an area where Kinect shines.

You've not read about Ubisoft's proprietary system for recognising 1:1 movement then? Kinect may not be able to do it as standard, but it can be done.