Project Natal [Archive]

#BROKEN Hasney

06-02-2009, 04:23 AM

For those that missed it, here is the ever-creepy Milo and the Natal demo:

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GreySunshine

06-02-2009, 04:29 AM

Milo still creeps me the fuck out.

#BROKEN Hasney

06-02-2009, 11:53 AM

Report on time.com from someone wo's played Ricochet, and a modified version of Burnout with an imginary steering wheel :D

http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1902208,00.html

Let the games begin. I had a chance to play a simple dodgeball-type game called Ricochet, in which you just punch and kick and head balls at a three-dimensional wall. It's weird to be playing a game with nothing in your hands — if you've ever played a theremin, the sensation of playing with Project Natal is not dissimilar. It's spooky. But it's also very immersive. When a ball comes bounding at your head and you butt it back with your forehead, you can almost feel the smack of it against your skin. "It was the most tactile experience I've had so far in a gaming space," Spielberg says. "I got a sense that I was inside the space more than I have on any other platform."
Kipman also showed me a version of Burnout that had been set up to work with Project Natal. Burnout is a serious game, not just a tech demo — it's a polished, fast-paced racing game with high-end graphics, and I happen to have played a lot of it. With Project Natal, instead of using a joystick, you steer by holding your hands up in the air like you're gripping a steering wheel. To hit the gas, you move your foot forward along the floor. To brake, you move it back. To trigger the turbo boost, you do a gear-shifting, fist-pumping movement with your right arm. Awesome.
It takes a few minutes to get the hang of it. You tend to oversteer, since you can't quite believe this thing is going to pick up your movements, so you exaggerate them. But soon you start to trust it, because it does actually work. I couldn't detect any significant latency. And there's definitely an extra edge to playing a game with nothing between you and the screen but your clenched, white-knuckled fists. I'm a hard-core gamer, so I'm not the person Project Natal is targeting. I love my controller as it is. But the appeal of Project Natal is real. You could compare it to the difference between regular movies and 3-D movies: it puts you in the action in a way that nothing else could.

Kane Knight

06-02-2009, 12:25 PM

Except pump the breaks of a car.

I already said it would be interesting but that's it. I don't see this as a new way of playing Devil May Cry or even Guitar Hero. It can't revolutionaize games unless it's application is that far reaching. This isn't the analog stick, it's the pretty child of EyeToy and Wii.

Not every game mandates analogue sticks, either.

A lot of stuff will be gimmicky, but the same's true of almost all new developments, good AND bad.

On that note, though, I'd like to see it integrated into Rhythm games. Map your movements onto your character. Then again, picture how retarded 80% of us would look.

Especially D-Mac.

:kiss:

I know it's not a major integration, and I'm not saying it would revolutionise the games, but it'd still be cool.

Mr. Monday Morning

06-02-2009, 12:50 PM

Or it could give you a first person view so you could look out over the crowd. And turn around and berate the bassist when they screw up a solo. And let YOU control how you destroy your instruments at the end of the set :y:

GreySunshine

06-02-2009, 01:21 PM

I now expect them to do great things with Smackdown VS Raw once this hits. I am going to be very displeased if I don't have a trashed living room and bruises after the first time I do 2 player with it.

Kalyx triaD

06-02-2009, 01:27 PM

Natal's gonna need a killer app.

Kalyx triaD

06-02-2009, 01:27 PM

I nominate Resident Evil.

Drakul

06-05-2009, 02:49 AM

What is everyone thoughts on Project Natal and Milo?

For anyone that missed it, here are some videos of Natal and Milo.

Project Natal:
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Milo
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Firstly, I've been reading alot of negative comments about both Natal and Milo. It's amazing how negative so many gamers get when something impressive appears. Natal is being called a "gimmick" and Milo is being called a game for peadophiles when people aren't making the same Skynet joke every 30 seconds. If anyone is genuinely worried about someone abusing the game for sexual purposes or if anyone intends to try and see how Milo reacts to doodles of certain body parts, here is your answer.

Eurogamer: Can you draw a nob? Because most people, given the opportunity to draw something, will draw a nob.

Peter Molyneux: That's the interesting thing, you see. We've been very, very clever about this. Although you can put stuff in his world, you'll notice he never shows you the stuff. So although you could do obscene stuff, he'll just look at it and he won't understand it. He won't pin that picture up on the wall, because I'm fully aware people will do things like that.

Anyway, Milo is actually called "Milo & Kate" with Kate being Milos dog. There is also an option to have a female character instead of Milo. The girl option is called Millie.

The game isn't as good as we saw in the video or at least, not yet, and Peter Molyneux warned everyone during the hands on that the demo would be using a few tricks to make it seem better than it was for now.

Interviews/ Previews of Milo with some new info about things we will do in the game:
http://kotaku.com/5275204/testing-molyneuxs-milo-a-virtual-boy-with-yes-a-dog

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/e3-project-natals-molyneux-and-milo-interview

Drakul

06-05-2009, 02:49 AM

I feel Natal and Milo both look very impressive. I can imagin, if Milo is a success, we'll eventually get rip offs aimed at younger children. Chatting to Spongebob or something.
Another common thought seems to be that Natal wont replace the controller. I don't think it's supposed to replace the controller completely. I think it'll be used togethor with the controller. I remember some of you guys saying the same thing in the E3 thread, I'm sure. Saying "Reload" or "cover me" in a FPS to get AI partners to do so while you still play with the controller. If it's really advanced, I wonder if we could say, for example "Take out the grunt on the bridge." and an AI partner will take out the grunt on the bridge.

A god game or RTS would be great with Natal and is one genre that could be done entirely with Natal and not be a mini-game filled jumping around session. You could look down on your followers, zoom in to one follower and have him look up at you. The game could recognize the look on your face. A peaceful look and he continues to look at you or wave. If you look angry, he can start to cower. The same could be applied to your voice. You could use hand gestures or certain words to cast spells or give orders to your followers. Basic stuff like saying "Pray" and they all head to your temple to pray and you can add to that the tone of voice effecting if people pray or not and if they pray through fear or love. Magic could be as simple as moving your arms in a circle motion to summon a fire ball and pushing forward to launch it.

I don't want to go OTT and talking about doing something that Natal just couldn't do but it's hard to put togethor expectations when the technology and games aren't even 100% finished.

#BROKEN Hasney

06-05-2009, 03:00 AM

http://tpww.net/forums/showthread.php?t=90766 My thoughts are in there

Drakul

06-05-2009, 03:11 AM

Why didn't I see that thread?

Drakul

06-05-2009, 07:42 AM

My thread has been merged with this one and what I said here is already above.

Kalyx triaD

06-05-2009, 04:09 PM

Virtua Cop 4.

#BROKEN Hasney

06-05-2009, 04:10 PM

Virtua Cop 4.

lol, I'm not pointing my fingers at the screen and doing a "pewpew" movement at it!

#BROKEN Hasney

06-05-2009, 04:11 PM

You just made me sad Kalyx, I was going to go play Virtua Cop 2 but I remember my DC lightguns don't work with my HDTV...

*emotear*

Kalyx triaD

06-05-2009, 04:16 PM

I'm still bitter VC3 never made it to console.

#BROKEN Hasney

06-05-2009, 04:20 PM

I know, especially when it was being previewed all over the place for XBox. It sounded pretty complete, which makes it all the more annoying.

Kalyx triaD

06-05-2009, 04:22 PM

I respect the Resident Evil Chronicles series carrying the light gun torch, but Virtua Cop is king. A new game needs to come around.

Funky Fly

06-05-2009, 11:43 PM

Not every game mandates analogue sticks, either.

A lot of stuff will be gimmicky, but the same's true of almost all new developments, good AND bad.

On that note, though, I'd like to see it integrated into Rhythm games. Map your movements onto your character. Then again, picture how retarded 80% of us would look.

Especially D-Mac.

:kiss:

I know it's not a major integration, and I'm not saying it would revolutionise the games, but it'd still be cool.

Create your own animations for games like Smackdown, FIFA and other sports games. Create-A-Taunt...

Kane Knight

06-06-2009, 09:12 AM

Create your own animations for games like Smackdown, FIFA and other sports games. Create-A-Taunt...

I can't wait to add my "pole dance" taunts to SVR.

Kalyx triaD

06-06-2009, 05:24 PM

Something tells me Will Wright will use this better than most.

Drakul

06-07-2009, 11:57 AM

Lionhead's Project Natal demo Milo may look to be eight, but he's never lived longer than 12 days.

Speaking with Peter Molyneux this week, the developer said that the child artificial intelligence for Xbox 360 tech demo Milo and Kate is usually "scrubbed" after about 200 hours. The longest Milo has "lived" is 300 hours, he said. Something done to help test the development of their virtual child and his ability to track experiences.

Molyneux repeated that Milo isn't meant to be a living AI, but rather a cleverly-crafted combination of nuanced facial animation and artificial emotion that creates the illusion of life.

In my second demo of Milo and Kate, I was able to watch the computer that drove the software, just to make sure that the digital child didn't have a puppeteer. The computer running the software took the video signal of the person interacting with Milo and then tracked the movements of the body by placing digital boxes on the joints. It also tracked the facial movements of the person speaking and other key motions, like shoulders.

Molyneux said that other software listens to the voice and analyzes it for emotional responses to cue up reactions from Milo.

The software that analyzes all of this, compares it to the history of interactions it has had with you and uses it to determine things like your mood.

Looking closer at the icons which are pegged to each corner of the screen, including one for work and one for play, it appears that Milo and Kate may one day be a more personal, more interactive version of something like The Sims.

Molyneux also talked about how the software could in theory track your daily Xbox 360 usage to help build out a conversation with you about your gaming habits. He also plans to have Milo track bigger cultural events, like American Idol, and get regular voice updates so the child can talk to you about things currently going on in the world.

The interactions will take place not only in the garden of Milo's virtual world, but also in places like the home's kitchen, in the woods, and other virtual settings.

More interesting to me is that the child will be able to interact with an entire family or collection of people, forming varying degrees of faux emotional connection to them depending on the interactions.

You won't, however, be able to verbally abuse or emotionally attack Milo, Molyneux said.

Milo just won't register anything like that. It's meant to be a positive experience, he said, something that gives people a chance to feel what it's like to have a positive impact on someone, to be a role model.

http://kotaku.com/5279735/milo-has-the-lifespan-of-a-fruit-fly

So, he only lives for about 300 hours? How will the game end? Will it just reset? will Milo die or leave us?

Kalyx triaD

06-07-2009, 12:21 PM

This is a scary subject.

Drakul

11-11-2009, 12:23 PM

According to sources speaking with British trade site MCV, Microsoft's Project Natal will be released worldwide in November 2010, and may retail for under $80.

The details apparently leaked during a round of developer visits in the UK, in which Microsoft toured studios showing off the technology.

The same sources reckon 14 games will be available at launch, with 5 million cameras ready for sale on day 1, spread between standalone cameras and 360/Natal bundles.

Most interesting of all, however, is word on the price Microsoft are hoping to charge, with an expected price of £50 in the UK, which is USD$80. One source, however, indicated Microsoft may go even cheaper in an effort to make Natal an "impulse buy", and price it as low as £30 (USD$50).

Source: http://kotaku.com/5402009/rumor-project-natal-launches-november-2010-14-games-might-be-cheap

Cool. Glad it's going to be cheap. Hopefully, we'll get a lot of media up until release. Preferrably of it being used in actual games and not tech demos.

Kalyx triaD

11-11-2009, 12:47 PM

Oh you just know we're getting shovelware. That only effects idiots who buy any game anyway. I'll look for the inspired gems.

Kane Knight

11-11-2009, 12:56 PM

Oh you just know we're getting shovelware. That only effects idiots who buy any game anyway. I'll look for the inspired gems.

I'ma dodge this at launch. I'm hoping they do some good stuff, though.
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Drakul

11-11-2009, 01:00 PM

It's inevitable we'll get shovelware at first. No one will put time and money into something unless they know it sells. Once Natal has been out a while, we should get the gems you are going to look for.

With 14 games in development, at least a few will be decent or better. Fable III will likely incorporate it in some way and I'm sure they'll have a Natal-Halo planned. I'm not interested in Halo but others are. I'm thinking we'll get at least one racing game, a Wii Sports-esque game and something to demo the voice recognition (wait, that's Milo).

As long as it doesn't get over crowded with Yoga games and stuff, Natal could be a worth while upgrade.

Kalyx triaD

11-11-2009, 01:03 PM

I wouldn't call it an upgrade, more like a add-on. This will not evolve gaming.

Drakul

11-11-2009, 01:15 PM

Kalyx triaD

11-11-2009, 01:20 PM

It's good as an option. I still see 'pad and stick' controllers as the primary way to play games.

Drakul

11-11-2009, 01:23 PM

Yeah, we'll still use pads but I can see head tracking, voice and face recognition being used a lot.

Edit: This guy did head tracking using just the Wii remote. He did this as a project last year. Now he works for MS and works on Natal. Gives a rough idea how it might look.

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Kalyx triaD

11-11-2009, 01:29 PM

I'm more interested in the applications to the XB dashboard interface, to be honest. Signing in by face/voice recognition is cool.

Kane Knight

11-11-2009, 01:33 PM

Maybe it wont but with the success of the Wii and if Natal and/or Sonys wands are a success, it could be the next "thing" for consoles. I can see the next generation of consoles relying heavily on this "active" control style if Natal goes well.

If that's a good thing or not is debatable.

It could be, but it's unlikely to.
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Drakul

11-11-2009, 01:34 PM

Random little thought: What happens if you are one of a set of twins? How would it know who to log in if it only used our faces?

Kalyx triaD

11-11-2009, 01:36 PM

Voice, I guess.

Requiem

11-11-2009, 03:09 PM

Honestly liked Sony's thing better. I see it being more functional.

Kane Knight

11-11-2009, 03:30 PM

Random little thought: What happens if you are one of a set of twins? How would it know who to log in if it only used our faces?

Most identical twins are not truly identical. I guess it depends on how effectively it scans.
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Drakul

11-11-2009, 11:39 PM

I guess. I've heard it's sensitive enough to pick up individual fingers and eye movements so if that's true, it should be able to tell between twins. Even if it's not, it can use voice like Kalyx said.

I'm betting a future band game uses Natal for some kind of head banging minigame.

Activition, Bethesda, Capcom, Disney, EA, Konami, Square Enix are seven of the developers making games for Natal.

Drakul

11-12-2009, 01:42 AM

Came across this video from some conference in October.

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Milo looks to be coming along nicely. Lol at the gasps 25 seconds in.

Drakul

01-07-2010, 02:26 AM

Coming Holiday 2010. It was obviously going to be towards Christmas.

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I wish they show a game using it and not just tell us the same thing every 3 months.

Drakul

02-23-2010, 01:01 AM

Natals could go pretty cheap and it's going to extend the 360's life by 5 years. I think I guessed the extended lifespan in another thread.

Microsoft will charge consumers $50 (£32) for the Project Natal hardware upon its launch in the coming months - at least, that's what a leading market analyst believes.

Michael Pachter, a man associated with Wedbush Morgan Securities, said that the company plans to charge the lower price as a result of the target client it aims to satisfy, even if it undermines the organisation's direct profits.

Speaking on his internet TV spot, Pachter continued: "My guess is on Natal, which is really important to them, is they're going to price it at or below their cost. So I think it's hard for us to envision that it's going to cost them $150 to make Natal.

"You're really talking about software, which is an easy thing for them to distribute and a camera."

He said that if everyone owns one, then the money can start rolling in from the things Microsoft produces to work on it.

Project Natal is expected by Microsoft leading light Shane Kim to extend the Xbox's lifespan by five years, taking it to 2015.

Source (http://www.gamezine.co.uk/news/natal-could-enter-market-at-50-$1361849.htm).

I'm hoping it does turn out to be as cheap as predicted. I'm going to be picking one up if the price is right and there are at least a few games worth playing at time of launch. We'll see at E3, I guess. That's when we'll see some Natal games.

Fignuts

02-23-2010, 01:54 AM

Good news.

Emperor Smeat

02-23-2010, 02:28 AM

Rumor is Rare might unveil Killer Instinct 3 for Natal but not at launch since the project manager only said it was something they were considering.

http://videogamesdaily.com/news/200911/killer-instinct-3-fights-for-natal-outing/

Kalyx triaD

02-23-2010, 10:58 AM

KI3 + Natal = Fail

OssMan

02-23-2010, 12:31 PM

I have a feeling this is going to fail massively.

Kalyx triaD

02-23-2010, 12:34 PM

I think using Natal for menus and shit will be cool, but as far gaming potential goes I don't see it doing much more than gimmicky applications. At best Microsoft will make sure not to repeat shovelware by encouraging developers against it.

Drakul

02-27-2010, 12:40 AM

Milo may not be a "virtual pet" type game, like we thought. He is just a character in bigger and more dramatic story.

Lionhead’s Peter Molyneux has revealed that Milo will play a part in a larger story.

In an interview with IncGamers at Microsoft’s X10 event in San Francisco, Molyneux hinted that we haven’t seen the last of the star of his E3 Natal demonstration.

“I was very, very tight about what was actually being said about Milo and not being said about Milo. I think it did its job,” said Molyneux when asked about the E3 demo.

“It made people look around and say ‘How could you make a game out of a character like Milo?’ And I think that question is still out there; I'm just not allowed to answer it.”

However, as always, the Lionhead man could not leave without giving us a snippet of info.

“I might hint... Milo is a character in a bigger and more dramatic story that we're telling,” he said.

At E3 2009 Molyneux showed a video featuring a Lionhead employee interacting with a young boy named Milo via Microsoft's Project Natal motion sensing and voice recognition hardware.

Stay tuned for the full interview with Molyneux later today.

Source (http://www.incgamers.com/News/21143/milo-is-a-character-in-a-bigger-and-more-dramatic-story).

Someone on the Lionhead forums posted some evidence someone from Neogaf compiled about Milo. The guys theory is that Milo is going to play like an interactive Enid Blyton novel and that we'll be an imaginery friend helping Milo out.

I spied this discussion on another forum and it seems like a pretty theory about what Milo actually is. What the game actually is. It's from a poster called gofreak on NeoGaf.

He suggests that Milo might be a sorta interactive Enid Blyton novel. Like Famous Five or Secret Seven - kids getting into adventures in the English countryside. He thinks you'll be like an imaginary friend tagging along on these adventures, helping Milo out, being able to talk to him like you were another character in the story. He thinks you won't actually control a character in the game or anything, or even really directly have control over the events happening, but will be with Milo as he goes about these adventures, and have sort of a supporting role.

A couple of things in that discussion are pointed out that have been leaked or said about Milo, that support this theory:

- You're going to play the part of Milo's imaginary friend
- Milo has just moved from the city to the country. Things like Enid Blyton novels usually have kids taken from school or the city and put in the countryside where they have the freedom to have adventures.
- Milo has a dog, Kate. In things like Famous Five and Secret Seven the kids have a dog that is in its own right a big character in the story.
- A job ad currently on the Lionhead site is looking for a scripter for Milo, that talks about scripting 'in-game quests'
- Another poster at NeoGaf chimed in to say that on a visit to Lionhead in a press capacity priot to E3, he saw concept art of Milo appearing "to being sucked into something that looked like a portal or swimming in what looked like the classical "time travel swirly things"". That fits with the prototype that Blyton and C.S Lewis novels follow. There's usually some kind of portal or wardrobe or ladder or something that the kids go through to get to a magical land.
- And finally, maybe coincidentally, in a Wired interview just before E3 2008, Peter Molyneux was asked what his favourite book was. His answer:

"The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton. Why I liked it is every time you climbed the tree, there was a different land for you to explore. There’s a land where you can eat everything, a land filled with nursery rhyme characters. I must’ve been about six or seven at the time, but I can still remember the first time I read about Topsy-Turvy Land. "

Starting to add up? Just lately Molyneux confirmed Milo was part of a bigger story. It makes more sense and isn't nearly as creepy as the idea of keeping a boy as a kind of simulation pet. There's more talk about it at neogaf about how it might work and it makes pretty good sense, cause it seems to fit quite well with what Natal is good at, and what it might not be so at.

Source (http://community.lionhead.com/forums/thread/3437786.aspx).

Edit: Digging around right now, Lionhead has a job opening for someone to script interactive cut-scenes, likely for Milo:
Overview :
Successful applicant will be part of the scripting team working on a brand new IP. They will be responsible for the scripting of in-game quests and interactive cutscenes.

Source (http://www.lionhead.com/Jobs.aspx).

Also, Lionhead is rumoured to be making another Natal game:
When Lionhead Studios and Microsoft Game Studios unveiled Milo & Kate at E3 2009 in collaboration with their reveal of their hands-free motion controller Project Natal, it simultaneously caused a furore and belittled the idea of celebrities ever looking normally playing games. Shortly before the smoke-and-mirrors stories of Milo being a fraud AI, Creative Director of MGS Europe Peter Molyneux announced Fable III at Gamescom 2009 and is currently gathering feedback on the same. Rumours are also running rampant of a third Lionhead Studios game, where the company is looking for some one to “develop and maintain network code”.

We’re not sure if this is the above mentioned third secret title, but one thing’s for sure: Lionhead Studios has plans for Natal that go beyond a little boy and his dog.

http://www.split-screen.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/danielgray.jpg

Daniel Gray is a production assistant at Lionhead Studios, who used to work as a QA tester for Fable II. He’s since been “working on an as of yet unannounced title utilizing Project Natal” for the past 8 months.

Interestingly, he began work in July 2009 – a good one month after Milo & Kate was announced at E3. So it most definitely can’t be that. Is this a fourth title, or is Lionhead looking to incorporate network code and Natal play into one experience? Maybe something in the Black & White franchise? Hopefully we’ll hear more at GDC or E3 2010.

Source (http://www.split-screen.com/2010/02/27/milo-and-kate-is-not-lionheads-only-project-natal-game/).

I'd love a Natal controlled B&W game.

Buzzkill

02-27-2010, 11:41 AM

I nominate Drakul as Mod of the VG forum

Drakul

02-28-2010, 12:40 AM

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i240/Drakul_bites/vote.jpg

Drakul

03-01-2010, 12:04 AM

Jonathan Ross (UK TV/Radio presenter) got invited to try out Natal a few weeks ago. Two things have come from that, firstly, his son posted a video of him trying it out:

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/QGvYFAYqRRw&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/QGvYFAYqRRw&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

And, secondly, on his Twitter, he seems to say that Natal will be out in October:
OK. Before bed. Natal on X Box impressive. Not quite there yet i think but tye have til october and if they get it right...skys the limit.

Source (http://twitter.com/Wossy/statuses/9500132320). As far as I'm aware, we just got a release date of "Holiday 2010" officially, right?
Jonathan Ross has let slip before. He announced Fable III was in the works long before LH announced it and that he had a role in the game.

Funky Fly

03-01-2010, 04:39 AM

Yeah, probably a good idea to keep it cheap and then get everyone buying the titles as opposed to going nuts with the hardware and limiting it to "racing wheel peripheral" status, if you catch my drift.

Kane Knight

03-01-2010, 06:36 PM

Natals could go pretty cheap and it's going to extend the 360's life by 5 years. I think I guessed the extended lifespan in another thread.

Source (http://www.gamezine.co.uk/news/natal-could-enter-market-at-50-$1361849.htm).

I'm hoping it does turn out to be as cheap as predicted. I'm going to be picking one up if the price is right and there are at least a few games worth playing at time of launch. We'll see at E3, I guess. That's when we'll see some Natal games.

Patcher's fairly consistently wrong, isn't he? He's predicted a lot wrong, like increases in gold prices for live for the past 3-4 years.

As such, while I hope it's that cheap, it probably won't be. And I seriously doubt we see an extension of 5 years.

I think using Natal for menus and shit will be cool, but as far gaming potential goes I don't see it doing much more than gimmicky applications. At best Microsoft will make sure not to repeat shovelware by encouraging developers against it.

There could be some pretty awesome applications of the hardware. Unfortunately, I don't see them being done.

Mostly, I'm concerned about it using the 360's processing power, adding latency to the experience, and being poorly supported, but it has potential.

Sadly, the same is true of the DS, and that didn't exactly turn out to have a lot of killer applications of the touch screen. Not that it's a bad system, before anyone bitches at me, but there aren't many games that really use it to a great extent.

I think the best applications would shy far away from fake sword swinging and shit, though. Strategy, puzzle, and non-action RPGs could benefit greatly.

Drakul

04-16-2010, 12:41 AM

For anyone interested in how Natal actually sees us:

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/oBZDkWANOaY&hl=en_GB&fs=1&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/oBZDkWANOaY&hl=en_GB&fs=1&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

E3 is just 2 months away. We'll see a lot more about it then.

Drakul

04-19-2010, 01:24 AM

So someone else got to try out Natal and they revealed another game for it:

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/04/340x_custom_1271619355069_img_1792.jpg

Remember James Gunn? The filmmaker who called Microsoft "the most dreadful, non-talent friendly company I've ever worked for"? Apparently they patched up. Microsoft invited him to try Natal, and Gunn's spilled the beans on a game called "River Rush."

On his personal blog, Gunn describes River Rush as two player kayaking type game where both participants steer the boat by stepping right or left. (that's him pictured playing it with a friend)

"As you rush down right rapids, you have to jump up and slap floating stars in the air – the whole raft jumps up every time you do," he says. Sounds like high potential for midair collisions.

Gunn wants it known that he's the first one to teabag a fellow player's avatar in Natal. Well, sort of. His friend's avatar "was a girl during River Rush, probably because Dave feels like a little princess inside, and I suddenly realized how awesome it would be for my avatar to molest Dave's.

As my avatar rubbed its crotch against Dave's avatar's ass the Microsoft folks started laughing and said that was the first time they had seen anyone do that. I was extremely proud of myself. I'm sure millions of little assholes will follow in the wake of my avatar-raping, but I want it to be noted in my Wikipedia page that I was the very first.

Gunn says he was told "there were boxing and football and other Natal games coming out, but I really, really can't wait to shoot someone on that fucking thing."

Source (http://kotaku.com/5519934/filmmakers-blog-outs-canoeing+style-project-natal-game).

So, so far we know Natal has a Breakout game, A kayaking game and we're getting boxing and football (I'm guessing American football). I'm hoping it's the Natal equivalent of Wii Sports, a compilation disc to get us used to Natal and not a bunch of seperate games.
Milo/Fable III should be what most games use Natal for. Talking, scanning and interaction that isn't basically one big arm flailing marathon.

I'm wondering what Capcom, Square Enix and everyone else will come up with.

Kalyx triaD

04-19-2010, 01:28 AM

Here come the premium tech demos.

Drakul

04-19-2010, 02:22 AM

I'm sure someone must have suggested it by now but why don't they use Natal in SvR?

Act out and record your own taunts, stances etc for your CAW. When you actually do them in a match, it's assigned to the taunt button, of course. Scan yourself into the game if you want to save yourself the hassle of making yourself in Create mode. Scan in items of clothing for your CAW, draw your own signs and scan them in for the audience to hold up.

They could add a whole new section of Career Mode based around merchandising. We could create our own t-shirts, hats etc using Natal and sell them ingame to boost stats like Charisma and to gain money to buy new items, No Mercy style. If we have bad matches and lose a lot, sales of merchandise goes down and so does our income.

Actually Natal could be used to boost a lot of other stats in Career Mode but I can't imagine many people actually using some of them if they require actual physical movements. Obviously it would be optional.
- Boost mike skills by reading out the text that comes up for your CAW. You're playing the part of your CAW more too. Doing well boosts Charisma too and the effect is multiplied if you're selling merch well.

- Boost strength by hitting the gym and spending some time with the punching bag.

- Boost speed by sparring and avoid the trainers punches, kicks and attempts to grapple you. Weave to dodge the punches, side step to avoid the kicks (sidestep right to avoid a left kick and viceversa), jump back to avoid the grapple. Dodge at the last second for success but dodge too soon and he still gets you.

Stuff like that. Obviously, if you'd prefer you could choose to gain stats through matches rather than using the gym.

I'm being too optimistic about how companies like THQ and games like SvR will use Natal.

Natal can be a decent part of a 360 game without seeming out of place and gimmicky. Voice commands in squad based shooters and RTS games without the need for a dodgy headset. It'll be helpful because, if commands are voice activated, it frees up more buttons for other things and takes away the need for flow breaking command menus.

Customisation in a lot of games if they let us scan in items.

They could bring back light gun games and have us use our furniture as cover.

Not all Natal games have to involve us having seizures infront of the tv like the Breakout demo. I hope game developers realise that.

Emperor Smeat

04-19-2010, 02:27 AM

Motion control has been used in the SvR series before but mainly on the Wii doing taunts or certain moves where you mimicked the motion. Nothing on the level of what your suggestion with Natal though but more of the simpler stuff during a match.

Kalyx triaD

04-19-2010, 02:27 AM

I though about that when they explained how Natal can essentially motion capture to a degree. But yeah, like Hell the SvR team's hopping on that.

Drakul

04-19-2010, 02:33 AM

So I shouldn't build my hope up for the return of Guest Referee where I have to actually count to 3 and clap my hands (simulating hitting the mat) for the pinfall or count to 10 while point at the screen to call the count out?

Actually, that sounds like it could have been fun if you refereed another players match. Count as fast or as slow as you like. A hand gesture assigned to each call (pinfall, count out, rope break, DQ, ring the bell) and a voice command to go with each gesture.
It would be pretty dull if it was an AI match, though.
Online would be screwjobs a-plenty.

OssMan

04-19-2010, 02:34 AM

I really hope this fails

Kalyx triaD

04-19-2010, 02:49 AM

I really hope this fails

That's fucked up.

Kane Knight

04-19-2010, 08:36 AM

That's fucked up.

He's a Wii fan. Probably just "wit."

Drakul

04-22-2010, 12:32 AM

Why have been people yelling at professional athletes who fumble and fall and anger them when those athletes are on their TVs and can't hear them? Because these people have been getting ready for the Xbox 360's Project Natal.

From an interview with Xbox 360 project manager Marc Whitten, who discusses some non-gaming applications of the sensors in Project Natal, the seeing, hearing, heckling-checking hands-free control device that will be released for Microsoft's game console later this year:

"But Natal isn't just about gaming — it's about all living-room experiences. Imagine a sporting event — Natal could know which team you're for because it sees your jersey, or knows you thought a bad call was made when you yell 'boo.' It learns about you and gets smarter to create a more tailored entertainment experience."

What sort of experience do you think it will tailor if, while watching a WWE match, a let out a Ric Flair "whooooo!" every time a guy does a chop? Not that I ever do that.

Source (http://kotaku.com/5521051/in-the-xbox-future-your-tv-will-know-if-you-are-yelling-booing).

I'm not sure what the point of this is. How will Natal hearing you yell or boo tailor your entertainment? It's not going to make your team play any better or more often.
All I can think of is if you cheer for a specific team, it'll notify you when they are playing again but we already have tv/cable boxes that do notify/remind us of that stuff anyway.

Kalyx triaD

04-22-2010, 12:35 AM

Not comfortable with something that interested in me, but most of this is 'Beyond 2000' talk anyway.

Fignuts

04-22-2010, 12:52 AM

This is how the matrix started i bet

Kalyx triaD

04-22-2010, 12:54 AM

More likely Skynet.

Drakul

06-04-2010, 05:32 AM

CVG reported earlier that Microsoft will ditched the name 'Project Natal' when it announces to final retail name for its motion-sensing peripheral at E3 next month. That name, according to new rumours, will be 'Wave'.

So says a "source close to Microsoft", following yesterday's report and a slew of rumours surrounding the device over the past few days.

CVG was told that MS finally settled on a brand name in April, following a six-month consultation period.

Edge has reported that the peripheral is set to cost $149 in the US at launch - and that Microsoft has pencilled in a launch date of October 26.

Microsoft has a special presentation dedicated entirely to Natal kicking off at 7pm pacific time (3am GMT) on Sunday June 13. That's when it's all going down.

Source (http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=248694).

Edit: "Boxart" being used by GAME to take preorders.

http://img.game.co.uk/ml/3/4/6/9/346909ps_500h.jpg

#BROKEN Hasney

06-04-2010, 05:39 AM

Can't wait to use my penis as a racket.

D Mac

06-04-2010, 07:23 AM

Heh. Figured that less then 100 bucks was too good to be true.

PASS

Funky Fly

06-04-2010, 07:26 AM

Wow, better be bundled with a ton of good games or fuck that price.

Kalyx triaD

06-04-2010, 07:28 AM

150$ seems fair for what it's capable of.

Kane Knight

06-04-2010, 07:54 AM

150$ seems fair for what it's capable of.
Depending on how it actually performs in home environments.

Kalyx triaD

06-04-2010, 08:11 AM

Well I doubt it'll be reading real life objects and creating in-game items from it (or doing the other claims in that initial trailer), but based on the live demos that Microsoft were eager to present and the fact that they got a year of R&D after that - it should work.

I'd say the question is how the software holds up, and how traditional games will integrate Natal (or 'Wave' rather). I reckon word of mouth will be important as always, let the early adopters be our space monkeys.

#BROKEN Hasney

06-04-2010, 09:43 AM

Heh. Figured that less then 100 bucks was too good to be true.

PASS

Wow, better be bundled with a ton of good games or fuck that price.

You do realise that's the exact same source I cited that you're now believing?

150$ seems fair for what it's capable of.

It's just going to end up doing what the PS2 eyetoy did in the end, after seeing what lazy devs did with the Wii (and the announcement of Sonic Riders.... Come on now).

Hell, for $149, you'd at least expect it to have some processing power... but nope, it's going to have to use a couple of cores of the 360 so you won't even get games pushing the boundaries that use Natal.

Kalyx triaD

06-04-2010, 09:53 AM

Natal is from the school of thought where power is irrelevant, so that's not an applicable point. They're going for a certain crowd with this.

Kalyx triaD

06-04-2010, 09:54 AM

Don't think I'd buy it though, rather get a few games.

D Mac

06-04-2010, 03:54 PM

You do realise that's the exact same source I cited that you're now believing?

No the source I am believing is Kalyx. :p

Kane Knight

06-04-2010, 04:35 PM

Natal is from the school of thought where power is irrelevant, so that's not an applicable point. They're going for a certain crowd with this.
*facepalm*

Clearly not true, as the unit had processing power and Microsoft was talking high powered units until it was deemed cost prohibitive.

so...If you ignore Microsoft, Third Party Devs for major titles that aren't aimed at that "certain crowd," the initial hardware, and so on...Then yes.

Otherwise. Hasney's right.

I'd follow up with "for that price, we should at least get what was advertised," but then, I'm just wacky like that. You know, with reasoning skills and pattern recognition and all.

Kane Knight

06-04-2010, 04:36 PM

Hmmm...A nearly 500 dollar price tag to play Wii. How much doe Nintendo charge for a Wii?

Kane Knight

06-04-2010, 04:41 PM

Sorry, nearly 400 dollars. Wouldn't want some dumb autistic kid to miss the point because I hit the wrong key.

BigDaddyCool

06-04-2010, 04:46 PM

I got a wii for $100 cause my uncle bought one and never used it.

Kane Knight

06-04-2010, 05:13 PM

I got a wii for $100 cause my uncle bought one and never used it.

yeah, but you're a loser for owning one.

BigDaddyCool

06-04-2010, 05:39 PM

Well at least I'm not going to spend $400 on a johnny come lately wii.

Drakul

06-05-2010, 02:10 AM

Remember Joy Ride? The free XBLA game that was due out last summer but never appeared? Well, it's not free now.

Microsoft's free-to-play Avatar racing game Joy Ride is reportedly getting a major motion-controlled tune-up. The BigPark-developed racer is now planned as a Project Natal launch title, CVG reports, and may no longer be free.

CVG cites a "senior retail source" in its report, who says Joy Ride will "no longer be free to play, but that it's been completely reworked into a bigger, richer game than before." The cartoony racing game made its debut at E3 2009, then pitched as a downloadable, stunt-filled title that would be supported by plenty of downloadable content. It was playable then, but its product page recently disappeared from Xbox.com. Yeah, something's up.

We're a little more than a week away from Microsoft's big Xbox 360 and Project Natal events, so expect confirmation or denial of Joy Ride's fate soon.

Source (http://kotaku.com/5555764/report-xbox-360s-joy-ride-is-now-a-project-natal-game).

I would have liked it to be free but I'm betting it would have been like Game Room and had nothing to do at all unless you bought stuff for it which sort of defeats the "Its free!" idea. If we're paying for it, we should get a decent bundle of things to do from the start.

#BROKEN Hasney

06-05-2010, 02:14 AM

Didn't realise it was motion controlled, thought it was joypad.

It looked shit when it was shown anyway, with a price and motion control, it may now fuck off.

Kane Knight

06-05-2010, 05:24 AM

Well at least I'm not going to spend $400 on a johnny come lately wii.

That's different, because I*** want it.

***I referring to a certain entitled person, not actually me.

Kane Knight

06-05-2010, 05:29 AM

Didn't realise it was motion controlled, thought it was joypad.

It looked shit when it was shown anyway, with a price and motion control, it may now fuck off.

yeah, for free I was getting it. I mean, shit. Even if it sucks, free's a fair price. I might have gotten it with motion controls, but I'd be less interested. For a price? Fuck no.

#BROKEN Hasney

06-07-2010, 03:53 PM

http://www.destructoid.com/project-natal-title-family-rave-revealed-175687.phtml

Family Rave :|

#BROKEN Hasney

06-07-2010, 04:12 PM

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d118/tirkaro/lolnatal.gif

Kalyx triaD

06-07-2010, 04:52 PM

The future of gaming.

Drakul

06-08-2010, 10:25 AM

I saw the whole video. Her whole family play the game "wrongly". They seemed to gentley tap or wipe the air.
I think they where unsure and self concious doing it infront of camera.
<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Jm0KKa6wACQ&hl=en_GB&fs=1&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Jm0KKa6wACQ&hl=en_GB&fs=1&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>

http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/comment/9/2010/06/5f0beb1a35c08d4899b28d830743b70f/340x.png

Drakul

06-11-2010, 06:18 AM

Ahead of next week's E3 in Los Angeles, two new titles for Microsoft's motion-control peripheral, Project Natal, have been revealed.

Those hoping for a wave-your-arms version of Halo or Fable are out of luck, though, as the two games are simple party titles (ie glorifed tech demos), similar to the kind we've seen for the system so far.

One is Living Statue, which according to a piece on the LA Times "lets players record their avatars dancing and singing karaoke-style, then e-mail the video masterpiece to their friends".

The second is Obstacle Course, in which "players pull, dodge and jump their way through a series of levels resembling what you would find at summer camp, sans the mosquitoes."

Of more interest to those hanging out for proper games is the final line of the report, which says "there will be about a dozen more Natal-licensed titles from other game developers unveiled Monday and Tuesday". A dozen games from companies that aren't Microsoft? Add those to the titles Microsoft itself will have ready and that's quite a launch lineup. Hopefully not all of them involve jumping around like a maniac.

Source (http://kotaku.com/5560791/two-more-natal-games-revealed-at-least-twelve-more-to-come).

I hope some of those titles don't involve random jumping and/or waving. Natal really has so much potentional. Use it for something a bit more advanced than EyeToy games, please.

Drakul

06-14-2010, 12:45 AM

Tonight at a Microsoft event the company announced that the official name of their new motion-sensing controller for Xbox 360 is "Kinect." As we reported earlier a number of games were unveiled in a USA Today story that went up shortly before Microsoft could officially break the news.

From that event we've see a group of games that will accompany this new hardware that allows gamers to use their body as a controller. These games include:

A Yoga/Tai Chi Game: (official name to be announced)
A Soccer Game: (official name to be announced)
Joyride : A racing game where players can steer using their hands.
Kinect Sports : Boxing, bowling, beach volleyball, track and field, soccer and table tennis.
Kinectimals: Play with 20 different kitties like a lion, cheetah and tiger.
Kinect Adventures: River rafting with multiple players that move their bodies in the raft.
Dance Central : A So You Think You Can Dance game made by MTV games.

Along with Kinect games using Disney and Star Wars characters, there were also dashboard apps showing motion controls used to interact with Netflix. The dot on the screen follow where you point.

Users can also use motion controls to scroll through photos, start live video chats with friends, and share photos. This is done through a kinect app on the dashboard.

Source (http://uk.xbox360.ign.com/articles/109/1096884p1.html).

Not sure on the name Kinect. Or the spelling. I'd have liked it to have stayed as Natal or Wave. I'm hoping videos of the show turn up soon.

#BROKEN Hasney

06-14-2010, 12:49 AM

Sounds like the worst line-up of games for a hardware add-on launch ever.

Watch the Move prove me wrong.

Kalyx triaD

06-14-2010, 12:50 AM

Could have sworn I posted the news here, but I left it in the News thread. Should be more careful in the future. I tend to 'jump the gun' when I get a scoop, racing to post it first. Kinda like getting the by-line.

Drakul

06-14-2010, 01:11 AM

I never thought to check the news thread. I thought if the news was posted it would have been here.

I try to post news quickly when I get it, too. Not that it matters. As long as the news gets here eventually.

Kalyx triaD

06-14-2010, 01:19 AM

It's not a race, I just want that fucking by-line.

...For whatever reason.

Kalyx triaD

06-14-2010, 01:29 AM

Most promising may well be a Star Wars game, developed by Microsoft and Lucasarts, that features controller-free lightsaber duels, complete with force powers like "force push".

Kalyx triaD

06-14-2010, 01:31 AM

They're announcing video chat as a 'feature' for Kinect. This is going downhill fast.

Kalyx triaD

06-14-2010, 01:35 AM

The 'Minority Report' interface seems to work, and may well be the best application. Don't think I need a 150$ webcam with an interface upgrade. Perfectly fine with voice chat and moving the joystick.

Drakul

06-14-2010, 02:00 AM

Well, E3 2010 has officially kicked off with Microsoft's debut of Kinect (formerly Project Natal) at a glitzy event at the Galen Center. To say I was disappointed with Kinect would be putting it mildly. After waiting at the Galen Center for a couple of hours, other than the name, Kinect, nothing was revealed except a handful of pre-recorded demos where actors clearly pretended to control the on-screen characters (avatars) with their own body movement. At several points the avatars would move before the actors did, ruining the illusion of a real live demo of Kinect. This body-synch debacle makes Milli Vanilli's legendary lip-synch outrage look tame by comparison.

http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/article/109/1096907/world-premiere_001_1276494327.jpg
His arms not matching the position of the avatar was just one of the giveaways it wasn't being controlled live.

The Kinetic 'body-synchs' that were shown off included rafting down a river, Olympics, yoga, a mildly cool Star Wars demo where the avatar slashed enemies and reflected laser bolts, a tiger pet patting simulation and a handful of other disappointing snippets. The Kinetic camera was also shown navigating on-screen menus with cool Minority Report-style waves of your hand, as well as video conferencing.

I'll be able to report a lot more definitively tomorrow once I've actually tested out Kinetic but for the moment the body-synch balls-up has left a bad taste in my mouth. Laughably, a huge animatronic elephant with in-built projector screens was the highlight of the crazy spectacle.

http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/article/109/1096907/world-premiere_002_1276494411.jpg
The animatronic elephant stole the show.

A very disappointing first act, Microsoft. Let's hope tomorrow things can be turned around.

Source (http://uk.games.ign.com/articles/109/1096907p1.html).

Everything does seem to be falling apart for this thing. It's a shame because I really wanted <s>Natal</s> Kinect to succeed.

#BROKEN Hasney

06-14-2010, 02:04 AM

Still-born just like the Kinect32x should be :D

OssMan

06-14-2010, 02:08 AM

Oh I get it "kinect" is supposed to look like "kinetic"

Kalyx triaD

06-14-2010, 02:11 AM

Clarification:

Could have sworn I posted the news here, but I left it in the News thread (by mistake). (I) Should be more careful in the future (in regard to wear I post specific news). I tend to 'jump the gun' when I get a scoop, racing to post it first. Kinda like getting the by-line.

I skimmed over this and I saw that it could read as if I was ribbing you over not reading the News thread (your reply seemed odd to I reread it). I made the clarifications in bold to be more clear.

#BROKEN Hasney

06-14-2010, 02:14 AM

Jim Sterling walked out half-way through and people are saying itwas a legendary walk out against bull-shit.

He says there were no beverages so left due to dehydration and boredom.

Drakul

06-14-2010, 02:17 AM

No, I didn't think you where ribbing me. I got what you were saying.

#BROKEN Hasney

06-14-2010, 02:35 AM

<table style="margin-left: 12px;" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="988"><tbody><tr><td align="left" valign="top"><table background="http://bulk2.destructoid.com/images/rebirth/displayoptions-nomargin.gif" border="0" height="35" width="622"><tbody><tr><td align="left">Home (http://www.tpww.net/forums/index.phtml) http://bulk2.destructoid.com/images/ui/nav-dash.gif#Seriously? (http://www.tpww.net/forums/index-short.phtml?t=Seriously?)</td></tr></tbody></table>
http://bulk2.destructoid.com/ul/user/8/8423-sterlingjpg-avatar.jpg (http://www.tpww.net/forums/rebirth-index-author.phtml?a=8423)
E3 10: Impressions from the Natal/Kinect reveal event

(http://www.destructoid.com/e3-10-impressions-from-the-natal-kinect-reveal-event-176291.phtml)http://bulk2.destructoid.com/images/ui/authorpoint.gif19 minutes ago - 1:15 AM on 06.14.2010 | Jim Sterling (http://www.tpww.net/forums/rebirth-index-author.phtml?a=8423)
http://bulk2.destructoid.com/images/ui/smcomment.gif35 comments (http://www.destructoid.com/e3-10-impressions-from-the-natal-kinect-reveal-event-176291.phtml#comment)

<table clear="all" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="622"><tbody><tr><td>http://bulk2.destructoid.com/ul/176291-cirque.jpg (http://www.destructoid.com/e3-10-impressions-from-the-natal-kinect-reveal-event-176291.phtml)</td></tr><tr><td background="http://bulk2.destructoid.com/images/rebirth/skirt-strong.gif" height="22">http://bulk2.destructoid.com/images/ui/twitter.gif (http://twitter.com/home?status=E3+10%3A+Impressions+from+the+Natal%2FKinect+reveal+event%20http://www.destructoid.com/e3-10-impressions-from-the-natal-kinect-reveal-event-176291.phtml) http://bulk2.destructoid.com/images/ui/facebook.gif (http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?t=E3+10%3A+Impressions+from+the+Natal%2FKinect+reveal+event&u=http://www.destructoid.com/e3-10-impressions-from-the-natal-kinect-reveal-event-176291.phtml) http://bulk2.destructoid.com/images/ui/reddit.gif (http://gaming.reddit.com/submit?&url=http://www.destructoid.com/e3-10-impressions-from-the-natal-kinect-reveal-event-176291.phtml&title=E3+10%3A+Impressions+from+the+Natal%2FKinect+reveal+event) http://bulk2.destructoid.com/images/ui/digg.gif (http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&url=http://www.destructoid.com/e3-10-impressions-from-the-natal-kinect-reveal-event-176291.phtml&title=E3+10%3A+Impressions+from+the+Natal%2FKinect+reveal+event)
#E3 (http://www.destructoid.com/elephant/index-short.phtml?t=E3) #Microsoft (http://www.destructoid.com/elephant/index-short.phtml?t=Microsoft) #Seriously? (http://www.destructoid.com/elephant/index-short.phtml?t=Seriously?) #Xbox 360 (http://www.destructoid.com/elephant/index-short.phtml?t=Xbox%20360)

</td></tr></tbody></table>
HERP DERP DERP LET'S SPEND ALL THE MONEY THAT HAS EVER BEEN PRINTED IN AMERICA SO WE CAN USE GAME JOURNALISTS AS UNWITTING ACCOMPLICES IN A RIDICULOUS MTV COMMERCIAL FOR OUR EYETOY! ALSO, CIRQUE DU SOLEIL!
HERP DERP DEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRP!

</td></tr></tbody></table>

Kalyx triaD

06-14-2010, 02:35 AM

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/06/kinfinal.jpg

Striking size comparison:

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/06/kinscale.jpg

Drakul

06-14-2010, 03:04 AM

I've never heard of Jim Sterling until now but I don't think I like him. Walking out in the middle of a conference, even if it was bad or he was thirsty and then writing a bunch of "derps" on a page isn't exactly professional.

If he was with a team from Destructoid, walking out for a drink or because it was bad isn't much of a problem because other guys are still seeing the conference through for the site. Writing "Derp de derp" because he didn't like it is pretty unprofessional. If he didn't like it, tell us in a way that's a little more "journalist" and a little less "forum troll".

#BROKEN Hasney

06-14-2010, 03:22 AM

lol "journalism".

That's why blogs like Destructoid and Joystiq are much more fun and reliable than "journalistic "every preview of a game is fucking ace even if we give it a 3 when we review it"" websites like IGN and Gamespot.

Drakul

06-14-2010, 03:22 AM

#BROKEN Hasney

06-14-2010, 04:00 AM

http://www.destructoid.com/e310-our-kinect-reactions-the-video-176297.phtml

Dale North and I were at Microsoft's Cirque Du Soleil advertisement for Kinect (http://www.destructoid.com/e3-10-project-natal-called-kinect-games-revealed-176268.phtml) and it was weird (http://www.destructoid.com/e3-10-impressions-from-the-natal-kinect-reveal-event-176291.phtml). Dressed up like a cross between Dynasty and the KKK, our shoulderpad-flavored white ponchos made us feel like gimps as we stood, tired and thirsty, and watched the most surreal nonsense of our lives. We did a video about it.
Want to know why I am so angry? Want to know how Dale dealt with his confusion? Want to know what THE KINECT EXPERIENCE feels like? Check out this pro/con session, hosted by Rey Gutierrez. We may not have the hot live stream or the exclusive television presentation, but what we do have is loads of shouting and swearing. You can't put a price on that.

So yes, there were other people from Destructoid there and they also thought it was god-awful.

#BROKEN Hasney

06-14-2010, 05:14 AM

http://video.destructoid.com/#164359

Star Wars Kinect. Probably shift a few units.

Kane Knight

06-14-2010, 09:14 AM

http://video.destructoid.com/#164359

Star Wars Kinect. Probably shift a few units.
Might tip me depending on whether or not it's arse.

Kalyx triaD

06-14-2010, 12:52 PM

Kalyx triaD

06-14-2010, 01:11 PM

http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/comment/9/2010/06/cceddfbb10d8cca02cedcfe5c4ec9710/original.gif

Kane Knight

06-14-2010, 01:27 PM

I assure you, Jim Stirling is awesome. One of my favorite VG journalists/bloggers. More than a few times he hits the nail on the head.Proof he sucks.

Kalyx triaD

06-14-2010, 03:18 PM

November 4th.

http://bulk2.destructoid.com/ul/176354-KinectimalsMainImage.jpg

#BROKEN Hasney

06-14-2010, 03:25 PM

C'monnnn worst launch week for hardware ever.

Kane Knight

06-14-2010, 03:47 PM

C'monnnn worst launch week for hardware ever.
yeah, it makes Wii and DS look good.

LoDownM

06-14-2010, 03:50 PM

Not excited for this at all honestly.

#BROKEN Hasney

06-14-2010, 04:27 PM

Vietnamese Crippler

06-14-2010, 04:29 PM

Requested item has been removed.

Thanks, Hasney.

#BROKEN Hasney

06-14-2010, 04:31 PM

Working for me, even aft a ctrl+F5 :'(.

Kalyx triaD

06-14-2010, 07:40 PM

The Kinect, as a somewhat powerful device itself, sips away at energy. It sucks up enough juice, in fact, that users of older Xbox 360s are going to have to use a separate power adapter to make this special camera work.

Thankfully, if you have enough expendable cash that you want to buy this new Xbox SKU, you're in luck, as according to Joystiq, the new stealthy Xbox will not have this problem powering both itself and Kinect. So there you go!

Kalyx triaD

06-14-2010, 11:37 PM

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/06/purplevboxes.jpg

Bet my soul some soccer mom will still buy one of these without getting the Kinect set, then wonder why they don't work.

Kane Knight

06-14-2010, 11:59 PM

I may have missed it in Kal's Spam Tide, but has a price point been given?

FearedSanctity

06-15-2010, 12:00 AM

Nope, though apparently GameStop has a listing for $150

Kane Knight

06-15-2010, 12:23 AM

Yeah, they've had that for a while. Gamestop likes to guess prices and release dates so they have placeholders in the system.

Emperor Smeat

06-15-2010, 12:28 AM

Officially neither Kinect nor the games have any price since Microsoft never mentioned anything about pricing during or after the show.

Kane Knight

06-15-2010, 12:51 AM

Officially neither Kinect nor the games have any price since Microsoft never mentioned anything about pricing during or after the show.

That sucks, since the only thing I was really curious about was how much it's going to cost. I honestly don't see myself buying it any time soon, unless it's like, DIRT cheap, but still, I'm curious about this.

Kalyx triaD

06-15-2010, 01:03 AM

This could be the future of gaming.

http://bulk2.destructoid.com/ul/176433-e3-10-joy-ride-looks-like-a-joy-ride-/Kinect%20Joy%20Ride%20LightHouseLoop_Single-noscale.jpg

Kane Knight

06-15-2010, 08:38 AM

http://bulk2.destructoid.com/ul/176433-e3-10-joy-ride-looks-like-a-joy-ride-/Kinect%20Joy%20Ride%20LightHouseLoop_Single-noscale.jpg
He didn't say the future looked good. nintendo changed the gaming scene with the Wii, but nobody said they changed it for the better.

Drakul

06-15-2010, 10:44 AM

I saw some stuff I liked the look of with Kinect. Voice commands, even if it's not exactly new technology, was interesting. I've had trouble with machines misunderstanding some of my words in the past because of my accent so everytime a new device claims to use voice controls, I hope it'll understand me. They have to have realised by now that not everyone has a crystal clear Californian accent.
The voice chat thing between 360's and MSN Messanger is a great thing for me because I've got friends and family dotted everywhere and phone calls aren't exactly cheap. Plus it's a lot better seeing my little nephew and having him see me than just hearing each other.

The fitness game looked like it would be good for "warming up" before going to the actual gym or running. I never warm up before going to the gym even though I really should, so having something that makes it a little more interesting helps.

I'm not a Star Wars fan at all but that game looked interesting. I'm not going to get excited until I see it being played for real, though.

I actually thought MGS Rising was going to be a Kinect title for a sec. The guy started talking about Kinect and then randomly brought Hideo onto the stage. Then we saw the scene of Raiden cutting that machine-thing with one hand and reaching into it to pull out its spine with the other hand using exaggerated motions.

I'm hoping Kinekt lasts long enough for a 2nd wave of titles to be released on it. I like the look of it a lot. If it can survive the crappy launch line up which most things seem to have these days, we'll see the real fun in the 2nd wave.

That little girl with Skittles the tiger cub was just too cute. She sounded 100% more natural than the "twins". "Oh, is that The Last Air Bender?" Why are they using rehearsed lines? Give them a basic premise on what to talk about, tell them not to swear and let them talk like humans. Rehearsing lines and reading them like a bad school play hurts what they are trying to show more than it helps it. If they HAVE to use rehearsed lines, do the demo in silence with key info appearing on a big screen above the stage at certain points.

#BROKEN Hasney

06-15-2010, 10:47 AM

I actually thought MGS Rising was going to be a Kinect title for a sec.

I would have punched something if it had mentioned Kinect at the end of the trailer. Possibly a kitten cute enough to be on fucking skittles.

Drakul

06-15-2010, 10:52 AM

You're not a fan of Kinect, are you?

Kane Knight

06-15-2010, 10:53 AM

Hey Drakul, have you tried anything powered by Nuance? I used to have trouble with voice recognition, but my mobile phone works damn well at recognising my speech patterns.

#BROKEN Hasney

06-15-2010, 10:53 AM

I'm not a fan of mimes in general.

http://www.electriccabaret.co.uk/mime-artist/classicmime.jpg

Kane Knight

06-15-2010, 10:55 AM

You're not a fan of Kinect, are you?

Hasney is Kinect's biggest fan.

Kalyx triaD

06-15-2010, 11:01 AM

http://cache-03.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/06/800x600_animals_playdead.jpg

Drakul

06-15-2010, 11:16 AM

Hey Drakul, have you tried anything powered by Nuance? I used to have trouble with voice recognition, but my mobile phone works damn well at recognising my speech patterns.

I've never heard of them until you mentioned them. I did a quick check of their site and it seems pretty expensive. One program is £99 at it's cheapest. I'm used to not using voice and doing things manually with my hands but it still bugs me when games don't understand me.
Brain Training screwed me over when I was reading the colours out correctly. I had to say the colours really loudly and clearly and it still randomly decided it didn't like my accent enough to agree with me.

Kane Knight

06-15-2010, 12:39 PM

Yeah, well if it wasn't on my phone for the purpose of voice usage, I'd never have tried it. It's just that it does demonstrate that it can be done. I had trouble with some of the VR on the DS as well, but I think it comes down to the software or the hardware. I also had trouble writing in answers in the speed math section sometimes, because handwriting recognition was a touch iffy. This may not work with you, because my accent is fairly flat in terms of US English, but it may be worth looking at its capacity, if it can be demoed.

BigDaddyCool

06-15-2010, 12:52 PM

http://bulk2.destructoid.com/ul/176433-e3-10-joy-ride-looks-like-a-joy-ride-/Kinect%20Joy%20Ride%20LightHouseLoop_Single-noscale.jpg

Seriously, that looks just like the island from Wii Sports Resort/Wii Fit. They aren't even trying.

Kane Knight

06-15-2010, 01:01 PM

Seriously, that looks just like the island from Wii Sports Resort/Wii Fit. They aren't even trying.

Joyride was originally going to be a crappy free B-title. I wouldn't hold it against them.

The other titles, on the other hand, I would totally hold against them.

BigDaddyCool

06-15-2010, 01:02 PM

I sort of want the smiling tiger game if only I can raise a pack of tigers to pull my chariot as I ride into town.

BigDaddyCool

06-15-2010, 03:01 PM

The smiling tiger game really makes me want to play Black and White...

That is what they need for the Kinect, Black and White or Sim City. That would be fucking awesome if you could have a game where you play god by making hand motions to scoop things out of the ground.

#BROKEN Hasney

06-15-2010, 05:00 PM

Black and White Kinect would be pretty awesome, if you can use a joypad for the camera controls. Don't want to walk around a world tbh.

But the god parts where you're the giant hand, hells yes.

Kalyx triaD

06-15-2010, 05:10 PM

I remember we all though about an RTS using Kinect. Still think that's cool.

BigDaddyCool

06-15-2010, 05:10 PM

Black and White Kinect would be pretty awesome, if you can use a joypad for the camera controls. Don't want to walk around a world tbh.

But the god parts where you're the giant hand, hells yes.

Yeah, some sort of compination would be bitchin'

Kalyx is a fag.

Kane Knight

06-15-2010, 05:32 PM

A Sim type game with Kinect would rule. I wonder, though, how fast we're going to tire of "ape hands."

While it's often portrayed as the future in movies, it is a really poor choice for effeciency and ergonomics.

#BROKEN Hasney

06-16-2010, 01:38 AM

http://www.destructoid.com/e3-10-i-m-worried-about-sonic-free-riders-guys-176672.phtml

Wow... Nota good wow...

#BROKEN Hasney

06-18-2010, 05:09 PM

This is the only Kinect game that interests me, but you may as well call it Rez Kinect or something. That's not a bad thing :D

<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" width="620" height="375" id="gorillaPlayer_dest002"><embed src="http://cdn.springboard.gorillanation.com/storage/xplayer/yo033.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="620" height="375" allowscriptaccess="always" swliveconnect="true" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="e=4bffc0037b3a3a49328d685cccfc7c21cc002973d57a44951a38fddf065f5c696a66be9b89ee2d2f0947d4e15d253124c7 d296b9a2a5d695fdd446d15f64f11765e48a3d71ea9b28f3c6dc0d0b8062a02723d09accafe3f4ff222bb8b0&width=620&height=375&pid=dest002&autostart=false&allowscriptaccess=always&usefullscreen=true&esnapshot=4bffc0037b3a3a493b90685cccfc7c21cc002973d57a44951a38fddf065f5c696a66be9b89ee2d2f094ccde270 2233248cc5acabb2a1c298eade4b9a1869fa1f32b8d76936b6c068b683c70a048d7ba9313d95da84&trueurl=http://video.destructoid.com/#164699"></embed></object>

Requiem

06-18-2010, 05:37 PM

Black and White Kinect would be pretty awesome, if you can use a joypad for the camera controls. Don't want to walk around a world tbh.

But the god parts where you're the giant hand, hells yes.

Wow... Black and White is the one game I think would translate perfectly to the Kinect environment. Didn't even think of that, but it would be perfect.

Kane Knight

06-18-2010, 05:40 PM

Drakul

06-24-2010, 08:08 AM

http://www.vgcats.com/comics/images/100623.jpg

Emperor Smeat

06-24-2010, 06:23 PM

:eek: VGCats came out with a new comic.

I think that makes it about 2 or 3 they've done so far this year.

Funky Fly

06-25-2010, 02:46 AM

lol

Drakul

06-30-2010, 04:49 AM

Kinects specs:

A British retailer has posted a set of technical specifications for Microsoft's upcoming motion-control peripheral, Kinect. Interestingly, it says only two "active" players can be tracked at any one time.

While the camera can track "up to six people", it can only handle two "active players" at a time, relegating the rest to support roles at best, and idle spectators at worst. Asking for six players at once may have been a pipe dream, but with the Wii supporting four players, a limit of two "active players" will be a let-down to owners upgrading and expecting the whole family to be able to play at once.

The specs in full are below:

Sensor
Colour and depth-sensing lenses
Voice microphone array
Tilt motor for sensor adjustment
Fully compatible with existing Xbox 360 consoles

Field of View
Horizontal field of view: 57 degrees
Vertical field of view: 43 degrees
Physical tilt range: ± 27 degrees
Depth sensor range: 1.2m - 3.5m

Data Streams
320x240 16-bit depth @ 30 frames/sec
640x480 32-bit colour@ 30 frames/sec
16-bit audio @ 16 kHz

Skeletal Tracking System
Tracks up to 6 people, including 2 active players
Tracks 20 joints per active player
Ability to map active players to LIVE Avatars

Audio System
LIVE party chat and in-game voice chat (requires Xbox LIVE Gold Membership)
Echo cancellation system enhances voice input
Speech recognition in multiple

The specs carry with them a disclaimer, reading "This information is based on specifications supplied by manufacturers and should be used for guidance only", but if you were ever going to take a set of specs on face value, you'd take the ones provided by the, you know. Manufacturers of the device.

Source (http://kotaku.com/5576002/here-are-kinects-technical-specs).

Also, Milo was claimed to be a tech demop by some high up in MS marketing department and then, the next day, he was corrected and said it is a game and will be out next year. Peter Molynuex has said we'll have to wait for the 2nd gen of Kinect games to see what it's really capable of.

Kalyx triaD

06-30-2010, 04:53 AM

Nice tech.

RoXer

06-30-2010, 08:07 AM

Thanks for yr. tech

Kane Knight

06-30-2010, 02:10 PM

Thanks for my nuts in yr. tech

Kane Knight

06-30-2010, 02:13 PM

I'm trying to picture 4 active players in most environments anyway.

2 with for "inactive" players tracked seems decent. I don't know. In terms of viewable, trackable area and people moving, it seems like it'd be more than most people would have the capacity for anyway.

Drakul

07-13-2010, 02:23 AM

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/07/motionsports.jpg

Does this look like a Kinect game to you? An Xbox 360 game that has you doing some body-puppetry of an avatar on your TV? Well, it is the Kinect game I played yesterday.

This is a screenshot of Motion Sports, a Ubisoft launch game for the Xbox 360 Kinect that takes a peculiar route. Yes, "you are the controller." Your body manipulates the actions in six themed sports games, including the only one Ubisoft is letting people like me play yet, American Football.

The peculiarity is that you do not control a ghost-form of yourself nor a cartoony Avatar. You control a guy that looks like he is from a high-end Madden game. For the vast majority of you reading this, that means that you will be controlling a character that looks nothing like you and looks awfully like someone who is their own person — i.e. someone who isn't going to stick their arm out just because you stick your arm out.

Motion Sports' American Football mode gave me my first experience controlling a realistic-looking Avatar. It was an odd experience, one that had me repeatedly forgetting that I was in control. The American Football mini-game is simple. You control a running back who is trying to avoid opposing players as he runs to the end zone. The running is automatic. But you can jump, duck, stiff-arm or even do a 360-degree spin to evade. If you mapped this to a controller it would be both simple and obvious to control: a button press to jump, maybe a shoulder-button pull to dodge right. When it is just your body, though, I found it hard to even remember that I was in control.

I would see the guy run on his own and see a defender running at him. I would jump and my guy would jump. Then more automatic running and the approach of another defender. I would forget I was in command and my guy would be tackled. This happened several times.

Why?

Consider the avatars we have controlled with our bodies during the brief era of motion-controlled games.

We have controlled unrealistic-looking characters rendered by the relatively low-powered Wii.

Those of us who have played Microsoft's Kinect games at press events have controlled cartoonish Avatars.

With an Eyetoy, we've all had a chance to control digital "reflections" of ourselves.

In all of those cases, it was easy for me to either recognize the puppet-puppeteer relationship between the character and myself or the reflection of me in the TV. Perhaps those set-ups allow the brain to remember the relationship better. I learned on my first try with a nearly photorealistic version of a character under my motion command that it is easier to forget the connection. I am not sure why that is..

After a few tries at the American Football mode I was able to remember I was in control. There was an odd dissonance, though, the feeling of doing something new and something, well, almost invasive of the character's space. When I control a Madden football player with a controller, I am giving him directions. When I control a Madden-style football player with my gestures? That feels exotic and almost... I'm not sure of the term.. invasive? Possessive (in the possession sense?).

This is an odd one, an experience I didn't expect to have and a reaction I don't quite yet understand.

Source (http://kotaku.com/5583148/my-weirdest-kinect-experience-so-far).

Drakul

07-20-2010, 12:27 PM

Rumours are true. Microsoft confirm Kinect is $150 and will come with Kinect Adventures

Source (http://kotaku.com/5591138/microsoft-prices-kinect-xbox-360-motion-games).

Edit: Microsoft are trying to show us that Kinect is the cheapest option:

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/07/custom_1279642602412_kinect_pricing_new.jpg

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/07/custom_1279642607279_kinect_pricing_existing.jpg

BigDaddyCool

07-20-2010, 02:05 PM

Kane Knight

07-20-2010, 06:13 PM

It's the typical "to do everything X can do" slant.

BigDaddyCool

07-20-2010, 06:50 PM

Nice...I'm waiting for Kylax's retort about me being a wii owner.

Emperor Smeat

07-20-2010, 06:59 PM

Drakul

07-21-2010, 04:48 AM

Kinect will be £129.99 from GAME in the UK with Kinect Adventures.

Extreme Angle

07-21-2010, 06:13 AM

Micorsoft is going to need to have a cheaper gap than just $10 to gain all the "casual" owners away from the Wii. Right now they are comparing their existing package of 1 game to the Wii's 2 games package.

Even the new owner category is a bad comparison since the Wii would get 3 games while Xbox 360 would have just 1. Their advantage turns into a negative should someone want to get 3 Kinect games ($60 cheaper to $40 more expensive after the extra games).
When wii launched it only came with wii sports...

Kane Knight

07-21-2010, 06:34 AM

Nice...I'm waiting for Kylax's retort about me being a wii owner.

To be fair, he's the only true gamer on the boards.

When wii launched it only came with wii sports...

And if they had a time machine and were competing with launch Wii, that would be a good point.

BigDaddyCool

07-21-2010, 10:47 AM

Kane Knight

07-21-2010, 12:55 PM

1) You don't need the fit board to play wii sports, so actaully the WII owner is saving $90 from the Kinect. Then there is the fact that many Wii games can be played with one control that gets passed around.

Or, in fact, only can be played with one control.

BigDaddyCool

07-21-2010, 01:05 PM

indeed. I have two controls because I got lots of gift cards around Christmas. Other wise I wouldn't have bothered. Long story short, I love spin.

Kane Knight

07-21-2010, 04:48 PM

Well, if you were trying to defend the Wii60, you'd probably stoop to any depth.

OssMan

07-21-2010, 07:16 PM

Drakul

08-09-2010, 07:32 AM

Two pieces of Kinect news.

The patent for Microsoft's motion-sensing camera Kinect was released to the public last week, and while we knew most of the stuff contained within, I'd be lying if I said I knew the device could recognise sign language.

But it does. At least, according to the patent it does (things may have changed since, we're checking), as it says that thanks to Kinect's ability to track hand and arm gestures, it can understand somebody signing at it in American Sign Language, and then convert it to either text or spoken word.

A neat feature! It might be totally useless to most of you, but anything that can improve the accessibility of games - and do it as seamlessly as allowing someone to sign at their TV - is a welcome step forward nonetheless.

Source (http://kotaku.com/5607905/kinect-patent-says-it-can-read-sign-language).

That's great if it is still one of its abilities. Someone mentioned that could mean using hand gestures in games like Rainbow Six.

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/08/500x_250gb-xbox-kinect-bundle-short-b.jpg

Microsoft's controller-free Kinect platform is getting a 4GB bundle that comes with an Xbox 360, 4GB of memory, a Kinect sensor, a game and a controller. That doesn't look like the only bundle.

The Australian packaging for the 4GB bundle shows what appears to be a 250GB bundle that comes with a 250GB hard drive and a headset.

The console in the 4GB bundle has a matte finish, while the console for the 250GB bundle has a glossy finish.

The packaging for the 250GB also notes this, "Hard Drive includes game and demos."

Kotaku is following up with Microsoft.

Source (http://kotaku.com/5607923/250gb-kinect-bundle-spotted).

Kane Knight

08-09-2010, 08:55 AM

Don't all the hard drives come with a game and demos?

Kane Knight

08-09-2010, 08:55 AM

The ASL bit is cool, too.

Drakul

08-11-2010, 03:03 AM

Turns out it wont read sign language after all.

The patent for Microsoft's motion-sensing camera Kinect suggested that the device could understand American Sign Language. Well, it can't. At least, the version going on sale in November can't.

Responding to the claims made in the patent, Microsoft has told Kotaku "We are excited about the potential of Kinect and its potential to impact gaming and entertainment. Microsoft files lots of patent applications to protect our intellectual property, not all of which are brought to market right away. Kinect that is shipping this holiday will not support sign language."

So why did the patent suggest it could? Well, sources close to the evolution of Kinect's development tell us it's because the version of the hardware that'll be available later this year isn't as capable as was originally intended.

The original Kinect had a much higher resolution (over twice that of the final model's 320x240), and as such, was able to not only recognise the limbs of a player as the current model version can, but their fingers as well (which the current version can't). And when the hardware could recognise fingers, it would have been able to read sign language.

But that capability came at a cost, and while Microsoft had always intended Kinect to sell for $150, "dumbing down" the camera would have meant that Microsoft wouldn't be losing as much money on each unit sold, an important point should Kinect prove to be a failure. So dumb it down they did, reducing the camera's resolution (which in turn reduced the number of appendages it'd have to track) and placing the burden for some of the device's processing on the console and not Kinect's own hardware.

This probably isn't the first time you've heard such a rumour, but this latest time at least explains why Kinect can't read sign language!

Source (http://kotaku.com/5609840/kinect-dumbed-down-to-save-money-cant-read-sign-language).

I'm not tech savvy by any means but I'm pretty sure the resolution they are using is bad, right? Like, "2002 webcam" bad.
It's a pity the sign language thing didn't happen.

Kane Knight

08-11-2010, 08:28 AM

Reports I've read said that it will recognise individual fingers.

I know it's been stripped down some, but I was reading about digit recognition as recently as, like a month ago.

Drakul

08-19-2010, 01:12 AM

Here's a new Kinect game reveal trailer. It's a little more what I had in mind when we first knew about Kinect.

<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/NVgu_mzTUQI?fs=1&hl=en_GB"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/NVgu_mzTUQI?fs=1&hl=en_GB" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>

So, anyone think this could be fun? I think it could be but I'd have to see more of it first.
I know PS3 has "The Fight" but someone said that just tracks your hands so you can't kick or anything.
If this isn't laggy, let's us customise our fighter and fight online, I'll be quite excited.

#BROKEN Hasney

08-19-2010, 01:17 AM

70 preset moves done by certain motions...

What is this? 1993 and they've brought out the Sega Activator?

Funky Fly

08-19-2010, 01:18 AM

looks kinda poo because it's slow.

Drakul

08-19-2010, 01:26 AM

It's a motion game so I'd imagine they'd have to keep it at a certain speed to minimize the chance of people falling over or something.

I think it's a small step in the right direction, at least. It's not a childs game, it's not a collection of sugary mini games and it's not a dance/work out game. It's a "proper" game even if it does look a little slow and/or basic.

If it sells well, the next wave of Kinect games could have similair games in it but improved, hopefully. I'm sure we'll see a free form fighting game eventually with no predetermined animations. This is just the first wave of games.

Funky Fly

08-19-2010, 02:10 AM

Well, I was eating as I typed so it would have taken me forever to also type out that it looks cheesy as fuck and reminds me of The Con on PSP in the way that it takes itself so seriously when it really shouldn't.

Cool King

08-19-2010, 04:14 AM

It looks like all it would be is your average "Punch & Kick infront of a camera" fighting game.

I can't imagine people doing anything more than that, as I'm sure it wouldn't be possible. Basically, I'd like to see someone do a dropkick in their living room.

Cool King

08-19-2010, 04:14 AM

The two moves you see at the 0:52 and 0:53 mark, I think may be done automatically as part of the combo as the video doesn't show you the man actually preforming the moves. If it did, it would defeat the purpose of the trailer.

Drakul

08-19-2010, 08:29 AM

Milo gameplay from the TED talk a few monthd ago. Impressive.
<object width="446" height="326"><param name="movie" value="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><param name="bgColor" value="#ffffff"></param> <param name="flashvars" value="vu=http://video.ted.com/talks/dynamic/PeterMolyneux_2010G-medium.flv&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/PeterMolyneux-2010G.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=432&vh=240&ap=0&ti=932&introDuration=15330&adDuration=4000&postAdDuration=830&adKeys=talk=peter_molyneux_demos_milo_the_virtual_boy;year=2010;theme=a_taste_of_tedglobal_2010;them e=the_creative_spark;theme=tales_of_invention;theme=what_s_next_in_tech;theme=art_unusual;event=TEDG lobal+2010;&preAdTag=tconf.ted/embed;tile=1;sz=512x288;" /><embed src="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf" pluginspace="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" bgColor="#ffffff" width="446" height="326" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" flashvars="vu=http://video.ted.com/talks/dynamic/PeterMolyneux_2010G-medium.flv&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/PeterMolyneux-2010G.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=432&vh=240&ap=0&ti=932&introDuration=15330&adDuration=4000&postAdDuration=830&adKeys=talk=peter_molyneux_demos_milo_the_virtual_boy;year=2010;theme=a_taste_of_tedglobal_2010;them e=the_creative_spark;theme=tales_of_invention;theme=what_s_next_in_tech;theme=art_unusual;event=TEDG lobal+2010;"></embed></object>

I honestly can't see him understand my natural way of talking but, other than that, I like what I saw.

Kane Knight

08-19-2010, 05:54 PM

70 preset moves done by certain motions...

What is this? 1993 and they've brought out the Sega Activator?

It's still infancy tech.

The MAC

08-20-2010, 03:52 AM

milo was "faked"

people who got to actually play with it were told to do what was shown in the video with Claire. That kind of AI is still a way off.

Drakul

08-20-2010, 03:59 AM

It was faked at E3 but I'm under the impression that it's actually starting to take some shape now.

We wont be having actual back and forth conversations with him but I'm sure it'll work by having Kinect listen out for specific keywords and/or tones of voice. Maybe trying to read our facial expressions. Smiles and frowns etc.

One good thing is that the demo in the video was played sitting down. That's good because we where told a while ago that the camera only worked if you stood up.

Kane Knight

08-20-2010, 08:54 AM

That was said largely based on games that required feet. I remember some of the proof came from dance games. What, THEY'RE DISCRIMINATING AGAINST HANDICAPPED PEOPLE?

Drakul

08-27-2010, 01:49 PM

Kinect Avatars:

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/08/500x_dsc00020-1000.jpg

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/08/500x_dsc00018-1000.jpg

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/08/500x_dsc00017-1000.jpg

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/08/500x_dsc00019-1000.jpg

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/08/500x_dsc00015-1000.jpg

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/08/500x_dsc00016-1000.jpg

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/08/500x_100_0733-1000.jpg

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/08/500x_100_0735-1000.jpg

Kinects menus:

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/08/500x_100_0730-1000.jpg

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/08/500x_100_0737-1000.jpg

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/08/500x_100_0731-1000.jpg

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/08/500x_100_0738-1000.jpg

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/08/500x_100_0729-1000.jpg

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/08/500x_100_0728-1000.jpg

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/08/500x_100_0739-1000.jpg

And a video:
<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fDbODqURYxg?fs=1&hl=en_GB&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fDbODqURYxg?fs=1&hl=en_GB&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>

BigDaddyCool

08-27-2010, 02:04 PM

Whatever, that looks stupid.

Emperor Smeat

08-27-2010, 04:17 PM

So much for the NDAs and requirements to not post the stuff online Microsoft wanted beta testers to do. It didn't even last for a day before leaks appeared.

Then again Microsoft was dumb to believe people wouldn't post the stuff online since they were not developers who can get fined and punished for leaks.

Kane Knight

08-27-2010, 04:19 PM

If you think they can't be punished for violating an NDA, you're a moron.

Emperor Smeat

08-27-2010, 04:31 PM

Of course they can get punished since a few of the original uploaders got their accounts and/or consoles banned already based on some of the youtube comments and reports so far.

I probably should have reworded the last sentence to say how it was a bit naive for Microsoft to assume nobody would break the agreement even though it was a public beta. If this was a developer or another company, they would have known not to leak stuff due to being fined and punished while the average user might not care or even know about the consequences. In this case it was people not caring.

Requiem

08-27-2010, 06:18 PM

Yeah so this seems to have the gaming crowd generally up in arms about how crappy it seems like it's going to be.

I still think Sony's thing is going to be more useful and utilized in actual gaming. The controller and the accuracy of the controller is something that more people can feel familiar with and be able to utilize more frequently than Kinect. The Wii is already hugely popular. People are obviously turned on to the idea of a motion controller. So imagine a 'controller gimmick' with more practical uses and better precision.

Kane Knight

08-29-2010, 02:03 AM

On the other hand, people already have a Wii. I'm not saying Sony's not going to do well, or that they can't and won't "win," but there's a lot to consider. Kinect is a hot ticket, maybe not Wii hot, but still hot. It also does things which will attract (potentially) even the core audience, with things like voice command and voice/video chat built in.

I think the one thing Sony got right is buttons--Not even because of the familiarity issues, but rather because of the practicality. However, Microsoft has one advantage there: They can add a controller to the mix when needed. A 360 controller might be less comfortable used one handed, but one could easily be applied to appropriate titles.

I'm personally not bothering with either at launch. If I had to pick one, I'd lean towards Kinect, but it has to do more with the same reason I pick XBox in the first place (More friends, more users, etc). Once they've been out for a while and we see support for them and how they work out in normal homes, I might hop onboard one of the bandwagons.

A lot of the "hate" is coming from the same sources that panned the Wii before launch, so I won't count them out just yet.

Funky Fly

08-29-2010, 02:47 AM

Kinda lost interest in Kinect when I realized that it was never going to be what the early info made it out to be (god damn motherfucking amazing). Plus it's all shovelware, except for like 3 titles. :'(

The PS3 thingamawhat'sit seems to have the most potential, but I'm still not too interested, as I need a PSTriple first.

When it's a good time for me to do so, I'll pick up a Wii and then mod the fuck out of it.

Kane Knight

08-29-2010, 09:22 AM

Funky, Natal is exactly what they promised. It's not Microsoft's fault you go and gag on balls so readily.

Funky Fly

08-29-2010, 03:52 PM

But they taste so nice and sweaty. :(

Fignuts

08-29-2010, 04:13 PM

Honestly, I have real friends. I don't need an imaginary 8 year old. That's more VEL's style I bet. Call me when they have realistic lightsaber fights.

Fucking hell, can't even get that right on the wii.

Kane Knight

08-31-2010, 06:00 AM

Of course not. The Wii doesn't track 1:1 motion. Well, not without another peripheral.

There is a Star Wars title for Natal, evidently. Now, will it have realistic lightsabers? Don't know.

Funky Fly

08-31-2010, 07:05 AM

I dunno. I want that trippy ass shooter and the Michael Jackson ish and that's basically it.

Kane Knight

08-31-2010, 07:48 AM

I'm not sure I really want anything for Kinect or Move.

The Fighting Game deal looked cool until it became evident it's not full tracking.

Like the Wii, though, this is infancy technology. I'm not wasting my money at launch. I'll wait a year or two and see what people can do with it. Unless something awesome and load blowing comes out.

Requiem

08-31-2010, 12:27 PM

Move could certainly have lightsaber duels. The accuracy is what should allow it, if any good developers hop on board. Hell, tape your controller to one of those plastic lightsabers for more fun. :shifty:

#BROKEN Hasney

08-31-2010, 12:43 PM

LucasArts have been on a long streak of shitty games though. Wouldn't even matter if the tech is amazing, they'd half-arse a game and shove it in stores.

Extreme Angle

09-01-2010, 07:41 AM

My friend is beta testing this. Says it's not that great. Dashy looks abit too white according to him. He's bringing his xbox over mine with it later on today.
I'll let you guys know what it's like...

Drakul

09-07-2010, 02:32 AM

Peter Molynuex and RARE wanted Kinect to use a controller:

Microsoft's Kinect doesn't need a controller. That's the whole point of the thing! Still, a controller-free gaming experience is a hard idea to get your head around, which perhaps explains why Peter Molyneux and Rare asked Microsoft to include one.

"We were absolutely adamant that we needed a button, something with haptic feedback, that would initiate an action" Rare's George Andreas told Edge magazine. "It took a long time - we threw some prototypes together and then we saw you didn't need one."

"We were very vocal to Kudo [Tsunoda, Kinect lead] at the time, and Peter Molyneux was as well, that you needed something in your hand."

In the end, though, Kinect ships without a controller, Andreas admitting that "You end up falling back on the [gamepad] control scheme. It's a crutch really."

Source (http://kotaku.com/5631351/fable-creator-rare-wanted-kinect-to-have-a-controller).

Emperor Smeat

09-07-2010, 06:47 PM

I wonder if the idea to have Kinect scan objects so someone can use them was done as a compromise because of Rare's request for a controller to be included.

For example, scanning a skateboard to play a Tony Hawk game since the board can be considered a "controller" when used with Kinect.

Drakul

09-09-2010, 10:38 AM

Speaking of "scanning objects":

Despite being one of the cooler elements of Kinect's original E3 2009 reveal, the ability to "scan" real world objects and use them in games won't make the peripheral's launch. But that doesn't mean the tech is forgotten about.

Speaking with Eurogamer, Microsoft's Kudo Tsunoda has said that while we won't be seeing any games take advantage of the ability come Kinect's November launch, we will be seeing it a little later down the line.

"Being able to digitise real-world objects and take them into the virtual world - we saw a little bit of that at E3 last year, but it's not stuff that we have in any of the launch games right now, and I think we're going to see a lot more games start using that as well as we go forward."

I'm just going to put this out there, but a game that mixes Scribblenauts and rock, paper scissors by using household objects as weapons would be amazing.

Source (http://kotaku.com/5633572/kinects-object-scanning-isnt-for-now-its-for-later).

Kalyx triaD

09-09-2010, 02:42 PM

Figures.

Mooияakeя™

09-09-2010, 03:06 PM

Meh, still no improvement on...

http://i47.tinypic.com/b9cwm.jpg

Kane Knight

09-10-2010, 12:38 AM

Meh, still no improvement on...

http://i47.tinypic.com/b9cwm.jpg
<embed src="http://cdn2.themis-media.com/media/global/movies/player/flowplayer.commercial-3.1.5.swf" flashvars="config=http://www.themis-media.com/videos/config/1980-87abf84bba54d5865f89ff4cc32ef6b2.js%3Fembed%3D1" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" quality="high" bgcolor="#000000" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer" width="650" height="389" wmode="opaque"></embed>
Related, really. Also, the Pokedexius bit is goooood.

Drakul

09-16-2010, 01:44 AM

Shock news: Kinect to get actual games...possibley.

Yukio Futatsugi, the creator of Panzer Dragoon and Phantom Dust, has a new game coming out for Microsoft's Kinect. What do you do? You ride dragons.

The game is called Project Draco, and has you both flying your dragon in aerial combat, as well as using Kinect's camera capabilities to "nurture and learn to communicate" with your steed, which in turn will help it fight more ferociously.

Panzer Dragoon fans, take one look at the design of those dragons in the image below, and smile.

It'll be out in 2011.

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/09/500x_draco.jpg

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/09/500x_d03.jpg
Japanese games impresario Goichi Suda, creator of No More Heroes and Shadows of the Damned, and his studio Grasshopper Manufacture will bring an all-new title exclusively to the Xbox 360, titled "Codename D." (Skittles? Is that you?)

Suda, taking the stage at Microsoft's TGS 2010 news conference, said that he'd wanted to work with the company for a long time, calling it a "long dating period." "Codename D," will be Kinect-enabled, but won't feature conventional weapons such as swords or guns. A live-action trailer shown after Suda's appearance depicted the game's protagonist lighting a baseball on fire to take out some foes.

Microsoft describes Codename D this way: "You must fight for your life to survive an evil amusement park filled with twisted and eerie creatures. With "codename D" for Kinect for Xbox 360, you are the controller as you unleash devastating effects to destroy enemies and objects."

Codename D will be released via Xbox Live Arcade for Kinect.

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/09/500x_d01.jpg

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/09/500x_d02.jpg

#BROKEN Hasney

09-16-2010, 02:21 AM

Fantastic. 2 of my face deva are going to ask me to prance around in front of a camera.

TGS is a bad dream and they can call fuck off. Pervs.

Drakul

09-16-2010, 05:57 AM

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/09/500x_haunt1.jpg

Masaya Matsuura's NanaOn-Sha are working on a game for Microsoft's Kinect. Considering these are the guys who made PaRappa The Rapper, it's not what you'd expect.

The game is called "Haunt", and is a puzzle game set in a haunted house full of traps and monsters. No cartoon animals, and it doesn't look like the setting for any upbeat, cheery music, either.

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/09/500x_haunt2.jpg

It's still cute in a haunted house kind of way, though, and what little of shown of it at Microsoft's TGS address comprised of on-rails sections where players pointed flashlights at stuff.

Before you ask, no, there's nothing wrong with the screenshots. They're just the worst screenshots ever.

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/09/500x_haunt3.jpg

Kane Knight

09-16-2010, 10:25 AM

Fucking sweet.

Microsoft is predicting holiday sales of 3 million, BTW. Anyone else think they're fucking nuts?

whiteyford

09-16-2010, 12:10 PM

I look forward to the indie porn titles, and fable 3.

#BROKEN Hasney

09-16-2010, 12:15 PM

Fucking sweet.

Microsoft is predicting holiday sales of 3 million, BTW. Anyone else think they're fucking nuts?

Sony are expecting less sales for Move and hoping that word of mouth spreads.

MS allegedly has the hardcore market in the US cornered, but the hardcore seem to be shunning it. 3 million is a big, big ask and I doubt they'll even sell out at launch.

Drakul

09-16-2010, 12:33 PM

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/09/500x_1-1000_01.jpg

Kinect Adventures will include at least five game types and support both online play and the ability to show off and share your favorite moments in the Xbox 360's upcoming motion game, sources tell Kotaku.

While it may not be the full slate of playable games, people beta testing Kinect Adventures tell us that the game currently includes 20,000 Leaks, River Rush, RallyBall, Reflex Ridge and Space Pop.

Reflex Ridge, River Rush and RallyBall have all been extensively demonstrated at conventions since Kinect was first unveiled. But we haven't heard much yet about 20,000 Leaks and Space Pop.

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/09/500x_pop1-1000_01.jpg

Space Pop tracks your body in 3D, so you have to move toward and away from your television as you work to pop the transparent balls that shuttle between the holes on the walls, floors and ceilings of the virtual room your avatar is standing in. You can also float to the ceiling by flapping your arms.

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/09/500x_pop2-1000_01.jpg

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/09/500x_pop3-1000_01.jpg

In 20,000 Leaks your avatar is in a glass cube underwater. You have to move around to plug cracks in the cube with your hands, feet and head as fish swim the cube.

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/09/500x_leak1-1000_01.jpg

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/09/500x_leak2-1000_01.jpg

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/09/500x_leak3-1000_01.jpg

Our sources tell us that both games were surprisingly fun and a good work out.

While Microsoft hasn't yet announced Space Pop as an included game, the company did include a single picture of 20,000 leaks in the slew of new videos, pictures and details released during last night's press conference in Tokyo.

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/09/500x_2-1000_01.jpg

Pictures provided to us from our sources also appear to show that Kinect Adventures will support online game play and also includes an option that allows you to "Show off & Share." The game also includes Adventures, free play and timed play.

The official description of Kinect Adventures says the game has 20 adventures, but it's unclear if that means 20 different game types or a combination of game types and settings. We've reached out to Microsoft for comment and will update when we hear back from the.

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/09/500x_rise.jpg

If Haunt is the kinect horror game for the family and kids, Sega's Rise of Nightmares sounds like the horror game for those of you who really like their horror. Think Silent Hill, with waving arms.

What we saw of it at Microsoft's TGS keynote can best be described as a dark, seemingly on-rails title that has a real Silent Hill look and feel to it. There's blood, there's screaming, there's torture.

Rise of Nightmares won't make Kinect's launch timeframe; instead, it'll be out in 2011.

#BROKEN Hasney

09-17-2010, 10:34 AM

One of MS's VP's, Kudo, has said Kinnect sales will blow the iPad out of the water.

Idiot.

HeartBreakMan2k

09-17-2010, 11:14 AM

I haven't read much of the thread, but I've heard they've announced a new Steel Battalion for Kinect? If that's the case, I'll def be picking one up.

Drakul

09-17-2010, 11:27 AM

Yeah, they're bringing out a SB for Kinect.

<object width="853" height="505"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/OWkF1CPTuqQ?fs=1&hl=en_GB"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/OWkF1CPTuqQ?fs=1&hl=en_GB" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="853" height="505"></embed></object>

HeartBreakMan2k

09-17-2010, 12:04 PM

Gonna be hot. I want it to be an in seat view point with you controlling the levers/buttons of the mech...

Kane Knight

09-17-2010, 12:31 PM

One of MS's VP's, Kudo, has said Kinnect sales will blow the iPad out of the water.

Idiot.

Remember when Kalyx said one day we'd all be playing his games?

This is only slightly more retarded, because someone actually thought promoting an auspie to VP level was a good idea.

Drakul

09-23-2010, 01:45 AM

Milo may have been cancelled.

Fable developer Lionhead Studios' ambitious Milo project for Xbox 360's Kinect add-on may have finally been put to bed. Sources claiming to have knowledge of the tech demo's development tell Kotaku that Project Milo has been effectively shut down.

That same source indicates that the technology that powered Project Milo—which has also been referred to as Milo & Kate—will live on in another form, a Kinect-enabled game based on the Fable franchise. Lionhead had plans to incorporate Kinect controls into the upcoming Fable III, but scrapped those plans for the game's launch.

The rumored cancellation of Project Milo, first shown at E3 2009 by Lionhead's Peter Molyneux, has impacted the studio's headcount to the tune of more than a dozen contractors, sources say. Those supposed lay-offs may be related to development on Fable III winding down, however.

Earlier this year, rumors of the project's demise swirled when Microsoft's Aaron Greenberg claimed the Project Milo "technology demo" was "not a product we plan to bring to market." Greenberg later clarified that the Kinect title was simply not due for release "this holiday."

Peter Molyneux demonstrated the software at the TED conference in Oxford, England this summer, showing off an ever more ambitious build of the life simulator.

Microsoft, when reached for comment, said "We have no news to share on the Milo front and do not comment on speculation or rumor." Other sources closer to Lionhead Studios chose not to comment on the matter.

Source (http://kotaku.com/5645343/rumor-project-milo-canceled).