Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Microsoft Debuts Full-Body Controller-less Gaming At E3

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the just-don't-throw-yourself-through-the-tv dept.

quintin3265 writes "At today's Electronic Entertainment Expo press briefing, Microsoft unveiled Project Natal, a technology that eliminates the controller from gaming on the Xbox 360. In one demo, a player used her arms and legs to hit balls in an attempt to destroy a brick wall, and in another game, an employee threw virtual "paint" on a canvas to create a painting, even drawing an elephant using a silhouette feature. An accompanying video also demonstrated automatic login using facial recognition, videoconferencing with other Xbox Live members, and participating in a gameshow against another family through the Internet using speech recognition."

6 of 242 comments (clear)

  1. Activator by Zero_DgZ · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Does anyone else remember the "Activator" controller for the Genesis/SNES? This sounds like an echo of that concept, but with updated technology that might actualy, you know... work.

    Everything old is new again. Around and around we go...

    1. Re:Activator by KDR_11k · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I really doubt it'll get used on FPSes, just doesn't look like it'd work for that. How would you even move? You can't just walk around, the game world is most likely larger than the area in front of your TV. All the tons of extra actions will also require pretty unnatural gestures to be recognizable (e.g. cycling through the weapons)

      --
      Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
  2. Re:too much work by TornCityVenz · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The idea you have to get up and move...and even get tired is actually a selling point, just look at the sells of the Eyetoy for play station...or even more to the point the Wii fit. There are a lot of gamers who could stand a bit more activity, and once you get past a certain point it's just embarrassing to go to a gym..at least some can get a bit of exercise in the privacy of their own home.

    --
    I Need someone to rebuild a Digitech Digital Delay pedal for me....for me...for me...for me.
  3. Re:too much work by Chabo · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Back when DDR first came out, one of my friends from high school bought it, and started playing it for 30-60 minutes every day.

    In about 4 months, he went from a 220-lb pudgy kid, to a 170-lb lean, muscular guy. It was hugely impressive!

    --
    Convert FLACs to a portable format with FlacSquisher
  4. Re:how? by Pinky's+Brain · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Well, the rumour was that they were going to use 3DV's cameras. Which essentially measure depth for each pixel, making it much easier to determine pose.

  5. Re:Not impressed... yet. by citizenr · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Its not an input lag, the demo is staged. You can see it in couple of places where actors didnt replay exact moves from the screen. Whole "demo" is a wishful thinking.

    --
    Who logs in to gdm? Not I, said the duck.