Why Natal Is a Big Deal

Kikizo has an editorial piece evaluating the Xbox 360's upcoming motion-control scheme, Project Natal, and discussing why it's a bigger step forward for interactive gaming than many people think. Quoting: "[Natal] accurately perceives players in 3D space, simultaneously tracking over 48 joints on your body, enabling it to accurately redraw your skeleton in real time as you move about. On a separate 'debug screen' in the closed-doors session, we could witness for ourselves the 'mind's eye' of Natal, visually showing how it completely understands where we are, how we're moving, where we are in 3D space, how far in front of my face my hand is, whatever. It can supposedly even track individual hand and finger movement when it switches into this more finely-tuned mode. ... There is a surprising feeling of tactility and iPhone-like fluidity and precision to the way Natal works." Another interesting bit of news about Natal is that Wii-hacker Johnny Chung Lee is part of the development team. We've discussed some of his creations in the past.

Comments

I whish my brother good luck

[El Lobo]

While this is all cool and dandy, I think my one armed brother is wishing that this technology will fail. Imaging if every platform out there would use this kind of body recognition. How could *he* play when the system is expecting to recognize a "normal" body? Or maybe he will be limited to play solitaire games (if the system doesn't expect you using 2 hands there as well).