Xbox 360 Kinect
Posted on Monday, 14 June 2010 21:05So, I've just watched the Microsoft E3 slot, pretty impressive stuff but I'm look forward to seeing the actual video of the event.
The big reveal was the game titles available for Kinect (formerly Project Natal)
Presumably, the name Kinect transpired after someone (possibly a native of Natal, was it you Stefan Terblanche?) with a South African accent said "Connect" and someone just wrote it down phonetically.
Either way, I've been intrigued but dubious about the device after seeing the promising but totally fabricated video footage that came out last year. At hearing the device would remove around 30% of the Xbox's available processing power, I became even more dubious.
That said, from what I saw in the E3 demo, I'm a few steps down from excited, but a few up from intrigued. I can see the potential gains that can be made in the eFtness market. The Ubisoft Your Shape "Game" looked fantastic, far more capable than Wii fit or EA Active in terms of the accuracy with which it assesses your movements, which is something that really annoys me with the Wii eFit efforts so far.
Then there's the dancing game, another game that will appeal to casual gamers who like the more interactive type of title, typically found more on the Wii. Some of the positions you had to pull off in the some of the demos looked ridiculous though. Another concern, when I'm playing Call of Duty in my pants, can the world see me? (If not, WHY THE HELL NOT?).
The last bit I think would swing me towards purchasing Kinect was the little girl playing with the Tiger, I can see Michael and Charlotte having a great time with that on a rainy day.
I can't see me using the video chat functionality. Thinking about who's actually on my friends list, I don't like looking at them in person let alone in HD in my front room (yes, I'm looking at you, Grad & Demetrie). The big point now is going to be the price, and as a side note, I wonder if this new Xbox is whisper quiet, until you put a game in it or use it for more than a minute. We'll see.
Main Image From Engadget