The hardware in Kinect 2.0 looks to be amazing where is the software to show it off?
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Best with touchscreen or table-based control. "Mid-air" motion control is too tiring and floaty.
Rumor has it that Apple is more interested in the mobile (hence, low cost) version of their technologies.
It's mentioned at the link in the OP it also has 256MB of on board flash these hardware specs is pretty much what this thread is about.
On look at the hardware inside of the Kinect 2.0 & your 1st thought is holy ****!
This is the reason why I'm asking why they are not showing Kinect off a lot more than they are now.
I think Kinect is Microsoft's ace in the hole they just have to put out the software that set the Xbox One apart from anything else that's out here by doing things that can't be done on other platforms.
It would seem to me that MS launched to soon and simply were not ready on the software side.
I expect the XB1 to rapidly evolve over the next year and it'll likely be around next holiday season when we'll see a "ready" product.
I can write a long list of "how they did they miss this and still launched?" but it's a bit redundant. The product came out to meet a release date that it just wasn't ready for.
Every one of their releases in the last year have been half baked software wise. Pretty ridiculous considering the pedigree of MS programmers and R&D. It speaks to massive organizational conflicts and prioritization within the company.
I think both Sony and Microsoft had this issue, missing blu-ray 3D and DLNA support for example. Great thread seeing with Sony has with playroom and all the research work people have done to Kinect 1 surprised they did not have something to showcase. Is character customization possible like mo capping? Not sure if this is the right term.
I have heard certain games may have that feature in the future. I know Kinect sport rivals will.
Vice corporate president Phil Spencer has granted an interview to totalxbox.com and he says many interesting things, some of them regarding Kinect and its future.
http://www.totalxbox.com/70143/feat...talks-halo-kinect-ps4-launch-delays-and-more/
http://www.totalxbox.com/70143/feat...talks-halo-kinect-ps4-launch-delays-and-more/
It's kinda as I expected it to be they are purposely not making a big deal out of Kinect right now. I guess that's because of the vocal crowd that complain about the focus on Kinect but I feel like they shouldn't cave in to the crowd that complain online especial when Kinect is already being sold with every console.
From what I see Kinect is what Xbox One has & they need to make it known that Kinect is special
The reviews I've seen say the only thing Kinect is doing that the PS4 version isn't is leaning, the voice controls are the same although I'd argue that mic is probably better on the XB1.
So how does this give you hope, this is all bolt on check box type of stuff, nothing here is innovation, it could all be done with PSeye and Kinect 1.0...
IMO if this is the type of Kinect integration we'll get this generation we won't innovate at all.
I mean that the developers are actually using Kinect, although I agree with you it's quite simple and can be done on the PSEye and Kinect 1, for the most part. As for the PS4 version, leaning and gesture controls aside, do you think it would even have voice controls weren't for the fact that they are standard on the Xbox One version?
Besides that, as you say you have to use the mic or the external camera, but for what's it's worth, does it really matter if they aren't standard for all the users?
On a side note, people are also using Kinect for things like a cooking show.
http://www.wpcentral.com/tonight-kinect-jace-rode-uses-his-xbox-one-record-cooking-show
I think Kinect is rather interesting technology, I'm just waiting to see it used in interesting and meaningful ways.
TR shows camera controls being used to the lowest common denominator and ironically IMO that is a real concern. I say ironically because often fanboys will allude to XB1 holding PS4 back due to parity.
My guess is the leaning wasn't implemented on PS4 due to library and tools not being ready or perhaps simply the developer not allocating the resources. Migrating from the PC to PS4 apparently was a lot of work, due to moving assets from DirectX to OpenGL.
That said how are developers working on multiplatform games going to be able to integrate Kinect controls into games and not break the core gameplay elements? Naturally voice can be used to switch weapons, use special attacks but how innovative can and will developers be?
Edit:
This is why I think first party titles are the most likely to take advantage of the tech and I'm not convinced MS will do this based off their track record.
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News on Kinect.
Kinect is being used to guard the border between North Korea and South Korea.
http://microsoft-news.com/report-mi...he-military-to-monitor-the-demilitarized-zone
Surgeons also use Kinect as surgical assistant.
http://newlaunches.com/archives/microsoft-kinects-gesture-app-used-during-surgery.php
Kinect is being used to guard the border between North Korea and South Korea.
http://microsoft-news.com/report-mi...he-military-to-monitor-the-demilitarized-zone
Surgeons also use Kinect as surgical assistant.
http://newlaunches.com/archives/microsoft-kinects-gesture-app-used-during-surgery.php
I still believe the technology has amazing potential for use in games. The problem is the industry is dominated (if not dictated) by four major Western publishers whose console output consists mostly of cross-platform annualized AAA games. Due to the nature of the tech and things like latency, kinect is a bad fit for these and any support is going to be shoehorned in and probably to the "lowest common denominator" meaning compatibility with the PS4 camera limiting its full potential. Like Tom Clancy Ghost Recon Future Solider weapon customization at best (although the original demo looked very cool) and functionality the original kinec is more than capable of.
I agree that titles are mostly going to be limited to first party output. I don't expect much in the way of innovative games from Microsoft unless they let Rare, for example, have more freedom than they've been given. To be fair this is similar to the case of the Wii U's gamepad. Nintendo needed to lead the way in innovatively using that thing which they have not. In both cases these guys just put it out there sort of expecting others to make innovative use, perhaps hoping for unique experience (and thus 'exclusive') but there are few interested since again the industry is dominated by creatively bankrupt EA, Activision, Ubisoft and Take Two who are all unlikely to take such risks.
Kinect is far more interesting tech than a controller with a touchscreen. Like that non-gaming surgery use of the original kinect. How about a Trauma Center or Surgeon Simulator game made for kinect 2.0? Or traditional genres specifically designed with the lower latency in mind (racing games and shooters)? An NHL-licensed hockey game with a first person mode? I know the core gamers hate the casual and kiddie stuff but having seen kids play the original and have fun while working up a sweat, I wouldn't ignore this demographic. Even casual stuff can be amazing. I'm still amazed at the original Dance Central.
I agree that titles are mostly going to be limited to first party output. I don't expect much in the way of innovative games from Microsoft unless they let Rare, for example, have more freedom than they've been given. To be fair this is similar to the case of the Wii U's gamepad. Nintendo needed to lead the way in innovatively using that thing which they have not. In both cases these guys just put it out there sort of expecting others to make innovative use, perhaps hoping for unique experience (and thus 'exclusive') but there are few interested since again the industry is dominated by creatively bankrupt EA, Activision, Ubisoft and Take Two who are all unlikely to take such risks.
Kinect is far more interesting tech than a controller with a touchscreen. Like that non-gaming surgery use of the original kinect. How about a Trauma Center or Surgeon Simulator game made for kinect 2.0? Or traditional genres specifically designed with the lower latency in mind (racing games and shooters)? An NHL-licensed hockey game with a first person mode? I know the core gamers hate the casual and kiddie stuff but having seen kids play the original and have fun while working up a sweat, I wouldn't ignore this demographic. Even casual stuff can be amazing. I'm still amazed at the original Dance Central.
steveOrino
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That was used to manipulate images so the doctor didn't have to have physical contact with a computer.
Collision detection is a huge problem with devices like Kinect. Games like that are more suited for an touch screen since distance and location is easy to gauge.
Yes, Kinect is very good for games that use one to one motion detection more so than the WiiMote because the entire body can be accounted for. But those types of games are limited to a very specific genre.
Racing games would be pointless, we've had head tracking using console cameras for a while and unless you have the display strapped to your head or multiple monitors you have to keep your eyes fixed to the primary screen. Not to mention driving with "air" steering wheel and peddles isn't very fun.
Again, collision with the virtual environment becomes an issue. How do I get into cover? How do I shoot from cover? Do I walk and or run in place to simulate myself moving through the game world? If so, is that more rewarding than sitting in my couch and pressing forward with a joystick?
How would someone skate? How could they judge puck location? How about collision detection with the rink or other players. If I get Knocked down do I wait for my character to get up even though I am standing already? How could I check my left/right/down (looking at the puck) without looking from the screen? A distorted field of view?
The above are some of the questions I ask myself when thinking about motion controls for traditional living room gaming. Virtual world interaction, cost of input and value added from that input with devices like these are very real problems. So much so I feel the uses for this tech are far more useful for non-gaming applications. Its been roughly 4 years since kinect was released and I have yet seen software that has come up with solutions to the issues users and developers have with harnessing its advertised potential.
It might be that the device is only good for dancing and exercise games or non-gaming applications for all we know. The only way to know for sure is if somebody would try to make a traditional game without tacking on cumbersome navigation to an existing title. For that to happen, it would have to be made within the devices limitations which might "simplify" the mechanics but doesn't necessarily mean the game has to be simple. A hypothetical hockey or racing game wouldn't be a realistic sim (only realistic within reason/limits). For a racer, an "air" steering wheel wouldn't work (wouldn't surprise me if somebody tried it though, but it would just be awkward and silly). Intuitive gestures that kind of flowed with the game might though (don't know how else to explain it). But maybe this isn't fun and maybe traditional genres wouldn't work. It wouldn't go over very well if the next mainline Gears or Halo was designed this way either for example.
I still think there is potential just as there was with the Wii. Even with the Wii, 1:1 motion(or something close to it) was limited to a handful of first party games. The rest of their games worked like motion waggle was tacked on for the most part (as did most third party games). The way the current industry operates, they don't take many risks to find out due to the expense involved and other reasons, especially with platform exclusives. To be fair, there isn't much from the indie side either.
One last thing to think about. Many console gamers weaned on dual analog controls don't like (the superior
) mouse/keyboard setup. At least not until they give it a try for a while. So there is that too. The last Zelda game had gyro controls for flying and swimming which felt really intuitive and fluid, moreso than an analog stick, but most gamers complained that you couldn't control it with a stick. Kinect does have serious limitations with collision detection and latency making a controller the superior option so long as that was how the game was designed.
I still think there is potential just as there was with the Wii. Even with the Wii, 1:1 motion(or something close to it) was limited to a handful of first party games. The rest of their games worked like motion waggle was tacked on for the most part (as did most third party games). The way the current industry operates, they don't take many risks to find out due to the expense involved and other reasons, especially with platform exclusives. To be fair, there isn't much from the indie side either.
One last thing to think about. Many console gamers weaned on dual analog controls don't like (the superior
) mouse/keyboard setup. At least not until they give it a try for a while. So there is that too. The last Zelda game had gyro controls for flying and swimming which felt really intuitive and fluid, moreso than an analog stick, but most gamers complained that you couldn't control it with a stick. Kinect does have serious limitations with collision detection and latency making a controller the superior option so long as that was how the game was designed.Bigus Dickus
Regular
I'll keep being the broken record. Why not.
Shooters could be AMAZING with kinect. The problem to tackle isn't how to use kinect to control the game, but rather how to redesign the controller to work seamlessly with kinect.
I'm convinced that is the missing key, and until addressed by MS or less likely a 3rd party, we will continue to hear "where are the revolutionary kinect gameplay mechanics" from the masses.
It isn't an insurmountable problem. Its just I'm afraid MS has been focused on the wrong problem.
Shooters could be AMAZING with kinect. The problem to tackle isn't how to use kinect to control the game, but rather how to redesign the controller to work seamlessly with kinect.
I'm convinced that is the missing key, and until addressed by MS or less likely a 3rd party, we will continue to hear "where are the revolutionary kinect gameplay mechanics" from the masses.
It isn't an insurmountable problem. Its just I'm afraid MS has been focused on the wrong problem.
The issue with Kinect I believe is the fact that it was never designed and researched enough for its practical uses across a wider range and type of games, but they saw it was much better for certain and new type of games. It was designed mainly with the hope of potential as well as the success of the Wii in mind instead. They made that technology as good as possible to improve the possibilities that devs will find good uses for it in other type of games.
But that doesnt guarantee that enough meaningful innovative and practical uses will be found for the traditional games/franchises without alienating the experience.
So where MS sees great potential now is its practical use in navigating and controlling your console. When it comes to gaming its, for the mean time at least, safer for a limited kind of games and is left in the hands of some genius to come up with an idea that works great for bigger games.
Sony did research the practical uses of Camera/controllerless input for games before MS, this is why they didnt go ahead with it before. This is why they saw the importance of camera+lightbar+controller as a more practical solution. On the other hand, they probably didnt research/invest enough in its media/navigation capabilities and are left behind MS in that area
