Xbox 360 to get motion-sensing add-on with full body game control?


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xbox-sensorbar-001.jpg

Here's a wild one. We just got a tip from someone who purports to be in the know on Microsoft's efforts to beat the Wii at its own motion-sensing game, with some of the details lining up with what we were hearing last year along these lines. The word is that Microsoft is building a "sensor bar" of sorts, but instead of detecting the waggles of Wiimote-like controllers, it detects full body movement and sound, sans controllers. There are two sensors on the bar, along with a mic and a camera, and while our tipster has "no idea" how it actually works, it sounds pretty impressive. Here's a quick rundown of capabilities mentioned:

  • Full body and hand gesture control of games / characters.
  • In fighting games you kick, punch, duck, dive, jump and so forth with your body.
  • It also picks up small hand gestures like pinching, grabbing and scrolling.
  • There will also be video conferencing and games with video.
  • Trivia game over the internet with live images of each person playing. When a question pops up, they can clap to buzz in.
  • You can "move objects on your screen" and the other party can see what you're doing in real time.
  • Sensor detects only the person playing, not folks observing on the couch.

We're rather curious as to what those two mystery sensors on the bar are doing, since there's specific mention of a lack of controllers. Perhaps they add depth perception to whatever the camera is picking up on video, but we guess we'll have to wait and find out. Of course, this could all be an elaborate hoax, but for what it's worth the picture appears undoctored, and the story is plausible. Either way, it's only natural for Microsoft to be looking to duplicate -- and expand upon -- the wild success Nintendo has enjoyed with motion-controlled gaming. And if they don't, Sony sure will.

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/01/xbox-36...dy-game-contro/

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Bah that is the last thing I want. Leave the motion control the Wii. I just don't want the games to degrade in quality because of a tacky add on.

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Bah that is the last thing I want. Leave the motion control the Wii. I just don't want the games to degrade in quality because of a tacky add on.

Yes because Gears of War 3 is going to use this.

Seriously, some of you need to stop whining about MS and Sony trying to expand their markets. Not to mention the tech they are going to use is clearly going to 1UP Nintendo.

If you're not interested fine, but stop being jaded about evolutions in technology and other gamers finding fun out of other ways to game. Not to mention we don't even know what the technology is like but it's already a "tacky addon".

Make better technology, have a more feature packed version of Wii Sports in HD using 360 Avatars with online support and bang, millions sold, millions happy. That's just an imitation possibility, who knows what else unique wise is being cooked up.

You're hardcore games aren't going anywhere, this is MS, they don't have botched 3rd party relations that Nintendo have been struggling with for years.

Edited by Audioboxer
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Yes because Gears of War 3 is going to use this.

Seriously, some of you need to stop whining about MS and Sony trying to expand their markets. Not to mention the tech they are going to use is clearly going to 1UP Nintendo.

If you're not interested fine, but stop being jaded about evolutions in technology and other gamers finding fun out of other ways to game. Not to mention we don't even know what the technology is like but it's already a "tacky addon".

Make better technology, have a more feature packed version of Wii Sports in HD using 360 Avatars with online support and bang, millions sold, millions happy. That's just an imitation possibility, who knows what else unique wise is being cooked up.

You're hardcore games aren't going anywhere, this is MS, they don't have botched 3rd party relations that Nintendo have been struggling with for years.

I may have jumped to a conclusion but the first thing that came to my head was SixAxis. Some games would be better off without it but others do benefit from having it. I just didn't want a similar struggle thrown into the 360's mess. If they keep it completely separate from most games and try to push it casually, that's great more power to them because it will sell more consoles/games.

I'll reserve my judgments until after E3.

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I may have jumped to a conclusion but the first thing that came to my head was SixAxis. Some games would be better off without it but others do benefit from having it. I just didn't want a similar struggle thrown into the 360's mess. If they keep it completely separate from most games and try to push it casually, that's great more power to them because it will sell more consoles/games.

I'll reserve my judgments until after E3.

But the beauty of such additional components is devs can't randomly add them into games like sixaxis. The games made for these devices will have to be 100% made for them. It's not like you would get to a door in Gears 3 and it will pop up saying please connect "Xbox Wiimote" and waggle to open this door.

Thankfully devs on the PS3 realised this for the most part with sixaxis also and nowadays it just seems to be utilised in PSN games, or very lightly throughout main games.

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a racing game with headtracking motion whould be a prime candidate for this tech, just look your head and the drivers head in cockpit turns, same theory as trackir

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But the beauty of such additional components is devs can't randomly add them into games like sixaxis. The games made for these devices will have to be 100% made for them. It's not like you would get to a door in Gears 3 and it will pop up saying please connect "Xbox Wiimote" and waggle to open this door.

Thankfully devs on the PS3 realised this for the most part with sixaxis also and nowadays it just seems to be utilised in PSN games, or very lightly throughout main games.

Exactly so let's hope they keep that way but as usual we get pretty deep into speculating these rumors. I hate and love this time of year because it is the anticipation of E3 but a million "rumors" about everything flying all over.

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I don't see what's bad about this. I mean, the problem with the Wii is that it lacks hardcore and good-looking games. The problem with the 360 and PS3 is that it lacks the control of the Wii.

At least, that's the problem in reaching the 100% mainstream.

Now they can. I still prefer the controller, but what's wrong with options?

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Waits for first reports of dumb asses who broke their TV by jumping "into" it. :whistle:

I can see the Japanese making good use of that :p

I'm not Japanese but hey... :shifty:

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Bah that is the last thing I want. Leave the motion control the Wii. I just don't want the games to degrade in quality because of a tacky add on.
I'll stick with the gamepad, thank you.

Same here...

Not much else to say except I personally do not want to see either console go that route. Perhaps I would think differently, but I have seen first hand what most devs have resorted to with with the Wii. Sure, good games can be made, but most games are not and are made to capitalize on the gimmick part of it all.

Add into the fact I really, really like just sitting when I play video games, and for my own personal preference and enjoyment, I have no interest at all.

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a racing game with headtracking motion whould be a prime candidate for this tech, just look your head and the drivers head in cockpit turns, same theory as trackir

If you turned your head... wouldnt you be looking at something other than the TV?

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If you turned your head... wouldnt you be looking at something other than the TV?

You turn your head just a tiny bit, that is translated into large head movement, it's no problem at all. I'm actually looking at importing a TrackIR5 because it's such an awesome technology.

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As long as this has specific games built for using it well then that's fine. And really that's gotta be the idea here.

Plus why not have more online community type games, or XBLA games like say Uno, where you can see the other players faces? If this is done right it should be a good bonus to the 360.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Wall Street Journal are running stories on this now

Microsoft Corp. is developing a new videocamera for its Xbox 360 videogame console that will allow players to control games with the movement of their bodies, according to people familiar with the matter.

The new device from the Redmond, Wash., company is a novel twist on Nintendo Co.'s Wii videogame console, which allows users to swing a tennis racket and other objects in games by holding a plastic wand in their hands.

Unlike the Wii, the Microsoft camera won't require users to hold any hardware in their hands to control in-game action, people familiar with the matter say. The camera uses 3-D technology to give players more accurate control over games than earlier game cameras did, they add.

The device could be shown as early as the E3 game industry conference in Los Angeles in early June, though it likely will not be released until next year, these people say.

A spokesman for Microsoft declined to comment.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124215416209111679.html

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You turn your head just a tiny bit, that is translated into large head movement, it's no problem at all. I'm actually looking at importing a TrackIR5 because it's such an awesome technology.

I had an older version of TrackIR and it was horrible. I used to be really into flight sims so basically it was setup to where you would move your head and on screen your view from inside the cockpit would move around. The actual product worked perfectly, but moving my head and keeping my eyes focused on the screen was extremely awkward, not to mention all the times the screen would move around unintentionally just as you were getting comfortable or whatever. Some people did seem to like it though, to me it was money down the toilet.

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