Kinect - Inital Impressions

[Corris Veteran]

That Star Wars preview is just embarrassing, I mean, sure, show a teaser or something and how it would work, that would be fine, but don't try and pretend its live and working on stage and then screw it up, lol.

[Guest xiphi]

I don't know. I don't remember anything but speculation and interest in the Wii before it came out. There was a lot of mocking the name though.

There was definitely a lot of mocking of the name. Some even coughed at the similar specs to the Gamecube, but I didn't notice any bashing of the Wii controls, though. Of course there would have been speculation as it was a new thing.

Kinect and Move, on the other hand, should have just copied the Wii outright, instead of trying to reinvent the wheel. I honestly don't see anyone buying into Kinect. Move does have one thing going for it: the fact you still have something in your hands. Kinect is nothing if it can't create a connection between you and the console like the Wii and Sony Move can.

I will say this, Sony's Move has me more skeptical since I'm not sure if they DID, indeed, hit the mark or completely missed it. It's basically Wii and Kinect mashed together. Guess it will depend on how Sony markets Move.

As for Kinect, we all know how bad MS's marketing is.

[SMELTN]

OMG some of those Tweets were great!!!

I thought it was actually being unveiled today.. Dang it.. I gotta find a good video of it.

[Spookie]

Natal/Kinect while the same idea is a few steps ahead. Price and games that use it right is all it needs.

eyetoy.jpg

If it's going to be ?100, plus the cost of a 360. How would something that costs more has less games and better graphics be more appealing to casuals?

[George P Global Moderator]

Todays the normal MS E3 event, which will have Kinect stuff I'm sure. The other event before was like some big advertising bit, you only got the new name but no details really.

eyetoy.jpg

If it's going to be £100, plus the cost of a 360. How would something that costs more has less games and better graphics be more appealing to casuals?

Eyetoy is a bigger gimic than all the rest, just because it's a camera doesn't mean it comes close. I also have yet to see any official price, if they have a $200 package with a 360+kinetic and a few games, is that pricey? As with anything new of course it'll start off with "less games", but that expands with demand.

[Spookie]

if they have a $200 package with a 360+kinetic and a few games, is that pricey? As with anything new of course it'll start off with "less games", but that expands with demand.

So it could be anywhere from ?40 to 90 more expensive than the Wii and last time I checked casuals aren't early adopters why would they pick up something that doesn't have the software they want?

[Bhav]

That Star Wars demo is ridiculous...

As much as I dislike the name, it's nothing compared to the stupidity of the lifestyle video(s). Seriously wtf is MS thinking with such dumb, staged/scripted videos. They did it with Windows 7 too. The actors are terrible and the whole thing is just cringe-worthy.

[Pablo2008jedi]

Along with the PS3 "Move" I see failure :pinch: (same goes with 3DTVs) :whistle:

[Hedon]

eyetoy.jpg

If it's going to be £100, plus the cost of a 360. How would something that costs more has less games and better graphics be more appealing to casuals?

We know, we know. You don't like it. Couldn't see that one a mile away ;)

Back on topic, the initial impression is really good. Too bad we haven't had a chance to see it or use it in person though. I can't wait for that day to come. I want Minority Report controls of my UI!

[George P Global Moderator]

So it could be anywhere from ?40 to 90 more expensive than the Wii and last time I checked casuals aren't early adopters why would they pick up something that doesn't have the software they want?

What software is it they want? The newest Wii fit revision? What is it that you think casual gamers want that Kinect can't have in a few months or early next year?

[Spookie]

What is it that you think casual gamers want that Kinect can't have in a few months or early next year?

Said it before, I'll say it again. Why wait when they can have it now for cheaper? Seriously upwards of £200 (Arcade console and Kinect) + gimmicky controller & software (£50)?

If this was a reasonable price point (£50) I'd be all over it. I'd use it to navigate the 360 UI and I'm sure one or two games a year might utilize it well enough to warrent picking it up but it's possibly £100? ****. That.

edit:

"Lag is present in Kinect Sports, as it is in all of the titles we see, but Rare's on-hand technical and communications expert Nick Burton pegs the game latency at 150ms, defined by the time taken for light to reach the camera and until the display information leaves the 360 output (in other words, you can add TV lag on top of that)."

Eurogamer (on the whole fairly positive).

[George P Global Moderator]

Because you get more out of a 360 than you do with the Wii? It's not just about casuals only either, why have a wii that gets very very few games worth playing (even as a casual gamer) when you can get a 360, get casual games, arcade games, indie games, and your normal hardcore ones we get now?

And again, where is the official price? I haven't seen it listed yet.

[Hedon]

So because the Move and Kinect come out later than the Wii Motion, then nobody wants it? Interesting logic. I am sure Microsoft and Sony would have liked to have known that from the forum gamers before they spent a billion dollars researching them and building them.

[Spookie]

why have a wii that gets very very few games worth playing (even as a casual gamer) when you can get a 360, get casual games, arcade games, indie games, and your normal hardcore ones we get now?

In your opinion.

With a, reported, 150ms delay + TV lag (10ms on a good TV) + online latency (100-150ms)? It's not going to appeal to the hardcore crowd I'd imagine unless it was REALLY lenient and when you start ****ing about with the game to accommodate Kinect you're affecting the core game.

[George P Global Moderator]

In your opinion.

With a, reported, 150ms delay + TV lag (10ms on a good TV) + online latency (100-150ms)? It's not going to appeal to the hardcore crowd I'd imagine unless it was REALLY lenient and when you start ****ing about with the game to accommodate Kinect you're affecting the core game.

Lol, ok, it's my opinion, you can write it off and I'll do the same with yours.

[sweetham]

I'm glad they are trying to evolve things and such but motion controllers are just not my cup of tea. To be honest Microsoft and Game Developers are alienating me more by the day with things like this. When I play a video game all I want to do is sit with a controller in my hand and press a button. That is all I ever what to do. I do not want to flap my arms around like an idiot, or jump up and down like I am a 5 year old. But if there is interest for the device from people then game on I suppose. My biggest fear of this is developers are going to get carried away and make games too reliant on this technology which in turn will make me avoid the game like the plague. And its more concerning for the big name ones (Call of Duty, Gears, Halo, Fable, etc.). I just do not want to see good franchises go to shambles because of something like this. For a more competitive person like myself, I have no intentions of ever investing in something like this.

[Spookie]

I do not want to flap my arms around like an idiot, or jump up and down like I am a 5 year old.

? :laugh:

Lol, ok, it's my opinion, you can write it off and I'll do the same with yours.

Fine, but I'll leave you with this. Out of all the people who went. Only Eurogamer posted a positive preview. :)

[Hedon]

Odd, I have been reading great reviews.

[George P Global Moderator]

? :laugh:

Fine, but I'll leave you with this. Out of all the people who went. Only Eurogamer posted a positive preview. :)

I don't think there was anything to "review", no one who went in got time to play with it, it was just a flashy marketing reveal bit. Everyone who's actually played with it has said positive things to date. I'll hold off till E3 actually starts and more people can try it out.

[Andrew Lyle Global Moderator]

Wow the human lag in that GIF is bad :p

I noticed that too. It looks staged :|

[Spookie]

Odd, I have been reading great reviews.

Link em. I'll stick them in the first post.

I noticed that too. It looks staged :|

Everything being demoed was staged it appears.

[Ayepecks]

Fine, but I'll leave you with this. Out of all the people who went. Only Eurogamer posted a positive preview. :)

Of the event. I don't give a damn about the event, personally.

Not sure what's with all the hate. I didn't care at all about Kinect before this, but some of this looks really interesting to me. I never got a Wii because I didn't like the graphics, already had a 360, and needed some games that would appeal a bit more to me. Seems like this may have all of that.

[arcita]

Of the event. I don't give a damn about the event, personally.

Not sure what's with all the hate. I didn't care at all about Kinect before this, but some of this looks really interesting to me. I never got a Wii because I didn't like the graphics, already had a 360, and needed some games that would appeal a bit more to me. Seems like this may have all of that.

Couldn't agree more. To each his/her own... I picked up a Wii a few years ago, thought the games weak, and promptly traded it in for a 360. That said, I know of a few parents who would welcome Natal/Kin...whatever; those folks whose kids destroyed an expensive new HDTV when they neglected to attach their little Wii wristbands, and the action got out of hand (didn't know that was possible with a Wii game (; )

[soniqstylz]

I don't like the name, why they went for something that isn't quite spelt correctly I don't know, using Kinetic would have been perfectly fine without trying to be silly with the name.

Except that's the name of an EyeToy-based PS2 game, that seems to do things Natal/Kinect does (controller-free motion sensing), which would have been the ultimate irony.

http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/sports/eyetoykinetic/index.html

It was a sales hit but EVERYONE was making fun of it and saying how the arm waving was stupid, etc.

I still am. There's some pretty decent stuff I've seen first-hand with Move, but nothing to make me buy it (or for many cases, a 2nd one) just yet. I'm more into the 3d-stuff, personally.

[Ironman273]

I'm sooooo dissapointed in MS for this. Whatever they could've gained from avoiding any "mishaps" be prerecording it they lost in trust by making believe it was real...