Your Opinion on Kinect for Xbox 360

[plrichard]

Well, Microsoft's Press Conference just wrapped up on Spike TV (not G4 surprisingly) and I want to see what the people around here think about Kinect for Xbox 360.

Basically, what my view of it is is that it looks like it would be great to have, but it might be too pricey (I don't think they've announced a price, but I expect it to be high).

I'll mention the games that they showcased and comment on each.

Kinectimals:
Virtual petting zoo, stupid.

Kinect Sports:
Some of them looked cool, but bowling and table tennis without holding anything is kind of annoying to me.

Kinect Adventures:
In my opinion looks pretty awesome, it's like a virtual obstacle course, but I don't think it's enough to buy the peripheral for.

Kinect Joy Ride:
Basically just an attempt to dethrone Mario Kart as the best racing title. However, such as with Kinect Sports, driving without holding a steering wheel is just an annoying concept to me.

Your Shape: Fitness Evolved:
Looks pretty awesome, but is basically just a souped up Wii-Fit. Another example of a "hey that'd be cool to have but I don't know if I would pay a lot of money just for that game."

Dance Central:
Nice concept, could be pretty fun, but again, doesn't make me feel like I need to have Kinect.

And then, finally, the one game that gives hope to Kinect in my eyes.
An unnamed LucasArts game that showed a Jedi walking down a street of what look like Naboo, wielding force powers and a lightsaber all used by "controller-less gameplay." The trailer ended with the Jedi re-activating his lightsaber as Darth Vader stepped out of a ship onto the street.

So, everyone, start discussing Kinect for Xbox 360.

[taumel]

One reason i like it is because it spares you the battery powered input devices.

[Gman5852]

I have to say this
STAR WARS WITH MOTION SENSE!
Come on i want to duel darth vader and use the force with my body(yes dueling with wii motion plus would be better but not the force.

[Rawr]

Well. First of all, I wouldn't be able to use it even if I did have one. It's physically not viable in my room where my XBOX360 is.

Some of the ideas were interesting, but it is indeed far too pricy. I also question whether the technology will live up to what it says. Voice recognition still even now has problem picking up different accents/dialects, motion sensors often don't pick up movement exactly in a lot of cases too.

[Zonino]

Most people expect games at E3, Microsoft failed. Sony will also devote far too much time to their new motion gimmick.

Nintendo will be the only company to show games.

Kinect just seems far too gimmicky and it's clear they're aiming this squarely at the casual market who are already enthralled by the Wii. If the thing gets some proper games and does them well then maybe, but I'm sure as hell not getting it so I can dance with Lady Gaga or flail my arms to watch a DVD.

[Spadge]

Wow, that's pretty disappointing. Watch closely... It's fake.

[Rawr]

Originally Posted by Zonino

Most people expect games at E3, Microsoft failed. Sony will also devote far too much time to their new motion gimmick.

Nintendo will be the only company to show games.

Kinect just seems far too gimmicky and it's clear they're aiming this squarely at the casual market who are already enthralled by the Wii. If the thing gets some proper games and does them well then maybe, but I'm sure as hell not getting it so I can dance with Lady Gaga or flail my arms to watch a DVD.

Oh, I wouldn't give Nintendo too much credit. They will be showing off their 3DS. Also there will be some more casual gimmicks I assure. The games they do show will be from the same old franchises too.

I expect that Sony will indeed show off their Playstation Move. I just hope the other games that they show will make up for that. Unlike Microsoft, where the other games it showed were all mainly shooters which we've already seen many times before.

[Gman5852]

Originally Posted by Spadge

Wow, that's pretty disappointing. Watch closely... It's fake.

Whoa you're right.
Eh im sure it will still be a good game.

[Rather Dashing]

I'd kind of actually like it for the multimedia controls, but other than that I'm completely uninterested and I can't imagine paying what they're sure to ask just to get a glorified remote control. Also, how is Kinect going to help me "Kinect" with a friend who's physically disabled? In a small dorm room? In a room with odd or limited lighting conditions? I'll pass.

[plrichard]

Originally Posted by Spadge

Wow, that's pretty disappointing. Watch closely... It's fake.

I don't understand saying that it's fake. It's not fake, it was just a trailer not a demonstration, it's not coming out until 2011, I wouldn't expect them to have a working build yet.

[puzzlebox]

Originally Posted by Spadge

Watch closely... It's fake.

Wow, it's actually advanced enough to predict his moves BEFORE he makes them!

[Rather Dashing]

Originally Posted by plrichard

I don't understand saying that it's fake. It's not fake, it was just a trailer not a demonstration, it's not coming out until 2011, I wouldn't expect them to have a working build yet.

They put a person on the stage in front of the camera. This was not a person in the video, where trickery would be expected. This is some active deception on their part, because there wasn't any disclaimer that it was a trailer. At the very least, it's somewhat misleading.

[jeeno0142]

I don't have an xbox360, but I'm curious, how much will they be selling it for?

[Rather Dashing]

Originally Posted by jeeno0142

I don't have an xbox360, but I'm curious, how much will they be selling it for?

The new 360 model will be selling for $299. Kinect doesn't have a solid price point announced, though Gamestop had a "leaked" product page that set it at $150. This may have been a mistake, though.

[jeeno0142]

Originally Posted by Rather Dashing

The new 360 model will be selling for $299. Kinect doesn't have a solid price point announced, though Gamespot had a "leaked" product page that set it at $150. This may have been a mistake, though.

Thanks! That's not as much as I was expecting it to cost. As you say that could be a mistake though. The new Xbox seems about the price I would expect though, just a little higher than an Elite.

[Friar]

I don't see whats so innovative about it. Webcams? i can do that on my laptop. Using my hands to control games? If i wanted to, i could do that with eyetoy. Plus it's alot less responsive than using a controller (anyone remember mario kart, how everyone was claiming it was far better to use the GC controller?) I really dislike motion controls (my main gripe with the wii, not the lack of HD, or the lack of decent games (their are enough, just very hidden, and scattered),), and just going motion only seems horrible to me.

Plus i'm not sure how it'll actually work with actual games. Using the controller aswell? Seems kinda pointless.

Also:
Kinect Sports=Wii sports plus a few extras
Kinectimals=eyepet with some extra animals
Strange Fitness programme=Wiifit in disguise

[Gman5852]

Originally Posted by jeeno0142

Thanks! That's not as much as I was expecting it to cost.

A friend of mine acually hough it would cos $50,000(doesnt get pricing too well)

[jeeno0142]

Originally Posted by Gman5852

A friend of mine acually hough it would cos $50,000(doesnt get pricing too well)

That's £33,916.82! I'm thinking that would be a tiny bit extravagent...

I was thinking more in the region of $235.87. I know that seems like a bit of an odd figure, but I'm using an online currency convertor. (I converted £160).

[Avistew]

I personally disliked the whole Natal thing from the start. Like, I thought technology-wise it was neat and all, but I saw more flaws that uses and it ended up feeling gimmicky.
It excludes a lot of people (people with disabilities/health problems, people who are not fit) from playing some games altogether, often for games that wouldn't really require it to begin with. And for games that do require it, it feels to me, you don't need the video game to begin with. Go play ball in the park and jump over benches.
I can see it as useful for training for athletes and things like that. Otherwise it kind of crosses the line for me. The Wii requires you to move, enough for you to get active when that's the point, but not enough that you have to stop playing after a few minutes.

I think it's cool as a concept, but I just can't see much use for it, if I'm making sense there.

[Guinea]

Being IT student, Kinect is certainly interesting from that point of view.
However from what I saw of it in these videos it looks like it's not yet ready for using in games. The on-screen avatars look broken sometimes.

And on top of that, (almost) every game they showed is a Wii <something> rip-off, which is really low. MS could do something great with this thing if they just invested more dev time into it, but instead they just did "lol we can motion controls too". That's disappointing.