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AbleGamers Kinects with Microsoft
It’s been a few days since Microsoft announced its new Xbox 360 device: The Kinect. Not surprisingly, some new information has leaked out from E3 but sadly nothing we have enjoyed hearing so far.
Many of you have been tweeting, emailing, and Facebook-ing us asking what AbleGamers opinion on the Kinect would be. One reader even questioned why I personally think the voice commands were more mentionable than the motion detection itself. In my world, voice commands are a form of accessible technology enabling me to play more complex games and to use remote controls.
The truth is, like most technology for the disabled, it's going to be what you can make of it and not what it actually is. Nevertheless, we decided to reach out to Microsoft and talk to them about why new technologies in the gaming sector are often so unfriendly to the disabled gaming community.
Although extremely busy with E3, Microsoft told AbleGamers the following after the Kinect presentation:
“At Microsoft, we believe games and entertainment should be approachable to as many people as possible. As new technologies like Kinect for Xbox 360 come to market, we recognize that they won't always immediately work for some people because of the inherent physical nature of the gameplay.
However, we continue to work on the technology to improve its ability to recognize and render more types of form factors and positions, so that as many people as possible can experience what Kinect has to offer. And as we work on future versions of the technology we hope to learn from the Accessibility community about the scenarios and features that will allow Kinect to appeal to more users.”
Granted this is the type of statement gamers always expect to hear, “we are working on it.” But I'll tell you why that statement is a lot better than what we could be facing.
When AbleGamers started, larger corporations, such as Microsoft, really didn't pay much attention to the accessibility factor. Yet, this year when a rather intrinsically inaccessible cutting edge piece of technology was released to the public at large, Microsoft was honestly concerned about what you, the disabled gamer, would say about their new product.
Does this excuse the fact that you can't play the Kinect sitting down?
No, absolutely not. But for the very first time we have tangible evidence that a company as large as Microsoft is taking notice of what we have all been doing in the game accessibility movement.
In fact, at the Games for Health conference in Boston earlier this year, Microsoft sent three high-level individuals specifically to see AbleGamers Game Accessibility Day™. If that isn’t a gesture, I don't know what is.
We are making a difference together
Together, we are making a difference in the world of video game technology. So much so that AbleGamers has been invited to an accessibility Roundtable this summer at Microsoft's headquarters to discuss how the Kinect can be made more accessible for a greater number of disabled gamers.
In the meantime, it's up to each of us individually to decide whether the Kinect is worthwhile. But if you were expecting us to completely bash Microsoft for releasing an inaccessible technology, you are probably going to be disappointed.
Obviously, it's disheartening that the Kinect barely works while in a seated position. You can, however, play certain games such as racing with only your upper body. Again, many early reports point out that if the camera can't see your full body in the atypical standing position, the sensors may not pick up on enough of your movement to control the game.
In addition, sources have pointed out that the voice commands on the Kinect don't always recognize what you are saying. Sometimes they completely ignore you altogether. My question to those already downing the built-in voice-recognition would be: Have you ever used a program like Dragon NaturallySpeaking or Say 2 Play?
Voice-recognition is notoriously bad at understanding what we are saying based on background noise, voice inflection, and particularly if you have noisy medical equipment. These sources do not fully understand voice-recognition and probably don't realize that it has been in our cars, automated answering machines, and dictation programs for a long time.
The technology misunderstands us in all of those situations from time to time; why would it be any different on the Xbox?
However, voice recognition has come a long way, and its built-in inclusion into a platform system is not something I'm going to be upset about. Many motion impaired gamers, including myself, use voice recognition software to allow us to play games that would otherwise need too many buttons to be pushed.
Moreover, perfectly able-bodied gamers use voice recognition commands just to make gaming easier. Therefore, the inclusion of this technology into the Xbox cannot be considered a bad thing. For now, it is not and will not be perfect but the inclusion means that we will begin to see this and other systems including voice command technology from here on out, which must be considered a win for accessible gaming.
Kinect isn't perfect
The Kinect isn't perfect, not even close. And many of us will be unable to use the technology as it was truly intended. I, myself, am one of the ones who will be left looking at the games wishing I had the ability to play with the cute little tiger named Skittles.
But as I explained to one of our Facebook fans, repurposing objects to suit the needs of the individual is nothing new to anyone disabled. All of us use everyday objects in new and ingenuitive ways simply to get through the day, each and every day of our lives.
I recommend that instead of jumping on the Microsoft is evil bandwagon, take a look at the possibilities for repurposing this new technology, and also understand that this is 1.0, there is nothing to say that it cannot get better from here for all gamers. Although, Microsoft may still be evil to many, I'm not here to argue that. But what I am saying is that I will most likely purchase one of these simply for the fact that it will improve my overall quality of life.
A device that has the ability to let me listen to music, watch a DVD, or turn on my favorite TV show without the need for a controller or an assistant for $150 is worth investigating. Similar devices that control your TV, DVD player, and radio through voice commands can cost upwards of $750. I've personally wanted one of those for a long time and on a disability budget, luxuries that expensive are simply not in my price range.
The Kinect is.
What we know and still need to know
We already know that Kinect does not work in most situations from a seated position, which is bad for those in wheelchairs or who can't stand for any length of time. The system also requires precise and smooth movements to control the controller-less hand, which is incredibly bad for those with Cerebral Palsy or Multiple Sclerosis.
We know most of the games will be for those who can use most of their body. But one-handed gamers should be able to play most every title Kinect has to offer. Some of it may be more difficult and you may not be able to achieve the highest score but you will be able to play the games.
Deaf, colorblind, and low vision gamers will not be affected any differently than normal. Although, Deaf gamers may have a harder time using the voice-recognition features due to altered speech patterns that many of the Deaf community possess, and it is unknown at this time if there is a “training” mode.
Now we need to start getting answers to the more difficult questions and that won't happen until the developers are done with their E3 tasks. Rest assured, we have put forth many questions to Microsoft and hope to be able to share those answers with you as soon as we receive them.
We have high hopes for the Kinect accessibility Roundtable to be held later this summer and it's an honor to be one of very few organizations to be invited to this event. But in the meantime, I encourage each and every one of you to ignore the hype and ignore the naysayers.
Take an inventory on your own abilities and figure out if the Kinect can add anything to your quality of life. If it can, don't be afraid to try it out in November, but it doesn't look like it is right for you, don't be upset.
There are now and always will be some technologies that are good for some of us and useless to others. I, for one, speak as someone who will likely not benefit from 95% of the intended features of the Kinect or any of the other motion sensor technologies. I also dread that video games are going that direction for selfish reasons because I want to be included in as many games as I can and motion technology takes away from that.
But I'm hopeful that the positive aspects of the new technology are steps in the right direction. Voice command technology helps motion impaired gamers like me play games on the computer every day and this is a good sign that developers are attempting to incorporate the technology into platform systems, which will help enable motion impaired gamers to take advantage of those systems. I know for a fact that many titles you know and love will take advantage of these new features in the coming iterations, and we as a community will be able to use those additions to enable a more enjoyable experience.
The motion sensors themselves will continue to improve as the technology ages. Eventually, it may very well get to the point where those who do not have the strength to hold the controller or the dexterity to push a button, but who does possess the ability to move their heads and arms may view this technology as accessible technology.
At the end of the day, we must embrace this type of new technology and make it our own. If it flops, it flops but if this is the way of future gaming, just as we did in the transition to controllers with increasingly more buttons; we must adapt and overcome.
Excellently put Steve...I agree that there ahve been strides made with this gaming platform, however, as you have stated that there are some limitations associated with it...I to am also excited about the recognition of the groupby Microsoft..I do think camera/gesture tech has it drawbacks it does present a moving forward attitude as well as some new challenges...
I'm not sold on Kinect at all. Mainly because I have a buddy that plays one-handed, is confined to a wheelchair and can't speak. Even as a relatively able gamer, I need to sit down for periods because of hip and back pain, meaning I will play Kinect games less than others by default. If I want to play with my EyePet or plow through a few levels in Galaxy 2, I can do it while seated. I can't play with my Kinectimals or run through Avatar Adventure if I'm having a bad day.
I think Kinect developers, at the very least make its software 70-80% (realistically) compatible with seated gamers in mind and have alternative input methods for anything technically possible with standard hardware.
I don't think we're going to know how it's going to effect us until we get it in our hands. I know with the Microsoft Campus being about a half hour away from me, I'd love a hands-on with the Kinect, but that's probably a bit selfish of me. I'm most interested in it's range, and just what it'd take to get around it. I can see a world of possibilities going forward the Kinect could leave on the table. I can almost see Kinect not showing us all of it's cards until the inevitable firmware update that comes with it's launch. Good read, Steve, can't wait for more.
Actually: I rather suspect this has a specific optimal range/angle? If so that is a problem for us low vision gamers that sit up close to the screen. I still haven't found the perfect solution to the Wii sensor bar.
Let's just hope they leave it optional, and do not start putting motion into games for no good reason/not supporting gamepads. (I'm looking at you nintendo.)
I am holding out hope, but I am in a similar boat as bryehn and that while I am sure I will be able to enjoy some of these titles (If I want to, some do not look fun at all (Sorry Steve you are on your own with Kinecmals)) for how long before I have to sit down is a limiting factor.
That said, I do think that Steve is on to something that I think will be used a lot more in mainstream games (not this first batch) and that is the voice aspect. I can see you able to shout commands to your "squad" in so many shooters and so on.. I think that the motion part is going to be a few games, I think the voice aspects will go more mainstream.
Thank you for posing the questions to Microsoft. I have pre-ordered Kinect and plan on fully testing the games out for my patients for use in virtual rehabilitation. I would prefer if the setting for each Kinect game would allow for chanes indicating if the user is going to use any combination of their upper and/or lower extremities. This would help me as a therapist set up the game(s) as appropriately as possible to the individual.
Hi,
there is something I really do not understand. Why is it possible to make Kinect, but impossible to make the configuration of the controller configurable?
Of course it is great that know the other can play, but it would be much better, when they would try to include as much gamer as possible.
Do they really listen, or is it just marketing?
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