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{sidebar id=1}Today, Microsoft unveiled the real name of its project Natal, now known as Kinect, at its annual E3 presentation. The demonstration was put together amazingly well, except for the acting. But the Kinect itself was the real star, everyone wants to know if it really will be revolutionizing for the gaming industry.
As you know, AbleGamers has not always been hopeful for Project Natal. Adding even greater motion to gaming systems we are just finally beginning to make accessible through third-party software and hardware, is almost cruel.
Nevertheless, time marches on and technology must advance. After all, that's the way the world, right?
I don't have to tell you that most of the Kinect will be largely useless to most of you reading this article. The entire point of Kinect is to get you and your friends off of the couch and more active while playing video games.
That is an impressive idea in theory; unfortunately it really hurts your average disabled gamer who can't get out of the wheelchair, let alone the couch. In order to know whether to be excited about this device, you’re going to have to take an inventory of your disability.
If you have use of everything but one arm or one hand, like most one-handed gamers, Kinect will still be playable for you just as is the Wii. But if you are unable to play the Wii or have a more severe disability - this new system is going to be rough.
Let's get down to what we do know as of today. Kinect is a way to free yourself from remote controls and controllers from gaming and entertainment such as watching DVDs. The demonstrations showed how you can use your hands to navigate through the menu to select and use Netflix, Zune, Facebook, and many more applications.
One of the coolest demonstrations was the video chatting feature. Not only will you be able to communicate with your friends anywhere around the globe but Kinect also allows you to watch movies, read the web, or listen to music with your friend in the same window.
In addition, the camera will follow you in the video chat as you move around, which frees you up to do other things than sit at a computer to talk to your friends across the country. It follows you by scanning your skeleton structure and following it as long as you stay within its view.
Yes, there were games where people were running in place as the game put them through a virtual race and even a water rafting trip. Kinect reads your position on screen and reacts accordingly as you move. For the most part, the games are going to require standing and sometimes jumping to communicate with the system.
Now, that's not to say that some of the games won’t make you wish you had the ability to play. One of the new proprietary games is called Kinectimals - a next-generation version of taking care of virtual pets.
Microsoft did this demonstration with a sweet seven-year old girl and her pet tiger named Skittles. The little girl was able to scratch, pet, hug, and even play with the tiger using only her hands and her voice.
At one moment, she instructed Skittles to go look for his toy, at which point she hid behind a piece of furniture and that's when the audience couldn't hold back the Awws.
Skittles began looking for her desperately and even ran up to the camera, placing his eye on the camera lens and began looking around as if he could really see into the room. He continued grabbing the camera and shaking it about, even letting out soft mews.
Then when she jumped back in front of the camera, Skittles immediately recognized her without any commands and proceeded to virtually lick her as your dog does when he's happy to see you come home.
Kinectimals is one of six proprietary titles that will only be available through the Xbox 360 Kinect. The other titles include:
Kinect sports - sports games like football
Kinect joyride - racing games you can drive with a virtual wheel
Kinect adventures - water rafting and other thrilling adventures
Kinect your shape fitness - a new type of fitness similar to things that you can already find on the Wii
Kinect Star Wars - another lame try to capture the large Star Wars audience with a shooting gallery atmosphere using a light saber
And of course our personal favorite from the makers of Rock Band, Dance Central, Harmonix’s version of Dance Dance Revolution.
All of these 6 games will be available with another 9 that are not proprietary, for the grand total of 15 titles available November 4 when Kinect launches.
Although most of the news sounds iffy at best, there are some silver linings to the new device. First and foremost, the integration of voice commands as a core element will increase the accessibility by default.
Not everyone can speak but many disabled gamers, even those severely disabled, often still possess the ability to speak or use a voice box. If nothing else, the $150 retail price may be worth the ability to control your home entertainment without the need to involve anyone else.
Similar systems currently on the market with the ability to control your DVD player, TV, and iPod with only your voice run between $750 and $5000. For $150, you'll possess the ability to watch movies, listen to music, interact with Facebook, or enjoy your favorite TV show all with the power of your voice.
That may not be the exact intended purpose for the Kinect, but as disabled individuals, we all know that being ingenuitive is almost a requirement. Repurposing objects from everyday life to complete ordinary tasks is something all too familiar for most of us.
I know what you're thinking: I don't want to repurpose my Xbox; I actually want to play it.
To be honest, I'm still skeptical as to the usefulness of the Kinect for the average disabled gamer as a gaming system. One of the biggest themes of the E3 presentation by Microsoft was that “Everyone can play.” The presenters repeatedly expressed the desire to move from “tens of millions of Xbox users into the hundreds of millions.” But will Microsoft attempt to include the over 20 million potential gamers in the disabled population?
Stay tuned to see what Microsoft had to say to AbleGamers after the Kinect presentation.
Steve Spohn is the Editor-in-Chief of AbleGamers & Outreach Chair for the Foundation. He is an expert in gaming with disabilities and assistive technologies and can be seen on MSNBC, CNN, G4 and more.
To be honest, I'm still skeptical as to the usefulness of the Kinect for the average disabled gamer as a gaming system.
<br /><br />As someone disabled by chronic fatigue syndrome, I doubt it's for me. I've had to make adjustments over the past few years so that I expend less physical energy gaming (like playing mostly on a PC instead of consoles). Two hours on the 360 can put me in bed for four or more. Purely from a gaming standpoint I'm interested to see what happens with it, but at the moment I can't imagine being able to spend much time playing with Kinect before I'd have to lie down. (Loved the Kinectimals trailer though!)
Said, I think this is something more in terms of beginning the revolutionary creation of gaming. The majority should be catered for first to trial out the technology is possible, and then work on that to see where improvements can be made.<br /><br />Although, at the same time, the sooner the accessibility is created for disabled gamers, then the better their marginal profits will be.
Cute name, Any word on the interface between the Kinect and their new smart-phone type-thing, the Kin? Not important. Moving on...<br /><br />I would love to get my hands on the Kinect. It looks fun. I wish I could get myself in front of it to find out just how useful it would be to me.<br /><br />It's kind of a drag that I think I already know the answer to that one, though.<br /><br />I don't think I'll be rushing out to pre-order mine, but who knows, encouragement could come in the next article. Can't wait to read it.
The only thing I feel about this is one great big "meh".<br /><br />Judging by the initial batch of games, they're firmly within the shovelware type of crap that has plagued the Wii. Although, even if such "casual" games come through as OK, it's not an area which sits comfortably with the 360 owner's demographic. Also, I can't see this generating enough new interest to make people go out and buy a 360 just on the strength of this system.<br /><br />Of course, Wii is a success, even though it is plagued with tons of shovelware. But, this is much closer to Sony's Eyetoy, which while fine, hasn't set the world alight.<br /><br />This will be a dead duck for Microsoft. I feel confident enough to say that. But it seems I'm not the only one ...<br /><br />http://www.gamefaqs.com/poll/index.html?poll=3942<br /><br />Underwhelming to say the least.
@crunchyfrog555<br /><br />Way to finish off on a poll from a site only know to hardcore gamers. They don't want gamers buying this, they want the millions of people who don't play games that made the wii successful.
{sidebar id=1}Today, Microsoft unveiled the real name of its project Natal, now known as Kinect, at its annual E3 presentation. The demonstration was put together amazingly well, except for the acting. But the Kinect itself was the real star, everyone wants to know if it really will be revolutionizing for the gaming industry.
Todd
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