Giantbomb tests Kinect.

brainfeeder
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
May 29, 2002
Messages
5,179
Best answers
0
Location
Florida
There isn't a single reason to get Kinect yet... unless, you like dancing.

"I want to murder this man."
 
Active Member
✔️ HL Verified
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
Oct 27, 2004
Messages
2,462
Best answers
0
I blame the 'casual gamer' for this motion control gimmick.

You know who did it the best? The ******* Light Gun. The arguable best console peripheral to change the way games are played in the past 2 decades? The joystick/thumbstick.

**** Nintendo for unleashing this plague. **** Microsoft and Sony for caving in to this.

I know something awesome is going to come by one day and we are all going to pass it off as stupid because we are a stubborn species, but of swinging, jumping, and wagging to perform simple, repetitive, non-engaging tasks are not the answers.
 
New Member
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
May 13, 2003
Messages
2,904
Best answers
0
Maybe it's the cynic in me, but I knew from day 1 that Kinect wouldn't work as smoothly and fluidly as advertised. There's no demand for these gimmicks yet except from soccer moms. Which is the metric opposite of the average 360 player.
 
New Member
✔️ HL Verified
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
Mar 29, 2003
Messages
4,765
Best answers
0
Location
The Netherlands
Nothing works as smoothly as they advertise, not even lubricant.
 
New Member
✔️ HL Verified
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
Mar 29, 2003
Messages
4,765
Best answers
0
Location
The Netherlands
I stand corrected, sandpaper DOES work smoothly. Henceforth, I shall replace lubricant with sandpaper.
 
New Member
✔️ HL Verified
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
May 28, 2006
Messages
1,094
Best answers
0
Well, I dunno. That horse game was poorly-ass designed, especially for something with a learning curve like this. I mean, seriously, they have to have the announcer say the EXACT same line EVERY time he screws up? Yeah, for a 2010 game, having THAT few lines and responses to certain situations is pathetic. This is why Valve has a massive archive of character lines in it's games so the characters don't become repetitive. It's like that one game the AVGN played...

"Where did YOU learn to fly?"

*smack!*

"Where did YOU learn to fly?"

*smack!*

"Where did YOU learn to fly?"

*smack!*

~~~~~~

Aside from that, I think the problem was either the second guy's body-type being an issue for Kinect, or they weren't properly taught how to play. The game itself seemed to be surprisingly responsive. I'd like to see how it handles in another game.

As to motion control itself, whatever becomes of Kinect and Move, the gaming industry is better for the Wii introducing the concept to the world, because they single-handedly broke the graphics arms-race and sent game-designers scrambling for new footing. It can only be a good thing that the priorities have shifted from how good the game LOOKS to how it can be interestingly and effectively played.

I won't lie, Move looks like a Wiimote knockoff as sure as OJ was guilty, and Kinect is such an ambitious venture that I wouldn't be surprised if it's not all that great, and gaming is in for a dry spell if either fail miserably. But the fact that they were both willing to take the risk is a good sign. The idea of Microsoft of all people taking such an ambitious step forward is a good sign for the advancement and elevation of gaming. It might fail, but you should never quit just because you "might fail". Microsoft and Sony, regardless, will have an interesting learning experience, and be all the better in the next generation of consoles.

The Wii is going to remain king of it's castle here. We all know it. The PS3 and 360 are expensive enough without buying these giant addons for very specific games, and the "kidifying" either are doing to me-too the concept of the "Mii" is likely going to be full-blown rejected by the "hardcore" players of both systems. And the people who WANT the party games and motion control will probably just get (or already have) a Wii. But we all know the Wii's comptition can't throw up it's hands and ignore the issue any longer, and rightly so.
 
brainfeeder
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
May 29, 2002
Messages
5,179
Best answers
0
Location
Florida
If Microsoft can develop a Western FPS like a Red Dead Kinect or a Fantasy RPG such as Fable IV that works with the hardware... they'd take a demanding lead in the motion-control race.

If I'm making a gun with my hand or swinging an imaginary sword while signalling fireballs with my off-hand... I don't think it would get any better.
 
New Member
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
May 13, 2003
Messages
2,904
Best answers
0
Aside from that, I think the problem was either the second guy's body-type being an issue for Kinect, or they weren't properly taught how to play. The game itself seemed to be surprisingly responsive.
That is ridiculous. It doesn't say anywhere "Kinect! For everyone... but fat people!". It recognizes him in the scan and it knew exactly who he was the minute he stepped in the scanning square. As for responsive? Did you see it took like a second for the horse to actually jump, even when Gerstmann was playing? Or the football game near the end? Looks like you were watching a different video than I was. :/

As to motion control itself, whatever becomes of Kinect and Move, the gaming industry is better for the Wii introducing the concept to the world, because they single-handedly broke the graphics arms-race and sent game-designers scrambling for new footing. It can only be a good thing that the priorities have shifted from how good the game LOOKS to how it can be interestingly and effectively played.
No, no they didn't. What they did was cater to an audience that was at the time, not interested in gaming. It made gaming more accessible. It didn't break the graphics arms-race.

I won't lie, Move looks like a Wiimote knockoff as sure as OJ was guilty, and Kinect is such an ambitious venture that I wouldn't be surprised if it's not all that great, and gaming is in for a dry spell if either fail miserably. But the fact that they were both willing to take the risk is a good sign. The idea of Microsoft of all people taking such an ambitious step forward is a good sign for the advancement and elevation of gaming. It might fail, but you should never quit just because you "might fail". Microsoft and Sony, regardless, will have an interesting learning experience, and be all the better in the next generation of consoles.
It's not so much a risk as it is an effort to reach the same people who gave Nintendo the best years they've ever had. They know there is a market for this kind of stuff based solely on the demographic of Wii buyers and users. The only risk taken was by Nintendo at the time. Not by Microsoft or Sony.

The Wii is going to remain king of it's castle here. We all know it. The PS3 and 360 are expensive enough without buying these giant addons for very specific games, and the "kidifying" either are doing to me-too the concept of the "Mii" is likely going to be full-blown rejected by the "hardcore" players of both systems. And the people who WANT the party games and motion control will probably just get (or already have) a Wii. But we all know the Wii's comptition can't throw up it's hands and ignore the issue any longer, and rightly so.
Really? Have you checked PS3 and 360 prices, recently? They're not that far apart. You can get a 360 for about 200 euro now. Also, the "Mii" concept being rejected by the hardcore players? What? You do know that the 360 has Avatars, right? Which are basically the Mii's, except they look good. There's a crazy amount of money going round in buying items and accessories for the Avatars and it's not a concept that's unknown to either Sony or Microsoft. The truth of the matter is that more and more we are moving towards one, all-purpose gaming console and that'll remove any kind of aspiration to originality. Everyone is borrowing from everyone now - both the PS3 and 360 now have Motion control and the PS3 added Trophy support after finding out how popular Achievements on the 360 were.

As for your claim that the Wii is going to remain "king of its castle" - Maybe. But that's not because its execution is flawless. It's because Nintendo has a different audience than Microsoft and Sony, and that audience doesn't particularly care about next generation graphics. They play because it's fun. Even with the Wii graphics being nearly similar to the N64, the Wii is still popular because of this. Sony and Microsoft are trying to reach the market Nintendo is already dominating. The casual gamer, if you will. Nintendo will have to step up its graphics in order to compete now that Sony and Microsoft have set their sights on "their" market.

Then again, I could be wrong.
 
New Member
✔️ HL Verified
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
Mar 29, 2003
Messages
4,765
Best answers
0
Location
The Netherlands
How fair is comparing market share now anyway? Yes, Wii may have sold more, but how many of them are still actually being used to play? While PS3's and X360's were bought by a more 'hardcore' gamer in general, these people will keep buying new games that interest them since the market for RPG's and shooters is ever-growing. However, many of the casual Wii people, are they still buying games? I know of a couple of people who bought the Wii because it had fun party games, and unique motion control, but it is now gathering dust in the corner because these people can't be arsed to buy other games like Zelda, the only games they play are the party games. The only time they still use the Wii is when they actually have some kind of party going on.

In that aspect, Sony and Microsoft may have a lot more to gain. Not only is their technology far more advanced, or do they offer other services (Bluray for example), they also have a far larger (and mature) library of games. If they manage to sell PS3's and X360's with party games, but manage to get these people to play other 'mature' A-games as well (Say, Call of Duty), the Wii will soon be forgotten.
 
New Member
💻 Oldtimer
Joined
May 13, 2003
Messages
2,904
Best answers
0
Very true. You can't get a poll on how much people use their respective technology. The best you can do is sales.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top Bottom