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The meh men out there were quick to discount Kinect’s tracking after they got their hands on (off?) Microsoft’s motion sensing technology, saying that on screen it lagged behind your real world motions. Of course, Microsoft wants you to know that their tracking is tight and fast, and not laggy.

Kinect frontman Kudo Tsunoda told Xbox360Achievements that it’s actually as fast as hitting a button on a controller:

“We’ve done tests back at the office where we have a TV, flash a light on the screen and we’ll have a controller, and have someone there hitting a button, and someone with Kinect clapping as soon as they see the light on the screen, and both things go just as fast as one another.”

That means we should expect 1:1 control when this all goes down in November. Don’t take my word for it, though.

Tsunoda adds: “We already have the 1:1 stuff working really well and the response time is just as fast as pushing a button or making a gesture.”

I’m sure they’ve done tests that are a bit more technical than clapping. I hope so, at least.

MS: Kinect capable of 1:1, fast as ‘pushing a button’ [CVG]

It

was rumored yesterday that Microsoft was working on an overhauled Xbox 360 with a new D-Pad, and now the company has confirmed that yes, the ratty little squirt of plastic shite that we currently have (in my opinion) is getting a bit of an improvement. Only slightly, though. 

“The Xbox 360 Wireless Controller with Play & Charge Kit — with Transforming D-pad will be available beginning early 2011 in the UK,” a spokesman told CVG. 

When the D-Pad is rotated 90 degrees, it will raise by roughly a quarter-of-an-inch, a design that will apparently help fighting fans pull of their combos with a greater degree of ease. Who knows? It might even mean that when you press “up” on the thing, it’ll actually mean “up” and not “right” or “left” or “I can’t be bothered to work properly.”

So there you are. A new D-Pad for a new America.

[Update: Hit the jump for a video demonstration!]

Joystiq is reporting that they have an unnamed source claiming Microsoft has a new controller for the Xbox 360 in development. According to this source, the controller will feature a redesigned directional pad which raises up a quarter of an inch when rotated ninety degrees. I assume that such a design would offer some measure of resistance and give feedback to the player then making a rotational move, such as in a fighting game.

The Xbox 360 controller is, in my opinion, one of the best ever made. It’s comfortable to hold, has everything in easy reach and the ease of compatibility for use as a PC controller is a big personal plus for me. The d-pad, however, is well-documented crap. If this rumor is true, I may have a whole bunch of controllers that will need replacing.

Rumor: Microsoft prepping new Xbox 360 controller with improved d-pad for the holidays [Joystiq]

Got a PC? Consider yourself better than console gamers? Waiting for the next Crysis in order to turn your computer into a gigantic surrogate penis? It seems that Microsoft has heard you, and is all set to deliver. A new game is in the works from the Xbox 360 manufacturer, but this one isn’t for the console kiddies. 

Microsoft is aiming to market to the GPU and CPU upgraders of the world, with spokesman Dave Luehman stating that there’s a game in the works aiming to “really encourage that type of behaviour.”

Luehman also states that Microsoft is committed to PC gaming, and that more announcements will come. Apparently, it’s all about manipulating a “funnel” that ranges from casual PC gamers right down to the “core MMO gamers.” 

It all sounds good on paper, but given Microsoft’s recent stumblings in the PC game arena, forgive me for remaining skeptical. 

Microsoft PC chief: Unannounced game aimed at GPU, CPU upgraders [VG247]

Flight is a new entry in the Microsoft Flight Simulator line, and the first to join the Games for Windows Live online ranks. Microsoft Game Studios is just now letting on that the game is in development. They say that it will bring a new perspective to the genre, welcoming everyone to “experience the magic of flight.” This will be a Windows-based PC game.

There’s a pretty teaser trailer on the game’s official website. It doesn’t tell you much, but it’s nice to look at. There’s a bit of dialogue in the trailer. It says, “When I was a child I dreamed I could fly.”

So far we can guess that this game will be a social experience. Microsoft says to check back at the official page as things develop.

I managed to catch some kind of cold or cough or something a week before Comic-Con. At first I was really pissed off, but now I think I’ll be able to power through this and be healthy for next week’s festivities. I’ll be one of those as*hole carriers now. Still, I’ll rock the hand sanitizer like nobody’s business.

Luckily Microsoft’s Kinect is hands-free, so I can save the Purell for the other booths. Microsoft will have playable Kinect experiences there at the show. A special setup called the Xbox 360 Experience Room will be located at the Hard Rock Hotel, and will feature Kinect titles like Dance Central, Kinect Sports and Joy Ride.

If you’re more about buttons and less about wobbling around in front of a camera, know that they’re also bringing Halo: Reach, Fable III and Gears of War 3 to the booth on the Comic-Con show floor. Add some panels with Bungie, Epic, The Guild cast and 343 Industries, and you’ll be all Xbox’d out come that next Monday.

Maybe see you there? I’ll be the guy with the hand sanitizer.

In its continuing quest to become Sony circa 2007, Microsoft has now declared rumble to be a rudimentary, archaic, outdated form of controller feedback. With his tongue wedged firmly up Kinect’s invisible arse, Kudo Tsunoda has declared that moving around is far greater than feeling a vibration in your hand, and if you disagree, then your position is “laughable.”

“… Even people playing games with a controller, there’s always people doing this [mimes driving motion]. They want to be moving.,” claims the Microsoft producer. “There’s natural movements and reactions involved. I’ve never seen someone doing that from rumble. It’s the audiovisual stuff.

“The overwhelming thing we’ve discovered is that rumble is such a rudimentary form of haptic feedback. It’s not like a little rumble in your palm is your whole way of interacting with the world — it’s not like, oh, I stubbed my toe and I get a little rumble in my palm.

“It’s almost laughable the way people hold on to rumble as the holy grail of haptic feedback. We’ve gone so far past anything that can be done with rumble, or that kind of restrictive thing you have to hold. It’s been creatively liberating to work on this stuff.”

So there you have it. Controllers are f*cking pathetic, whereas Kinect is the salvation of videogames as we know it. No one comes to the Father save through Microsoft … sorry, that should be MicroSony.

Kudo Tsunoda: “Rumble Is Rudimentary” [Edge]

Sure, sometimes I stand up from the couch to shout at my television when playing a frustrating game. But in general, I won’t be standing up unless the game calls for it. Wondering if you’ll be able to remain planted in your seat when using Microsoft’s motion sensing Kinect device? Yes… sometimes.

“Kinect can be used while sitting when an experience is developed with sitting in mind,” Microsoft clarified to Joystiq. As an example, Microsoft mentioned Dashboard navigation, which would include things like watching video, Video Kinect chat, and more. Outside of the Dashboard stuff, all of the Kinect offerings we saw at E3 required the player be standing. You think people look silly playing Dance Central, imagine what they’d look like trying to play that game sitting down.

But there likely will be software that will keep the player’s buttocks firmly planted in seats — Microsoft says what was shown earlier this year was “only the tip of the iceberg.” Lazy gamers around the globe hope they show us the rest of the the iceberg — the slothful parts — before Kinect launches this holiday.

Kinect software will work with seated player when ‘developed with sitting in mind’ [Joystiq]

It seems that Microsoft is pulling out all the stops to ensure that Kinect is popular, proving that if you can’t win the hearts of the people with a good product, you can do it with boatloads of cash. Cirque du Soleil, Justin Bieber, and now Burger King have been recruited by Microsoft in th great casual war, the latter being used to promote Kinectimals. 

Burger King will be giving away little stuffed animals that can be scanned by Kinect’s camera to create a digital alternative. They can then be played with by your pet Kinectimal, which should fascinate anybody reading this who happens to be seven-years-old. 

As much as I make fun of Kinect, I can’t deny that Microsoft has gone all out in the marketing for it, and this could see it get some pretty decent initial sales. By contrast, Sony’s done a lot of sitting on its product and just expecting things to sell, as it’s often wont to do. If PlayStation Move is to tackle Kinect, it’s going to need more than a few cute Kevin Butler ads, methinks. 

As far as this Kinectimals nonsense goes, it’ll be out in November. I LOVE YOU SPRINKLES!

Burger King and Kinectimals team up for a playable promotion [GamesRadar]