Microsoft Game Studios’ Shane Kim — the guy that said a Microsoft handheld was a matter of “when” and not “if” — believes Project Natal can earn the hardware manufacturer a blue ribbon this console generation by smashing “barriers” that frustrate the casual audience.
In an interview with OXM UK, Kim said Microsoft isn’t the winner of this generation, but Project Natal could put them over the edge. His vision is clear: Natal isn’t about responding to what Nintendo is doing; rather, it is about opening magical pathways so console-dumb Granny and company will feel the need to buy an Xbox 360. In short, Kim thinks Natal will net Microsoft more warm-bodied followers.
“Because the generation isn’t over, and we’re not winning yet,” Kim said. “Our goal is to win, always has been. We want to have hundreds of millions of customers, whether that’s on 360 or on LIVE, and that’s our vision.”
“That’s what Project Natal is about,” he continued. “Natal is not about responding to Nintendo and what they do with Wii, it goes well beyond what Nintendo and Sony are doing. This is about unlocking the potential and breaking down all the barriers that remain that prevent people who are intimidated or feel awkward with a controller in their hand — anything that prevents them from jumping in and having a great time with Xbox 360 and Xbox LIVE.
“That’s what it’s about. It’s about the 60% of households around the world, more in some regions, that don’t own a games console today. We only have so much to offer, so much value to offer: how do we prevent ourselves getting in the way? That’s what Project Natal really is,” said Kim.
Kim’s thoughts aren’t wild, but there is a small problem: people who can’t figure out dual-analog sticks already have a Wii, and it doesn’t seem like they take issue with the remote.
[via VG247]
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At E3, Microsoft proudly showed someone using a system of mystical motions in order to play a racing game, but despite Project Natal’s promise of a brave new tomorrow, genre staple Codemasters remains skeptical, believing traditional controllers are the way to go.
"The complexity of control for a racing game, certainly for a core racing game like ours, requires a controller," explains game design manager Ralph Fulton. "It requires feedback, and I don’t think waving your hands around and pretending you’re steering a car offers you the precision or the feedback that racing games require.
"That’s not to say that I don’t think you could do some really cool things, particularly with Natal, which can function as additional control over and above the controller in racing games. But I certainly don’t ever see it replacing the wheel or the controller as the principle controller method."
That said, Fulton is excited to get kits for both Natal and the Sony Wiimote, although he believes Natal is more exciting because Sony’s little wand doesn’t look as new. Fair point, really.
So far, Microsoft’s precious Project Natal has been associated with waving your arms and feet around like an idiot, and … well … not a lot else, actually. It certainly hasn’t been associated with Halo, and franchise creator Bungie reckons that it just wouldn’t work, at least with a proper Halo.
"I think that Natal has some really cool technology," says senior designer Lars Brakken. "Obviously it doesn’t make sense to use Natal for a full Halo control scheme. At least in my brain I can’t think of a way for that to work right now. That doesn’t mean that it can’t work in the future but I think Natal could enhance things. It’s so far off it’s hard to think about how it could work in a Halo game."
Hopefully, Microsoft will keep its original franchises as they are, and keep Natal for a bunch of gimmicky, "casual" crap in yet another failed bid to ensnare the soccer moms and grannies that Nintendo has under their thumb. That said, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Master Chief’s Crossbow Training appear at some point in the future.
Unreal Engine 3. Is there anything it can’t do?
Apparently not. Remember the Project Natal tech demos from E3? Of course you do! But since I cannot seem to locate our original coverage of the Microsoft press conference, go back and watch Jimmy Fallon play with the device again if your memory is a little fuzzy.
Talking to OXM UK, Epic Games VP Mark Rein revealed something I would have never guessed: two of the Project Natal games were created using the company’s uber popular game engine.
"The ricochet game and the paint party game are Unreal Engine 3," says Rein, "so we’re obviously the first technology on the new platform which is kinda cool." Indeed. I find it kind of funny that although UE3 is the first, Epic has stated that its future games will most likely be using the classic control interface.
[Via TeamXbox]
Sony has been late to the party on most things this generation, but the platform will be damned if it won’t try to compete with absolutely everybody. Not content to follow Nintendo with its own Wiimote, Sony has revealed that the PSEye will be taking on Microsoft’s Project Natal thanks to some natty facial recognition software. To be fair though, at least Sony started the whole Natal stuff with its EyeToy shenanigans.
Head of developer services Kish Hirani claims that his team has got "a wealth of libraries available" and that many experiments have been undertaken by SCEE R&D to get this all working. "It’s a lot of fun in the office," he claims.
Looks like the age of gimmickry and gadgetry has descended upon the world of videogames. There’s all sorts of interesting and/or stupid technology being thrown at there at the moment, which prompts the questions … how many of these things will end up long-forgotten on junk-filled flea market tables in ten years’ time?
Microsoft’s Project Natal is an attempt to snatch grannies from their Wiis or a brilliant way to make gamers look like bigger retards while huddled in front of expensive television sets. Either way, it doesn’t matter: Microsoft’s motion controller thing is coming and with it, a host of new gaming possibilities. It’s likely that next year (if that actually is when Natal hits), we’ll surely be assaulted with a variety of videogame tie-ins — many of the quirky variety, no doubt. Bungie Software’s Halo: Reach could be one of those games.
Speaking to the Seattle Times (via Kotaku), Bungie big man Harold Ryan said Project Natal support for the announced but mysterious Halo: Reach is a possibility. "I absolutely think ‘Reach’ could be enabled with it," he said simply.
We like the idea of subtle gesturing for a grenade if the action is too hot for a button press. As long as Bungie strays from the Wii-tacular stuff — waggling to cut a sausage, shaking to avoid an enemy, or cranking to open a door — we’ll be completely fine. Of course, Bungie is a great studio: we shouldn’t sweat it.
Ryan’s statement wasn’t a confirmation; so don’t take Natal-plus-Reach to the bank. But we can dream our beautiful gesture dreams. What would you guys like to do in Halo with the might of Project Natal behind it?