W
hat’s the Next Big Thing in Video Games? Microsoft thinks it might have the answer.
From codename Project Natal to “You are the controller,” the Microsoft Kinect for Xbox 360 has been developed extensively over the past couple of years.
Released on November 4th, it is available for $149 (stand alone) or $299 with a 4G Xbox 360. The device pits Microsoft against Sony’s Playstation Move and Nintendo Wii in this new era of motion being incorporated into video game consoles.
It features three ‘eyes’ across its front, comprising one RGB camera (visual), one infrared projector and one infrared detector. It also has four microphones to detect sounds their point of origin.
The real magic is in the software, which allows the device to track your location in the room, your gestures and the movements you make (or attempt to make) during the game.
The Kinect is powered by USB plus an AC adapter. If you have one of the newest Xbox 360s, Kinect is powered via a special port in the back. The final step of the hardware setup involves finding some space, which, as college kids in dormitories and apartments, is usually an issue.
Microsoft recommends that you be six to eight feet away from the sensor with no coffee tables or chairs in between, and it seems that the six feet ‘recommendation’ is more of a requirement, which can difficult in some cases.
The first time you power on your Kinect, you will need to calibrate both audio and visual sensors. The device learns your voice, allowing it to differentiate it from background noise.
The visual calibration also allows the device to pick out your profile so that it knows when you (yes, you personally) walk into the screen. The menu controls are no longer navigated using the standard hand-held controller; you do various gestures with your arms and hands, or use your voice to direct the system.
Voice controls are across the board, including when you are using your Xbox 360 to watch television or movies. Simply yell “Xbox,” and a menu will come up showing the commands which you can use. From there you can continue using voice commands or hand gestures.
On the gaming side of things, Microsoft is putting forward some great games to start the party, including Kinect Adventures (bundled with the Kinect device), Dance Central, Your Shape: Fitness Evolved, Kinectimals, Kinect Sports, and Kinect Joy Ride.
Many of these games are reminiscent of the original Wii games, and are useful proof-of-concept games that will undoubtedly lead to improvements in the future.
The platform is in its first version, and will surely continue to develop and mature over the coming years. Microsoft has put quite a bit of money and effort into making a revolutionary product that definitely breaks the boundaries of what we thought was possible with video games and control in general.
So is the Kinect something to add to your holiday wish list? That largely depends upon what you’re feeling. Want to be the early-adapter on the block? This technology is certainly going to be a holiday hit, make no doubt about it.
Microsoft reports that in the first 10 days of its release it has already sold one million units, and is on track to sell five million by year’s end. Microsoft has put forward a device that can interpret commands in 3D space, and there’s something to be said for that. In short, the future is now, so if you’re feeling futuristic and adventurous, it might be high time to start saving those pennies.
