• Changing RCF's index page, please click on "Forums" to access the forums.

Xbox 360: Project Natal

Do Not Sell My Personal Information

chrisrich91

6/19/2016
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Aug 12, 2008
Messages
10,726
Reaction score
26,476
Points
135
This must be exaggerated in this ad or something because this looks too good...and a bit unrealistic. Right?

<object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2J6bslD5PCY&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2J6bslD5PCY&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object>
 
With most things, I'll believe it when it is released.

I seriously doubt it would work anyway, give me a controller anyday !
 
I actually watched part of the e-3 press conference online last night. They had people on stage demonstrating the prototype version. It looked like it worked. Here is a link to their press conference. If you fast forward to the end (it's about 2 hours long) that's where they do demonstrations of Natal and stuff.

http://e3.gamespot.com/press-conference/microsoft-e3/
 
The science behind it is sound, and mostly proprietary. The same development team that worked on the Wiimote has developed Project Natal (at least, the same lead developer). The resolution of the device isn't widely known, but is believed to be high enough to distinguish very subtle movements, even as minuscule as finger motions.

The difficulty comes in processing the information rapidly and without latency (which is tremendously difficult to do). Currently, the "point cloud" is rendered using the 360's CPU. This causes an exceptional amount of latency that would make fast-paced online gaming with this device next to impossible. However, as the technology matures, Microsoft either has the option to either extend the current system to use GPGPU technology (drastically parallelizing the tracking process at the expense of graphics output) or include an FPGA based hardware rendering system within the Natal "camera" peripheral and extending the API.

IMO, this is another example of Microsoft stealing an extremely innovative idea from a competitor and heralding a computing revolution by way of their market dominance. Project Natal is the future of interactive gaming; and while it can't replace the controller for many games, there are many more things that can be done with Natal. Just imagine Natal coupled with a stereoscopic VR headset and game-specific props (an SMG)..
 
Looks neat...I love how MSFT takes innovative ideas from others and makes them better. I have a MSFT hating friend that I love to debate
 
The real question is, can we expect to be able to play an NBA game with this thing?

That would be awesome.
 
Why would you man? Id rather use a controller for most things. But yeah, looks like the already shitty wii, is officially done.
 
Why would you man? Id rather use a controller for most things. But yeah, looks like the already shitty wii, is officially done.

I agree. Why would you want to make every movement the player in the video game does in a hoops game? Not only is that exhausting but it's also pointless. Pick up a ball, call up some from friends and hit up the rec center/outdoor courts. I'd much rather relax when I play my 2k9.
 
cool technology, I'd use it just for the damn menu navigation (lol). Really though, this would be a boon for party games, but it doesn't really work for the nba 2k/gow/cod/halo type of games.
 
I wouldn't want to play basketball at all with Natal.. Seems stupid, like Typhoon and Camakaze said.. What would be raw would be a boxing/karate or even freestyle point sparing game. Or again, with a VR headset, a game like Resident Evil or even RB6/G.Recon... Games like Halo probably wouldn't work because of the Spartans superhuman jumping ability. But no one jumps in RB6; it's all crouch, sneak, aim, shoot.. Would be raw with a headset.. Amazingly so..

Just don't run into the walls and shit... lol
 
Haha upon further thought you might as well go play real basketball I guess.

But the more I think about games where you run around the more awkward it seems...like would you have to run in place or something?

Weird.
 
Haha upon further thought you might as well go play real basketball I guess.

But the more I think about games where you run around the more awkward it seems...like would you have to run in place or something?

Weird.

Yea.. more likely than not. Actually moving forward only relates the velocity of motion.. If the velocity is fixed, as it is in most games anyway (at least, walking and running are fixed speeds), then jogging and running in place could be used for most movement tasks. It is weird tho..

p.s.
An obvious problem arises when you consider what happens when the player (un)intentionally moves forward in the physical world, and runs out of space to continue moving forward. If the avatar/character continues to follow his motion, then when the player steps back to create space, the avatar/character would do the same. A "Stop" command might be necessary to instruct the Natal API to stop reading the players motions. (Like a two-hands raised with palms out "STOP!" motion while moving to adjust for space.) Because not everyone has huge rooms to play their games in.. I know I sure don't.
 
Bowling thats about it....This is cool but I like to sit on the couch and drink beer when I play video games....not exercise.
 

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Video

Episode 3-13: "Backup Bash Brothers"

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Spotify

Episode 3:11: "Clipping Bucks."
Top