Xbox 360: Project Natal

[Fletcher]

The Wii was epic in its target audience, we gamers hated it for its pathetic graphics engine and sheer childishness, but that was its target unlike the 360 and PS3.

Now then. The company of the Microsoft has responded quite well I think, slowly though. They are going to shove a large Rambo combat knife into the back of Nintendo and twist slowly.

Project Natal.

This is an add-on for the Xbox 360 that is essentially a much more refined Eyetoy. While the Eyetoy sucked, it was a stepping stone, a stone that Microsoft intends to use.

It requires no controller, minus your body. It can fully detect all of your body and joints all 48 I'm told. Even thumbs. That is very impressive compared to a EyeToy of yesteryear, also they put Burnout on it I've head, and that is no cheap or lightweight game, its hardcore.

Here is a link for you readers:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/tech...s_down_gau.html

The Wii is going down sometime next year. I will attend the funeral and urinate on its grave. You think I kid?

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"Oh chuffing blimey, another day, another person being whiney!"
Fletcher's Feedback and Stories Thread

[Jamez]

If they actually pull this off, I want Halo 3 updated to use it, I want to riflebutt grunts and destroy my furniture, cheef style.

This bit in particular:

Kim said the device is intended to remove "barriers," making the Xbox more accessible to people who are intimidated by all the buttons and controls on a traditional game controller.

I'm HOPELESS on consoles, simply because it takes me ages to figure out which button does what. This may help!

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Andrew Skye
Starflier thrill-seeker

Evangeline Knight
Seasoned fighter pilot

Shinji Takeda
Renzu Corp ex-COO

[Fletcher]

If they actually pull this off, I want Halo 3 updated to use it, I want to riflebutt grunts and destroy my furniture, cheef style.

Can you imagine that on co-op splitscreen with four players? It is possible with Natal! Co-Op! Grunt hunting! Whack a Grunt!

It should be an Olympic event...

I agree with you, that would be both hilarious and exercising. Win-win. Minus the furniture.:nono:

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"Oh chuffing blimey, another day, another person being whiney!"
Fletcher's Feedback and Stories Thread

[AJBeast]

If this trully gets popular , im gonna sell my Wii while they are still popular:P

[phendrift]

Next year the Wii will be four years old, a normal shelf-life for Nintendo consoles. It'll perish anyway.

Natal is a very nice piece of tech, one with many possibilities. How it will invite audiences remains to be seen. Wii Sports was the perfect introduction to the Wii remote: clean presentation, fun, short, and inexpensive (free for NA). Unless Natal reduces the potential barriers for entry, it won't really reach its audiences until the next MS console is released.

[Zero755]

Can you imagine that on co-op splitscreen with four players? It is possible with Natal! Co-Op! Grunt hunting! Whack a Grunt!

It should be an Olympic event...

I agree with you, that would be both hilarious and exercising. Win-win. Minus the furniture.:nono:

Minus the furniture and the possible hospital trips if you try to say... whack someone and actually wind up whacking someone xD

If this thing actually works I may actually have to break down and buy an XBox... IF there are any decent games out to utilize this gadget.

Im still holding out for a remake of FF7 for the PS3/4

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[Dopamino]

The Wii has always sucked. Microsoft has the right idea.

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I mostly lurk around Media Center these days.

[khran]

I lol at people who think the Natal will kill the Wii. The Wii has a massive install base and plenty in the works to keep it humming for a while.

Honestly I don't see the Natal as any more than Microsoft's attempt at pulling in the "casual gaming crowd" which the Wii has a stranglehold on. If you're expecting to get much value out of Natal as a "core" gamer, I think you'll be sorely disappointed. If you want to wave your arms and shake your ass in mini games though, the Natal will surely be right up your alley.

Personally, I think a hybrid system like Sony has planned has more value for core gamers. Its a shame Nintendo didn't come out of the gate with a better controller including 2x Motion Plus equivalents. They could have had more AAA titles that utilized near 1:1 motions instead of just waggle-games.

Regardless, I've got my moneys worth out of my Wii. Looking forward to some games that are in the works. My PS3, amusingly, is more of a "casual" system as well. Sure I've got MGS4, Killzone2, RE5, etc... but I play more PSN games like Super Star Dust HD than anything else.

One of these days I plan to get a 360 as well... but the Natal isn't exactly a "swing vote" for me.

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Just as we reap the golden wheat, must we also cut free of the chains! [eS]

[reavengitair]

Im sorry

As an Nintendork, I must protest.

THE WII SHALL NEVER FALL!

[Thexare]

IF there are any decent games out to utilize this gadget.

Zero has a very important point here. The Wii's motion sensor thing has been used so much because it's a required part of the system, rather than an optional peripheral that appeared late in the system's lifespan.

The only special gadgets and controllers I remember that did well were the Guitar Hero and Rock Band controllers, which were made for a specific purpose rather than an attempt at something that can be used in a variety of games. And again, the "late in the system's lifespan" bit is important; once the initial "oooh! shiny!" draw wears off, developers will likely not see enough people with the device for games built for it to make enough money.

Had it come relatively early on, I think it would've gone better. But the timing is all wrong.

Note that I'm saying this from a relatively neutral position, as I intend to buy both a Wii and a 360 anyway. Screw Sony (he says as his PS2 runs in the background...)