278: Make Room for Kinect

[Brotherofwill]

No, i didn't misread the message Extra Credits was trying to say. I don't think you understood their point. The point was that whether we're yay or nay for the motion control craze, it's too late now. Time and money has been poured into the project and if it sinks, it will hit the industry bad. That's not good when the industry itself is weak, just look at how second hand games sales, piracy and a myriad of other problems such as controversy (see the November bill) are and will be causing a lot of problems for the industry. If these projects fail to take off, Sony might just go back to making televisions and Microsoft might just stick to computers. Not to the point where video games no longer exist, but it will definitely impact the industry as a whole. What Extra Credits said was that we shouldn't actively fight back against kinect. No, we don't have to like it, but we should welcome the audience that kinect is marketed to, because it's that supposed untapped audience that will keep the industry afloat and develop. The whole idea of the debate on kinect, and arguably this article, is to say "well i understand kinect isn't for me, but i'm not going to grab a torch and pitchfork and kick up a stink about it. I'm going to acknowledge it's a part of my culture now, whether it's for me or not, and not try to boycott / start a revolution / be a hero whenever it's mentioned". Because every time you go "MOTION CONTROL LOLWUT" it scares off a casual or someone else who might have been interested in the product. No-one wants to be part of a community that are full of foul-mouthed offensive 'hardcore, yo' trolls. Video games are meant to bring people together, after all. The idea of being more welcoming and open to kinect isn't about kinect itself. It's about being welcoming and open to the people that it brings with it. The new community.

I disagree. Actually I strongly disagree.

I get what Extra Credits and you mean, but I think it's a bunch of shit. So what if millions of dollars were spent and they fail? Then the industry will suffer a setback, but it will be better for it. If anything I want the videogame industry to finally crash and burn so that all this bloated AAA samey game bullshit stops. You know, like where actual well proportioned games are made and not just 10+ hour games that try to capture a winning formula. I'd rather have multiple 5m $ projects made than 10 50m $ projects a year. That isn't even really a problem that has to do with Kinect, but even so I think a 'crash' of the industry could benefit it.

As for welcoming the new motion technologies: No.
You're a consumer. You like certain things in the industry which you promote through your wallet. If I don't want motion controls in the industry that I like I won't touch them and I'll also tell everyone I can what I think of it. You can shape the industry you want to be a part of, if you don't want motion controls, then rebel against them. If you calmly welcome all changes, then you might aswell abandon all hope of finding what you like in an industry.

As for welcoming the new people:
I'll welcome them with a loaded shotgun and a growling *get off my lawn*. Tell me one 'community' that isn't foul mouthed and concerned about newcomers?

Anyway, I don't particularly care about motion controls and used them here more as an example of how you could force change and shape something that you're invested in into what you want. I don't care if more families start waggling, actually any effort to introduce video games to kids without using M rated games is good. What I won't swallow however is that whole "sit tight, don't complain' attitude for 'the benefit' of what you like. If you like somehting, get involved and shape it to what you want it to be.

 

[VondeVon]

So instead of making kinect fit around my life, I have to fit my life around Kinect? That's immersion right there.

That's Microsoft right there.

Sometimes I'm frightened by how much power that company has over my life... :S

 

[Dragonsoulq]

I'll wait for when they release this for DS

 

[beema]

solution: don't buy a kinect, you f'ing toolbag

most apartments don't have enough space to even use a Wii properly, let alone this abomination. FFS, you can't even have a coffee table anymore since you have to stand up and flail around like a moron.

 

[fenderstrat]

no way i would do that, just to play with that thing. forget it.

 

[Jeffro Tull]

I recently tried out the Kinect on sat. at Best Buy the play space that they provided was about the size that I would want to permit in my living area anyway, so I thought to my 'this would be a accurate representation of my apartment space.
I had to calibrate the thing myself, because apparently the employers at Best Buy couldn't figure it out, and it can get a bit complicated. Once I finally got the Kinect calibrated, I was ready to play. I turned on the demo to the sports game where I was given a prompt to guide the avatar to the center of a purple square. I stepped back and signaled that I am ready. It denied me saying that I needed to step in the middle. I kept stepping back until I almost tripped over the Kinect ready 360's that fenced off the area. I was stamping on the edge of the carpet, which would have been right next to my couch had I been back at my apartment.
'I've come this far so I might as well start playing' I thought, 'at least see the reaction time.'
The reaction time was horribly delayed, making a simple sports game a chore. It's about the same reaction time as the Wii. I'm sorry to say it but if you have a wii it feels just the same. Those who couldn't get used to the Wii's controls might not want to get this. Here is a tip though, It is easy to get used to the delay after a while. If you are patient and willing to forgive some push and pull as developers get used to this new control tech you should get this. Motion gaming is great when it is done right, and I think the Kinect will encourage developers to look at it differently if it is successful.

 

[Sweeney94]

I have found it awkward to get space for kinect, but I do think that this takes it too far. Then again, I think it's probably supposed to.