Rumor: Microsoft Working on "Official" Kinect Drivers and SDK

[Elementlmage]

Microsoft has an interesting track record on things like this. I think what it is, is that a lot of people have power within the company and there a quite a few different opinions; so it is more a matter of who you ask.(I believe it was Bill Gates who said, "I would rather people pirate my software than somebody else's) Good on them for finally recognizing the enthusiast market though. This may be just the tip of an unexplored iceberg for them!

 

[Sidrat]

How about licencing Kinect for the PC market.

The holiday releases this year has been dire, sure there was a few summer releases but basically meh.

Watching the videos on here though makes me wonder how close we are getting to making a real life 'Holo-deck' and that should be enough for anyone! Possibly the last invention of the human race.

Surrogate anyone?

 

[Ghengis John]

I'm actually surprised at this. Instead of futile efforts to crack down on hackers, they just gave up and went with the flow. Good on you, Microsoft.

My thoughts exactly. It's strange to see so much fluid thinking from such a big company of late. If it proves to be true it would be a brilliant move and far wiser tactically than attempting to defeat the hackers, who history has shown us are not beyond accepting a challenge.

 

[Danpascooch]

still really got no interest in this product, none of the hacks look remotely interesting to me.

You really can't think of a single thing full body tracking might be cool for?

You could have two robots, controlled by people in front of a Kinect FIGHTING EACHOTHER!

yea that doesn't sound fun, at all. Battlebots sounds alot more fun then that.

THEN YOU ARE TRULY LOST!

*Lightsaber battle in front of volcano ensues*

like the battle reference, but really all it can do for the most part is real time low quality video editing. Ive played some of the games, they were not nearly as responsive as claimed, and had more fun playing the same game on the wii.

The hardware JUST came out, I'm sure a good use will be found for a high quality 3d motion tracking camera

 

[Danpascooch]

still really got no interest in this product, none of the hacks look remotely interesting to me.

You really can't think of a single thing full body tracking might be cool for?

You could have two robots, controlled by people in front of a Kinect FIGHTING EACHOTHER!

yea that doesn't sound fun, at all. Battlebots sounds alot more fun then that.

THEN YOU ARE TRULY LOST!

*Lightsaber battle in front of volcano ensues*

like the battle reference, but really all it can do for the most part is real time low quality video editing. Ive played some of the games, they were not nearly as responsive as claimed, and had more fun playing the same game on the wii.

The hardware JUST came out, I'm sure a good use will be found for a high quality 3d motion tracking camera

but its not high quality, every video ive seen its a rather low quality imagery. when someone gives me one as a gift, ill flip a coin on keeping it.

What your seeing is what they use it for on their end, if they decide to map the image to a crappy looking texture, that's the result.

The actual image of YOU that the kinect gets is detailed and high quality, meaning it will get a very high degree of precision once programmers get used to using it.

 

[NoCure]

This sounds like a good idea, but I have a feeling that >1% of the things that are created would make it to the MarketPlace. Which means that 99% would be complete crap.

 

[Utarefson]

At first, Microsoft seemed to frown on Adafruit's contest, but they soon backtracked and claimed that using the USB interface implicitly made Kinect "open."

Well, Microsoft Germany actually said that before the first hacks came out and if you plug it into windows 7, the os recognizes it; it's just that proper drivers are missing.

 

[HellspawnCandy]

And in other news Sony plans on suing hackers

 

[Danpascooch]

still really got no interest in this product, none of the hacks look remotely interesting to me.

You really can't think of a single thing full body tracking might be cool for?

You could have two robots, controlled by people in front of a Kinect FIGHTING EACHOTHER!

yea that doesn't sound fun, at all. Battlebots sounds alot more fun then that.

THEN YOU ARE TRULY LOST!

*Lightsaber battle in front of volcano ensues*

like the battle reference, but really all it can do for the most part is real time low quality video editing. Ive played some of the games, they were not nearly as responsive as claimed, and had more fun playing the same game on the wii.

The hardware JUST came out, I'm sure a good use will be found for a high quality 3d motion tracking camera

but its not high quality, every video ive seen its a rather low quality imagery. when someone gives me one as a gift, ill flip a coin on keeping it.

What your seeing is what they use it for on their end, if they decide to map the image to a crappy looking texture, that's the result.

The actual image of YOU that the kinect gets is detailed and high quality, meaning it will get a very high degree of precision once programmers get used to using it.

I am talking about what I saw at the display in bestbuy where I did the boxing game that seemed less responsive then the wii version. it looks like a bad toy with minimal value that is way over priced, maybe if it was 25 bucks would consider it.

The hardware is solid, and has huge potential, it's the development that isn't up to par yet if the responsiveness wasn't good.

The thing is BRAND NEW, it takes a little while for developers to understand how to work something so radically different, but I think it has massive potential. Not the way Microsoft is using it for the 360 with Wii style gimmick games, but I think if PC users get serious about modding it we could see some awesome stuff.

I would love to see something like the ability to map commands in WoW to simple hand gestures, or the abilitu to scan objects into Garry's mod. The possibilities are endless.