When is Project Natal (Xbox controller-free gaming) coming out? I hope there will be an API for it, so that random people (me) can make games with it.
The DirectX API for joysticks and steering wheels is called DirectInput. I think the Natal API should be called DirectNoInput.
Dan will probably say that doesn't make sense, because there is still input. In fact there is more input.
Anyway, it's been five minutes and I already thought of two ridiculous games I want to make. I hope they actually get the camera recognition to work with reasonable quality under all types of lighting and clothing & skin colors. The disclaimer of "actual functionality may differ" is concerning.
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Oh gosh. I'm not at all into that kind of gaming (jumping around in your living room) but they are exactly copying the style of Nintendo's Wii advertisements, even that game character looked like a Mii. I'll give them the cold shoulder as usual. Besides, "Natal" sounds like "Nadal" the guy who just lost the French tennis open.
Coincidence? I think not!
But I hope you will make games for that project, especially if they qualify as "ridiculous": you've got the selling point already.
(the next step: player-free gaming!)
(what about DirectCapture for the API?)
Wake me up when it can be used for porn.
shouldn't this be called DirectMoInput ;)
+1. they said dev kits were shipping soon, so there's definitely an API. whether/when that API will be exposed in XNA for XBLA or community games, who knows.
regardless, i'm just as excited as you. realtime mocap? sure, eyetoy did it first, but natal's execution is still damn impressive.
more importantly, i think the implications for non-game applications are huge. the the ubiquitous voice recognition? the ambient facial recognition? the hand wavy minority report style demo, integrated with items, camera input, and video chat? holy schnikeys.
The speculation I've seen is that it incorporates a "time of flight" camera, rather than using two standard cameras and getting depth via stereoscopy. So skin color and lighting conditions should hopefully not be a factor.
That said, like sanjuro, I too am not fond of gaming that takes so much space and exertion.
I just wanted to post this follow-up to my "next step: player-free gaming!". From Game Freaks 365:
"Future Wii Games to Play Themselves - Beginning with the upcoming New Super Mario Bros. Wii, players will be able to pause a game during a particularly difficult level and let the game take over to complete the level. Press a button at any time to resume playing."
'told you so!
WOW! no controller required. I think this will forever transform gaming and entertainment with a whole new way to play.
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