Xbox Kinect

[David_3033]

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2010/06/500x_kinect-pr-top-1.jpg

Launches with 15 titles.
http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2010/06/500x_xbox360event102.jpg

Cameras? IR emitters? Natal? Kinect? Xbox 360? WTF? Give us three minutes. We can explain everything.

Kinect is a camera for Xbox 360...
Let's boil this down to its most simple: Kinect is an Xbox 360 peripheral. Think of it as a webcam on steroids that plugs into the console's USB port that looks like it belongs with a PS3.

...formerly known as Project Natal...
Yes, you've heard "Project Natal" for a year now—and we've covered "Natal" extensively (read this and this if you haven't). That was just the working title. Now, it's called Kinect...which is horribly confusing to those of us who played Nike Kinetic on Sony's EyeToy, right?

...that uses IR to track you in 3D space...
So Kinect is smarter than your average webcam. First, it has excellent sight thanks to its secret trick: spotlighting the room with invisible infrared light. The camera sees you wonderfully thanks to this infrared. And, coupled with some advanced software that will run on the 360, it can track 48 points of your body in realtime for up to two players simultaneously.

...plus some other goodies...
Kinect is equipped with a microphone so you can talk to the 360. Also, it doesn't just see you in IR; it can also film you in full RGB color, recognizing your face to automatically sign you in. And its tilt? Fully motorized to track you! Oohhhh.

...equipped with a interface all its own...
When Kinect is equipped, you'll use a separate menu system than you've known on the 360. It's simpler, ditching tabs for simpler iconography. To load Netflix, you can wave to hit the Netflix button, or you just say "Netflix." Pause by telling it to pause or reaching in the air to grab a virtual pause button.

...and Skype-like chat software called "videokinect"...
Whether your friends are on Xbox Live or Windows Live Messenger, you can video chat with them. But you can also do some other neat stuff, like watch a video together. And as mentioned above, it can track you in realtime thanks to motion sensing and the motorized tilt.

...that's coming this November for an undisclosed price....
November 4th, to be exact. Likely for $150.

...with 15 launch titles...

...including 6 bundled games at launch...

The four we heard about:
• Kinectimals—think Nintendogs in HD with deadly, endangered species.
• Kinect Sports—Microsoft's answer to Wii Sports (with bowling, soccer, ping pong, track & field, boxing and volleyball).
• Kinect Joy Ride—a zany racing game that we found fun but a touch loose in terms of controls
• Kinect Adventures!—"jump, duck and dodge" as you ride through various obstacle courses (20 in all)

...and a few others available from third parties, too...
• Your Shape Fitness Evolved—Ubsisoft fitness game with potential depth and plenty of polish
• Dance Central—a hip hop dance game by Harmonix...way more advanced (and potentially embarrassing) than DDR
• Star Wars: We don't know much about the upcoming LucasArts Star Wars Kinect title, but it involves lightsabers and cartoonish graphics (but not due until 2011)
• Unnamed (Forza?) racing title from Turn 10: It's a realistic racing game from the guys who made Forza that looks more polished than anything else we've seen thus far (due 2011)

...that's not quite perfect as a gaming peripheral...
Kinect is truly impressive in our early hands-ons, no doubt. It can track your full body as you spike a volleyball, or it can just watch your hands as you mime a steering wheel. But there's a perpetual, slight lag. And, in the game demos we've seen and tried, frame rates in even these somewhat simple games can suffer—most probably because Kinect requires the Xbox 360 to process all of its data—there's no internal processor in their final build of the device.

...but has a TON of potential for the living room...
Even if Microsoft never eliminates Kinect's lag, its functionality as an invisible remote is way more enticing than some 200-button universal.

...and is considered to be the "endgame" of the platform.
Microsoft told us last year, Kinect is more than just an attempt to clone the Wiimote. It may very well bridge the gap between the Xbox 360 and the inevitable Xbox 720.

Link to article.
http://gizmodo.com/5563047/what-is-xbox-360-kinect?skyline=true&s=i

[saviger]

I am still up in the air, about it being worth the money.

[MaximusR3]

stage demo of your shape fitness evolved
[youtube:20rwh77y]m-iZjILgm8E[/youtube:20rwh77y]

[Pakman3000]

I'm getting it if it's $150 or less. I think this trumps the Sony Move. I refuse to wave 2 dildos in the air.

[MaximusR3]

i think you're going to be in luck then because Gamestop already have Kinect listed as $149.99

http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/Product ... t_id=78103 (http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?product_id=78103)

i know gamestop is not always the best source for things but they usually are pretty good at getting the prices right

[MaximusR3]

[youtube:2b22xeoh]mhLyIWgoUhA[/youtube:2b22xeoh]
Starwars, Kinect style

[MaximusR3]

here you go TLoG, looks like Amazon also agrees with the $149.99 price tag:

http://www.amazon.com/Kinect-Xbox-360/dp/B002BSA298/

[MaximusR3]

and now Microsoft confirms the $149.99 price tag. I know it says on that page that official pricing has not been announced but i don't imagine microsoft's own site would pull a random number out of a hat

http://store.microsoft.com/microsoft/Ki ... t/C737B081 (http://store.microsoft.com/microsoft/Kinect-Sensor-for-Xbox-360/product/C737B081)

[MaximusR3]

never fear fellow lazy gamers, Microsoft has the answers


"Kinect can be used while sitting when an experience is developed with sitting in mind,"

thank the gaming gods. Could you imagine having to stand up for every game? exhausting, just the mere though


source (http://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/07/kinect-software-will-work-with-seated-players/)

[squidfamily1]

I'm getting it if it's $150 or less. I think this trumps the Sony Move. I refuse to wave 2 dildos in the air.
what do you normally do with 2 dildos?

[Trained2Survive]

I'm getting it if it's $150 or less. I think this trumps the Sony Move. I refuse to wave 2 dildos in the air.
what do you normally do with 2 dildos?


haha, good one squid.

and I've heard bad reviews on Kinect, and I personally feel that video games are played for fun with the lack of hopping and jumping around, I play games when I'm tired from a days work or a break in between doing my class work

[HugoReyes815]

I've just nervous about gettin one right out of the gate becuase of the bug factor.you know the failure rate for the first 360's was 54%.If its less than 150.00 its a loss I'd be willing to take.Anymore than that and I'll wait until the new year.I am really excited about it through.I heard they are coming out with a game that will teach you karate.And then I will be unstoppable.MAW HAHA.

[A-25TH-ID-VET]

This does look/sound pretty awesome.

[MaximusR3]

Walmart has a bundle up on the site already:

Kinect hardware, kinect game, and 30$ gift card for $200. Pretty good deal since Kinect will be 150 standalone


http://www.walmart.com/ip/Project-Natal ... 0/14665155 (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Project-Natal-Bundle-w-Choice-of-Game-Xbox-360/14665155)

[saviger]

hmmm i'm still undecided if its worth my money

[indyred99]

I didn't see this in the post up top. I was told if you don't have the new slim 360 you are going to have to buy an adapter. This was a local electronics store that just opened up near me. Whether this is true or not I don't know. I was told the adapter will be a little pricey also. I am not sure if this is what they meant but it could be.
http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/14/original-xbox-360-requires-separate-power-for-kinect/

[MaximusR3]

from the sound of that article it sounds like all they are saying is it will need it's own power cord so you will need an extra space in your surge protector. Reading through the comments one person quoted some mircosoft guy as saying the power cord would also be included in the box.

I have heard nothing about a pricey adapter needed yet so i'm not sure on the validity of what they told you


i just looked up the bundle walmart is selling and under the "what's required" section is says it is compatible with all 360 consoles to date and says 175Mb of memory is required. No mention of an adapter so what out, that new shop either has some secret insider info that no one else has yet, or they're just trying to trick you into buying an expensive surge protector off them

[XxSilentxFartxX]

No adapter needed...The old xboxs are just as compatible as the new ones..They are using the "Kinect Ready" slogan for the nex xboxs as a gimmick selling point..ALL xboxs can be used with Kinect

[indyred99]

Ok I will go off what people are saying here. The electronics store is a new one so they may be trying to get new business lol.

[MsJohannah]

I'm getting it if it's $150 or less. I think this trumps the Sony Move. I refuse to wave 2 dildos in the air.

HA HA HA!!! :lol: awww.
--------

I'm not sure how I feel about it... sounds like they were just trying to catch on to the whole 'wii' fitness idea. 'little too late' kinda thing tho... I don't think I'll buy it.

[Bull3tBait]

Lets see.....
Kinect Adventures, Kinectimals, and Zumba games will be my first I think.

Let my kids play with dangerous animals (virtually) and have adventures and later I can booty roll with Zumba while trying to avoid stepping on my children who will be trying to dance with me :D

I already have this preordered at Amazon. It's $149.99 for the Kinect with Kinect Adventures.

Now how to hide this til xmas.....

[jxspyder]

I'll get it, but moreso for my wife then myself. Though being able to leave my controller off until a game loads does sound kinda cool. And who can go wrong with Kinect Star Wars. Imagine the Youtube vids that will result. Star Wars Kid will be put to shame by old people playing the dancing games.

[lawacr]

I'm getting the Kinect for the nav around the dash board and video chat if they come out with a game like wii sports I will have to get that also. I used the kinect at PAX this year it’s fun to play around with sadly the games they are going to push are in my opinion not that great, I hope they will develop a FPS game that plays smoothly with the kinect and has descent graphics and if the controls work like in the movie gamer that would be awesome but only time will tell what will come from the kinect but still can’t wait till it comes out something new to mess around with.

[XxSilentxFartxX]

I got it and took it back same day. First my living room is to small, i had to stand on my couch to get it to work and second the voice chat on it Sucks balls

[toby2533]

Damn really that bad this was a christmas gift for the family plus another xbox for the basement. Back to the drawing board.

[Bull3tBait]

I got it about a week ago for my kiddos and for me it works great. Except that I have the 6+ feet in front of the TV but not as much space side to side so two players are a bit cramped. We have Kinectimals (Very cute for kids), Adventures (came with the sensor and is fun for everyone), and Sports (also fun for everyone so far). My older son doesn't want to play my younger one anymore because the little one kicked his but in boxing =)

I also got the new Fitness one (time mom got off her butt a little more) but I haven't had an opportunity to use it yet because the kiddos are hogging it. I may be getting a second sensor and will have to rearrange a bit down in my "mom cave".

As for the comments about adapters and such. The Kinect comes with everything you need for either console. There is a direct line that you use to connect from the sensor to the 360 Slim. Another cable that the main line hooks into that changes it to a USB port for the older 360. And a power adapter.

The second cable and power adapter are only needed for the older version.

[jxspyder]

Official endorsement. I got one Saturday for my unofficial birthday party...my birthday is Black Friday this year...and I fully endorse this product.

We hooked it up and played Kinect Sports, and a little bit of Kinect Adventures, on Saturday. Sports was awesome, just awesome. Adventures I thought would suck, but it ended up being kind of fun as well.

On Sunday we, being my neighbor, his brother, and my wife, broke out Dance Something-or-other. I think it's kind of gay, but that's because I'm 6'4, white, and not designed to dance. The game mechanics, and the way it's able to match your movements to the dance moves......phenomenal. The videos that are shown of the people playing....epic. Watching my neighbor, another tall white guy, only much, much skinnier, dancing to Funkytown by Lipps Inc, Pon de Replay by Rihanna, and Poker Face by Lady Gaga......priceless.j

Point is, it's much more receptive and reactive than anything I possibly thought it would be, makes the Move and Wii look like cheap hookers, and is an absolute blast.

[toby2533]

You sold me spyder its back on Santa's list for family.

[ladym123]

@ Chelle....I thought you were hiding it 'til Xmas?

Lol soooo weak! :D

[CrzyChinook]

looks good.. great reviews..of hardware and software... only thing is u gotta ask ur self do i have the room in my living to install.hmmm nope ...oh well

[toby2533]

Now they are going to do video chat, cool and scary, my kids could be playing pop vidoe chat request some fat naked guy with waffles and pancakes syrup guled all over his body pops up, so this means I'm going to have to disable it or put on parent controls.

[CrzyChinook]

Now they are going to do video chat, cool and scary, my kids could be playing pop vidoe chat request some fat naked guy with waffles and pancakes syrup guled all over his body pops up, so this means I'm going to have to disable it or put on parent controls.

wow how u pull that one out of left field?? LOL did this happen to u as a child?? im overprotective to my kids too.. but u cant shield them from random crap that they will see but teach them how to deal with when it happens and not if...

[Bull3tBait]

@ Chelle....I thought you were hiding it 'til Xmas?

Lol soooo weak! :D


Well....... I got that fitness one "your shape...fitness evolved" because it looked fun. So it's early cuz of me lol

[jxspyder]

Well....... I got that fitness one "your shape...fitness evolved" because it looked fun. So it's early cuz of me lol

So sad....

My wife does the Dance Central workout mode. Apparently I'm buying her Zumba for it too. I kind of want the EA Sports Active 2. Or the NFL workout one, can't remember what it was called, the commercial has Ochocinco on it though, it's hilarious.

[toby2533]

that was from the movie the gamer LOL, but you know there are some F**king freaks out there that will do that sh*t.

[ladym123]

Well....... I got that fitness one "your shape...fitness evolved" because it looked fun. So it's early cuz of me lol

Lol how is it going?

[CrzyChinook]

Well....... I got that fitness one "your shape...fitness evolved" because it looked fun. So it's early cuz of me lol

HEY isnt round a shape also???lol

[toby2533]

Fitness game/trainer is that the one form men's & women's health? My wife was sold when she say that preview on live.

[ladym123]

So what's it like? This Kinect fitness thing?

I was considering getting an X box but wouldn't pay live fees...if the fitness thing is good though I may reconsider :D

It's a novelty I suppose isn't it lol!

[jxspyder]

Well, my wife loves the Workout mode on Dance Central, to the point that it's not good enough for her and I'm supposed to buy her the Zumba workout game.

A friend of mine has...I think it's the your shape game, and he and his wife love it. They're in to the Yoga bit, and how well it can correct them.

[Bull3tBait]

I have not as yet had a chance to try out the fitness one. The rate my kids are going on their xbox I may have to get another sensor. I promise to inform once I get moving on it. And yes it's the one from Women's Health / Men's Health or w/e that magazine is.

I wanted Zumba because I have done Zumba and I have the Zumba stuff for home (which is a lot of fun), but I heard it's really buggy.

[ladym123]

Yeah Zumba sounds fun if it does work without glitches. I'm not a yoga fan though Jx lol!

Keep me posted Bullet...when you lock up the kids in the cupboard under the stairs :cool:

[MARDIGRA21]

Ok since my parents and brothers came over to see me for Xmas they brought the kinect with I must say it's pretty fun when your playing with other people there is a little bit of delay when you jump or do some other motions but otherwise not bad xbox

[jxspyder]

Ok since my parents and brothers came over to see me for Xmas they brought the kinect with I must say it's pretty fun when your playing with other people there is a little bit of delay when you jump or do some other motions but otherwise not bad xbox

It depends on the game, mostly. There's a little bit of delay on some, but others I've found to be spot on.

Got two new games for christmas. I got Your Shape, and my wife got Zumba. She said we don't get to open them till christmas though, so I'll talk about them then.

[toby2533]

Huge hit at my house now I start the plans on buying a new xbox for the basement so I can play, the kids have be going strong since 9 on the Kinect. i might even pop a PS3 at the same time.

[ladym123]

Huge hit at my house now I start the plans on buying a new xbox for the basement so I can play, the kids have be going strong since 9 on the Kinect. i might even pop a PS3 at the same time.

Yeah PS3! :D

[toby2533]

Just did the men/women health trainer and it kicked my butt i was doing toning for more definition it took me on a 20 min workout with 5 lbs weights. I burned over 200 cal and my thighs are screaming now. Wife is doing the sculpting for a tighter behind and thigh right now, and its killing her too. This is a good program.