The BBC and a raft of other websites revealed last week that Microsoft's Project Natal will finally see the light of day for the Xbox 360 in November, just in time to make everyone's Christmas lists.
As I've said before, I'm an advocate of simple controls - the fewer buttons to remember, the better in my humble opinion - so I must admit I'm intrigued by this new venture. However, there are lingering doubts about just how forgiving the new hardware will be and how it will be incorporated into the various games that are produced. A glance at the various forums suggests that many seem to share my fears, and just like the Wii this may prove to be an expensive gimmick that quickly loses its appeal.
Saying that though, if Microsoft could pull it off, it could be one of the biggest events in gaming since the internet hit the mainstream!
I've many friends that already make steering gestures when playing driving games such as Project Gotham Racing or Gran Turismo, so they'll be right at home with all this motion control. But what about the majority of us who would think it obtuse to waft our arms about wildly and accentuate our every move. And what of the die hard beat-em-up fans, or war game lovers? Will they be required to pull of some elaborate 20 part kick and punch combo in their living rooms to get a perfect takedown or take cover behind a coffee table before lobbing a frag grenade?
Just as an aside, I remember Nintendo receiving numerous complaints when the Wiimote hit the market as gamers overzealously gesticulated and chucked it through their TV screens... but I'm sure Microsoft and its deep pockets can cover any similar insurance claims!
Despite my concerns, the potential of Natal is unfathomable. Imagine some of the greatest games of recent years being played not from the sofa with control pad in hand, but by acting out your every move. You don't just play the game, you actually BECOME the game.
One frequent visitor to this very blog, rabesandratan, has offered us a few observations about Natal and suggested that games like The Movies from gaming guru Peter Molyneux and Lionhead are being developed.
I emphasise that this is only conjecture, as far as I know, but his comments do throw up some interesting ideas about the future of the Xbox and its Live community.
For those not familiar with the 2005 game, it's more than a little reminiscent of management sims such as Theme Park and Rollercoaster Tycoon, but you take on the role as head honcho at a film studio. Pick your genre, choose your stars and build your sets. Then, shout ACTION and wait for the accolades, reviews and cash to come rolling in.
Despite great reviews upon its release, it never quite lived up to the hype. I must admit I thoroughly enjoyed playing around with all the options but an overly complicated director mode - which allowed you to actually produce and upload your very own creations to the internet - left me cold. It must have also left others pretty nonplussed too, as the whole idea never really seemed to take off.
According to our dedicated reader, however, a new version is on the cards and will not onlyharness the power of Natal but also incorporate roles for you and your friends' avatars instead of a "fictitious" cast of characters.
Shooting movies and post-production would be mainly handled through Natal, he suggests. Who knows, perhaps you'd be able to actually act out scenes... Completed masterpieces could then be uploaded and shared with others on Xbox Live. There's also plenty of potential for users to download new content to decorate the sets.
And what about using the community to host an awards event, he says, showcasing some of the better creations?
Thanks largely to rabesandratan's comments, I must admit I'm actually feeling a little more enthusiastic about the whole motion thing now. I'm sure I wasn't alone in thinking that the advent of Natal would mean a glut of soul-less one dimensional childish titles that would attempt to lure youngsters and parents away from the Wii market... but if great games such as The Movies do get a new lease of life, I'm all for it. Roll on November.
From what I understand, the new gizmo echoes the technical wizardry of Nintendo's Wii, which features a discreet sensor bar that picks up movement from a controller. Of course, Microsoft has decided to do it bigger and better; its new peripheral incorporates cameras and sensors that capture the actual body movement of the user - propelling them into the game they're playing.
A recent New Scientist article says the motion capture camera gauges movement from 31 fixed points on the human body. On paper, at least, it's looks certain to trounce Nintendo's efforts. According to New Scientist:
"A player standing anywhere between 0.8 and 4 metres from Natal is illuminated with infrared light. A monochrome video camera records how much of that light they reflect, using the brightness of the signal to approximate their distance from the device and capture their movements in 3D."As a result, it can apparently calculate the position of your hand even if you've placed it behind your back!
The more I read about Natal, the more I salivate at the prospect. I'm certain it can help to close the massive sales gap with the Wii and give Sony a good run for its money when it launches its own motion gadget.
(Photo credit: Jake of 8bitjoystick.com)