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Would Natal Enable User-Generated Mo-Cap?

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Runefox
06/29/09

In reply to Would Natal Enable User-Generated Mo-Cap?
Head tracking can be used for a lot more than just looking around corners. It could be added to a game, almost as an afterthought, to allow Natal players to experience a more 3D environment where as their head moves, so, too, does the perspective, even if ever slightly - Enabling things like more realistic depth perception against a traditionally-2D viewing plane.

Johnny Lee's Wii-mote projects put forth more precedent (and examples) for that, and really, I'd love to see something similar for Natal-enabled (but not Natal-required) games. The extra immersion, added with the extra depth perception, would allow for a much more realistic and engaging gameplay experience than the largest plasma or LCD display on even an SD CRT.

Other things that it would offer would be gestures. Enable Natal support, and make a motion with your arm to throw a grenade, or shift gears up or down, or select a certain unit type or cast a certain spell. Move a different way to reload, or hit the handbrake, or use a special item, without taking your thumbs off your sticks.

And that's just something that can be tacked on to an existing game, or a traditional controller-based game. Natal is a technology that has a lot of potential - It just depends on how Microsoft decides to deploy and support it, and how creative developers are willing to be with it.
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Stephen Totilo
06/29/09

@Runefox: The point is that it would imbalance a shooter if only Natal owners could get perspective shifts as you described.
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ShadowOdin of dubious snowiness
06/29/09

In reply to Would Natal Enable User-Generated Mo-Cap?
You think Microsoft allows that?

They don't allow you to even touch the avatars, so why would they allow you to use the Natal to pelvis-thrust at your opponents?

While the idea is a good one in theory, we have to remember WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE WOULD USE IT.
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Ted
06/29/09

In reply to Would Natal Enable User-Generated Mo-Cap?
I wonder how well Natal would be for dance games?
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Kobun
06/29/09

@Ted: Wow, a dance game where people actually, you know, dance, and not just stomp on colored lights. If a developer did it right, that could be big, I think.
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Tenshigure
06/29/09

@Kobun: Yea...instead of stomping on colored lights, they'll be flailing their arms around trying to hit flying colored targets. I point you to EyeToy: Groove for an example of this...

No, no dancing game where users actually Dance for points will succeed as it would alienate the casual audience. ParaParaParadise is another game where an actual dance can be done, but the technology for the game itself is no more than beams of light (more arm flailing!). I highly doubt Konami would do this so...better find another company to assist.
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MaxDragon7
06/29/09

@Ted: It would also make it easier, cause, less peripherals needed, ya know? No more giant ARROW pads, instead, the technology for a true dance game would be available.
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Kobun
06/29/09

In reply to Would Natal Enable User-Generated Mo-Cap?
That's a pretty brilliant implementation and the kind of thing which has me excited about Natal. I wouldn't think any technical or collision detection issues would result from such an idea, at least any more than the current games' build would allow. I'm not really expecting Natal to blow me away with its inevitable Wii-inspired software but rather enhance existing experiences with head tracking and such. Being able to use it for routine animation customization would just be icing on the cake.
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Tenshigure
06/29/09

@Kobun: The thing is, they already MADE this game, it's called Police 911 (The Keisatsukan: Shinjuku Cop 24 Hours), and it's an Arcade game by Konami. Quite fun if I may add, just expensive as all hell to play.

I'd totally buy Natal if they could emulate this experience in the home.
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Kobun
06/30/09

@Tenshigure: I love me some Police 911, and I pray that Konami makes a port of it now, especially now that my arcade is dead. :( It's a better workout than Wii Fit. :p
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Timstuff
06/29/09

In reply to Would Natal Enable User-Generated Mo-Cap?
This is a brilliant idea. Maybe custom moves in a fighting game could actually be possible now?
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Tenshigure
06/29/09

@Timstuff: Yea, I can see it now...an 8-year-old getting himself paralyzed because his brother wanted to pull off some "sweet moves" for his character in the latest Raw vs Smackdown game.
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Southrncomfortjm
06/29/09

In reply to Would Natal Enable User-Generated Mo-Cap?
No ESRB problems, they don't rate online interactions anyway. So Tea-bag away my friend!
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ph15h
06/29/09

@Southrncomfortjm: User generated content and online interactions aren't rated... DO IT MICROSOFT!
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Michael Dukakis
06/29/09

@Southrncomfortjm: Teabagging in the Mo-Cap age is going to be very awkward.
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DarkSonic999
06/29/09

@ph15h: *evil laugh*:

These user-generated mo-caps can be made offline as well, so the ESRB has to rate them.
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Southrncomfortjm
06/29/09

@Michael Dukakis the stunned yet hopeful Mets fan: 10 bucks says even with a mo-capped tea-bag they will still miss my head entirely and end up tea-bagging somewhere around my foot.
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ph15h
06/29/09

@DarkSonic999: That's disregarding all those Penis shaped mountains in Little Big Planet that I've encountered with friends? Or did the ESRB just think nobody was going to do that in a "kiddie" game. User-created content isn't rated because the ESRB just rates what the developer presents to them. Can't assume and be ready for what they don't have.
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ph15h
06/29/09

@Southrncomfortjm: Oh, god. It's Counter-Strike days all over again
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Tenshigure
06/29/09

@ph15h: *evil laugh*: You had an interesting childhood if thinking about teabagging a foot brought back memories like that! XD
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MaxDragon7
06/29/09

@Michael Dukakis the stunned yet hopeful Mets fan: It's funny because it's 'virtual' tea-bagging. I expect people to be caught in their living room, tea-bagging the floor, looking like a total D-Bag.

@Southrncomfortjm: I was thinking the same thing. ESRB doesn't rate online interactions, so go all out!
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ph15h
06/29/09

@Tenshigure: No. It was just me remembering people teabagging then spraying their tag on people's feet because of the way the camera was.
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ph15h
06/29/09

In reply to Would Natal Enable User-Generated Mo-Cap?
Consider that idea taken and registered within 2 weeks. Sounds really really awesome if they were to implement that.
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KindaGamey
06/29/09

In reply to Would Natal Enable User-Generated Mo-Cap?
Why record the motion to be 'triggered' when you could play it LIVE. I walk out into the ring, I strut, I raise my arms... I make the touchdown, I do what I do. In realtime.
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Heliophage
06/29/09

@KindaGamey:

Beautiful.
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DarkSonic999
06/29/09

In reply to Would Natal Enable User-Generated Mo-Cap?
Horrible idea that can be easily abused.

While you guys might want this, it won't happen until Microsoft lets users specify sexual preference without getting banned from every single aspect of an Xbox Live Membership
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Heliophage
06/29/09

@DarkSonic999:

How are the two related?

At all?
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Billkwando
06/29/09

@DarkSonic999: Oh wow! Your soap box is like one of those rolling briefcases with the wheels.......you can just roll it into any article and set right up! You should call it the Whine-O-Matic 9000!
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robinandtami
06/29/09

@Heliophage: I think he is saying that if MS won't even allow you to put the phrase "I'm a lesbian" in your personal profile without suspending you (trust me I know) then they PROBABLY won't be too open to this type of freedom of expression either.
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