Kinect (previously Natal)

[MJ]

Techland invited to play-test Natal:

http://www.time.com/time/video/player/0,32068,67488943001_0,00.html

http://techland.com/2010/02/19/in-which-we-demo-project-natal/

[Neon Ignition]

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=240328

Microsoft has rejected claims that Natal requires a minimum 13ft space to be used. Technically, it's good if it can be used in any room but they're wording could be better.

In my room, for example, Natal would have to be played in a seated position close to the TV rendering close to Wiimote levels of controls... rendering it pointless. I'd be interested to see how they get around this as surely most software has to be designed with this in mind.

[Spatial]

So it seems MS is having two press conferences at E3 this year - the usual affair on the Monday, but it'll be proceeded the day before by one all about Natal.

A whole hour (at least) of crazy .gif material

[CMcK]

If they announce a Natal version of Cosmic Smash for XBLA I'll buy it.
Still no word on the proper name for the Natal add-on? Surely they won't stick with the present name.

[sj33]

I was going to suggest a Natal version of Planet Harriers, but then I realised the flaw.

[Brad]

So it's PrimeSense that have made Natal for Microsoft:

http://www.primesense.com/

[EvilBoris]

They are one of the technology partners for it

they haven't announced any others yet, they bought 3DV last year who make 3d cameras too. But when asked if they were using their tech in natal Microsoft said it was all in house, which seems contradictory to Primesense being announced.

3DV

They also had a chinese research team doing this too

[Brad]

Lol @ 'Technology Partner'

PrimeSense's system does every video related thing we've seen in Natal. I know there are audio portions to Natal as well and from that perspective I suppose they're a technology partner but to all intents and purposes Primesense *is* natal isn't it?

[EvilBoris]

http://www.primesense.com/files/PDF/PrimeSensor_RD1.08_Datasheet.PDF

yep it certainly appears to be the same hardware, it's surprising noone picked up on it sooner.

[sj33]

Digitial Foundry have an article about the technology behind Natal called PrimeSense. A lot of people critisise Digital Foundry articles for being pure speculation (though they do tend to be pretty close to the mark), but this is actually straight from the horses mouth.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-primesense-article

[EvilBoris]

There is another interesting article here about some of the software stuff that they are doing

http://davewjon.wordpress.com/2010/03/01/project-natal-machine-learning-applied/

[wakka]

When is Rafael Natal Tennis coming out though :l

[rubans]

Spoke to a friend who works as a programmer with a company in Newcastle, he part of a few that were invited to see Natal at Microsoft and the issue he faced wasn't lag but sometimes it was losing the tracking of whichever limb it was tracking at the time.

[rubans]

Heavy Rain director David Cage has claimed that Microsoft 'lied a bit' in its presentation video to show off Project Natal at E3 last year.

Speaking to Destructoid, Quantic Dream boss Cage said he couldn't believe that one particular scene - in which a boy showed his skateboard to the screen before scooting off on it in the virtual world - could be achieved in reality.

However, Cage said he was looking forward to the peripheral's release.

"I've seen Natal, and I'm really curious to see what they're going to do with it," he said. "I was a bit frustrated that they presented it with a sci-fi type presentation [at E3]."


Destructoid reports Cage rolled his eyes when he commented: "When the kid comes in with the skateboard and the laser ray, scanning the skateboard, and then it's in the game... We are in the industry, we know what's feasible and what's not."

He added: "I thought it was a little bit lying to present it that way, because it will let [consumers] think that they will something that they are not really close to getting."

[Family Fry]

Natal camera looks pretty solid and different in these pics, final design maybe?



Also confirmed was 2 player mode on the Ricochet demo, 2 people can play on single screen with 2 avatars recognising both people seperately.