Giles Richards sees a bright future in Kinect, Microsoft's new full-body games controller
When Microsoft announced Kinect at the E3 games conference in 2009, it was that arch storyteller of the modern era Steven Spielberg who took to the stage to help unveil it. The intent ? to make gaming as accessible and inclusive as possible by removing controllers, as well as offering the chance to breach the fourth wall through direct interaction with characters ? clearly appealed to an artist for whom bringing a sense of wonder to a shared experience has long been key. His presence was no coincidence; the concept goes beyond graphics or processing power, towards an entirely different way of playing. This was to be, as is Spielberg's metier, an adventure, a story with his own Hitchcockian cameo in the opening shot. The question was, just how far, and where, would Kinect go?
The Kinect sensor (out Wednesday, Microsoft, �130, bundled with Kinect Adventures) plugs into an Xbox 360 and consists of an RGB camera flanked by two others built into a slim unit that sits in front of, or above, the TV. The cameras build a 3D picture of the space in front of them, map this area and then define the user's body within it as separate points of articulation. This allows it to identify these points as commands, their movement ? the body's movement ? replacing that of fingers on joypads. It's illustrated superbly as you "tune" the sensor to the room, displaying the camera's-eye view.
Which is an essential operation. This is high-end technology and has requirements to match. A clear space is most important ? 6ft of entirely uncluttered distance between it and one player and 8ft for two are suggested. In reality it functions best with a little more ? and plenty of space is required for the full-body physicality of the experience.
The immediate interface offers a limited set of controls through voice recognition that work very well, even with considerable ambient noise, while selections on screen are made with the point-and-hover of the user's hand. It's a little awkward, especially at first, and may well not be the way the system evolves ? the point-and-sweep of launch title Dance Central (rather like the way a cricket umpire expansively signals a four) for example, is more intuitive and much more satisfying for sci-fi fans looking for that Minority Report moment. But the mike-camera combination works superbly for the video chat it also supports, tracking the movements of participants on camera in real time.
In gaming terms it's this movement-tracking that Kinect is really all about and, to its credit, it genuinely works. There's a tiny but definable lag between action and on-screen reaction, which becomes slightly more pronounced the more the system has to process. The most successful of the launch titles have recognised this and allowed for it, acknowledging that when dealing in the physical, the broad gesture offers a more immersive experience than the nuance. So the football of Kinect Sports throws players into heading, diving and, because this is a full-body sensor, kicking the ball. It is physical both in the literal sense and in that there is a genuine feeling of involvement in the game.
Which is Sports' strong point, and at this stage the central appeal of Kinect. With two players it's even more fun, and will immediately please families looking for simple, pick-up-and-play gaming. There's more of the same in the mini-games of Kinect Adventures which positively encourage you to leap around and flail your arms about. In fact, there's little return here if you don't join in with abandon: sniffy hardcore gamers should understand in advance that at this stage, to enjoy Kinect is to leave the attitude at the door.
So while mimicking a steering wheel in kart-style racer Joy Ride seems ill-suited to the medium, throwing shapes in Dance Central is very successful; the full body movements almost turn it into a dancing tutor ? a trick also pulled off with exercise in YourShape: Fitness Evolved.
The pet-sim Kinectimals, a gentler affair of fun, mini-games and, well, petting, of virtual big-cat cubs, also stands out. Children will love stroking, playing and interacting with their impossibly cute, furry friends. It is also here that there is some sign of where the hardware may go in the future. As the animals lean towards the player offering a frisbee in their mouth, it is all but impossible not to reach out to take it. After all, as that fourth wall wobbles, you have been "throwing" it for them, right?
That the conceit works is testament to the success of this attempt to do something new with the genre. Space, lag, bodies coming inadvertently into camera confusing the system ? a difficulty at parties, one suspects ? and certain types of games definitely needing more accurate, nuanced control are all issues with Kinect, but all should improve with development. It all makes for a great, upbeat opening, a winner for the family audience, but the real thrill is in the potential. With game designers and developers now in the living room with this capability, the real adventure can now begin.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/nov/07/microsoft-kinect-review-giles-richards
KINGSTON TECHNOLOGY COMPANY KEY JDS UNIPHASE JDA SOFTWARE GROUP
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