Next-Gen Kinect is Coming to Windows PCs

[Steven Bogos]

Next-Gen Kinect is Coming to Windows PCs

Interested in the next generation Kinect but don't want to have to join the console gaming peasants to experience it? Good news, you can still enjoy it from up on your PC gaming pedestal.

If you cut through the nerdrage surrounding Microsoft's inability to give concrete answers about the Xbox One's "always-online" requirement, and supposed pre-owned games fee, one of the more interesting tidbits announced in its Xbox One reveal event was a brand new Kinect that will come packaged with every console. It actually sounds pretty cool, and making sure that it is included in every box means that more developers should actually program games for it this time around.

But, what if you are interested in the new Kinect, but you are a part of the glorious PC gaming master race and don't want to sully yourself by associating with those filthy console gaming peasants? Good news, the next generation Kinect is coming to Windows PCs next year. [http://blogs.msdn.com/b/kinectforwindows/archive/2013/05/23/the-new-generation-kinect-for-windows-sensor-is-coming-next-year.aspx]

Both the new Kinect sensor for Xbox One and the new Kinect for Windows sensor are being built on a shared set of technologies. The sensor comes with HD color camera and a "noise-isolating multi-microphone array that filters ambient sounds to recognize natural speaking voices even in crowded rooms." If nothing else, it should make for a pretty fancy webcam to Skype your Grandma on.

The new infrared camera feature introduced with Xbox One's Kinect will also be included in the Kinect for Windows, allowing you to constantly wonder whether or not your PC is recording your daily habits to plot your eventual murder.

A development kit will be released ahead of the device's release some time next year. It wasn't specifically stated whether the Kinect for Windows and the Kinect for Xbox One will be cross-compatitble, but since the feature list is pretty much the same we can assume they will be. This should make porting games that feature Kinect to PC a lot easier on developers.

At the BUILD 2013 event in June, Microsoft will share details "about how developers and designers can begin to prepare to adopt these new technologies so that their apps and experiences are ready for general availability next year."

Source: Kinect for Windows Blog [http://blogs.msdn.com/b/kinectforwindows/archive/2013/05/23/the-new-generation-kinect-for-windows-sensor-is-coming-next-year.aspx]

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[Samurai Rabbit]

Just what I wanted! Maybe I can attach a Kinect to my laptop too!

I don't really think anyone would be interested in this, only people that "have to have" every gadget that comes along.

Would be interesting to see how many developers and consumers would take this on, considering you'd have to completely change your PC positioning and set up to have it in a comfortable position to actually use it.

 

[PFCboom]

Being serious, I like this. I believe that an enhanced Kinect can make for an experience unlike any we've seen so far. I can really imagine playing, for example, strategy game using the Kinect to manipulate the map, build units, and command my military. With just a wave of my hand, my will be done.
Now, the only problem I have with this is the issue of cost. I get that high-speed tech like this isn't going to come cheap, but I'm only willing to fork out so much, no matter the promise of what I could possibly do.

 

[Vetta E-dom]

I can feel it.... The ground shaking.... the thousands of "gamers" running to grab their torches and pitchforks..

So Microsoft are putting out a new cam for your pc that will have some features tied to games. No doubt there will be some really cool things people do with this tech. I'll be fine with just the one on the X1 though.

 

[Mayamellissa]

So they're promising we can do with next-gen Kinect what they were flaunting on the the commercials several years ago? Okay.

 

[Anathrax]

Wait wha? Not being negative here, but wouldn't sitting infront of the kinect, as PC gaming is supposed to be, going to throw the kinect into an emotional fit?

 

[octafish]

So how much space is new kinect going to need? Because I have a small living room and an even smaller computer room. Besides didn't old kinect work with windows PCs after a fashion?

 

[Lazy Kitty]

I wonder how hard it would be to combine this with the Oculus...
And if there will be Unity or UDK support.
Especially since my Oculus dev kit should arrive soon.

Anyone else wanna throw fireballs from their hands instead of by clicking their mouse?

It's too bad the oculus isn't wireless as far as I know.

 

[SilverBullets000]

Wait, seriously? Why? I didn't think this thing was all that popular on consoles, so why the hell would people who sit down to play their games on their PCs ever want one of these things for anything other than the voice command? Even then, it's already been stated that the thing recognizes your face, see in the dark, and can track your heart rate; but now it can follow your voice even in a room full of people!? This thing is fucking creepy!

Then again, I guess the average person who's uninformed on these things will get one anyway because it's just cool. You know, maybe instead of talking about how violence in videogames are supposedly affecting children, the news media should be covering how XBone's tech is basically Orwell's Big Brother moniters!

 

[Asclepion]

Good. Now how about Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, Halo Reach, Halo Wars, Halo 4, etc.

 

[Absolutionis]

Good. Now how about Halo 3, Halo Reach, Halo Wars, Halo 4, etc.

Why do you want them to port mediocrity over to the PC? If you care about the storyline, there are plenty of YouTube videos. If you care about gameplay, there are dozens of better shooters out there.

 

[Vetta E-dom]

Well it took 11 posts isn't that some sort of record or something? ^^^

 

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

Considering the interesting stuff people did with the current gen kinect on PC for handicapped people and the other interesting uses, I like the idea. Someone else mentioned strategy games being a target market for kinect controls... I think its a good idea. Of course that isn't popular here, but since when do I care about being popular or what misanthropic "hate microsoft" talking points people on Escapist spout?
Opinions are a good thing, but remember just cuz you don't want it doesn't mean other folks won't find a use for it.
Oh and with the expanded capabilities and the easing of requirements on room size, there could be a lot more potential for the Kinect.
You may return to parroting hate for Microsoft now.

 

[josemlopes]

I like this, it means that some people will be able to do cool stuff with it and if it works like Kinect 1 was supposed to work then its actually some very cool tech.

Having it on Xbox for games on the other hand...

 

[Evil Smurf]

Silly question, but could not I just use the kinnect software on my existing webcam?

 

[Grabehn]

Good. Now how about Halo 3, Halo Reach, Halo Wars, Halo 4, etc.

Why do you want them to port mediocrity over to the PC? If you care about the storyline, there are plenty of YouTube videos. If you care about gameplay, there are dozens of better shooters out there.

And the first Halo, it plays the same after all and the multiplayer is still running and fun as ever.

 

[Steven Bogos]

Silly question, but could not I just use the kinnect software on my existing webcam?

From what I understand, no. The Kinect is much more advanced than your run-of-the-mill webcam

 

[seditary]

Does the Kinect even work from 2 feet away?

 

[thesilentman]

Silly question, but could not I just use the kinnect software on my existing webcam?

Not really. The technology behind it means that you need a total of three or so cameras along with the software that controls it. Which is all the Kinect is, three cameras with specialized software.

OT- I actually don't mind as I can see some use for it, just not the use MS is thinking. I'm probably the only one here who thinks it would be fantastic switching workspaces on my Linux desktop using this. But knowing MS and their anti-Linux stance, it's probably not going to be let out to the community that easily for that function. -.-