Use Kinect to Chat With Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary

[Brian Albert]

Use Kinect to Chat With Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary

Shouting at your Kinect will allow you to switch Halo's graphics modes on the fly.

Speaking with 1UP at Tokyo Game Show, Halo franchise development director Frank O'Connor revealed <a href=http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=halo+combat+evolved+anniversary&x=0&y=0>Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary will have Kinect support.

"We accidentally revealed some of it because someone kept saying one of the keywords during another demonstration," O'Connor said. "So there will be some basic voice support -- for example you can switch between the two graphics modes with voice commands by saying 'Classic' or 'Remastered.'"

Classic mode makes the visuals look exactly as they did in Halo: Combat Evolved from 2001. Remastered, then, shows off all the bells and whistles the newer engine can provide.

I'm not sure I buy that "accidentally" line. If you didn't want to show off Kinect support, why bring a Kinect, activate it, and demo your game with it nearby? Regardless, this is a pretty neat feature. Fans of the original Halo: Combat Evolved - myself included - will probably swap visual modes back and forth often to see all the beautiful changes in real time.

O'Conner teased additional features, though he didn't divulge many details. I'm personally hoping for in-game developer commentary, similar to what we saw in Portal 2.

"There is some other functionality that we haven't talked about that is not core to the gameplay per se, but it is germane to the story and fiction fans will probably really enjoy that feature -- and it's a little bit more advanced than just voice functionality," O'Connor added.

"We'll talk about it later, sometime in October probably, but we don't want to oversell it," he continued. "It's not something that radically changes the gameplay; it's just another additive bonus on top of the other stuff we've added. We think of it like the 3D: something that makes the experience better, but doesn't change it."

Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary hits store shelves November 15 for the Xbox 360.

Source: <a href=http://www.1up.com/news/tgs-halo-combat-evolved-anniversary>1UP

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[Catalyst6]

That's their idea of innovation, eh? The ability to switch between graphics of today and those of quite a few years ago? Seems like it is something that will get used twice then ignored.

And I do agree with the whole "accident" thing when demonstrating. I mean, I'm constantly screaming "remastered" at my television while playing Halo. It's kind of like a battle cry.

 

[ph0b0s123]

Not impressed by companies announcing "kinect support", only for it to be voice commands. Something other platforms have been able to do for a long time but have not because it is rubbish as an input. Using the cheap mic on a device that has an expensive camera really misses the point. Also if it is just using a mic why not be able to shout things through the standard headset accessory without having kinect involved at all.

"Kinect support" should really just mean motion control or use of the camera, which makes up the majority of the price of kinect kit I have brought.

 

[XT inc]

Now I got my kinect as a gift, and all I use it for is starting dvds without a remote, and it doesn't even do that well atm.

Their idea of support is to toggle next gen and old gen graphics.

Try and see your contributions every time as something to move kinect units, is anyone going to go hrmmm I will buy this $180 dollar accessory to control one stupid feature.

Ffs with all the stuff the kinect has been made to do, its home platform has been left in the dust.

 

[Frostbite3789]

What a revolution this Kinect thing has been for the industry!

Between mini-games and having it function as a microphone that's an entire room length away from you! Hoo boy! Watch out world!

 

[Steve Lovell]

3d makes an experience better???????? If hey are comparing the experience to 3d then il pass

 

[Proverbial Jon]

WHY? Someone please tell me WHY?!

You will have a controller in your hands people, a CONTROLLER! It has buttons on it, buttons you can press with your fingers. Did we all forget how to do that?

If it weren't for all the amazing things people have done by hacking the Kinect, the games industry would have us believe it's nothing but a glorified microphone. Come on people, start using it properly. Seriously, how is something like this even considered a "feature"?

R.I.P. Innovation.

 

[McGuinty1]

May I also point out that both of the Monkey Island HD remakes released so far featured the ability to switch between the redone 1080p graphics and the old nostalgic visuals, which IMO have aged extremely well compared to Halo's. Of course, the voice activation gimmick was missing but I'm sure even the least technically-inclined could rig that up with a $5 microphone and voice recognition software.

 

[SelectivelyEvil13]

WHY? Someone please tell me WHY?!

You will have a controller in your hands people, a CONTROLLER! It has buttons on it, buttons you can press with your fingers. Did we all forget how to do that?

If it weren't for all the amazing things people have done by hacking the Kinect, the games industry would have us believe it's nothing but a glorified microphone. Come on people, start using it properly. Seriously, how is something like this even considered a "feature"?

R.I.P. Innovation.

Excellently stated!

Changing the game's graphics from old to new constitutes as a noteworthy feature for an otherwise useless accessory that was panned as a forerunner for innovation? People hacking the damn thing have accomplished more than anyone at Microsoft could have dreamed, and even after all of the initial oohs and ahhs, switching the graphics on voice-demand is still the best anyone can do with this thing?!? Couldn't a headset suffice for such an insignificant addition? Sure, the things broke like they were made of candied, sugar-glass, but surely even they could, I don't know, take on the role of a mic?
Eeesh, creativity is looking rather pallid lately.

I hope that they at least had the decency to allow voice-rip-the-inane-AI-a-new-A-hole commands because one thing that has plagued the entire series has been stupid-as-a-plum's-pit AI allies. And somehow, even as time progressed, they only got worse, which was a total slap in the face when we finally got to be the gunner in 2, 3, and Reach.

 

[Guitarmasterx7]

Why is it that kinect having a microphone interface is being used to call it cutting edge technology when the same thing could probably be done with the headset microphone? Actually come to think of it didnt rainbow six have something like the mass effect squad command with the headset?