Dragon Shout at Kinect-Powered Skyrim Today

[Greg Tito]

Dragon Shout at Kinect-Powered Skyrim Today

You now have a gameplay excuse to shout at your Xbox.

Bethesda let loose a little press release saying that the Kinect support for 2011's Game of the Year was set to go live today. You won't have to jump around like an idiot, waving your hands to swing your battleaxe or cast a fireball on some mudcrabs (mmm, grilled crab). That would be silly. No, with a Kinect attached to your Xbox 360, you'll be able to use voice commands to help with a large number of menu commands and inventory sorting. Also, you can bellow your dragon shouts, and your Dragonborn will shout them in the game. Neat.

The programmers and designers at Bethesda have been hard at work for the last six months - basically since Skyrim launched back in November [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/116773-Skyrim-Kinect-Support-Coming-Soon] - to make sure this stuff works, but I'm sure there will be some glitches. I can't wait to hear a story of how a wife, husband or dog made a sound and the Kinect interpreted it as Quick Load. Or "Erase All Save Games". I mean, why is that even an option?

Actually, it's not. We know this because Bethesda was smart and kind enough to furnish us with a PDF listing all of the voice commands available in Skyrim [http://cdnstatic.bethsoft.com/akqacms/files/tes/extras/skyrim-kinect-voice-commands.pdf]. You'll have to hold the RB shoulder button to shout in draconic, but it might be more reliable to just say the English name of the Shout. More language support - French, Italian, German, and Spanish were the ones named - and should be coming forthwith.

Try out the Kinect support with Skyrim and let us know what you think. Or, watch this video to learn more about it.

Or, you know, download the ThuuMic mod [http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=5626] and try it out on your PC. Without havign to buy a $150 peripheral.


Source: Bethesda [http://www.bethblog.com/2012/04/30/skyrim-kinect-support-arrives-tomorrow/]

Permalink

 

[Orange12345]

Some of this seems unnecessary, especially the loot part it would take me longer to get the system to recognize my voice and do rather then me just hitting the button

Although the shout part look kind of cool.

 

[Fappy]

So you need Kinect to sort your loot?... D:

Why can't they patch this in without needing Kinect?

 

[Sixcess]

They should include a function that boosts the effectiveness of the shout based on how loud you say it.

FUS RO DAH!!!!!!!!

Angry neighbours is a small price to pay for greater immersion.

 

[toomuchnothing]

If I had Skyrim for the xbox instead of PC this would be the only reason I have to unbox the kinect I got as a gift 2 years ago. Now just waiting for the Skyrim DLC news to be released today as teased.

Fun fact: Morrowind is 10 years old this week [http://www.bethblog.com/2012/05/01/happy-10th-anniversary-morrowind/]

 

[Karma168]

I wonder if you still have to select the active shout or if you can just say any of them and it'll work.

I think this is probably the first thing that's made me want a kinect, it would save a hell of a lot of time spent trudging through all the menus, though with my accent it'd probably never work :/

 

[gentlemanghost]

If I had Skyrim for the xbox instead of PC this would be the only reason I have to unbox the kinect I got as a gift 2 years ago. Now just waiting for the Skyrim DLC news to be released today as teased.

I have heard of a Kinect mod for the PC version that, in addition to the 360 functions, actually allows you to flail your arms around for sword-swinging simulation

Edit: Derp-a-derp, never mind, the link for that is clearly displayed in the OP

 

[twistedhatter13]

I yell at the game I'm playing enough without having to go spend an extra 100 dollars for the game to "hear" me. I want some real DLC new quests, items, better use of guilds, not a new reason to yell at my TV

 

[Gerishnakov]

So you need Kinect to sort your loot?... D:

Why can't they patch this in without needing Kinect?

I'm really hoping that happens some time soon.

CAPTCHA: blinded by science - Not blinded, deafened maybe.

 

[faspxina]

I predict a lot of idiots ruining their friend's play sessions.

 

[Eruanno]

How to troll your Skyrim Xbox 360-version-playing roommate/spouse/other: Wait until he or she is in a city and facing an NPC, then shout "unrelenting force" or "fire breath". Or you could say "equip bow!" when he or she is fighting a dangerous melee enemy... The possbilities are endless! XD

 

[Chronologist]

Huh. I checked and either it's not out yet or it isn't working on my Kinect. I guess "released today" might be a bit vague. A time and place would be welcome, thanks.

 

[Incomer]

Wait a minute! Did I just watch a Kinect port that was actually functional?

I've seen kinect for ME3 that was actually working pretty well. Though I admit I haven't tried it myself (I'm kind of wondering how it can deal with non-english speaker).


Boy I could use that Quicksave thingy... I always forget to save when I'm playing good games.

 

[Freechoice]

Wait a minute! Did I just watch a Kinect port that was actually functional?

I've seen kinect for ME3 that was actually working pretty well. Though I admit I haven't tried it myself (I'm kind of wondering how it can deal with non-english speaker).

Same way Americans deal with non-English speakers.

 

[the_pleasure_is_mine]

Everywhere seems pretty vague on this, is it a patch or a free DLC?

I'm going to get my brother to download it then kick him out the way so I can yell at it for a bit.

 

[Daveman]

Getting it to equip things seems pretty handy as I fucking HATE that little quick menu. Because having it bound to fucking buttons is obviously too confusing for me to master.

I even found hotkeys on the xbox in oblivion pretty damn good. I had all my spells I needed.

Now I have to use the system where I'm not sure if it's what I click or what I have highlighted when I click that selects things.

 

[TheLastSamurai14]

Or, you know, download the ThuuMic mod [http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=5626] and try it out on your PC. Without having to buy a $150 peripheral.

Holy shit. Ninja'd by the OP. Well played, Greg. Well played indeed.

OT: Big resounding "meh" from me. I own Skyrim on the PC. ThuuMic does everything I'll ever need it to. As for people who own Skyrim on the 360 or (god forbid) the PS3, what are you doing? Do yourselves a favor and buy that shit for your computer. Taste the glory that is the mod-friendliness of the Elder Scrolls games.

 

[Legion]

Wait... so to speak the voice commands for shouts (as the character does) we need to hold down the right bumper and then say it.

As opposed to just holding down the right bumper...?

 

[chadachada123]

I hope that some sort of option to switch from English shouts to Draconic shouts is available or will become available, because holding RB to shout like a real man seems like a waste of time. Bleh.

Still, now I have a reason to play the game again, hell yeah!

Wait... so to speak the voice commands for shouts (as the character does) we need to hold down the right bumper and then say it.

As opposed to just holding down the right bumper...?

I think I can answer this much. You should be able to have several shouts mapped, so you can hold RB and say ANY shout (or any of several), not just be limited to one shout. At least, that's what I had read awhile back.