Kinect and FREEDOM INVASIONS

[PsychicTaco115]

Well, since the Xbox One is now released, I guess this is as good a time as any to talk about....

[HEADING=1]

THE KINECT 2.0​

[/HEADING]

Now, I like to jerk one out every once in a while, but now the Kinect is watching me... judging me...

That's why I want to ask the Escapists to petition that I can see all wanking footage discuss the implications of a modern day telescreen and what it could mean for DA FREEDOMS

 

[JoJo]

We should all strip naked every time we play a Kinect game so if the NSA wants to spy on us, they have to do it whilst getting an eyeful of our junk. Problem, Obama?

 

[tippy2k2]

I swear I had read that Microsoft said that you could unplug the Kinect. I have now been told that that information is incorrect and that you can "disable" it but you can't actually unplug it.

Now, is it extreme paranoia to think that someone is ever going to want to look at me in my home? Almost certainly yes.

However, I will not be purchasing a Xbox One as long as that is a requirement. I live in a studio apartment so the camera is literally seeing everything in my apartment (and everything I do in said apartment...the things it would see...the horror....the horror....)

I just started a new workout program. That Kinect would get to see EVERYTHING; every piece of blubber flapping around as I valiantly try and fail to do some crunches. It would see every flop of my man boobs as I do jumping jacks. That's not even considering the fact that it would have to be pointed directly at my bathroom...

On the plus side, I would probably single handedly stop any of those programs for the employees would blind themselves attempting to bleach their eyes after seeing that. It would just get too expensive replacing all those employees.

 

[PsychicTaco115]

Snips the First

That would just add a look-based tax system; the good looking people will be taxed [higher/lower] and the ugly people [higher/lower] than the good lookers, based on your political leanings

Obviously, a looks-based society will become dominant

 

[Vegosiux]

Now, is it extreme paranoia to think that someone is ever going to want to look at me in my home? Almost certainly yes.

Depends...if you ask in context meaning the powers that be going specifically after you, then yes. When asked in context of the powers that be trying to establish a "big brother" system of overwatch, less so.

 

[The White Hunter]

Snips the First

That would just add a look-based tax system; the good looking people will be taxed [higher/lower] and the ugly people [higher/lower] than the good lookers, based on your political leanings

Obviously, a looks-based society will become dominant

Everybody with a bigger dick than the NSA surveyor would suddenly be arrested D:

I don't wanna go to prison D:

 

[Atmos Duality]

Everybody with a bigger dick than the NSA surveyor would suddenly be arrested D:

I don't wanna go to prison D:

Arrested for what? Is it suddenly illegal to get naked in your own house?

 

[JoJo]

Snips the Second

I'm afraid your strawman privilege won't work here, my dear Taco, the only possible result of this technology is a taxation system based on the size of your junk. I for one welcome our new perverted overlords.

 

[GoaThief]

Mysterious and sudden increase in amateur "hidden cam" pr0n on the Web? Calling it now. Bit like LG spying on people from their smart TVs.

It is the main reason I'm not getting an Xbone, without it plugged in its a very expensive paperweight I don't want. Kinectless SKU at a decent price would probably sway me.

 

[lacktheknack]

I'm typing this on a laptop that has a webcam that randomly turns itself on.

I'm not really that concerned about what people see on my electronics (What are they going to see? Answer: My facial hair and my wall). This has been going on for literally years before Kinect.

That said, the inability to unplug or cover the bloody thing (did they fix this?) is really annoying and intrusive. At least if I ever encountered a situation where I didn't want my glitchy webcam to see things, I could turn my computer to the wall or put a sticky-note on it.

 

[martincrosbie]

It tracks your body positions for gesture controls, converts your voice into system commands, and takes video and audio for video conference calls.

Nowhere has it been advertised that it 'monitors your every activity' or sends pictures of you naked back to Microsoft or the security agencies. why is this everyone's biggest fear? we've had cameras in our homes for decades, how is this one so different?

Companies don't want to spy on people and record pictures of them. Government agencies aren't allowed to use such information, and the technology is not mature enough to allow it (seriously, the internet is not fast enough, for everyone to be streaming a live video feed at the same time, to the same NSA bunker.

 

[Esotera]

We should all strip naked every time we play a Kinect game so if the NSA wants to spy on us, they have to do it whilst getting an eyeful of our junk. Problem, Obama?

The latest version of Kinect is actually powerful enough to distinguish genitalia on someone wearing clothes (albeit in debug mode) http://www.fastcodesign.com/3020934/the-xbox-one-has-a-wee-dong-problem

OT: anything that was built partly for the purpose of individualising adverts loses a lot of points. The viagra/penis extension pill jokes practically write themselves...

 

[FalloutJack]

Guys, the Kinect problem can be solved with one little piece of duct tape. WHY IS THIS SO HARD AN ISSUE?!

 

[tippy2k2]

Guys, the Kinect problem can be solved with one little piece of duct tape. WHY IS THIS SO HARD AN ISSUE?!

I can't speak for others but here's my issues with it (even with said piece of duct tape)

#1. I've just paid money for a piece of technology that I can't use (literally, I live in a studio apartment; the only way I could use any of the motion stuff is to move my furniture anytime I want to use it; I'd have to redecorate my freaking house to use this thing that I still don't want)

#2. It can still hear you...

#3. I don't want these gameplay features and while we don't know for sure, I'm guessing these features will be shoehorned in (see Sixaxis controller for example). So I could put a piece of duct tape over it until the game demands that I put my arm up to wave at someone, in which case I will have to remove said piece of duct tape.

#4. Same as number three except for yelling instead of motion.

Back to the living quarters issue; I had a game for my Kinect (UFC Trainer). I had to move my living space around every time I wanted to play it but even then, the Kinect had to be right in front of my TV since I lack space. The game, at least once a workout, would pause itself because it would hear the TV make noises and for some reason, it believed I wanted to pause. Along with that, yelling at my TV makes me feel like a fucking moron (see Socom for the PS2; I used the headset thing a few times but it was ALWAYS easier and less moronic looking to just use the damn buttons to order people around).

So there you go. Maybe the device will work for many people but as long as it doesn't work for me, I will not be purchasing their system that requires it.

 

[The Lugz]

SIGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Free two step programme to nerfing the kinekt:

get a screwdriver;
rip that sucker apart and pull out the microphone leads then solder on a little toggle switch that you can flip on and off.

all sound related spying, off.

get duck/t tape, cardboard;
attach a strip of duck/t tape to the card, place over the top of the camera. the card makes a lens coap, the duck/t tape makes a flap.
now you can flap before you fap.

all video related spying, off.

kinekt disabled.

enjoy.

Bonus, single step programme;
buy a pc.

 

[FalloutJack]

Poit

Understand, I don't even go for X-Box or motion controls, but if you guys are stuck with it, just disable it with a few nifty fun-fun improvisions. Actually, I don't get the Sixaxis joke. Explain?

 

[tippy2k2]

Understand, I don't even go for X-Box or motion controls, but if you guys are stuck with it, just disable it with a few nifty fun-fun improvisions. Actually, I don't get the Sixaxis joke. Explain?

Even though most of us agree that the Sixaxis was a terrible idea and shouldn't ever be used, a lot of games shoe-horn it in anyways.

For example, if you get grabbed by an enemy, shake your controller before it eats your face off!

I fully expect that the Kinect will have the same kind of thing in many games; features where you HAVE to wave or you HAVE to yell or you HAVE to do pelvic thrusts at the Kinect to shake an enemy off of you, scare an enemy, or go through a God of War mini-game (yeah wrong company but that's never stopped me from making a good joke!).

If this is the case (which I fully expect it to be), disabling the Kinect will not be an option. It's going to force you to pelvic thrust your way through the game and if you disable it, you're not going to be able to continue on with said game. An awful lot of work for a feature that I don't want...

 

[FalloutJack]

Sup

*Looks at PS3 controller, confused*

I'm sorry, could you explain better? My controller has never been used in this capacity. Where...?

 

[tippy2k2]

snip

Seriously, you've never ran into a game that forces you to jump through the Sixaxis hoops? Maybe I'm just unlucky...

It's a motion control thingy in your PS3 controller. A lot of newer games don't do it because they realized it was terrible but there are some that still force you to use the motion control in the controller.

In fact, it's been a bit difficult finding videos of it on the youtubes since it seems many games no longer bother with it (AMEN!)

Here's an example from LAIR though


You were required to use Sixaxis to play the game (and many reviews said it would probably have been pretty good if not for how shitty the controls were).

It seems like Sony finally figured that out since the more I think about it, the more I realize I haven't had to deal with it for quite a while...

 

[FalloutJack]

Huh...well...

I had no idea about this, actually. It was never in the cards.