Project Natal Makes Time's List of Top Inventions for 2009

[Andy Chalk]

Project Natal Makes Time's List of Top Inventions for 2009

Time has published its list of the Project Natal [http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/0,28757,1934027,00.html].

What earns Tron [http://www.microsoft.com]-like immersion" in videogames. Project Natal requires nothing but a willingness to wave various parts of your body around as required by the game; as the list puts it, "the gamer's body becomes the controller."

"You move your hand, and the Master Chief (or whoever) moves his hand," the site says. "It's that simple. And that cool."

Of course, whether or not Project Natal (and yes, fanboys, Sony's motion controller too, although the "wand" would seem to run contrary to the idea of truly controller-free gaming) becomes the Next Big Thing remains an open question, but even if it should tank, the technology and the potential it represents isn't going away. Someday we'll be able to ride Light Cycles by straddling our coffee tables and when that magic moment arrives, there will be no denying it: It really will be that cool.



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[VZLANemesis]

Slow year indeed...

 

[Amnestic]

Shouldn't it generally be released first before they start putting it on lists of top inventions?

 

[theownerer]

Wow its not even released yet, probly has alot of bugs they need to work out still.

edit: now that I look at it alot of things on that list aren't out yet...

 

[Proteus214]

"Tron-like immersion"???

Whoever wrote that article obviously hasn't played video games since the 80's.

 

[Susan Arendt]

Shouldn't it generally be released first before they start putting it on lists of top inventions?

You know, that was kind of my reaction.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Hold on...I think we're missing something here...Mouse Levitation? Like, for real?

I, for one, welcome our new psychic rodent overlords. Squeak.

 

[Zenode]

"Tron-like immersion"???

Whoever wrote that article obviously hasn't played video games since the 80's.

ohhhh god lol that is so true

"You move your hand, and the Master Chief (or whoever) moves his hand," the site says. "It's that simple. And that cool."

Why didn't they just say character.....but it would be nice to have a fake weapon and pull the trigger on the fake gun to shoot and when you move around masterchief moves with your movement[small]...a man can dream[/small]

 

[Lilani]

Shouldn't it generally be released first before they start putting it on lists of top inventions?

You know, that was kind of my reaction.

And mine as well. They must have been grabbing for whatever was left at the bottom of the barrel.

 

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

Tron like gaming...
I can't remember exactly but didn't that end really badly?

Also, when are we finally going to get over this annoying hands free thing and return to good old controllers? I'm almost tempted to call for a resurgance of the two button and joystick days.

 

[hansari]

Shouldn't it generally be released first before they start putting it on lists of top inventions?

Yeah...this should be on the 2010 list...

 

[Pingieking]

Shouldn't it generally be released first before they start putting it on lists of top inventions?

You know, that was kind of my reaction.

And mine as well. They must have been grabbing for whatever was left at the bottom of the barrel.

Natal's technology is apparently over a year old. I heard on a tech podcast that it was done by an Isreali company, and was shopped around since 2008 until MS purchased it in 09.

"Tron-like immersion"???

Whoever wrote that article obviously hasn't played video games since the 80's.

That too.

 

[Amnestic]

Hold on...I think we're missing something here...Mouse Levitation? Like, for real?

I, for one, welcome our new psychic rodent overlords. Squeak.

Did you miss that news article? No worries! I've got your back. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/7.140810] Cute and cool wrapped up in one tiny furry package.

Squeak!

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Hold on...I think we're missing something here...Mouse Levitation? Like, for real?

I, for one, welcome our new psychic rodent overlords. Squeak.

Did you miss that news article? No worries! I've got your back. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/7.140810] Cute and cool wrapped up in one tiny furry package.

Squeak!

Oh yeah, I remember, I was mountain trekking then. Can't be sitting at my desk every day.

 

[Sulu]

So it is like the Eye Toy and Wii but not released and not proven to be any good?

 

[nathan-dts]

Can someone explain to me why this think is so popular? As far as I'm aware the Playstation Eye can do the exact same things as Natal.

 

[Doug]

"You move your hand, and the Master Chief (or whoever) moves his hand," the site says. "It's that simple. And that cool."

Why didn't they just say character.....but it would be nice to have a fake weapon and pull the trigger on the fake gun to shoot and when you move around masterchief moves with your movement[small]...a man can dream[/small]

Also, why would you want such a thing (outside of military training simulators of course). I've no idea how to load and fire a real gun, why should I have to learn that so I can load a fake gun with Natal?

 

[Zenode]

"You move your hand, and the Master Chief (or whoever) moves his hand," the site says. "It's that simple. And that cool."

Why didn't they just say character.....but it would be nice to have a fake weapon and pull the trigger on the fake gun to shoot and when you move around masterchief moves with your movement[small]...a man can dream[/small]

Also, why would you want such a thing (outside of military training simulators of course). I've no idea how to load and fire a real gun, why should I have to learn that so I can load a fake gun with Natal?

I didn't imagine it like that, maybe a button on the side of the gun to reload instead of the actual way to do it and just a simple trigger to shoot, You know something similar to the old time crisis game on the PSone

 

[Amnestic]

"You move your hand, and the Master Chief (or whoever) moves his hand," the site says. "It's that simple. And that cool."

Why didn't they just say character.....but it would be nice to have a fake weapon and pull the trigger on the fake gun to shoot and when you move around masterchief moves with your movement[small]...a man can dream[/small]

Also, why would you want such a thing (outside of military training simulators of course). I've no idea how to load and fire a real gun, why should I have to learn that so I can load a fake gun with Natal?

Not to mention that you are effectively holding air unless you have some sort of props (which will likely be purchasable from retailers for a high price [http://residentevil.wikia.com/Merchant] low, low price).

Reloading an invisible gun! Just what I always wanted to do with my spare time.