Xbox IllumiRoom Projector Splashes Game Content All Over Room

[ASnogarD]

Well I doubt this will come as part of the nextbox, certain its a addon device because projectors are expensive... and the higher the quality of the projection the more expensive the projector, also its expensive to replace parts that have a limited life time.

It also wont be that well supported by developers, who would want to spend that much extra time to add a feature only a fraction could access, and it there isnt any support from 3rd party developers it wont attract that fraction who could afford it.

Finally it would have all sort of health issues, I doubt its very healthy on your eyesight as its usually advised to watch movies/play games in a well lit room... to get the most out this system you need to turn off the lights.

Nice idea but a gimmick that will lose attraction very quickly, especially if its tied to the other gimmicky toy that promised so much and hasnt delivered a single must have application for it yet (and its going to ver 2 already without a single must have app on ver 1).

 

[ToastiestZombie]

This would have been a nice concept if the Oculus Rift hadn't came along and completely obliterated this idea. Microsoft should just work on getting that natively compatible.

 

[MispeledStalion]

Have I become so cynical that I instantly see this and think bad idea? I don't really understand how it will improve game play experience. It just seems gimmicky. Cool, but gimmicky.

 

[Delts28]

So what about when the TV is in the corner, like it is in my living room? If the concept works well enough then why bother with the TV? Why not just a good projector that compensates for it not being a white flat surface?

 

[Uber Waddles]

This is perfect! I remember thinking to myself, "You know what? I just spent a boatload of cash on a new, high definition television set. What I really want from my games is to bleed elements off of my TV in a low resolution manner."

I like games. I like games cheap. This is just an expense that companies would absorb for what is essentially an annoying feature. I don't want my living room to be the center of attention. I don't want my bookcase and Pikachu hat to become part of a game. I want whats contained in my TV to be part of the game. Everything else is just a waste of resources - something I'll have to absorb as the consumer, for what ammounts to a gimmick.

Lets not also forget how much of a pain in the ass having something for your TV mounted on your coffee table is. First off, if your in a room with no coffee table, or a non-traditional setup, then screw you! You're not getting the functionality you paid for. Second off, running a cord out from my TV across my living room is a, survey says, TRIPPING HAZARD! Thats why people loved the transition to wireless. Thats why most consoles and DVD players are situated next to or under the TV. It essentially says "Hey, do you have a toddler, cat, or dog in the house? Well screw you buddy, looks like you'll be dealing with broken peripherals and the console getting yanked from the TV set."

Its a cool bit of technology, much like the Kinect, but like the Kinect, I have to ask myself "What does this add to my experience? Why should I absorb the cost of manufacturing this thing?" To me, much like the kinect, it falls within the Uncanny Vally of peripherals. With the Kinect, we couldn't mimic exact movements completely (like putting your foot out or running in place translating to movement). It feels unsettling to us because its TOO close to reality, but not close enough. Same with this. It is immersion breaking to look into the foreground and and notice that its not the game, just the game plastered on your uneven living room. Its immersion breaking to see a first person shooter that makes the whole room into the screen, but not see the characters feet or other body parts - that FPS scene in general just makes it look like a floating hand with a gun.

The bullets flying our the screen is actually amazing for immersion, and a lot of really cool stuff could be done with it - but that alone is not worth the cost to develop. And its something that any 3D TV could already do.

For the love of fuck and shark cheddar cheese, just focus on games and multimedia. We don't need gimmicks. We don't need gotcha's. We don't need this or that or a yellow hat. We need games. No fancy science-fair hardware will change that.

 

[CriticalMiss]

I'm calling it, in two to three years this will becoming a cutting edge way to order pizza through your console.

 

[AKDread]

The Porn will be everywhere

 

[Proverbial Jon]

Everyone at Microsoft seems to believe that all gamers live in mansions with spartan rooms the size of football pitches. First came the Kinect which needed a minimum floor area of an aircraft hangar to work properly and now this, a device which requires ten cubic miles of blank, featureless wall space and the headroom to hang a massive projector?

I just want to play good video games! *Sobs*

 

[AKDread]

Everyone at Microsoft seems to believe that all gamers live in mansions with spartan rooms the size of football pitches. First came the Kinect which needed a minimum floor area of an aircraft hangar to work properly and now this, a device which requires ten cubic miles of blank, featureless wall space and the headroom to hang a massive projector?

I just want to play good video games! *Sobs*

*pats back*

we all do

 

[FFP2]

This is so cool... Now I'm conflicted

 

[sgtleeemery]

I'm a bit surprised by all the negativity surrounding this.

Sure, some of the modes are a bit gimmicky but I really liked the option to desaturate the colours in your room and some of the motion enhancing stuff was quite nice. I can imagine some developers making nice use of this gizmo.

I'm just glad Microsoft aren't trying to add a tablet to their controllers

 

[afroebob]

Its nothing revolutionary or anything but its a cool idea. If I had a projector I'd definately use it those 2 or 3 times a year I play Xbox.

 

[The Hungry Samurai]

So much negativity. I believe that the next step of gamings evolution is an increased emphasis on augmented reality. This seems like a great way to bring AR to the living room without alienating everyone without a pair of whatever Microsofts google goggles analogue will be called. Wii U is doing a great job proving to the world that asynchronous gaming is probably not going to work out so this may be the next best thing.

It may need some tweaking but I'm impressed and excited to see more.

 

[Mr_Terrific]

Another gadget made for people with massive gaming areas? I see no problems with that...again.

 

[Programmed_For_Damage]

I really like the dynamic lighting effect for the driving game. That could work great. Some of the others I'm a bit dubious about, but at least they are thinking *puts on glasses* outside of the (X)box. Yeeeeeaaaah!

 

[MorganL4]

So.... Am I the only one who read this article, and immediately thought of the book Fahrenheit 451?


Also, I am certainly not prone to motion sickness, but watching that video gave it to me... So I think this is a no buy, or if I do buy it, a feature I won't use.

 

[MeChaNiZ3D]

That honestly looks pretty nice, my worries being that you have to sit halfway across the room to use it and that they consider putting a galaxy background around the TV a new gaming experience. And I hope self-calibrating is going to mean it works on corners.

But then again, ain't nobody gonna care bout dis if it's always online. Can't escape it Microsoft, youll have to play your hand eventually.

 

[Nowhere Man]

Dear Microsoft,



Someone wake me when Oculus Rift comes out.

 

[Sir Pootis]

Why not just use a normal projector and cut out the middle-man? In the demo shown, I found myself only paying attention to the screen anyway, because that's where the important stuff's happening. It's more eye-strain inducing than anything else. I'll stick to supporting the Oculus Rift.