Your Body is a Gaming Wonderland

I watched Microsoft’s E3 session yesterday [thanks to G4tv], and I have to say that it was an impressive presentation. It had spectacle, big names, and games. But without a doubt, the most talked about part was Project Natal, Microsoft’s technology for motion control and then some. Using 2 cameras as well as voice, Project Natal was shown with great promise–ease of use, highly interactive, facial and voice recognition, an ability to scan in devices like a skateboard, and more. Indeed, as several people on stage said, it’s the stuff of science fiction.

First, I think it’s intriguing in that it shows a great commitment to the current 360 console, which is entering its 4th year, and we likely won’t see Project Natal until 2010.

Second, I’m dubious, not just because Peter Molyneux’s has a history of unfulfilled hyperbole but because of several questions.

• Microsoft may have scores of bank vaults to throw behind its projects, but it has a record of overcharging for its accessories. I have a hard time believe that this Natal accessory would sell for less than $150. This in itself is a barrier for it reaching anywhere near the audience that the Wii has. Needless to say, there’s no way you can use this with the disk-less, arcade version of the 360, so we’re looking at $400, if not more. In addition, accessories rarely get the kind of game support that built-in features get, which is a reason that the Wii controls released as part of a new console rather than a Gamecube accessory.
• The idea that the body is a controller has a sleek, minimalist appeal, but in actuality what does it mean? The Wii nunchuk and remote already saw a reduction in the buttons compare to the 360 or PS3 controller–9+dpad vs 13+dpad. And people have complained about that reduction. Now, imagine having no buttons. While that might work for some games, how would you play a FPS or strategy game with no buttons? For simple games, yes, the body is a seemingly intuitive controller, yet limited. Now, imagine a game that uses both–what’s the gained advantage of the body as a controller if you have to use a gamepad? Plus, I can imagine the broken tvs with that 360 controller with its rounded design.
• In the latest Tiger Woods game for the Wii, a twist of your Wii remote as you swing has an effect on the contact with the ball, almost like in real golf. This is the beauty of the Wii remote with Motion Plus–it can detect fine changes like this. Can 2 cameras detect such a twist of the wrist? Reliably? Consider me doubtful. I think there are limits to what those cameras can detect. As we saw in the Red Steel 2 demo yesterday, use of Motion Plus allows the game to detect speed, as well as direction. Again, can two cameras capture this information?
• I think that ‘air’ controls are too imaginary for us to get into gaming. As someone who enjoyed The Force Unleashed, I can saw that the Wii remote was a physical thing that actually contributed to my immersion–it had a ‘feel’ of a light saber handle. The weight of the remote also helped in not the illusion. Having nothing but my swinging hand seems to return too much to my childhood, where, even then, we had physical sword substitutes.
• Molyneux’s Milo demonstration was fun, but realistically, I’m not sure how it will work with games. HD games already have budgets 2-3 times that of a Wii game, if not more. They’re going to add to the game’s budget and lengthen the game development with some sophisticated voice and facial recognition? For an expensive accessory that not everyone has? Consider this: Even with the Wii Fit and balance boards achieving incredible sales as an accessory, I count the games that support it on one hand. Even if Natal achieves Wii Fit sales, is there a reason to expect more games? Consider me dubious.
• Another gameplay question is how would these cameras handle multiplayers? Can 2, 3 or 4 gamers play at the same time and still have the motion detection work accurately? I know the demo showed 2 people, but how is that implemented to work reliably?

I’m not trying to be Wii fanboy here. I was caught up in the demo as it happened [although seeing Molyneux raised the proverbial red flag]. But Microsoft talked some smack with the idea of Natal being a Wii killer. I just don’t see that happening.

Personally, I find Microsoft a very confused, yet highly successful company. At times, their various products’ designs seem to be a grab bag of competiting features. I also think that Microsoft have missed the point of the Wii’s success, focusing on motion controls. Nintendo has packaged their appeal in a variety of ways–the motion controls, Nintendo’s cast of characters, the price, the design of the hardware and the menu.

Yet, the other part of Microsoft’s session was real and very impressive. As I’ve said before, I think services is a key to game consoles. And Microsoft is very much ahead of Nintendo and Sony in that respect. [Again, I these services further indicates that the 360 will be around beyond five years.]

My throw-away comment–Nintendo better not have charts for their session. The Microsoft session was well rehearsed and very focused on games and the user, not on the company and sales.